§ Mr. Skinnerasked the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what was the total cost of financing and administering each Select Committee for 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81 and 1981–82.
§ Mr. Arthur Bottomley[pursuant to his reply, 17 November 1982, c. 175]: The total costs of financing and administering Select Committees for the parliamentary Sessions 1979–80, 1980–81 and 1981–82 are set out in the following tables. The accounts for 1981–82 are not yet complete. Comparable information for 1978–79 is not readily available, and to obtain it would involve disproportionate cost. The costs of printing and publishing, which are not included in the following figures, are borne by Her Majesty's Stationery Office as an allied service. Details of the latter costs for 1979–80 and 1980–81 are given in the Select Committee returns for the two Sessions—HC 217 and HC 245.
477W
Committee 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 Agriculture 20,863 15,244 16,419 Armed Forces Bill 999 Joint Committee on Consolidation Etc. Bills *781 *356 *167 Defence 20,879 27,776 55,583 Education, Science and Arts 27,781 45,686 32,064 Employment 23,348 18,997 32,549 Energy 32,492 40,747 24,823 Environment 14,891 8,626 10,915 European Legislation &c. 4,686 440 3,171 Foreign Affairs (Including Overseas Development Sub-Committee) 42,137 61,761 68,983
Committee 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 Home Affairs (Including Sub- Committee on Race Relations and Immigration) align="right">11,550 18,186 15,291 House of Commons (Services) (Including Sub- Committees) 1,560 978 1,080 Industry and Trade 43,527 17,430 19,248 Members Interests — — — Members Salaries — 574 — Liaison Committee — — — Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration 1,571 1,003 2,177 Privileges — 403 — Procedure (Supply) — 4,128 1,832 Public Accounts 18,288 17,754 11,892 Scottish Affairs 18,123 20,029 24,605 Social Services 16,317 51,782 16,707 Sound Broadcasting 1,273 624 2,038 Statutory Instruments (Joint Committee) *839 *449 *406 Statutory Instruments 253 46 85 Transport 12,593 31,848 12,015
478W
Committee 1979–80 No. of days 1980–81 No. of Days 1981–82 No. of Days £ £ £ Agriculture 8,213 91 3,749 46 3,763 40 Defence 3,708 68 7,295 115 8,912 131 Education, Science and Arts 11,863 210 13,253 217 15,380 318 Employment 2,555 50 6,792 99 2,480 63 Energy 7,344 252 14,519 229 12,494 165 Environment 12,272 332 8,026 190 6,804 154 European Legislation 1,542 37 — — — — Foreign Affairs 11,295 243 19,832 376 19,337 366 Home Affairs 2,030 37 2,138 54 — — Industry and Trade 4,316 79 8,228 125 8,558 114 Scottish Affairs 3,133 59 3,778 50 4,807 47 Social Services 11,255 201 27,232 260 5,560 91 Sound Broadcasting 925 12 624 14 2,038 39 Transport 2,675 57 5,309 84 4,996 94 Treasury and Civil Service 10,334 202 11,864 201 7,508 96 Welsh Affairs 3,621 72 323 6 3.537 38
Committee 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 Treasury and Civil Service (Including Sub-Committee) 24,394 18,573 24,187 Welsh Affairs 10,207 12,665 15,984 * The amount shown is half the costs; the other half is attributable to the Lords Committee.
The costs exclude the salaries and so on of officers and staff of the House of Commons.
§ Mr. Georgeasked the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will list in the Official Report the total cost of specialist advisers for each of the departmental Select Committees for each Session since their formation, the total number of days for which these advisers were paid, diem allowances for these advisers, and the number who are employed on a full-time basis.
§ Arthur Bottomley[pursuant to his reply, 17 November 1982, c. 176]: The total costs of specialist advisers to each Select Committee for the parliamentary Sessions 1979–80, 1980–81 and 1981–82, and the total numbers of days for which fees were paid, are set out in the following table. The accounts for 1981–82 are not yet complete. None of the specialist advisers has been employed on a full-time basis. Over the period the per diem fees paid have ranged from £15.00 to £70.00.