§ Mr. Lewisasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the average expenses allowed for tax purposes to a Member of Parliament in each of the years 1946–52; and what would be the estimated cost to the Treasury of granting an additional amount to a Member of Parliament's salary to compensate him for the rise in his expenses, making the necessary allowance for the increased cost in the retail prices of the goods, services and articles that a Member of Parliament has to provide as a necessitous expense to satisfactorily and adequately carry out his duties to his electorate.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI regret that as. the series of figures asked for in the first part of the Question is not available and as the last part of the Question involves matters which are largely matters of opinion, I am unable to make the estimate for which the hon. Member asks.
§ Mr. Lewisasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that a Member of Parliament has not received any alteration in his salary since 1946; that out of this amount he has to meet the cost of postage, stationery, secretarial assistance, travel in his constituency and living away from home expenses; that retail prices have risen 38 per cent. since 1947; and what would be his estimate of the net increase in salary that would be necessary to compensate a Member of Parliament, receiving average expense allowance for tax purposes, for the loss in the purchasing value of his parliamentary salary and the increased costs of the necessitous expenses and services that he has to meet.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI am aware of some of the facts stated in the hon. Member's question but am not able to make an accurate calculation of the figure which he requests.