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Spending rules that allow members of the Nova Scotia legislature to hire cleaners or buy cleaning materials for their Halifax apartments remain intact.

A motion passed by the legislature's internal economy board committee today permits members to spend a portion of their household allowance on cleaning, provided they haven't exceeded a maximum monthly payment on their residences.

Manning MacDonald, a Liberal member from Cape Breton, says it's been in place for about 17 years and is a reasonable expense for members who have to maintain a second home.

He says that he cleans his own apartment.

The maximum monthly accommodation allowance is $1,470 for regular members and $1,700 for cabinet ministers and the leader of the opposition.

The committee also passed a motion that will reduce their mileage allowance for driving from 42 cents per kilometre to 38 cents per kilometre - matching a change recently applied to civil servants.

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