Written question asked by Baroness Seccombe (Conservative), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Myners (Labour) on Wednesday, 26 November 2008.

Public Funds

Question: For each year since 1997, what was the overall annual cost to public funds and the annual cost per member of (a) the House of Commons; (b) the House of Lords; (c) the Scottish Parliament; (d) the National Assembly for Wales; and (e) the European Parliament.

Original answer

Information for the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the European Parliament for 1997-98 to 2001-02 was provided in the following Written Answers by Lord McIntosh of Haringey: 22 July 1999 (WA 129-130); 5 July 2000 (WA 133); 12 July 2001 (WA 87); and 21 June 2002 (WA 109). The information for 2002-03 onwards in respect of the House of Commons and the House of Lords is detailed below.

Total Cost
£ millions	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08
House of Commons (1) (4) (5) (6) (7)	393.6	401.9	433.2	490.4	378.1	363.9
House of Lords (1) (7)	79.1	85.5	145.3	113.1	109.1	305.4

Per Capita Cost
£ thousands	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08
House of Commons (2) (7)	609	622	433	759	543	522
House of Lords (3) (7)	110	118	201	157	151	423

The devolved legislatures in Scotland and Wales are funded from within the block budgets for Scotland and Wales. The devolved Administrations publish their own budgets (8) (9), which identify the costs of their legislatures. Figures for the European Parliament are available from its website. (10) "(1) Total cost for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords includes capital costs.""(2) The figures are calculated on the assumption that there are 646 Members, of whom five decline to sit in chambers.""(3) The figures are calculated on the assumption that there are 722 Members.""(4) From 2004-05 onwards the figures are based on the capital charge reducing from 6 per cent to 3.5 per cent.""(5) 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.""(6) In 2005-06 there was a one-off technical adjustment of £115.8 million to recognise the full pension liability following the adoption of new accounting standard FRS1 17.""(7) In the Main Estimate for 2008-09, a change was made to the funding of the British-American Parliamentary Group, the Interparliamentary Union, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the British-Irish Group. From that date this funding became the responsibility the House of Commons and the House of Lords. By convention the funding for the previous years is reported as if the Houses have always had responsibility for these bodies. The figures provided in the Answers to Lord Tenby’s annual question for the years 2002-03 to 2006-07 will therefore differ from those reported above.""(8) http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/02/21153821/0""(9) http://new.wales.gov.uk/cisd/finance/budgets/2007/ finalbudget07/finalbudgetmegallocationse.pdf?lang=en""(10) http://www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/budget/www/index- en.htm_and_http://www.europarl.org.uk/" "(1) Total cost for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords includes capital costs.""(2) The figures are calculated on the assumption that there are 646 Members, of whom five decline to sit in chambers.""(3) The figures are calculated on the assumption that there are 722 Members.""(4) From 2004-05 onwards the figures are based on the capital charge reducing from 6 per cent to 3.5 per cent.""(5) 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.""(6) In 2005-06 there was a one-off technical adjustment of £115.8 million to recognise the full pension liability following the adoption of new accounting standard FRS1 17.""(7) In the Main Estimate for 2008-09, a change was made to the funding of the British-American Parliamentary Group, the Interparliamentary Union, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the British-Irish Group. From that date this funding became the responsibility the House of Commons and the House of Lords. By convention the funding for the previous years is reported as if the Houses have always had responsibility for these bodies. The figures provided in the Answers to Lord Tenby’s annual question for the years 2002-03 to 2006-07 will therefore differ from those reported above.""(8) http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/02/21153821/0""(9) http://new.wales.gov.uk/cisd/finance/budgets/2007/ finalbudget07/finalbudgetmegallocationse.pdf?lang=en""(10) http://www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/budget/www/index- en.htm_and_http://www.europarl.org.uk/" "(2) The figures are calculated on the assumption that there are 646 Members, of whom five decline to sit in chambers.""(3) The figures are calculated on the assumption that there are 722 Members.""(4) From 2004-05 onwards the figures are based on the capital charge reducing from 6 per cent to 3.5 per cent.""(5) 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.""(6) In 2005-06 there was a one-off technical adjustment of £115.8 million to recognise the full pension liability following the adoption of new accounting standard FRS1 17.""(7) In the Main Estimate for 2008-09, a change was made to the funding of the British-American Parliamentary Group, the Interparliamentary Union, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the British-Irish Group. From that date this funding became the responsibility the House of Commons and the House of Lords. By convention the funding for the previous years is reported as if the Houses have always had responsibility for these bodies. The figures provided in the Answers to Lord Tenby’s annual question for the years 2002-03 to 2006-07 will therefore differ from those reported above.""(8) http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/02/21153821/0""(9) http://new.wales.gov.uk/cisd/finance/budgets/2007/ finalbudget07/finalbudgetmegallocationse.pdf?lang=en""(10) http://www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/budget/www/index- en.htm_and_http://www.europarl.org.uk/" "(3) The figures are calculated on the assumption that there are 722 Members.""(4) From 2004-05 onwards the figures are based on the capital charge reducing from 6 per cent to 3.5 per cent.""(5) 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.""(6) In 2005-06 there was a one-off technical adjustment of £115.8 million to recognise the full pension liability following the adoption of new accounting standard FRS1 17.""(7) In the Main Estimate for 2008-09, a change was made to the funding of the British-American Parliamentary Group, the Interparliamentary Union, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the British-Irish Group. From that date this funding became the responsibility the House of Commons and the House of Lords. By convention the funding for the previous years is reported as if the Houses have always had responsibility for these bodies. The figures provided in the Answers to Lord Tenby’s annual question for the years 2002-03 to 2006-07 will therefore differ from those reported above.""(8) http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/02/21153821/0""(9) http://new.wales.gov.uk/cisd/finance/budgets/2007/ finalbudget07/finalbudgetmegallocationse.pdf?lang=en""(10) http://www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/budget/www/index- en.htm_and_http://www.europarl.org.uk/" "(4) From 2004-05 onwards the figures are based on the capital charge reducing from 6 per cent to 3.5 per cent.""(5) 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.""(6) In 2005-06 there was a one-off technical adjustment of £115.8 million to recognise the full pension liability following the adoption of new accounting standard FRS1 17.""(7) In the Main Estimate for 2008-09, a change was made to the funding of the British-American Parliamentary Group, the Interparliamentary Union, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the British-Irish Group. From that date this funding became the responsibility the House of Commons and the House of Lords. By convention the funding for the previous years is reported as if the Houses have always had responsibility for these bodies. The figures provided in the Answers to Lord Tenby’s annual question for the years 2002-03 to 2006-07 will therefore differ from those reported above.""(8) http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/02/21153821/0""(9) http://new.wales.gov.uk/cisd/finance/budgets/2007/ finalbudget07/finalbudgetmegallocationse.pdf?lang=en""(10) http://www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/budget/www/index- en.htm_and_http://www.europarl.org.uk/" "(5) 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.""(6) In 2005-06 there was a one-off technical adjustment of £115.8 million to recognise the full pension liability following the adoption of new accounting standard FRS1 17.""(7) In the Main Estimate for 2008-09, a change was made to the funding of the British-American Parliamentary Group, the Interparliamentary Union, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the British-Irish Group. From that date this funding became the responsibility the House of Commons and the House of Lords. By convention the funding for the previous years is reported as if the Houses have always had responsibility for these bodies. The figures provided in the Answers to Lord Tenby’s annual question for the years 2002-03 to 2006-07 will therefore differ from those reported above.""(8) http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/02/21153821/0""(9) http://new.wales.gov.uk/cisd/finance/budgets/2007/ finalbudget07/finalbudgetmegallocationse.pdf?lang=en""(10) http://www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/budget/www/index- en.htm_and_http://www.europarl.org.uk/" "(6) In 2005-06 there was a one-off technical adjustment of £115.8 million to recognise the full pension liability following the adoption of new accounting standard FRS1 17.""(7) In the Main Estimate for 2008-09, a change was made to the funding of the British-American Parliamentary Group, the Interparliamentary Union, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the British-Irish Group. From that date this funding became the responsibility the House of Commons and the House of Lords. By convention the funding for the previous years is reported as if the Houses have always had responsibility for these bodies. The figures provided in the Answers to Lord Tenby’s annual question for the years 2002-03 to 2006-07 will therefore differ from those reported above.""(8) http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/02/21153821/0""(9) http://new.wales.gov.uk/cisd/finance/budgets/2007/ finalbudget07/finalbudgetmegallocationse.pdf?lang=en""(10) http://www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/budget/www/index- en.htm_and_http://www.europarl.org.uk/" "(7) In the Main Estimate for 2008-09, a change was made to the funding of the British-American Parliamentary Group, the Interparliamentary Union, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the British-Irish Group. From that date this funding became the responsibility the House of Commons and the House of Lords. By convention the funding for the previous years is reported as if the Houses have always had responsibility for these bodies. The figures provided in the Answers to Lord Tenby’s annual question for the years 2002-03 to 2006-07 will therefore differ from those reported above.""(8) http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/02/21153821/0""(9) http://new.wales.gov.uk/cisd/finance/budgets/2007/ finalbudget07/finalbudgetmegallocationse.pdf?lang=en""(10) http://www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/budget/www/index- en.htm_and_http://www.europarl.org.uk/" "(8) http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/02/21153821/0""(9) http://new.wales.gov.uk/cisd/finance/budgets/2007/ finalbudget07/finalbudgetmegallocationse.pdf?lang=en""(10) http://www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/budget/www/index- en.htm_and_http://www.europarl.org.uk/" "(9) http://new.wales.gov.uk/cisd/finance/budgets/2007/ finalbudget07/finalbudgetmegallocationse.pdf?lang=en""(10) http://www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/budget/www/index- en.htm_and_http://www.europarl.org.uk/" "(10) http://www.europa.eu.int/eur-lex/budget/www/index- en.htm_and_http://www.europarl.org.uk/"

It has since been corrected.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 705 c335-6WA; 6354
Session: 2007-08
Related items: McIntosh of Haringey, Lord
Friday, 21 June 2002
Written questions
House of Lords; McIntosh of Haringey, Lord
Thursday, 22 July 1999
Written questions
House of Lords; McIntosh of Haringey, Lord
Wednesday, 5 July 2000
Written questions
House of Lords; Parliaments: Members' Costs
Wednesday, 17 June 2009
Written questions
House of Lords; McIntosh of Haringey, Lord
Thursday, 12 July 2001
Written questions
House of Lords; House of Lords: Cost
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Written statements
House of Lords
Notes: Answer corrected on 28 January 2009 at 707 c22WS
Subjects: Costs House of Lords House of Commons European Parliament European Parliament members National Assembly for Wales Peers Scottish Parliament Per capita costs
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk

Public Funds

Secondary information

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