To ask the Leader of the House, what the cost to the House has been of payments made to hon. Members who have not taken their seats in the House in respect of their parliamentary duties in 2017-18.

Short Money is a payment made available from the House of Commons to all opposition parties in the House of Commons that secured either two seats, or one seat and more than 150,000 votes, at the previous General Election. Short Money is not available to parties whose Members have not sworn the oath. Therefore a separate scheme, Representative Money, was introduced in 2006 for parties whose Members had not taken the oath.

The method of calculation is detailed in the comprehensive Library briefing note on the subject. https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN01663

The amount paid out under representative money in 2017/18 was £149,707.51.

All short money and representative money payments are published annually here: https://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-finance-office/Short%20money/Short%20Money%20Jun%2017-Mar%2018.pdf