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Financial Assistance (Political Parties)

Volume 448: debated on Wednesday 12 July 2006

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been paid per year to each political party in Northern Ireland under the financial assistance to political parties scheme; and whether this funding will end if there is no agreement for a power-sharing Executive by 24 November. (81486)

The amount paid per year to each political party under the Financial Assistance to Political Parties Scheme as operated by the Northern Ireland Assembly is set out as follows.

In terms of future funding, I would refer my hon. Friend to the work plan published with the joint statement made by the Prime Minster and the Taoiseach on 29 June 2006, which stated that salaries and allowances for MLAs and financial assistance to parties would stop from 24 November if restoration does not occur by that date.

£

1998-99

1999-00

2000-01

2001-02

2002-03

2003-04

2004-05

Alliance

22,500

35,000

32,000

32,000

66,000

59,372

66,000

Democratic Unionist Party

45,000

60,200

60,090

60,000

123,877

154,230

187,264

Northern Ireland Unionist Party

3,833

29,500

27,400

26,000

27,000

20,192

1n/a

Progressive Unionist Party

16,000

24,000

24,000

24,000

54,000

43,000

2,077

Social Democratic and Labour Party

51,000

69,500

68,100

68,000

102,000

84,000

102,000

Sinn Fein

42,000

57,490

56,076

56,000

105,549

126,322

51,403

United Kingdom Unionist Party

22,500

31,500

22,000

22,000

27,000

24,900

27,000

Ulster Unionist Party

57,000

77,100

73,110

72,000

121,269

127,222

168,385

United Unionist Assembly Party

11,333

27,500

26,016

26,000

52,500

35,000

1n/a

Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition

18,000

25,500

24,000

24,000

54,000

34,000

1n/a

1 These parties did not continue operating following the 2003 NI Assembly election.