To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much public money is paid to David Cameron to run the office of the Leader of the Opposition; for what purposes such funds can be used; and whether any recent requests have been made to alter the level of funding or the arrangements for using the funds. [HL1314]

Payments from Short money to support the work of the office of the Leader of the Opposition have been available since April 1999. The initial amount approved by Parliament in 1999 was £500,000, and is increased each April by the increase in RPI.

Short money payments are made to political parties, not to individual Members.

The following table shows the payments made in each financial year since the last general election in respect of the office of the Leader of the Opposition.

The purpose of Short money is to provide financial assistance to assist an opposition party in carrying out its parliamentary business. This is defined as research associated with Front Bench duties, developing and communicating alternative policies to those of the Government of the day, and shadowing the Government’s Front Bench. Financial assistance is intended for expenses which have been incurred.

No requests have been made to alter the level of funding or the arrangements for using the funds.