As part of the Short Money scheme, the Office of the Leader of the Opposition receives an annual sum to meet costs incurred in caryring out its parliamentary business. Travel costs for the Leader of the Oppsition are not funded separately. However, each party in receipt of Short Money may claim for travelling expenses incurred by opposition spokespeople in relation to the party's parliamentary business. Payments made in respect of both budgets are shown below:<\/p>
| Financial Year<\/td> | Office of the Leader of Opposition<\/td> | Labour Party Travel<\/td><\/tr> |
| 2010/11 (from 7 May 2010)<\/td> | £604,493.00<\/td> | £129,991.79<\/td><\/tr> |
| 2011/12<\/td> | £700,699.00<\/td> | £150,679.43<\/td><\/tr> |
| 2012/13<\/td> | £734,333.00<\/td> | £157,912.04<\/td><\/tr> |
| 2013/14<\/td> | £757,096.86<\/td> | £162,807.53<\/td><\/tr> |
| 2014/15 (to 26 January 2015)<\/td> | £583,153.86<\/td> | £0.00<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/379", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hague of Richmond"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr William Hague"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-28T14:18:34.27Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "34"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-01-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Leader of the Opposition"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Leader of the House, what the cost to the public purse was of the Leader of the Opposition's Short Money travel allowance, paid to the Labour Party, in each individual financial year in the 2010 Parliament to date.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4092", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Metcalfe"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Basildon and East Thurrock"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Metcalfe"}
], "uin" : "221925"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/171677", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Leader of the House"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/171677/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Yes. I will ensure that the House has an early opportunity to debate the report from the House of Commons Governance Committee and to act upon it on an agreed basis.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/379", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hague of Richmond"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr William Hague"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-05T16:19:17.087Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "34"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "House of Commons Governance Select Committee"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Leader of the House, if he will ensure that a debate with an opportunity for a division is held on the report by the House of Commons Governance Committee on the Governance of the House of Commons, HC 692.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/280", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Michael Fabricant"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lichfield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Michael Fabricant"} ], "uin" : "219399"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/171678", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Leader of the House"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/171678/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " No. In July 2012 the House voted against a proposal to consider Private Members' bills on Tuesday evenings, following a report from the Procedure Committee on Sittings of the House. In its subsequent report on Private Members' bills, the Committee assessed the timing of consideration for these bills but did not recommend a significant increase in the total amount of time available.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/379", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hague of Richmond"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr William Hague"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-05T16:22:00.16Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "34"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Private Members' Bills"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Leader of the House, if he will (a) reassess and (b) increase the amount of parliamentary time allocated for Private Members' Bills.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3953", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jason McCartney"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Colne Valley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jason McCartney"} ], "uin" : "219447"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170524", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Leader of the House"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170524/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " I have made no estimate of the savings specific to my Office following the introduction of the electronic Q&A system, but like other Whitehall Departments, I expect to see savings delivered through the more efficient use of staff time, including through the removal of the need to deliver paper copies of answers, as well as in the reduction of the overall use of paper and other resources. I have not made a recent assessment of the effect of the creation of the Backbench Business Committee on the work of the House, but the Government response to the Procedure Committee review, published in February 2013, agreed that the Backbench Business Committee had been 'widely welcomed as a successful and effective innovation'.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/379", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hague of Richmond"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr William Hague"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-12-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-12-04T15:52:32.57Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "34"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Backbench Business Committee"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Leader of the House, what assessment he has made of the effect of the creation of the Backbench Business Committee on the work of the House.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1610", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr William Bain"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Glasgow North East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr William Bain"} ], "uin" : "906424"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/166409", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Leader of the House"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/166409/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " None. Short money is not available to parties whose Members have not taken the Oath.<\/p> However, under a resolution of the House of 8 February 2006, financial assistance is provided to opposition parties represented by Members who have chosen not to take their seats. It is under this resolution that Sinn Fein Members claim expenses in connection with the party's representative business. The information on ministerial travel is published at:<\/p> (i) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080722/wmstext/80722m0008.htm<\/a><\/p> (ii) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090716/wmstext/90716m0009.htm<\/a><\/p> |