§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Chairman of the Information Committee if he will list the(a) average annual expenditure on overseas telephone calls per hon. Member and (b) greatest amount spent by an hon. Member in each of the last three years for which information is available; and what the annual administrative cost is of collecting payment for these calls. [66567]
§ Mr. AllanThe average annual expenditure for hon. Members for overseas calls for 1998 was £29.31. The greatest amount spent by an hon. Member in the preceding three years is £127.31 (1996), £403.51 (1997) and £1,289.90 (1998). The annual administrative cost of collecting payment for these calls is estimated to be £13,000 (excluding any administrative costs incurred by the Member).