UK resident working overseas - allowable expenses ?

[taxbill]

Following a question posed about the tax position when returning from Dubai after a few months working over there, the enquirer was told that he would simply have to pay tax on his earnings out of the country as he had not been out of the country for a full tax year.
I wondered if there were any costs that the employee could offset against his overseas income such as the cost of living accommodation, travel cost over to Dubai etc.
Hope someone can enlighten me.

Bill