How much does she earn?: No 33. Julia Rainsbury, House of Commons tea lady/catering assistant.

Salary: Basic rate of pounds 154 a week after tax. This is an improvement on last year when MPs lobbied for the scrapping of the clocking- on system. Staff paid only pounds 100 a week were docked pounds 7 if they clocked on late.

Perks: Remarkably few apart from a uniform and the honour of providing sustenance to members of the House. 'I stay because of the holidays. I get five weeks in the summer.' She gets no help with childcare and has to put with 'appalling' toilets. Greville Janner, chairman of the Commons employment select committee, who has checked the toilets for himself, promised on Friday that things are going to improve.

Hours: Erratic. With overtime, she can boost her take-home pay to pounds 184 a week. But then transport costs her pounds 22 a week and she has to fork out pounds 60 for childcare. 'In an ordinary week this leaves her with something like only pounds 70 net for a five-day week,' Mr Janner said.

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