What is the PDCA?
The PDCA was set up
after Baroness Thatcher left office, and is intended “to assist former Prime Ministers still active in public life”.
The guidance says: “Payments are made only to meet the actual cost of continuing to fulfil public duties.
“The costs are a reimbursement of incurred expenses for necessary office costs and secretarial costs arising from their special position in public life. The allowance is not paid to support private or parliamentary duties. The PDCA is in addition to any constituency office which they may maintain as a Member of Parliament.”
It is not clear from the guidance exactly what kind of public duties, and what kind of costs, are reimbursed with the PDCA each year, although most former prime ministers claim the full amount, or close to it, in the
accounts that are published each year. Data on total payments under the PDCA to all former prime ministers have also been
published in the past.
In
answer to a parliamentary questionlast year, Julia Lopez, then parliamentary secretary at the Cabinet Office, said: “The costs are a reimbursement of incurred expenses for necessary office and secretarial costs.
“These costs can include diary support, Met Police protection on public visits, correspondence, staffing at public visits, support to charitable work, social media platforms and managing and maintaining ex-PMs office (staff, payroll, admin).”
Former prime ministers can also claim an additional amount to contribute towards their staff pension costs. This is limited to a maximum of 10% of the PDCA.
