Latest news with #AssemblyCommission
Belfast Telegraph
22-05-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
‘Outrageous' – criticism as Assembly Commission puts out £35k tender for ‘media monitoring'
The Assembly Commission has put out a £35,000 tender to find a company to carry out 'media monitoring', it has emerged, prompting criticism over the use of public funds. It comes after the Executive Office (TEO) was accused of wasting public money by getting civil servants to transcribe comments made by TUV representatives during appearances on BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show.
The Independent
17-02-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Bill to establish independent board for MLA pay moves a step closer
A Bill to establish a new independent board to determine salaries for Northern Ireland Assembly members has moved a step closer to becoming law. However, some expressed concern over whether the Bill was to lead to a £20,000 pay increase for MLAs. The Assembly Members (Remuneration Board) Bill was introduced in the Assembly earlier this month by the Assembly Commission. It proposes the establishment of an independent Remuneration Board to determine MLA salaries and pensions, to follow the previous Independent Financial Review Panel. The membership of the board can include no more than one former MLA. Currently, the basic salary for an MLA is £51,500, but this can rise with position including chairing some committees or serving as a minister, with the First and deputy First Ministers receiving a salary of £123,500. A report alongside the Bill showed MLA salaries are lower than those received by Members of the Scottish Parliament (£72,196), Assembly Members at the Welsh Assembly (£72,057) and members of the Irish Parliament (E113,679/£94,537). The Bill passed its second stage on Monday, with the support of the largest parties. People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll and TUV MLA Timothy Gaston did not back it. Speaking during the preceding debate, DUP MLA and Assembly Commission member Trevor Clarke emphasised to MLAs that they were voting on the setting up of the board, and not on their pay levels. I want to state for the record that at no point has the Assembly Commission discussed, let alone taken a view on, what the salary of a Member should be Trevor Clarke 'The house is today debating a largely technical Bill dealing with the process of how members' salaries and pensions are determined,' he said. 'What we are not debating today or deciding in this Bill is the outcome of what level of members' salaries and pensions will be. 'If this Bill is passed, it will only be the independent remuneration board that will decide that. 'The word independent is key, (neither) the Assembly Commission, nor members of this Assembly will be involved in the decisions on what the levels of member salaries will be.' He added: 'I want to state for the record that at no point has the Assembly Commission discussed, let alone taken a view on, what the salary of a Member should be'. Mr Gaston described the process the Bill has gone through to date as 'most irregular', claiming there was not adequate consultation. He also claimed it is the 'intention' of the larger parties, including Sinn Fein, the DUP, UUP, Alliance and the SDLP to 'award themselves a massive pay rise'. Mr Carroll said he stands by his contention that the Bill is 'laying the groundwork for a potential £20,000 pay increase for MLAs'. 'It's absolutely laughable that Members today continue to feign ignorance about where this is headed,' he said. 'I hope that when this remuneration board is established it decides no pay increase is warranted. 'In fact I hope they take into account the performance of this and previous Executives since the last pay body disbanded in 2016 as well as the sorry state of our public services, widespread poverty and destitution and say that maybe an MLA pay cut is the way to go, maybe go for an average wage of the constituents that they represent, but I don't think this will happen.'
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Massive' MLA pay rises unlikely under new plans
Assembly members (MLAs) are unlikely to receive "massive" pay rises as a result of the introduction of new plans to set pay levels for assembly members, the justice minister has said. Naomi Long added that the issue of pay was "low down" on her list of priorities and she "does not feel underpaid". For five years, the Independent Financial Review Panel (IFRP) set wages and expenses for politicians in the assembly. But the terms of the three panel members ended in 2016 and they were never replaced. The Assembly Members (Remuneration Board) Bill proposes setting up a new independent board. It is backed by the Assembly Commission, which includes representatives of the main parties. MLAs are already set to receive a small increase in their salaries this April. An assembly spokesperson said: "Under the terms of the Assembly Members (Salaries and Expenses) Determination (Northern Ireland) 2016, which was determined independently, MLA's will qualify for a £500 pay increase from the 1 April 2025 on the basis of criterion in relation to the rate of inflation. "As a result, an MLA's annual gross salary will be £53,000 from 1 April 2025." Unlike the IFRP, the new panel will only have the sole remit of setting pay and pension entitlements for MLAs. Like the IFRP, it will also be asked to take into account the salaries of MPs, TDs and Senators in the Oireachtas, Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and the Welsh Parliament (MSs). MSs currently take home a salary of £72,057, MSPs earn £72,196 while MLAs at Stormont get a salary of £52,500. Speaking on BBC News NI's Evening Extra, Naomi Long said there was currently "no discussion" about what exactly salary increases might look like. "Of course they'll use regional comparators but I don't think anybody should be thinking that suddenly we're going to see massive uplifts in MLA salaries because I don't think any of us would be expecting that to be the case." She added that there are "many other things" she is trying "to address in the interim that are more important than this". Long said that it was "not about whether or not I feel underpaid" but about "setting up an independent body to make that adjudication". "I don't believe MLAs should set their own salaries, I don't think it's appropriate," she added. "I don't think anyone else has that luxury so I don't think we should have." She added that every day she meets people "who work in the justice sector who get paid considerably less" than her. "So I don't feel underpaid for what I do. At the end of the day what I want to ensure is that we attract the best people into politics, people with talent and ability, so we can provide the best possible government. "Independence for me is key. Let an independent person decide what we're worth and then we just need to accept that judgement." On Tuesday, TUV MLA Timothy Gaston said he believed it was "highly likely" the new board would increase MLAs salaries, given the difference with their counterparts in other parts of the UK and Ireland. "I do not believe that MLAs should receive a pay rise of one penny, never mind £19,000," he said. "I urge any independent body reviewing MLA pay to link it to our performance in the house; to consider the fact that we are members of a legislative Assembly that seldom legislates; to consider that MLAs sit on scrutiny committees that do not scrutinise," he added. Trevor Clarke, the DUP representative on the assembly commission, rejected claims that a pay rise for members was inevitable as a result of setting up of the new body. "There is a danger that we are calling into question the independence of an independent panel," Mr Clarke said. "Members have not decided anything. Indeed, members agree with many of the points made about why we should not set our salaries. That was agreed many years ago, hence the need for an independent panel to set them." MLAs last got a pay rise of £500 in their salary last April, in line with rules set by the IFRP before it ceased nine years ago. Once the new bill is passed, the power to determine allowances payable to MLAs, which relates to travel and office expenses, will sit with the Assembly Commission. MLAs previously took issue with some of the rules the IFRP imposed, including limits on salaries for constituency office staff and other matters such as office signage. A spokesperson for the commission said the new panel will have independent membership and "take independent decisions on the appropriate level for the salaries and pensions" of MLAs. They added that the assembly had previously agreed to change the system in 2020, which set out that salaries and pensions of MLAs should continue to be determined independently. They said that after that decision, the changes were delayed due to the Covid pandemic and the suspension of power-sharing. "However, in introducing this new Bill today, the Assembly Commission has taken the first step towards ensuring that the statute book reflects the position previously agreed by the Assembly. "It will provide for the independent oversight in relation to members' salaries and pensions to continue." MLAs could get pay rise under plans for new board MLA pay rise eight weeks after Stormont return Concern about assembly setting MLA allowances
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New plans for MLA pay introduced at Stormont
New plans to set pay levels for Stormont MLAs have been introduced in the assembly. For five years, the Independent Financial Review Panel (IFRP) set wages and expenses for politicians in the assembly. But the terms of the three members ended in 2016 and they were never replaced. The Assembly Members (Remuneration Board) Bill proposes setting up a new independent board. It is backed by the Assembly Commission, which includes representatives of the main parties. Unlike the IFRP, the new panel will only have the sole remit of setting pay and pension entitlements for MLAs. Like the IFRP, it will also be asked to take into account the salaries of MPs, TDs and Senators in the Oireachtas, Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and the Welsh Assembly. Members of the Welsh Assembly currently take home a salary of £72,057, while MSPs in Scotland take home £72,196 while MLAs at Stormont get a salary of £52,500. TUV MLA Timothy Gaston said he believed it was "highly likely" the new board would increase MLAs salaries, given the difference with their counterparts in other parts of the UK and Ireland. "I do not believe that MLAs should receive a pay rise of one penny, never mind £19,000," he said. "I urge any independent body reviewing MLA pay to link it to our performance in the house; to consider the fact that we are members of a legislative Assembly that seldom legislates; to consider that MLAs sit on scrutiny committees that do not scrutinise," he added. Trevor Clarke, the DUP representative on the assembly commission, rejected claims that a pay rise for members was inevitable as a result of setting up of the new body. "There is a danger that we are calling into question the independence of an independent panel," Mr Clarke said. "Members have not decided anything. Indeed, members agree with many of the points made about why we should not set our salaries. That was agreed many years ago, hence the need for an independent panel to set them." MLAs last got a pay rise of £500 in their salary last April, in line with rules set by the IFRP before it ceased nine years ago. Once the new bill is passed, the power to determine allowances payable to MLAs, which relates to travel and office expenses, will sit with the Assembly Commission. MLAs previously took issue with some of the rules the IFRP imposed, including limits on salaries for constituency office staff and other matters such as office signage. A spokesperson for the commission said the new panel will have independent membership and "take independent decisions on the appropriate level for the salaries and pensions" of MLAs. They added that the assembly had previously agreed to change the system in 2020, which set out that salaries and pensions of MLAs should continue to be determined independently. They said that after that decision, the changes were delayed due to the Covid pandemic and the suspension of power-sharing. "However, in introducing this new Bill today, the Assembly Commission has taken the first step towards ensuring that the statute book reflects the position previously agreed by the Assembly. "It will provide for the independent oversight in relation to members' salaries and pensions to continue."
BBC News
04-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
MLA pay: New plans to set pay levels introduced at Stormont
New plans to set pay levels for Stormont MLAs have been introduced in the five years, the Independent Financial Review Panel (IFRP) set wages and expenses for politicians in the the terms of the three members ended in 2016 and they were never Assembly Members (Remuneration Board) Bill proposes setting up a new independent board. It is backed by the Assembly Commission, which includes representatives of the main the IFRP, the new panel will only have the sole remit of setting pay and pension entitlements for the IFRP, it will also be asked to take into account the salaries of MPs, TDs and Senators in the Oireachtas, Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and the Welsh of the Welsh Assembly currently take home a salary of £72,057, while MSPs in Scotland take home £72,196 while MLAs at Stormont get a salary of £52,500. MLAs should 'not receive a pay rise of one penny' TUV MLA Timothy Gaston said he believed it was "highly likely" the new board would increase MLAs salaries, given the difference with their counterparts in other parts of the UK and Ireland."I do not believe that MLAs should receive a pay rise of one penny, never mind £19,000," he said."I urge any independent body reviewing MLA pay to link it to our performance in the house; to consider the fact that we are members of a legislative Assembly that seldom legislates; to consider that MLAs sit on scrutiny committees that do not scrutinise," he added. When did MLAs last get a pay rise? MLAs last got a pay rise of £500 in their salary last April, in line with rules set by the IFRP before it ceased nine years the new bill is passed, the power to determine allowances payable to MLAs, which relates to travel and office expenses, will sit with the Assembly previously took issue with some of the rules the IFRP imposed, including limits on salaries for constituency office staff and other matters such as office signage.A spokesperson for the commission said the new panel will have independent membership and "take independent decisions on the appropriate level for the salaries and pensions" of added that the assembly had previously agreed to change the system in 2020, which set out that salaries and pensions of MLAs should continue to be determined said that after that decision, the changes were delayed due to the Covid pandemic and the suspension of power-sharing."However, in introducing this new Bill today, the Assembly Commission has taken the first step towards ensuring that the statute book reflects the position previously agreed by the Assembly."It will provide for the independent oversight in relation to members' salaries and pensions to continue."
