[Scotland] MSP pay rise takes salary to over £72,000 as freeze continues

The Scottish Parliament has confirmed that MSPs are set to receive a 6.7 per cent pay rise, BBC News reports.

The base rate for members will increase to £72,195, from the current rate of £67,662. The rise will take effect on April 1.

MSPs reportedly received an increase of 1.5 per cent last year and 3.4 per cent the year before. The Scottish government said a voluntary pay freeze for ministers would continue for the 16th consecutive year.

The parliamentary pay hike was confirmed by Conservative MSP Jackson Carlaw, representing the Scottish Parliament's corporate body, at the finance and public administration committee.

Ministers are entitled to extra money on top of the base rate, however, since April 2009 they have declined to accept their full entitlement meaning their take-home pay remains at 2008/9 levels.

A Scottish government spokesperson said that this was in recognition of "wider economic and fiscal pressures, as well as the restraints placed on public sector pay".

"The voluntary pay freeze will continue in the next financial year," the spokesperson added.

MSP salaries for 2024-25 will reportedly be based on increases in average weekly earnings (AWE). They previously increased in line with the Office for National Statistics' annual survey of hours and earnings (ASHE).

A spokesperson for the Scottish Parliament - responsible for paying MSPs' salaries - said, "In recent years, ASHE has been increasingly out of sync with other wage inflation indices to the point that MSPs received 1.5 per cent last year when general inflation was running at 10 per cent.

"Prior to that, MSPs received 3.4 per cent in 2022-23 and 0 per cent in 2021-22.

"This year, AWE will be applied to MSPs' pay."

A Scottish government minister is currently entitled to £99,516 but under the voluntary pay freeze receives the 2008/9 level of £81,449.

A cabinet secretary has an entitlement of £118,511 but receives £96,999.

The voluntary reduction is taken from net pay then returned to the Scottish government to be made available for public spending.

Source: BBC News

(Quotes via original reporting)

The Scottish Parliament has confirmed that MSPs are set to receive a 6.7 per cent pay rise, BBC News reports.

The base rate for members will increase to £72,195, from the current rate of £67,662. The rise will take effect on April 1.

MSPs reportedly received an increase of 1.5 per cent last year and 3.4 per cent the year before. The Scottish government said a voluntary pay freeze for ministers would continue for the 16th consecutive year.

The parliamentary pay hike was confirmed by Conservative MSP Jackson Carlaw, representing the Scottish Parliament's corporate body, at the finance and public administration committee.

Ministers are entitled to extra money on top of the base rate, however, since April 2009 they have declined to accept their full entitlement meaning their take-home pay remains at 2008/9 levels.

A Scottish government spokesperson said that this was in recognition of "wider economic and fiscal pressures, as well as the restraints placed on public sector pay".

"The voluntary pay freeze will continue in the next financial year," the spokesperson added.

MSP salaries for 2024-25 will reportedly be based on increases in average weekly earnings (AWE). They previously increased in line with the Office for National Statistics' annual survey of hours and earnings (ASHE).

A spokesperson for the Scottish Parliament - responsible for paying MSPs' salaries - said, "In recent years, ASHE has been increasingly out of sync with other wage inflation indices to the point that MSPs received 1.5 per cent last year when general inflation was running at 10 per cent.

"Prior to that, MSPs received 3.4 per cent in 2022-23 and 0 per cent in 2021-22.

"This year, AWE will be applied to MSPs' pay."

A Scottish government minister is currently entitled to £99,516 but under the voluntary pay freeze receives the 2008/9 level of £81,449.

A cabinet secretary has an entitlement of £118,511 but receives £96,999.

The voluntary reduction is taken from net pay then returned to the Scottish government to be made available for public spending.

Source: BBC News

(Quotes via original reporting)