(Title Image: Electoral Reform Society)
The Independent Remuneration Board has published its draft recommendations for pay and expenses for members of the Sixth Senedd (2021-2026).
The key proposals include:
- Freezing AMs’ basic salary at just under £67,700 for the five years of the Sixth Senedd, other than increases in line with the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.
- No change to salary top-ups for officeholders (including government ministers) and committee chairs.
- Access to additional expenses for members who have a disability, subject to supporting medical evidence.
- AMs will be able to claim up to £297 a month to cover out-of-hours care for dependent children or adults.
- AMs on parental leave will be able to claim the cost of an additional staff member for up to 12 months.
- Following the Gareth Bennett Standards Committee investigation, the new guidance explicitly states that constituency and regional offices should be up to a reasonable standard.
- Unpaid interns working for AMs must be placed on a fixed-term contract is a placement lasts longer than four weeks.
A consultation on the proposals (pdf) is open until Tuesday 24th March 2020 – more details here.
