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Mr. Dickens
asked the Lord President of the Council if he will give, from information available to him from international sources, a comparison showing the position regarding salary, allowances, tax relief, travel, postage, telepones, and secretarial services between Members of the House of Commons and Members of the West German Bundestag, the
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French National Assembly, the Italian Chamber of Deputies, the Japanese Diet and the Canadian House of Commons.
| (i) SALARY, ALLOWANCES AND TAX RELIEF |
| U.K. |
West Germany |
France |
| Each Member receives a salary of £3,250 a year. Income Tax is paid on salary but a Member can claim allowances for expenses in the normal way. |
D.M. 2,570 (£270) per month tax free. The four Vice-Presidents of the Bundestag receive 1½ times this basic salary and the President three times the basic amount. In addition Members receive a tax free allowance of D.M. 1,000 (£104) per month to cover their costs while in Bonn on Parliamentary business. |
Parliamentary emoluments are calculated with reference to the salary scale of Conseillers d'Etat, supplemented by a parliamentary allowance equivalent to 25 per cent. of basic parliamentary salary. This allowance is not taxable. As at 10th October, 1968, the total salary (emoluments plus allowance) of a French Deputy was 93,835 francs (£7,900 approx.) per annum. |
| (Ministers etc. in receipt of official salary receive only £1,250 of their Parliamentary salary.) |
| Italy |
Japan |
Canada |
| Members of the Italian Parliament receive emoluments of 811,985 lire (£545) per month which includes reimbursement for hospitality and secretarial expenses. In addition Members are entitled to residence expenses (in Rome) of 120,000 lire (£80) per month. Members are taxed (a) at the rate of 16 per cent. on 40 per cent. of their emoluments after deduction of social security contributions; and (b) a special "local" tax of 8 per cent. on the same amount. |
Members receive Yen 287,460 per month (just over £300) taxable plus a taxable bonus three times a year, amounting in total to approximately three months' salary. |
Annual taxable salary of $12,000 (£4,700 (approx.) plus non-taxable allowance of $6,000 per annum. |
| (ii) TRAVEL |
| U.K. |
West Germany |
France |
| Members have free first-class rail and air travel between Westminster and constituency, Westminster and home and home and constituency. |
Deputies receive a tax-free travel allowance of between D.M. 600 (£63) and D.M. 900 (£95) per month to cover travel from home to Bonn and travel within constituencies. |
In return for a small annual subscription deputies may travel free on French railways. They may have 60 journeys in sleeping cars or domestic airlines between Paris and constituencies. |
| An allowance of 4½d. a mile is paid to them in respect of car journeys between Westminster and home and constituency. |
| Italy |
Japan |
Canada |
| Free passes on Italian railways. Free passes on state-subsidised shipping lines. Limited reimbursement for journeys on rail sleepers between Rome and constituency. |
Free first-class rail travel except on express trains. |
Free rail travel for Member, dependents and baggage, plus one free return trip by air or rail per week between Ottawa and constituency. |
| (iii) POSTAGE |
| U.K. |
West Germany |
France |
| Free postage on all mail to Government Departments, local committees and boards of the Health Service, Nationalised Industries, Clerks and Heads of Departments of local authorities, and Officers of the House of Commons. |
Tax-free sum of D.M. 600 (£63) per month to cover office expenses, postage, stationery and secretarial help. |
Parliamentary mail (except circulars) is exempt from postage. |
| Italy |
Japan |
Canada |
| No special concession. |
Members receive 180,000 Yen (about £200) per month tax-free to pay postal and telephone charges. |
Free postage (not air mail or parcel post) to and from a Member at Ottawa subject to certain restrictions during Parliamentary recess. |
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