HL Deb 25 October 1995 vol 566 cc119-20WA
Baroness Carnegy of Lour

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What arrangements they propose for Ministers' pay.

The Lord Privy Seal (Viscount Cranborne)

When the Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1993 was debated by this House my predecessor, the noble Lord, Lord Wakeham, announced the Government's decision that in another place Ministers and others covered by the Ministerial and other Salaries Order should, in 1994 and henceforth, normally receive the same percentage increase in their ministerial salaries as do Members of Parliament in respect of their salaries. The Government also intended that Ministers in this House should normally receive the same cash increase as their counterparts in the other place, taking account of their combined ministerial and reduced parliamentary salaries.

That arrangement will be applied this year giving Ministers in the other place an increase of 2.7 per cent, in their ministerial salaries. Under an existing resolution they will also receive the same percentage increase in their reduced parliamentary salaries. Ministers in this House will receive the corresponding overall cash increase.

The draft Ministerial and other Salaries Order to implement these changes from 1st January 1996 was laid in the House on Monday 23 October. The details are set out in the tables below.

Ministers salaries
Current salary

£

New salary

£

Commons Ministers
Prime Minister 57,018 58,557
Cabinet Minister 42,834 43,991
Minister of State 30,307 31,125
Parliamentary Under Secretary 23,002 23,623
Attorney General 45,516 46,745
Solicitor General 37,321 38,329
Ministers salaries
Current salary

£

New salary

£

Government Chief Whip 35,650 36,613
Government Deputy Chief Whip 30,307 31,125
Government Whip 19,502 20,029
Assistant Government Whip 19,502 20,029
Leader of the Opposition (actual) 37,495 38,507
Leader of the Opposition (nominal) 39,272 40,332
Opposition Chief Whip 30,307 31,125
Assistant Opposition Whip 19,502 20,029
Speaker (actual) 42,834 43,991
Speaker (nominal) 44,943 46,156
Chairman of Ways and Means 30,307 31,125
First Dep. Chairman of Ways and Means 26,636 27,355
Second Dep. Chairman of Ways and Means 26,636 27,355
Lords Ministers
Cabinet Minister 55,329 57,161
Minister of State 48,835 50,328
Parliamentary Under Secretary 41,065 42,361
Lord Chancellor Apr 96 Apr 96
Lord Advocate 55,409 57,241
Government Chief Whip 48,835 50.328
Government Deputy Chief Whip 41,065 42,361
Government Whip 37,111 38,313
Leader of the Opposition 41,065 42,361
Opposition Chief Whip 37,111 38,313
Chairman of Committees 48,835 50,328
Principal Dep. Chairman of Committees 44,856 46,349
Minister in neither House
Solicitor General (Scotland) 47,697 48,985
Parliamentary Salaries
Member of Parliament 33,189 34,085
Reduced Parliamentary Salary 24,985 25,660

Note 1: The Speaker has opted to take the salary of a Cabinet Minister in the House of Commons.

Note 2: The Lord Chancellor's Salary is set separately by Section 3 of the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991.

Note 3: Mr. Blair declined the 4.7% increase on 1.1.95.