§ Viscount Tenbyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the annual cost of maintaining the European Parliament, the House of Commons and the House of Lords, including:
and whether they will indicate the per capita cost per Member as well as the average number of sitting days for each institution for 1999–2000 and the previous four years. [HL2995]
- (a) salaries, pensions, travelling allowances, secretarial expenses and other expenses for Members;
- (b) salaries, allowances and pensions and other costs of support staff;
- (c) accommodation, including rent, operating costs and security; and
- (d) all other administrative costs such as stationery, office equipment, publications, payments to parliamentary bodies and other relevant outgoings;
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyThe information for the years 1996–97, 1997–98 and 1998–99 was given in my Answer of 22 July 1999 (WA 129–130). The information for 1999–2000 is as follows:
Total Costs 1999–2000 £ million House of Lords 45.3 House of Commons5 263.7 European Parliament1 610 of which cost to UK is 102.7 Per capita cart per member 1999–2000 £'000 House of Lords2 37 House of Commons6 400 European Parliament3 974 Number of sitting dais 1999–2000 House of Lords 158 House of Commons 157 European Parliament4 60 Notes: 1 Based on the calendar year and average £/eu exchange rate. 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 the year. 3 The number of European Parliament seats increased from 518 to 567 on 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 these plenary sessions have been over a longer period. 5 Total cost of the House of Commons includes capital costs in respect of new Parliamentary buildings. 6 Per capita costs based on 659 Members, increased from 652 at the 1997 General Election.