§ Mr. DykesTo ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list(a) the different expenses and administrative allowances available to hon. Members and (b) similar financial provisions in the parliamentary assemblies of (i) the United States of America, (ii) the Federal Republic of Germany, (iii) France, (iv) Spain and (v) the European Parliament, specifying the different cash amounts in sterling terms.
§ Sir Geoffrey Howe[holding answer 18 May 1990]: The information requested is as follows:
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Parliamentary allowances Country Allowance SUBSISTENCE AND CONSTITUENCY COSTS United Kingdom—Member of the House of Commons Additional costs allowance of up to £10,138 for those with constituencies outside London for cost of maintaining second home Local allowance of £1,222 for those with constituencies in London United States—Member of the House of Representatives — Federal Republic of Germany—Member of the Bundestag Constituency costs of 1DM 5,274 (£1,864) per month, (DM 63,288 (£22,367) per annum) covering: —postage —mileage costs —cost of second home Hotel room bills paid when overnight stays necessary Accommodation and subsistence (variable depending on country visited) paid on official trips abroad France—Deputy in the National Assembly Housing allowance of F Fr 848.20 (£89) per month (F Fr 10,178 (£1,068) per annum) Subsistence of F Fr 7,280.36 (£764) per month (F Fr 87,365 (£9,165) per annum)
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Country Allowance Spain—Member of Congress of Deputies — Member of the European Parliament Subsistence allowance of ECU 162 (£118) per day for attending meetings within the EC territory and ECU 81 (£59) per day plus cost of over night accommodation etc for attending meetings outside territory TRAVEL United Kingdom—Member of the House of Commons Free travel to and from House and on parliamentary business in United Kingdom and/or motor mileage allowance of up to 20,000 miles Further mileage l,300cc 23.3p 12.7p 1,301cc-2,300cc 35.4p 16.7p 2,301cc + 56.0p 28.0p United States—Member of the House of Representatives See official expenses allowance Federal Republic of Germany—Member of the Bundestag Free first class season ticket for rail travel, including sleeper tickets2 Free first class air travel for official internal flights Free use of the Bundestag fleet of official cars for trips within 20 km around Bonn and to Bonn-Cologne airport Free first class flights and local transport costs for official trips abroad France—Deputy in the National Assembly Free railway pass for first class and sleeper carriages 40 free internal return flights Spain—Member of Congress of Deputies Free travel between constituency and Congress Congressional charge card provided to pay for 1st class train or Club class air travel using national carriers Car travel allowance of 70 Pesetas (£0.40p) per kilometre Member of the European Parliament Flat rate travel allowance of ECU 0.62 (£0.45p) per kilometre for the first 400 km and ECU 0.31 (£0.23p) for additional mileage for travel within the community to attend meetings Reimbursement of the return air fare by the most direct route for travel outside EC territory to attend meetings Travel allowance of up to ECU 2,500 (£1,813) per annum for travel in performance of duties other than to attend meetings OFFICE AND SECRETARIAL ASSISTANCE United Kingdom—Member of the House of Commons Office costs allowance of up to £24,903 (+10 per cent. for pension contributions of any staff employed)
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Country Allowance United States—Member of the House of Representatives Clerk hire allowance of US $441,120 (£260,525) to hire up to 18 permanent and 4 non-permanent staff Official expenses allowance of between US $104,000 (£61,422) and US $302,000 (£178,360) calculated according to Member's districts distance from Washington. The average is US $146,000 (£86,227). Covers travel, office equipment, district office lease, stationery, telecommunications, mass mailing, postage, computer services, and official expenses in general3 Federal Republic of Germany—Member of the Bundestag Secretarial and research costs of DM 11,600 (£4,100) per month (DM 139,200 (£49,196) per annum) for one secretary in Bonn, one in constituency and one researcher Stationery costs of DM 2,063 (£729) per annum France—Deputy in the National Assembly Secretarial Allowance of F Fr 18,956 (£1,989) per month (F Fr 227,472 (£23,862) per annum) Contribution towards cost of research assistants etc. F Fr 21,460 (£2,251) per month (F Fr 257,520 (£27,014) per annum) Spain—Member of Congress of Deputies No provision for individual Deputies. Instead, allowances given to each parliamentary group, pro-rated according to number of seats held, to cover office expenses including rental. Each deputy will soon be provided with own office but no secretarial help will be provided Member of the European Parliament General expenditure allowance of ECU 2,342 (£1,699) per month for office management costs, telephone, postage and travel within their Member states4 Secretarial assistance allowance of up to ECU 4,530 (£3,285) per month Communications allowance of up to ECU 1,000 (£725) a year towards purchase and running costs of data processing and transmission equipment and a fax machine in the Member's constituency POSTAGE United Kingdom—Member of the House of Commons Free inland postage United States—Member of the House of Representatives See official expenses allowance Federal Republic of Germany—Member of the Bundestag Free postage from Bonn (constituency postage is met from constituency costs) France—Deputy in the National Assembly Free postage
Country Allowance Spain—Member of Congress of Deputies Free postage Member of the European Parliament See general expenditure allowance TELEPHONE CHARGES United Kingdom—Member of the House of Commons Free inland telephone charges United States—Member of the House of Representatives See official expenses allowance Federal Republic of Germany—Member of the Bundestag Free telephone calls from Bonn (worldwide) France—Deputy in the National Assembly Free inland calls from Assembly or constituency Spain—Member of Congress of Deputies Free telephone calls Member of European Parliament See general expenditure allowance 1 To be reviewed on 31 May along with Bundestag salaries. 2 Provided without charge by the Federal Railway but set to change. It is unclear whether the Bundestag or Members will pay. 3 A Member may allocate up to US $50,000 (£29,530) from the clerk hire allowance to supplement the official expenses allowance and vice versa. 4 Halved in respect of Members who, for no valid reason, have failed to attend at least half the number of plenary sittings. Note: The sterling figures calculated using rates of exchange at the close of business on 29 May 1990