HC Deb 04 December 1980 vol 995 cc265-7W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to what extent the increases that the European

MPs MEPs
Salary £11,750 pa with effect from 13 June 1980. £11,750 pa with effect from 13 June 1980.
Notes: Notes:
1. Abated for Ministers. 1. Dual mandate members receive one-third (i.e. £3,917) in addition to full MP's salary.
2. London supplement of £709 pa for Members representing London constituencies. 2. Paid by United Kingdom Government, under s. 1 of the European Assembly (Pay and Pensions) Act 1979.
Pension Number of years served/60 An order was laid before Parliament on 13 October by the Home Secretary providing for pensions for MEPs broadly equivalent to those for MPs.
x pensionable salary in last 12 months of service.
Contribution of 6 per cent, of full MPs pensionable salary (£12,000).
Travel allowances 1. Reimbursement of all travel within United Kingdom on Parliamentary business. Allowed for travel:
(a) to each meeting of Parliament for travel between MEP's home address and the seat of Parliament;
2. Reimbursement for 15 journeys a year to Westminster for MP's spouses. (b) between place of arrival and place of work, during meetings of the Parliament;
(c) other travel, with prior authorisation, to attend meetings of other Community bodies or as a Parliament representative;
(d) allowance of up to 400 EUA (£225) month for travel within their home country; to take effect from 1 January 1981.
Mode of transport allowed: Mode of transport allowed:
(i) by car—flat rate allowance of 19.1p per mile, or (i) normal flat rate of 0.34 EUA per km (about 31p per mile) for first 400 km and 0.13 EUA per km (about 12p per mile) for subsequent km.
(ii) by first class rail, or
(iii) by air, or
(iv) by sea as necessary.
(ii) official car from place of arrival to place of work—free up to 20 km, thereafter MEP must contribute 0.3 EUA per km (about 27p per mile), or
(iii) free taxi, up to 20 km,
(iv) outside EEC, air fare by most direct route.

Members of Parliament are in the process of negotiating in their salaries and allowances will affect those paid to British Members of Parliament; and whether he will publish in the Official Report full and complete detailed lists showing the comparison of all allowances, expenses and salaries of these two groups of parliamentarians.

Mr. St. John-Stevas

The salary of United Kingdom Members of the European Parliament is the same as that of MPs, and this link could not be altered without an amendment to the European Assembly (Pay and Pensions) Act. Any increase in the allowances of Members of the European Parliament would not affect those paid to MPs.

The following table shows the allowances and salaries currently paid to both groups.

MPs MEPs
Subsistence Allowed for: 1. 92 EUA (£52) per day of registered attendance at meetings of Parliament and its organs and for each day of attendance (or cost of alternative return travel) in between meetings.
(a) Provincial Member with London home staying overnight to carry out Parliamentary duties in constituency.
(b) Provincial Member with constituency home staying overnight in. London. 2. Outside EEC, 60.95 EUA (£34) per day plus cost of hotel bills.
(c) Member with home neither in London nor in constituency, either for nights in London or for nights in the constituency (i.e. not for both).
Rate: Maximum £4,903 pa.
Research and secretarial allowances. Allowed for general office expenses, research and secretarial assistance necessarily and exclusively incurred on Parliamentary duties. (i) Flat-rate allowance of 500 EUA (£280) per month paid directly to the MEP.
Maximum £8,000 pa. (ii) Further 400 EUA (£224) per month paid on declaration of expenditure.
Additional allowance of £800 to be paid into an approved pension scheme to provide a pension for a secretary or a research assistant. (iii) Up to 1,930 EUA (£1,080) per month paid on submission of employment contracts.
Total maximum is 32,400 EUA (£18,172) pa. From 1 January 1981 all 3 allowances will be paid on declaration of expenditure by MEP.
Miscellaneous allowances. (a) Free stationery, free inland telephone and postal service from the Palace of Westminster. (a) Free telephone calls from Parliament.
(b) Severance grant varies according to age and service and is paid if Member loses his seat following a General Election or if displaced due to boundary changes. (b) Reimbursement of the portion of medical costs not paid by the local medical authority for medical treatment required in attending a meeting or journeying to do so, up to BF200,000 (about £2,700) per illness.
Maximum: £11,750. (c) Free accident and property insurance cover.
(c) An allowance of up to one-sixth of the secretarial allowance towards defraying the expenses of secretarial assistance required in connection with parliamentary duties after a person has ceased to be a Member of the House. (d) Life assurance premiums paid during MEP's terms of office. DM20,000 (£4,400) and bonuses and interest paid at age 60, or (if later) after 10 years' service.
(e) Personal accident insurance of up to BF7,000,000 (about £95,000).
(f) Widows pension of one-quarter of nominal salary of judge of European Court of Justice. Orphans pension of 5 per cent. of the same salary, or 10 per cent. if both parents dead.