There are 29,000 politicians and their adviserson the public payroll, BBC research has found. Their total cost is estimated at more than £499m for the year 2007-08, a detailed breakdown is available below.
Councils�
Councillors
22737
Assistants
108
Pay and allowances
£251,644,746.02
Political assistants pay and allowances
£2,937,841.80
£ Total
£254,582,587.82
House of Commons
MPs
646
Number of staff (March 2008)
2650
MPs and ministers salaries
£56,500,000.00
Policy Development Grants
£1,847,366.85
MPs expenses and allowances (incl staffing)
£102,800,000.00
Short Money
£6,200,000.00
£ Total
£167,347,366.85
House of Lords
Members
724
Staff*
550
Cost of salaries and all expenses costs
£18,400,000.00
Cranborne money�
£700,000.00
£ Total
£19,100,000.00
Scottish Parliament
Members
129
Staff*
260
Special advisers�
8.5
Member salaries
£7,850,000.00
Member spending
£10,250,000.00
Special advisers cost (incl. expenses)
£497,071.42
Short money
£481,673.00
£ Total�
£19,078,744.42
Northern Ireland Assembly
Members
108
Staff*
249
Member salaries and office costs
£12,630,529.37
Short money
£672,698.00
£ Total�
£13,303,227.37
Welsh Assembly
Members
60
Number of staff�
245
Special advisers
8
Total Salaries�
£3,617,740.09
Office costs�
£6,155,810.81
Opposition support money
£53,636.00
Special advisers cost
£490,000.00
£ Total
£10,317,186.90
UK Government
Special advisers
73
Special advisers cost
£5,900,000.00
£ Total
£5,900,000.00
London Mayor and Assembly
Mayor and assembly
26
Staff
60.5
Mayoral staff
10
Member salaries
£1,652,747.00
Expense costs
£63,170.00
Member support budget
£2,345,755.00
Mayor costs
£153,175.00
Mayor staff costs
£1,235,309.30
£ Total
£5,450,156.30
UK MEPs
MEPs
78
Number of staff
Unknown
MEPs pay
£4,821,960
MEPs expenses
Entitled to claim €311,557 & travel each
£ Total
Not known
GRAND TOTAL
TOTAL STAFF
28,730
£ TOTAL **
£499,901,229.70
*Approximate figure
** Excludes MEP staff and MEPs' expenses and travel
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