HL Deb 22 July 1999 vol 604 cc129-30WA
Viscount Tenby

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the costs of maintaining the European Parliament, the House of Commons and the House of Lords, including:

  1. (a) salaries, pensions, travelling allowances, secretarial expenses and other expenses for Members;
  2. (b) salaries, allowances and pensions and other costs of support staff;
  3. (c) accommodation, including rent, operating costs and security; and
  4. (d) all other administrative costs such as stationery, office equipment, publications, payments to parliamentary bodies and any other relevant outgoing;
and whether they will indicate the per capita cost per Member as well as the average number of sitting days for each institution for 1998–99 and the previous four years. [HL3598]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

Precise comparisons between the cost of the European Parliament and the Houses of Parliament are difficult. The latest information is as follows:

1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99
Total costs (£ million)
House of Lords 39.8 38.5 39.4 43.3
House of Commons5 195.6 202.3 241.1 259.7
European Parliament1 675 585 593 712
of which cost to UK is 92.1 67.7 70.3 98.9
Per capita cost per member (£000)
House of Lords2 38 37 37 38
House of Commons6 300 311 366 394
European Parliament3 1,078 935 947 1,137
Number of sitting days
House of Lords 146 145 132 160
House of Commons 156 152 150 157
European Parliament4 60 60 60 55
Notes
1 Based on calendar years and average £/ecu exchange rate for the relevant year. The cost to the UK is derived from the UK's financing share after abatement.
2 Per capita costs based on number of Peers eligible to sit in the House of Lords at the beginning of each year.
3 The number of European Parliament seats increased from 518 to 567 in June 1994 and has increased since to its present total of 626.
4 It is not possible to give an exact figure for the number of European Parliament sittings. The European Parliament generally holds a five-day plenary session every month but there have been occasions when those plenary sessions have been held over a longer period. In addition to plenary sessions the calendar for July 1998 to June 1999 includes 12 days of mini-plenary sessions in Brussels. 57 days of committee meetings and 51 days of group meetings, giving the additional 120 days. The European Parliament did not meet in June 1999 because of the 1999 European election.
5 Total cost of the House of Commons includes capital costs in respect of New Parliamentary Building.
6 Per capita costs based on 659 Members increased from 652 at the General Election.