§ Mr. SwireTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with other EU Foreign Ministers about(a) the harmonisation of salaries for MEPs and (b) ensuring greater transparency in the travel expenses of MEPs and EU officials. [155044]
§ Mr. MacShaneSalaries and travel expenses for MEPs were most recently discussed at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 27 January, where the Council failed to reach agreement on a revised Statute for MEPs. We nonetheless hope the European Parliament will implement its Expenses Regulation—which it can do with or without a Statute—so reforming its travel expenses system.
Draft revised Staff Regulations for all EU officials are currently being discussed at working group level; they have not been discussed by the Council. We hope that they will be implemented on 1 May and will make the travel expenses system for EU officials simpler and more transparent.