§ Mr. Forthasked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will publish the Top Salaries Review Body report about Members' secretarial, research and office equipment allowances; and whether he will make a statement
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§ 30 Mr. BiffenThe Top Salaries Review Body report about the secretarial, research and office equipment allowance for Members and the allowance for peers' secretarial costs, postage and certain additional expenses and the secretarial allowance for Ministers and other paid office holders in the House of Lords is published today. Copies are now available in the Vote Office. The Government are grateful to members of the review body for their report and the time and care which they have put into its preparation. Some of the recommendations would involve changes in the procedures for handling claims against the allowances which, as the review body points out, require consultations with the parties concerned. The Government would welcome the views of Parliament about the recommendations in the report before announcing firm views. They will announce decisions on the report and propose resolutions, as appropriate, to implement them in the light of those consultations.