§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Prime Minister if Ministers who receive severance payments following resignation or dismissal are required to repay such payments on being reappointed to ministerial office. [130397]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 13 July 2000]: Under the Ministerial and Other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991, all Ministers (except the Prime Minister and the Lord Chancellor as well as the Speaker) are entitled to receive a severance payment of a quarter of their ministerial salary when they leave office. However, Ministers who are appointed to another paid office within three weeks of leaving office are not eligible for severance pay. For this reason, no severance payment is made within three weeks of a Minister leaving office in these circumstances.