The cost of politics, 2007-08

There are 29,000 politicians and their advisers on the public payroll, BBC research has found. Their total cost is estimated at more than £499m for the year 2007-08, a detailed breakdown is available below.

Councils
Councillors	22737
Assistants	108
Pay and allowances	£251,644,746.02
Political assistants pay and allowances	£2,937,841.80
£ Total	£254,582,587.82

House of Commons
MPs	646
Number of staff (March 2008)	2650
MPs and ministers salaries	£56,500,000.00
Policy Development Grants	£1,847,366.85
MPs expenses and allowances (incl staffing)	£102,800,000.00
Short Money	£6,200,000.00
£ Total	£167,347,366.85

House of Lords
Members	724
Staff*	550
Cost of salaries and all expenses costs	£18,400,000.00
Cranborne money	£700,000.00
£ Total	£19,100,000.00

Scottish Parliament
Members	129
Staff*	260
Special advisers	8.5
Member salaries	£7,850,000.00
Member spending	£10,250,000.00
Special advisers cost (incl. expenses)	£497,071.42
Short money	£481,673.00
£ Total	£19,078,744.42

Northern Ireland Assembly
Members	108
Staff*	249
Member salaries and office costs	£12,630,529.37
Short money	£672,698.00
£ Total	£13,303,227.37

Welsh Assembly
Members	60
Number of staff	245
Special advisers	8
Total Salaries	£3,617,740.09
Office costs	£6,155,810.81
Opposition support money	£53,636.00
Special advisers cost	£490,000.00
£ Total	£10,317,186.90

UK Government
Special advisers	73
Special advisers cost	£5,900,000.00
£ Total	£5,900,000.00

London Mayor and Assembly
Mayor and assembly	26
Staff	60.5
Mayoral staff	10
Member salaries	£1,652,747.00
Expense costs	£63,170.00
Member support budget	£2,345,755.00
Mayor costs	£153,175.00
Mayor staff costs	£1,235,309.30
£ Total	£5,450,156.30

UK MEPs
MEPs	78
Number of staff	Unknown
MEPs pay	£4,821,960
MEPs expenses	Entitled to claim €311,557 & travel each
£ Total	Not known

GRAND TOTAL
TOTAL STAFF	28,730
£ TOTAL **	£499,901,229.70

*Approximate figure

** Excludes MEP staff and MEPs' expenses and travel