§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent a Member of the House of Lords who is also the chairman or member of a Government or statutory board or committee is permitted to draw, in addition to the salary for these appointments and the travel allowances and tax-free expenses, the tax-free £16.50 a day allowance for attending the House of Lords.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisI have been asked to reply.
Claims to peers expenses allowances may be made only in respect of expenses necessarily incurred in attending the House of Lords.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table of figures giving for the longest and most convenient period of time the number of Peers who have drawn the tax-free expense allowances, the actual or average amounts drawn by these Peers and the annual costs.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisI have been asked to reply.
As I have previously made clear, the administration of the peers expenses 426W allowance is a matter for another place. Consequently I cannot provide the precise details requested, but I refer my hon. Friend to Tables 6A and 6B of the Top Salaries Review Body Report No. 9 (Cmnd. 6749). The amount provided in the House of Lords Estimates for the year 1976–77 to cover peers expenses allowance is £470,000.