MSPs to recieve 1.8% pay rise

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The increase means Nicola Sturgeon’s salary entitlement would rise to £151,269 while cabinet secretaries would get £108,203 and backbenchers £61,777.

However, the Scottish Government confirmed Ms Sturgeon and her ministers will continue with a voluntary pay freeze tying salaries to their 2008/09 level and put the extra cash into a public spending fund.

Conservative MSP Jackson Carlaw, a member of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, told Holyrood’s Finance and Constitution Committee on Wednesday: “The Scottish Parliamentary salaries scheme now directly links MSPs’ salaries to public-sector pay rises in Scotland using the annual survey of hours and earnings published by ONS.

“Using this index, I can confirm that an increase of 1.8% will be applied in April 2017.”

Scottish Greens’ co-convener Patrick Harvie asked: “Are non-MSP staff, people working directly for the parliament, are they enjoying a 1.8% increase as well?”

Officials said they would be getting “about the same”.

The corporate body’s submission to the committee said the pay boost is expected to cost a total of £200,000 as not all members are expected to claim the full entitlement.

Historically, MSPs were paid 87.5% of an MP’s wage but Holyrood voted to scrap this scheme in 2015 in favour of the new system after agreeing it would be “politically unthinkable” to accept the 9% increase then on the table.