HC Deb 10 July 1997 vol 297 c524W
Mr. Gorrie

To ask the President of the Council if she will list the benefits and the monetary value of benefits granted to the official Opposition, other than those funded from the Short allocation to Opposition parties, with special reference to(a) salaries of Opposition Leader and Whips, (b) salaries and costs of civil servants attached to the Opposition Whips' Office, (c) the provision of a car and driver to the Leader of the Opposition and (d) the supply of newspapers to the Opposition Whips' Office. [6930]

Mrs. Ann Taylor

The information requested is as follows. All figures are per year.

  1. (a) Salaries:
    • Leader of the Opposition: £55,000
    • Opposition Chief Whip: £31,125
    • Opposition Deputy Chief Whip: £20,029
    • Assistant Opposition Whip: £20,029
    • Total: 126,183
  2. (b) The total salary bill is: £88,657
  3. (c) £58,095
  4. (d) The House authorities supply the Office with three copies of each of 12 daily newspapers for each day the House is sitting. An exact figure for the total cost is not readily available.