§ Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Prime Minister if he will state the salary and the expense allowance attaching to the office of Prime Minister, together with the estimated value of any tax-free benefits he receives in kind by way of motor cars, houses, &c.
§ The Prime MinisterThe salary of the office of the Prime Minister is £14,000 of which £4,000 is tax free. No. 10 Downing Street is provided both as an office and as official furnished residence. Chequers is also provided, through the Chequers Trust, as an official country residence, but though available for personal use is also used for official meetings or conferences. Motor transport is provided for official journeys: when an official car is used for private journeys it is paid for by the Prime Minister. It is not possible to make an accurate estimate of any personal benefits accruing from these arrangements. None of these arrangements involve any change from the practice followed by my predecessors, though, as explained to the House, the increase in the basic salary from £10,000 to £14,000 per annum represents only half the increase recommended by the Committee on the Remuneration of Ministers and Members of Parliament set up by my predecessor.