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It cost taxpayers an estimated $1.2-million to answer written questions from MPs – including $150,000 on a single query from a Liberal MP, new figures reveal.

The questions, 305 of them, were all tabled in the House of Commons during a three-month period this year, and they were wide-ranging.

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For instance, a written question from NDP MP Peter Stoffer about IT spending at the Department of Defence, Public Security and other federal agencies cost $15,733 to answer. It cost $15,358 to study the kinds of backdrops the government used when making announcements between February 2011 and June 2012 — a question asked by Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux, of Winnipeg North. Mr. Lamoureux tabled four questions on June 19, for a total cost of $46,228.

NDP MP Alexandrine Latendresse’s question about expenses related to engraved letterheads used by the Conservatives was answered after $21,600 of research. The Quebec-City area MP submitted three questions on May 2, racking up a $39,000 bill.