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By Philippa Silverman - 23rd June 2010
House of Commons bar and restaurant prices are to rise to "high street" pub prices as Parliament looks to cut the cost of its subsidised food and drink.
Parliamentary authorities want to cut £12m from this year's budget, with £500,000 coming from catering costs.
The Commons Commission announced savings that are nearly five per cent more than previously planned for 2010/11.
It said politicians had to "respond to the economic challenges facing the country".
The Commission pledged a "fundamental review" of expenditure over the next three years.
In a statement, it said £500,000 would be saved by increasing catering prices, bringing the cafes used by MPs and parliamentary staff in line with typical workplace canteens.
A freeze will be placed on all but essential recruitment and there will be a reduction in works to refurbish and improve the parliamentary estate.
The cutbacks will also see the select committee travel budget, often highlighted in the media for fact-finding trips which are branded 'junkets', reduced by £800,000.
House of Commons Commission spokesman and Labour MP Sir Stuart Bell said: "The Commission fully recognises the need to respond to the economic challenges facing the country and to reduce the cost of the House to the public purse.
"As a first step, we have taken immediate steps to reduce the House budget this year in line with similar reductions taking place elsewhere in the public sector.
"This will be an ongoing process and hard decisions will have to be made while continuing to ensure the delivery of effective parliamentary services to members and the public."
There are several Commons bars and cafes catering for the hundreds of MPs, peers, permanent staff, other pass-holders and guests.
Catering facilities for parliamentarians first began in 1772 when deputy housekeeper John Bellamy was asked to provide an alternative to the many public houses in the area.
The recently closed Bellamy's bar had retained the name.
Article Comments
I have recently taken up with my MP, keith Simpson, whether MPs should be drinking when they are working at governing the country.
See the Sun , July 10th for one MP who had to be helped into a taxi rather than voting.
Graeme McLean
12th Jul 2010 at 4:55 pm
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd
R. K. Ffoulkes
27th Jan 2011 at 10:20 am