§ Mr. Wallasked the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough as representing the House of Commons Commission if he will make a statement on allowances for members of the North Atlantic Assembly, the Council of Europe and the Western European Union, when attending meetings of these organisations abroad.
§ Mr. Arthur BottomleyI have been asked to reply.
The Commission has recently agreed that:
- 1. The subsistence allowances be brought into line with those currently paid by the Council of Europe—464 French francs a day—the increase to take effect from 7 May 1979;
- 2. The allowances be reviewed annually in April; and
- 3. The amount of subsistence allowances payable to cover travelling time be the same, irrespective of the point of departure of Members from the United Kingdom, and that it
563 should be on the basis of half a day's subsistence for the outward journey to conferences and meetings held in Europe and a full day's subsistence for the outward journey to conferences and meetings held outside Europe, with the same rates applying to the return journey.