HL Deb 19 June 2003 vol 649 cc145-6WA
Viscount Tenby

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the annual cost of maintaining the European Parliament, the House of Commons and House of Lords, including:

  1. (a) salaries, pensions, travelling allowances, secretarial expenses for Members;
  2. (b) salaries, allowances and pensions and other costs of supporting staff;
  3. (c) accommodation, including rent, operating costs and security; and
  4. (d) all other administrative costs such as stationery, office equipment, publications, payments to parliamentary bodies and other relevant outgoings; and [HL3228]

What is the per capita cost per Member of:

  1. (a) the European Parliament;
  2. (b) the House of Commons; and
    3. WA 146
  3. (c) the House of Lords

for 2002–03 and the previous four years; and [H L3229]

What was the number of sitting days of:

  1. (a) the European Parliament;
  2. (b) the House of Commons; and
  3. (c) the House of Lords

for 2002–03 and the previous four years. [HL3230]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

Precise comparisons between the cost of the European Parliament and the Houses of Parliament are difficult. The latest information is as follows. The total costs and per capita costs for the House of Lords for 2001–02, given in my reply of 21 June 2002 (WA 109), have been slightly amended.

Total Costs (£ million)
1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03
European Parliament1 712.0 610.0 597.0 614.2 568.7
of which UK cost is 98.9 102.7 90.1 61.0 80.4
House of Commons7 259.7 263.7 266.9 253.7 269.3
House of Lords7 43.3 45.3 45.7 57.4 57.6

Per Capita Costs per member (£000)
1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03
European Parliament3 1,137 974 954 981 908
House of Commons.4 and 7 394 400 405 385 409
House of Lords2 and 7 38 37 67 81 83

Number of sitting days
1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03
European Parliament5 55 60 156 138 141
House of Commons6 157 157 159 143 162
House of Lords 160 158 168 134 160
Notes:
1 Based on calendar years and average £/ecu or exchange rate for the relevant year. The cost to the UK is derived from the UK's financing share after abatement.
2 Per capita cost based on the number of Peers eligible to sit in the House of Lords at the beginning of each year. The number of peers has reduced significantly since the House of Lords Act 1999 when 655 hereditary Peers ceased to be Members from November 1999.
3Per capita cost based on 626 seats in the European Parliament.
4Per capita cost based on an assumption of 659 Members.
5In 2002–03 the number of sitting days was 141. This includes plenary sessions as well as part-plenaries, committee days and political group days in Brussels. In addition there were 13 constituency days.
6 In 2002–03 the number of sitting days for the House of Commons was 257 including sitting days in Westminster Hall.
7The 2002–03 figures are based on provisional outturns.