§ Mr. GapesTo ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what is the cost in terms of(a) staff, (b) lighting, (c) heating, (d) catering and (e) other costs of operating Parliament on its current hours; and what would be the estimated cost should the recommendations of the Select Committee on Sittings of the House relating to hours of sitting be implementing in full.
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§ Mr. BeithThe costs of the House of Commons on the present basis of operations are set out in the 15th annual report of the House of Commons Commission—House of Commons Paper No. 820 of Session 1992–93. It is not practicable to provide an estimate of changes in these costs if the recommendations of the Jopling report were to be implemented in full. However, an indication of the additional staff costs of sittings after 10.30 pm was given in response to a question by the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 22 October 1993,Official Report, column 347.
§ Mr. LuffTo ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what is the cost per hour of the House sitting beyond midnight.
§ Mr. BeithI refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 22 October 1993,Official Report, column 347. The rate at which additional costs are incurred when the House sits after midnight is broadly the same as the rate at which costs are incurred when the House sits after 10.30 Pm.