§ Mr. TylerTo ask the President of the Council if she will list the benefits and the monetary value of benefits granted to each opposition party, including details for both Houses of Parliament and both Short Money funding and other allocations, with special reference to(a) salaries of the Official Opposition Leader and whips, (b) salaries and 725W costs of civil servants attached to the Official Opposition Whips' Office, (c) the provision of a car and driver to the Leader of the Opposition and (d) the supply of newspapers and other services to the Official Opposition Whips' Office for (i) 1996–97, (ii) 1997–98 and (iii) 1998–99. [38950]
§ Mrs. Ann Taylor
1996–97 £ Financial Assistance to Opposition Parties (Short Money): Labour 1,530,190.51 Liberal Democrats 316,480.64 SNP 36,782.68 Plaid Cymru 22,040.36 Ulster Unionist 46,357.18 Democratic Unionist 15,954.37 SDLP 23,134.12 Total 1,990,939.86
1997–98 £ Period: 1 April 1997 to April 1997 (pre General Election) Labour 129,017.97 Liberal Democrats 26,677.05 SNP 3,100.65 Plaid Cymru 1,858.35 Ulster Unionist 3,908.76 Democratic Unionist 1,345.23 SDLP 1,950.53 Total 167,858.54 Period: 1 May 1997 to March 1998 (post General Election) Conservative 986,762.82 Liberal Democrats 371,997.98 SNP 46,167.90 Plaid Cymru 21,210.96 Ulster Unionist 47,580.34 Democratic Unionist 11,618.90 SDLP 18,553.51 Total 1,503,892.41 Note:
Because the General Election occurred one month into the 1997–98 financial year, the sums received by each party in that year are apportioned according to the state of the parties before and after the election.
726W
1998–99 £ (a) Salaries of the Official Opposition Leader and Whips: 1996–97 House of Commons Leader of the Opposition 39,876 Opposition Chief Whip 31,125 Opposition Assistant Whip(2) 40,058 1996–97 House of Lords Opposition Leader 43,235 Opposition Cheif Whip 39,104 Total 193,398 1997–98 House of Commons (Pre General Election) Leader of the Opposition 867 Opposition Chief Whip 669 Opposition Assistant Whip(2) 861
1998–99 £ 1997–98 House of Commons (post General Election) Leader of the Opposition 50,121 Opposition Chief Whip 28,364 Opposition Deputy Chief Whip 18,252 Opposition Assistant Whip(1) 18,252 1997–98 House of Lords (pre General Election) Opposition Leader 938 Opposition Chief Whip 849 1997–98 House of Lords (Post General Election) Opposition Leader 39,761 Opposition Chief Whip 35,961 Total 194,895 1998–99 House of Commons Leader of the Opposition 56,513 Opposition Chief Whip 31,981 Opposition Deputy Chief Whip 20,580 Opposition Assistant Whip(1) 20,580 1998–99 House of Lords Opposition Leader 44,832 Opposition Chief Whip 40,547 Total 215,033 (b) Salaries and costs of civil servants attached to the Official Opposition Whips' office 1996–97 House of Commons Staff costs (1 EO and 3 AOs) 111,314 Postal Services 31,957 1996–97 House of Lords Postal services 17,095 Total 160,366 1997–98 House of Commons Staff Costs(1 EO and 3 AOs) 103,434 Postal services 23,139 Other GAE 713 1997–98 House of Lords Postal services 34,719 Total 162,005 1998–99 House of commons1 Staff Costs (1 EO and 3AOs) 111,500 Postal Services 19,000 Other GAE 1,500 1998–99 House of Lords,1 Postal services 35,587 total 167,587 (c)Provision of car and driver to Leader of the Opposition: 1996–97 58,130 1997–98 67,802 1998–991 69,497 (d)The House authorities supply the Office with 3 copies of each of 11 daily newspapers for each day the House is sitting. An exact figure for the total cost is not readily available. 1 Estimated Note:
The appropriate percentage, i.e the increase in Retail prices Index March to March, was not available to uprate the formula for calculating the allocation of Short money for this year.