§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Chairman of the Finance and Services Committee what was the total cost of electricity and gas supplied to the Palace of Westminster in the eight current years to date; and what is his estimate of the extra costs arising from the imposition of VAT on fuel at(a) eight per cent. and (b) 17.5 per cent.
§ Mr. Paul ChannonUntil 1 April 1992, the cost of electricity and gas supplied to the Palace of Westminster was met by the Department of the Environment. In 1992–93, the first year that fuel and utilities were met by
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Staff in post in ED Group as at 1 October 1993 Ethnic group Grade level Black respondents Asian respondents Other ethnic minority respondents Total staff AA level 243 186 18 4,375 AO level 1,157 1,362 159 32,362 EO level 233 355 65 17,073 HEO level 30 41 24 4,770 the votes of the Houses of Parliament, gas and electricity accounted for some £740,000, of which the House of Commons paid 60 per cent. So far in the current financial year £365,000 has been spent.
No extra costs arise from the imposition of VAT on fuel as the tax is already applied in respect of commercial use.