§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what plans he has to review salary rates for Select Committee specialists; and if he will make a statement. [65348]
§ Mr. KirkwoodSalaries are kept under constant review, and a general review of pay for all staff throughout the House up to the grade above that of committee specialists is now under way.
1118WTo the best of my knowledge, committees have been able to secure suitably qualified staff to act as committee specialists, and have been content with the quality of their work, though I cannot of course tell whether other good candidates have been deterred from applying for such posts by salaries given in press advertisements.
The House recently approved the establishment of a review of committee support staff when it debated the Modernisation Committee's report on Select Committees on 14 May. That review is now beginning: I am sure that the review team will consider carefully the issue the hon. Gentleman has raised today.