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Parliaments: Sitting Days and Costs

Answer

Precise comparisons between the cost of the European Parliament and the Houses of Parliament are difficult. The requested information is set out below. As with last year’s answers to similar questions, the House of Commons and House of Lords have provided data relating to costs on a resource basis, consistent with their resource accounts. The European Parliament has not adopted resource accounting and budgeting and all its cost figures have been presented on a cash basis.

Per capita cost per member (£’000s)	2005–06 unaudited provisional figures
House of Commons (1) (2)	726
House of Lords (2)	149

Figures for 2000–01, to 2004–05 for the House of Commons and House of Lords can be found in the relevant year’s resource accounts (6) (7). European Parliament figures are available on their website (8). Annual Costs European Parliament The European Parliament outturn figures for calendar years 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and budget figures for 2005 and 2006 can be found on the European Parliament website (8).

House of Commons £ millions
	2005–06 provisional unaudited outturn
Members salaries, pensions travel and    allowances (3)	146.2
Salaries and pensions for administrative    staff (4)	61.0
Accommodation costs, including rent,    operating costs and security	93.5
Other administration costs (5)	168.1
Total	468.8

Details of previous years’ expenditure by the House of Commons can be found in the Members and administration resource accounts (6).

House of Lords £ millions
	2005–06 provisional unaudited outturn
Members expenses	15.2
House of Lords staff costs	16.4
Accommodation costs (2)	56.3
Other administration costs	17.9
Total	105.8

Details of previous years’ expenditure by the House of Lords can be found in their resource accounts(7).

Number of Sitting Days
Sitting Days	2004–05 Session	Calendar Year 2005	2005–06 Financial Year
European Parliament    Plenary Session (8) (9)	38	48	51.5
House Of Commons    Chamber	65	133	137
House Of Commons,    Westminster Hall	39	83	86
House Of Lords Chamber	63	126	132
House Of Lords, Grand    Committee	29	55	60
(1) The figures are calculated on the assumption that there are 659 Members. (2) From 2004-05 onwards the figures are based on the capital charge reducing from 6 per cent. to 3.5 per cent. (3) The 2005 General Election saw additional Member salary costs of £5.4 million arising from the payment of resettlement grants, as well as the winding-up allowance costs of £3.5 million payable to those Members who stood down. (4) Higher salary costs in 2005–06 represent an increase in the employer pension contribution from 18.7 per cent. to 22.6 per cent. (5) The other administration costs include a one-off technical accounting adjustment of £115.8 million to recognise the full pension liability following the adoption of new accounting standard FRS117. (6) House of Commons Resource Accounts can be found on their website (HC419, HC420, HC67, HC68, HC1239, HC1240) at www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmhocpap.htm£resource. (7) House of Lords Resource Accounts can be found on their website (HL23, HL44, HLI 1, HL197) at www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld/ldres.htm. (8) European Parliament budget information and number of members can be found on its website at www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/budget/www/index-en.htm and www.europarl.org.uk/. (9) 2004 being an election year, had fewer meeting days than a normal year.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

6366; 683 c168-70WA

Session

2005-06

Subjects

House of Lords European Parliament European Parliament members Members Peers Per capita costs

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk