Annual Report and Accounts 1998-99


House of Lords

Accounts for the year ended 31 March 1999

FOREWORD

Total expenditure by the House during the financial year 1998-99 was:
1998-99
1997-98
£000
£000

Peers' Expenses, Administration etc.
29,680
25,623
Works Services
13,560
13,784

43,240
39,407

    
The accounts for the two House of Lords Votes, the Refreshment Department, the Security Fund and the Works of Art Collection Fund may be found on the following pages:
    
Pages

House of Lords Peers' Expenses, Administration etc, Vote
48
House of Lords Works Services Vote
51
House of Lords Refreshment Department
53
House of Lords Security Fund
69
House of Lords Works of Art Collection Fund
72





House of Lords
Peers' Expenses, Administration etc. Vote

Account for the year ended 31 March 1999

FOREWORD

Ambit of the Vote: These accounts contain the expenditure of the House of Lords on Peers' expenses and administrative costs, including staff pensions, security, stationery and printing.

The Appropriation Account for this Vote will be published separately. The following summary of account and financial statement are based on the Appropriation Account and have been included here to provide a more detailed statement of how expenditure has been applied in the House of Lords towards these services.

The Appropriation Account itself is examined by the National Audit Office and will be published, with a certificate from the Comptroller and Auditor General, in the autumn.


Summary of Account
Year ended 31 March 1999
Expenditure
1997-98
1998-99
1998-99
compared
Expenditure
Service
Grant
Expenditure
with grant
(net)

£000
£000
£000
£000
A1Expenses of Peers
9,541
9,487
(54)
6,579
A2House of Lords Offices
(1) Salaries
6,758
6,814
56
6,408
(2) Other Running Costs
7,098
6,946
(152)
5,823
A3Retired Allowances
1,319
1,313
(6)
1,034
A4Security
6,185
6,177
(8)
5,182
A5Refreshment Department
1,264
1,263
(1)
597

GROSS TOTAL
32,165
32,000
(165)
25,623
Deduct
AZAppropriations in Aid
(2,320)
(2,320)
-
-

NET TOTAL
29,845
29,680
(165)
25,623

In 1997-98 this Vote was on a net basis, whereby all receipts were used in aid of the Vote. For 1998-98 the net Vote arrangement ceased to operate. Receipts totalled £2,365,461. The House of Lords was authorised to retain £2,320,000 of receipts as Appropriations in Aid of expenditure on this Vote. The excess of £45,461, consisting mainly of VAT refunds and Private Bill fees was surrendered to the Consolidated Fund.



Financial Statement
Year ended 31 March 1999
    
1997-98
1998-99
1998-99
Expenditure
Grant
Expenditure
£000
£000
£000
£000
Notes

6,579Reimbursement of Peers Expenses
9,541
9,487
a
(Subhead A1)
12,828    House of Lords Office Budgets
15,120
b
(Subheads A2, A5 and AZ (part))
Less: Receipts from Judicial Proceedings, Private Bills, Taxation of Costs, Fees etc.
(523)
VAT refunds on contracted out services
(155)
Contributions from profit of Refreshment Department
(560)
    
Parliament Office
Clerk of the Parliaments
733
Accountants Office
320
Committee Office
1,219
c
Computer Office
1,242
Establishment Office
432
Hansard
1,744
Journal and Information Office
469
Judicial Office
115
Legislation Office
755
Library
1,133
Overseas Office
288
d
Printed Paper and Supplies Office
1,844
Record Office
677
Refreshment Department
700
e
    
Black Rod's Department
Black Rod's Office
361
Attendants
285
Doorkeepers
507
Housekeepers
188
    
Other
Postal Charges
18
Telecommunications
755
13,785

    
1,034Retired Allowances
(Subheads A3 and AZ (part))
1,319
Less Superannuation Contributions
(137)
1,176
f
5,182Security
(Subheads A4 and AZ (part))
6,185
Less VAT refunds on contracted out services
(945)
5,232
g

25,623TOTAL NET EXPENDITURE
29,845
29,680

    
    
Notes to the Financial Statement

aPeers' expenses are reimbursed in accordance with conditions laid down in various resolutions of the House on the recommendations of the Senior Salaries Review Body. In the financial year 1998-99, there were 160 sittings of the House and a daily average attendance of 439. The budget also contains provision for financial assistance to Opposition Parties.
bProvision for staff costs and general administrative expenses of the House of Lords is divided into 18 budgets under the control of nominated officers of the House. The budgets include provision for printing, publications and stationery, computer services, staff training, outside assistance and the fees charged by the Official Shorthand Writer. Details about the activities of each office are given in the Office Reports in Part II of this Report. Two separate budgets are maintained for postal and telecommunications charges.
cThis budget includes expenditure of select committees totalling £149,000 and is attributable mainly to the European Communities and the Science and Technology Committees and their Sub-Committees. This includes the cost of witnesses, specialist advisers and committee travel.
dThis budget includes expenditure of £145,000 for the cost of Lords' members of delegations to the Council of Europe, Western European Union and the North Atlantic Assembly.
eThe costs of the Refreshment Department are paid from this Vote except those attributable to catering for private functions which are paid for by the Trading Account. A contribution from the Trading Account profits is made. In 1998-99 this contribution was equivalent to 44 per cent of costs borne on the Vote.
fThe cost of benefits provided by the House of Lords Staff Pension Scheme is included. The Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme is applied by analogy to the staff of the House of Lords.
gExpenditure on security represents 40 per cent of the cost of security in the Palace of Westminster and 100 per cent for other parts of the Parliamentary Estate occupied by the House of Lords.




 
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