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| £500m cost of running Parliament | £500m cost of running Parliament |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The cost of running the Houses of Parliament was almost £500m in 2008-9, figures show. | The cost of running the Houses of Parliament was almost £500m in 2008-9, figures show. |
| The cost of the Commons was up more than £12m on the previous year, at £391.8m, a written answer by Lords leader Baroness Royall has revealed. | The cost of the Commons was up more than £12m on the previous year, at £391.8m, a written answer by Lords leader Baroness Royall has revealed. |
| But the Lords costs fell from £152.5m to £106.5m. The totals include salaries, allowances and pensions for MPs, peers and administrative staff. | But the Lords costs fell from £152.5m to £106.5m. The totals include salaries, allowances and pensions for MPs, peers and administrative staff. |
| The last parliamentary session saw a scandal over MPs' expenses claims. | |
| In response, a bill to "clean up" Parliament was passed before the summer recess. | In response, a bill to "clean up" Parliament was passed before the summer recess. |
| The Parliamentary Standards Bill sets up an independent body to authorise MPs' expenses. | The Parliamentary Standards Bill sets up an independent body to authorise MPs' expenses. |
| The government said the new authorisation process, combined with full transparency in the disclosure of claims, would mean past abuses could not be repeated. | The government said the new authorisation process, combined with full transparency in the disclosure of claims, would mean past abuses could not be repeated. |