SECTION 9 - DEFINITIONS 9.1.1 The following definitions apply to the Scheme:- "claim" means a claim or application under the Scheme for reimbursement of expenses or costs; "close family member", in relation to a member, means- (a) a spouse, civil partner or cohabiting partner of the member; or (b) a parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece of the member or of a person mentioned in sub-paragraph (a); "connected person", in relation to a member, means a business partner or a business associate of the member or any organisation (other than a party political organisation) in which the member concerned or a close family member has an interest; "cost of overnight accommodation" means the actual cost incurred by the member, or, as the case may be, member of staff, volunteer or intern (inclusive of the cost of any evening meal and breakfast) subject to the limit per night specified in the Schedule of Rates; "cost of travel" means- (a) the actual cost of any travel ticket purchased or fare paid in making a journey, or part of a journey, by public transport; (b) in respect of a journey, or part of a journey, by means of a motor vehicle (excluding a hired motor vehicle), motor cycle or bicycle, such amount per mile as is prescribed from time to time as the rate applicable for vehicles of those kinds in section 230(2) of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (or any re-enactment of that provision); (c) in exceptional circumstances, with the approval of the SPCB, the actual cost of motor vehicle hire and associated fuel costs; (d) tolls and car parking charges; "constituency" and "region" refer to the constituencies and regions provided for by Schedule 1 to the Scotland Act 1998 (or any re-enactment of that provision); "constituency member" means a member of the Parliament for a constituency; "disability" has the same meaning as in section 1 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (or any re-enactment of that provision), and "disabled" is to be construed accordingly; "Edinburgh" (except in paragraph 5.1.3) means a constituency listed in Group One of Annex A; "financial year" means the year from 1 April to 31 March; "improper claim" means a claim in respect of expenses or costs which have either not in fact been incurred or have not been incurred for a purpose permitted by the Scheme; "member", except where the context otherwise requires, means a member of the Parliament; "other residence" means any residential property (other than a member's main residence) which is owned by a member and which that member has regularly occupied as a residence; "Parliament" means the Scottish Parliament; "parliamentary duties" means any task or function which a member could reasonably be expected to carry out in that member's capacity as a member, including but not limited to:- (a) attending a meeting of the Parliament; (b) attending a meeting of a committee or sub-committee of the Parliament on which the member sits or which the member is required to attend, or attending such a meeting for some other valid reason relating only to the business of the committee or sub-committee; (c) undertaking research or administrative functions which relate directly to, or are in connection with, the business of the Parliament; (d) attending meetings for the purpose of representing electors or explaining the application of policy or meeting a member of the public residing in the constituency or region from which that member was returned; (e) attending parliamentary party group meetings in Edinburgh or, with the prior approval of the SPCB, any other place in Scotland; (f) attending a meeting, ceremony or official...