HC Deb 08 March 1979 vol 963 c733W
Mr. Fairbairn

asked the Lord President of the Council what is the estimated cost of sending British Members to the European Parliament.

Mr. Foot

Subsistence and travel allowances are a matter for the European Assembly, and are paid direct to Members. The United Kingdom makes some contribution from public funds to the allowances paid to Assembly Members through the United Kingdom contribution to the Community budget. The cost of providing a secretariat in Westminster for the present United Kingdom delegation also falls upon public funds as a charge on the House of Commons Vote. The cost to the United Kingdom of sending British Members to the Assembly depends on the attendance of individual Members at meetings of the Assembly and its committees and cannot be estimated on the basis of information available to the United Kingdom.

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