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| MSPs scrap link with MPs' salaries | |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| MSPs have voted to scrap the link between their pay and the salary of Westminster MPs. | |
| MSPs are paid 87.5% of an MP's wage and were in line to get a 9% increase after the general election. | MSPs are paid 87.5% of an MP's wage and were in line to get a 9% increase after the general election. |
| But leaders at Holyrood agreed it was "politically unthinkable" for MSPs to accept the increase in the current economic climate. | But leaders at Holyrood agreed it was "politically unthinkable" for MSPs to accept the increase in the current economic climate. |
| Instead pay rises will be linked to inflation, similar to other public sector employees. | Instead pay rises will be linked to inflation, similar to other public sector employees. |
| At the moment politicians at Holyrood receive just over £58,000, while an MP's basic salary is £66,396. | At the moment politicians at Holyrood receive just over £58,000, while an MP's basic salary is £66,396. |
| The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) recommended that MP pay should rise to £74,000 per annum after the 2015 general election. | The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) recommended that MP pay should rise to £74,000 per annum after the 2015 general election. |
| Motion passed | |
| This would have seen MSPs' basic salaries increase to about £64,750. | This would have seen MSPs' basic salaries increase to about £64,750. |
| Ipsa also recommended cuts to perks such as meal allowances and taxis, a less generous pension scheme and the trimming of "golden goodbyes" paid to retiring MPs. | Ipsa also recommended cuts to perks such as meal allowances and taxis, a less generous pension scheme and the trimming of "golden goodbyes" paid to retiring MPs. |
| MPs cannot block it because they handed control of the decision to the independent body in the wake of the 2009 expenses scandal. | MPs cannot block it because they handed control of the decision to the independent body in the wake of the 2009 expenses scandal. |
| But on Tuesday MSPs unanimously passed a motion ending the connection between the two salaries. | |
| This means from 1 April, MSPs will have an annual salary of £59,089. | |
| Under the new Scottish Parliament Salaries scheme the First Minister is entitled to receive £85,598 in addition to their MSP salary. | |
| In effect, this would mean that Nicola Sturgeon could earn £144,687, just over £2,000 more than the Prime Minister, who currently earns £142,500. | |
| But a spokesman for the Scottish government said Ms Sturgeon would keep to a voluntary Scottish ministerial pay freeze, agreed in 2009, giving the remainder to a fund to boost public spending. | |
| In July 2013, the then First Minister Alex Salmond rejected as "ludicrous" the Ipsa plans to increase the pay of elected parliamentarians. | |
| He said: "Pay for MPs - and MSPs - should not rise beyond the limits of the restraints currently placed on public sector pay. | He said: "Pay for MPs - and MSPs - should not rise beyond the limits of the restraints currently placed on public sector pay. |
| "It is ludicrous to suggest that parliamentarians should be given anything beyond these norms, at a time when public sector workers are having to make do with much, much lower pay increases." | "It is ludicrous to suggest that parliamentarians should be given anything beyond these norms, at a time when public sector workers are having to make do with much, much lower pay increases." |
| Scottish Labour's Paul Martin echoed those comments. | Scottish Labour's Paul Martin echoed those comments. |
| He said: "Given the harsh reality of the current economy and the struggles facing families, I hope common sense will prevail and these proposals will be thrown out after the consultation process." | He said: "Given the harsh reality of the current economy and the struggles facing families, I hope common sense will prevail and these proposals will be thrown out after the consultation process." |