§ The Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. Peter Hain)Following the debate in the House on 14 May 2002 on the First Report of the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons, HC 224-I, Session 2001–02, relating to Select Committees, the House resolved
That, in the opinion of this House, the Review Body on Senior Salaries should be invited to consider what additional remuneration is appropriate for Chairmen of Select Committees".The Review Body have now reported and I have today laid before the House a copy of their report entitled Pay for Select Committee Chairmen in the House of Commons (Cm 5673). Copies are available in the Vote Office and in the Libraries of the House.I would like to put on record my thanks to the SSRB's Chairman (John Baker CBE) and its members for its analysis on the matter.
The SSRB has recommended an extra payment of £12,500 per annum to the Chairmen of departmental and externally focused "cross-departmental" select committees, stating that the final decision on which committees to include should be determined by the House itself.
84WSThe SSRB has also recommended that payment should not be implemented until the House has decided its approach to the issue of Chairmen's outside interests. I have asked the Chairman of the Committee on Standards and Privileges whether his Committee would look into the matter and report its findings to the House in the autumn.
Members will now have the summer recess to consider the report's recommendations. I intend to discuss the matter widely and reflect on Members' views before deciding on the terms of the motion to be put before the House in the autumn.