§ Mr. Molyneauxasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will set out on an annual basis from 1975 expenditure in Northern Ireland on constitutional and electoral arrangements and if he will itemise the expenditure to show for what purpose it was incurred.
§ Mr. Prior[pursuant to his reply, 17 May 1982, c.54]: Expenditure in Northern Ireland on constitutional and electoral arrangements since 1975 was as follows:
(a) Constitutional arrangements:
Costs relating to the Northern Ireland Assembly include:
- (i) the cost—on new publications and staff and related expenditure—of keeping the library services up to date in readiness for the day when the Assembly is revived;
- (ii) the cost of the Examiner of Statutory Rules and his staff, who have a continuing function to discharge whether or not an Assembly exists;
- (iii) other costs involved in keeping the Assembly facilities ready for resumed use.
The total costs during each financial year were as follows:
Year Cost £ 1975–76 150,200 1976–77 221,800 1977–78 115,900 1978–79 109,400 1979–80 151,900 1980–81 123,900 1981–82 138,000 The cost of the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention during 1975–76 was £617,000 and, during 1976–77, £33,000.
The cost of the Northern Ireland Constitutional Conference was £53,000 in the financial year 1979–80.
(b) Electoral Arrangements
The expenses of the Chief Electoral Officer and his staff during each financial year were as follows:
Year Cost £ 1975–76 240,900 1976–77 266,900 1977–78 281,600 1978–79 326,600 1979–80 384,100 1980–81 488,500 1981–82 586,200 The following additional expenses were also incurred during this period.
184W
Cost £ 1975–76 EEC Referendum 126,800
Cost £ NI Constitutional Convention Elections 387,100 Total £513,900 1977–78 Local Government Elections 470,200 1979–80 European Assembly Elections 407,200 General Election 354,200 Total £761,400 1981–82 Westminster parliamentary by-elections 39,000 Local government elections 733,200 Total £772,200