§ Mr. MossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on setting up the Parades Commission; and if she will estimate its annual running costs for a full year broken down into(a) payments to the members of the Commission and (b) administrative expenditure. [50147]
§ Mr. Paul MurphyThe Parades Commission has, since its creation, occupied the rented premises previously used by the Parades Review Team and inherited most of its office equipment and material from that team. Staff were deployed from duties elsewhere in the Northern Ireland Office. Actual start-up costs were therefore minimal,.
The estimated outturn figure for 1998–99 is £1 million, made up of £260,000 Departmental Running Costs, comprising staff pay and general administrative expenditure such as travel and stationery and £740,000 Non-Departmental running costs, including payments to members, accommodation costs for rental, rates and electricity, grants to the Mediation Network, including the salary and support costs of the Authorised Officers and research and consultancy costs.