08/02/2008

Possible Salary Increase For MLA's

MLA's could be in line to receive a pay windfall, which could see their salaries rise to £52,000, if recommendations of an independent review are accepted.

The move is being proposed in a bid to bring Assembly Member salaries up to the level of that of their UK counterparts.

The Senior Salaries Review Body is expected to suggest an increase of around 16 % to around £52,000 when it reports in March. At the moment, MLA's earn about £43,000 a year.

The current MLA salary is someway short of the pay of MP's (£60k), members of Scottish Parliament and Members of the Welsh Assembly who receive £53,000 and £46,000 respectively.

However, Sinn Fein's Chief Whip Caral Ni Chuilin told the BBC that her party would oppose the move.

She said this was because such a sharp rise would be out of line with both the low rate of inflation and the pay settlements other workers are being asked to accept.

(GC)


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