§ Mr. Leeasked the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement on the salaries of hon. Members.
§ Mr. BiffenThe Top Salaries Review Body has not been asked to make recommendations this year on the pay of Members of Parliament and it is necessary to come to a conclusion about the right levels of salary for 1982. The Government therefore propose that the House should accept an increase of 4 per cent. in pay, and in the allowances payable to MPs for secretarial assistance, in line with the pay factor included in Estimates.
The pay and allowances of Ministers have broadly followed the pattern of increases accepted by the House in recent years. We intend to propose, therefore, at the appropriate time, that the pay and allowances of Ministers should be increased by the same 4 per cent. pay factor as we recommend to the House for the pay of Members of Parliament.