§ Mr. Fauldsasked the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough as representing the House of Commons Commission what provision the House of Commons Commission intends to make for payments from public funds towards the cost of the Refreshment Department in 1979–80.
§ Mr. Arthur BottomleyI have been asked to reply.
The status of the Refreshment Department has not yet been decided. The Commission has, however, decided to authorise the payment from the House of Commons Administration Vote (Class XIII A) of the sum of £279,000 in respect of wages and salaries during the recess and half-yearly interest due on the Treasury loan to the Department. Parliamentary approval to this payment will be sought in a Winter Supplementary Estimate for the House of Commons Administration Vote. Pending that approval, the Treasury has agreed that any necessary expenditure may be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.