§ Mr. Onslowasked the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough as representing the House of Commons Commission what increase there has been in the number of staff employed in the House of Commons since May 1979; what increase there has been in annual expenditure on the administration of the House of Commons in the same period; and what are the principal reasons for these increases.
§ Mr. Arthur BottomleyThe number of staff employed in the Departments of the House for whom the Commission is responsible has increased by 291 since 1 Mar 1979, but of this increase 223 were existing posts in the Refreshment Department, which became a Department of t le House on 1 April 1980.
The remaining increase, 68, arose mainly from the need to provide staff for additional Select Committee work (Clerk's Department), to deal with increased work arising from changes in payments to Members and their secretaries (Fees Office), for setting up a technical and computer services section in the Library, arid for additional work dealing with the increased volume and complexity of personnel administration (Establishments Office).
Expenditure on the administration of the House of Commons amounted to £5,927,033 in 1978–79 and £10,743,254—including a once-for-all payment of some 188W £2¾ million for the writing-off of the deficit of the Refreshment Department—in 1979–80. The estimated expenditure for the year 1980–81 is £11,232,000.
The principal reasons for the increased expenditure are attributable to:
- (i) the designation of the Refreshment Department as a Department of House on 1 April 1980;
- (ii) an increase in staff numbers and salary rates;
- (iii) increased costs of police services, postal charges and telecommunications, and staff superannuation.