§ Mr. MacKayTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the cost of the Northern Ireland Assembly is drawn from the Northern Ireland grant; and what the costs of the Assembly(a) were in the 1998–99 financial year and (b) are projected to be in the 1999–2000 financial year. [81037]
§ Mr. Paul MurphyYes. 1998–99 expenditure was £10.6m. It will be for the Assembly to determine its operating costs in 1999–2000. In February, the Assembly Commission estimated this at £36m.