§ Mr. Sproatasked the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what latest estimate he has made of the total costs of the new Select Committees in the current year; and how much of that estimate is on travel abroad, how much on specialist advisers and how much on each of the other main categories of expense.
§ Mr. Arthur BottomleyThe latest estimates for the five categories of Select Committee expenditure in the current financial year are as follows:
1. Official shorthand writers' expenses £66,000 2. Expenses of Members and officials on Select Committee business in the United Kingdom £20,000 3. Specialist assistance £67,500 4. Entertainment expenses £11,000 5. Expenses of select committees travelling abroad £250,000 £414,500 Items 1, 2 and 3 remain for the present as included in the main Estimate for the House of Commons (Administration) Vote (Class XIII A) although there 213W has been a recent increase in the daily rates payable for specialist assistance—as detailed in reply to the hon. Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) on 1 July—[Vol. 987, c. 459]. Items 4 and 5 have been increased, following decisions of the commission since the Estimate was presented.
The information above applies to all Select Committees and not just to the new Select Committees set up for the first time this Session.
§ Mr. Marlowasked the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what have been the numbers employed by Select Committees of the House and related organisations whose emoluments have been at the annual rate in each bracket of £2,000 from £0–2,000 upwards in the first year of operation.
§ Mr. Arthur BottomleyI shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.