Are parliamentarians sorting expenses initially in recess? (4)
I believe the answer is:
apse
'recess?' is the definition.
(apse is a kind of recess)
'are parliamentarians sorting expenses initially' is the wordplay.
'initially' indicates taking the first letters.
The first letters of 'are parliamentarians sorting expenses' is 'APSE'.
'in' is the link.
(Other definitions for apse that I've seen before include "Recess in church wall" , "where praetor sat" , "Recess at east end of church" , "Semicircular end of a church, behind the altar" , "Where you could find a magistrate's chair" .)