The Chamber of Deputies' 2024 budget finished with a surplus of over €45 million, owing to overall conservative management. However, some costs are noticeably rising — first and foremost, catering expenses. The Transatlantico bar and other internal services, including the refreshment area, canteen, and restaurant, cost more than €3 million, representing a 30% increase over the previous year. Although parliamentarians no longer receive the ultra-discounted prices of the past, this expense is wholly borne by public coffers. This figure comes from a study by the newspaper Il Messaggero, which looked into the specifics of the budget approved by the Bureau and submitted to the Chamber in recent days. Catering expenses rose from €2.36 million in 2023 to €3.06 million in 2024, a €700,000 increase. In addition to services, food purchases have increased by more than €1.15 million. This €325,000 rise could be attributed to the focus on quality, locally sourced ingredients, and the Mediterranean diet. This is a paradox, as the internal company Cd Servizi, which supplanted external contractors in the management of refreshments, parking, and cleaning, was expected to generate an estimated annual savings of €1.5 million. For now, however, expenses continue to rise. Overall, the budget indicates a surplus of €45.3 million, which will increase to €52.1 million as a result of the elimination of remaining liabilities. This is the result of higher revenues of €37.7 million and lower-than-anticipated expenses of €14.9 million. Conflicting patterns are also seen on the personnel front: while spending on staff stays consistent at €207 million, costs for "other personnel" are rising, from €33 million to €45 million, possibly due to internal management. Conversely, spending on parliamentary collaborators has been cut in half, from €15 million to €8 million.