§ Mr. Don FosterTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the total Government expenditure was on(a) local elections in each year since 1997, (b) the 1997 general election and (c) the 2001 general election. [71230]
§ Yvette CooperTo date, central Government expenditure for the conduct of the parliamentary general elections in 1997 and 2001 is £46.2 million and £44.3 million, respectively.
Central Government makes no direct contribution to the cost of conducting local government elections, the funding of which is the responsibility of local authorities themselves.
Information on the cost of local elections in England and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland respectively. This is a devolved matter in Wales and Scotland.