§ Mr. DevlinTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the administrative costs of his Department rose by more or less than the retail prices index in the last financial year.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggGross running costs expenditure on Foreign and Commonwealth Office diplomatic wing administration was 9.86 per cent. higher in 1989–90 than in the previous year; and for the aid wing it was 9.56 per cent. higher. During the same period the retail prices index increased by 7.8 per cent.