§ 13. Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the cost of answering parliamentary questions to his Department during the past 12 months.
§ Miss WiddecombeAn estimated £212,300.
§ Mr. BanksIt is nice to know that hon. Members are keeping Ministers busy, even if the Ministers are not 136 capable of keeping the unemployed busy. Would not it be a nice gesture if the hon. Members who take money for asking those questions sent a certain proportion back to the Department to defray expenses? Alternatively, could not the money be put into a fund for the election campaign of the Secretary of State?
§ Miss WiddecombeI do not in the least begrudge the hon. Gentleman the rather large amount of taxpayers' money that has been spent keeping up with his own questions. He has asked about four times the average number of parliamentary questions. If he is concerned about the public purse, he may wish to reduce the number of demands that he makes upon it.