HC Deb 26 July 1978 vol 954 cc746-7W
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total cost to local authorities in Scotland, for the latest available year, of councillors' attendance allowances; and what proportion this represented of revenue expenditure.

Mr. McElhone

Expenditure on attendance allowances is not separately identified in regular returns provided by local authorities. The report of the Committee of Inquiry into the System of Remuneration of Members of Local Authorities—the Robinson Committee—shows that in 1975–76 local authorities in Scotland probably made attendance allowance payments of £1,250,000 and that the overall cost of attendance allowances in England, Wales and Scotland in 1975–76 was less than one-tenth of 1 per cent. of total local government expenditure.