§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee by what formula, and to what extent, the 1109W notional costs of (a) services, (b) rents and (c) rates are reflected in the prices of restaurants, cafés, bars and banqueting suites in the House of Commons. [55613]
§ Mr. Dennis Turner[holding answer 19 October 1998]: The House of Commons votes do not presently allocate costs to individual Departments of the House, although the introduction of Resource Accounting and Budgeting in 1999 will lead to a greater degree of transparency of such costs in the future. Under the present arrangements, the Refreshment Department has a target to achieve an overall operating surplus of 5 per cent. on its trading account, but there is no direct linkage between the prices charged to customers using the Department's facilities and the costs (notional or actual) of common services, rents or rates.
I shall ensure that a copy of the published Refreshment Department Trading Account for 1997–98 is sent to my hon. Friend. He will wish to note that the Department made an operating surplus of £445,476 (10.6 per cent. of turnover). Consequently, a sum of £462,429 will be transferred from the Refreshment Department trading account to the House of Commons Administration Vote in the present financial year for ultimate return to HM Treasury.