Question

To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, with reference to the Second Report of the Privileges Committee 2022-23, HC 632, Appendix (Correspondence with Mr Speaker), if he will make an estimate of the cost to House of Commons authorities of (a) internal and (b) external legal advice relating to the Recall of MPs Act 2015 in the last 12 months.

Internal legal advice is provided by the Office of Speaker’s Counsel, staffed by salaried members of the House service, and has been provided as part of their ordinary work. No additional resources have been required in order to advise the House on the Recall of MPs Act 2015. The cost of external legal advice on that Act in the past 12 months has been £2,700 plus VAT.