§ Lord Marlesfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will give their latest estimate of the total annual cost to public funds of the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the European Parliament, expressed in pounds sterling per Member. [HL4687]
Lord Mclntosh of HaringeyPrecise comparisons between the cost of the European Parliament and the United Kingdom Parliament are difficult. The latest
Total Cash Costs (£ million) 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 European Parliament1 712.0 610.0 597.0 614.2 568.7 663.2 of which UK cost is 98.9 102.7 90.1 61.0 80.4 91.5 House of Commons5.6 259.7 256.3 253.9 249.1 268.4 280.3 House of Lords5.6 43.3 45.3 45.7 57.4 57.6 66.5
Per Capita Cash Cost per member to UK public funds (£000) 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 European Parliament4 1,137 974 954 981 908 1.059 of which UK cost is 158 164 144 97 128 146 House of Commons3 394 389 385 378 407 425 House of Lords2 38 37 67 81 83 96 Notes
1Based on calendar years and average £/ecu or Euro 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.
3 Per capita cost based on an assumption of 659 Members.
4 Per capita cost based on an assumption of 626 seats in the European Parliament.
5 The 2003–03 figures are based on provisional outturns.
6 The 2003–04 figures are based on provisional estimates.