§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Prime Minister what public funds are currently made available(a) through the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and (b) through other channels to finance the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body; what has been the level of such fundings in each of the years since it commenced; what is the purpose of those funds; what information he has relating to the expenditure by that body upon travel, hotel accommodation and refreshments in each of those years; by whom that expenditure was incurred; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 17 January 1994]: The British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body is funded jointly by the British Government, through a grant in aid from Her Majesty's Treasury administered by the British group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and by the Irish Government's Department of Foreign Affairs. The body was established in 1990 to provide a forum for British and Irish parliamentarians to discuss Anglo-Irish relations. Twenty-five Members of Parliament and 25 members of the Oireachtas belong.
Two plenary conferences are held each year, one in the United Kingdom and one in Ireland. There is a steering committee and four separate committees tasked to study and prepare reports on a range of issues including political, economic, social, cultural, educational and environmental matters. Since 1990 British Government expenditure has been as follows:
£ 1989–90 Total expenditure 46,757 Accommodation 7,006 Travel/transport 1,442 Refreshments 8,489 1990–91 Total expenditure 64,998 Accommodation 639 Travel/transport 10,826 Refreshments 2,539 1991–92 Total expenditure 98,310 Accommodation 16,150 Travel/transport 23,280 Refreshments 11,214 1992–93 Total expenditure 78,352 Accommodation 9,616 Travel/transport 13,798 Refreshments 4,814 1993–94 Final expenditure figures for the year are not yet available but are forecast to fall within the budget.