§ Mr. WatsonTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if the Lord Chancellor600W will estimate the saving to public funds of holding the next European elections and local elections on the same day; and if she will make a statement. [76248]
§ Yvette CooperWe have made some broad estimates of the likely costs of holding the European parliamentary and local elections on the same weekday in 2004. These suggest that savings may be in the region of £20 million which would represent a saving approaching 25 per cent. compared with the cost of holding these elections on separate days.