§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much was spent in pounds sterling by the European Parliament(a) in 1995 and (b) so far in 1996 in subsidising the visits of parties organised by MEPs to the European Parliament; how many visits were subsidised during these periods; how much was spent in organising visits to the European Parliament by British MEPs; and how many such visits were organised. [6356]
§ Mr. David DavisI have been asked to reply.
The 1995 budget provision for subsidising group visits to the European Parliament was 7.88 million ecu or £6.1 million. Provision in the 1996 budget is 9.2 million ecu or £7.1 million. Final outturn figures for 1995 and details of expenditure so far in 1996 are not yet available. A total of 3,057 group visits were subsidised in 1995, of which 341 were by British groups; 1,134 of these visits were sponsored by individual MEPs, of which 341 were sponsored by British MEPs. Detailed figures for group visits so far in 1996 are not readily available, but the EP secretariat advises that by the end of November 1996 170 group visits had been sponsored by British MEPs.