MPs have not offered themselves a ₤ 3,300 pay increase

A post on Facebook claims that New Zealand’s MPs took a 20% pay cut during the pandemic to help the economy, while “our Tory government gives itself a £3,300 pay rise instead”. This is not quite right. 

UK MPs’ salary

The salary of UK MPs is not set by the government or parliament, but by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), which links MPs’ pay to changes in average earnings in the public sector as published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Earlier this month, IPSA proposed that MPs’ wages should continue to be linked to the public sector in this way as it launched a consultation on MPs’ salaries.

The latest data from the ONS suggests that public sector pay rose by 4.1% between June to August 2019 and the same period 2020. If IPSA was to use this figure, then a 4.1% increase on the current MPs’ salary of £81,932 would equate to a rise of approximately £3,360—giving a final salary of £85,292. 

However, it is important to note that the actual figure IPSA will use to make its calculation—covering the three months to October 2020—has not yet been published. This means we do not know exactly how much MPs’ wages will rise by, although it is likely to be close to this amount. The final decision on pay will be made in December. 

Some MPs have expressed concern about the pay rise during the pandemic, including Labour leader Keir Starmer, Conservative business minister Nadhim Zahawi and Labour shadow health minister Rosena Allin-Khan. 

New Zealand MPs’ salary

On 15 April, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that she and her ministers would be taking a 20% cut to their pay for the next six months, as would public sector bosses. The New Zealand Herald reported at the time that this applied to all 25 government ministers and 34 government department chief executives. 

The salary of MPs and ministers in New Zealand is set by the Remuneration Authority. In order for the pay cuts to come into effect, the government had to pass legislation to make temporary reductions in wages. Although the announcement initially only discussed ministers taking pay cuts, all MPs received at least a 10% cut.

The pay cuts did not come into force until July, and are due to last until January.

Although the Facebook post suggests the wage reductions were to help the economy, Ms Ardern said the pay cuts “won’t shift the government’s overall fiscal position” but were about “leadership” and expressing solidarity with people facing pay cuts and redundancies as a result of the pandemic.

Best local news: https://northdenvernews.com/category/latest/

Description

Due to the unprecedented crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, BRIO has dedicated 100% of their operations to importing critically needed respirator masks. Featuring a 3D comfort design, these KN95 masks provide filtration against particulate pollution, gases, as well as bacteria, viruses, and most odors. It's made with comfortable stretch fabric and has convenient earloops for a tight fit. These masks are perfect for everyday wear. Order your 5-Pack now!

• 3D Comfort mask design
• Convenient earloop design
• Comfortable stretch fabric for tight fit
• Easy to put on & remove

Note: These masks are not FDA approved nor are they N95. These masks are tested to meet the standards for Chinese KN-95. Tests confirmed almost 90% of particulate pollution, bacteria and viruses were successfully filtered when the mask was used. 20x more effective than cloth masks.

Specs

• Color: white
• Materials: 3-layer melt-blown non-woven PPE
• Product dimensions: 1"H x 8"L x 5"W
• 3D Comfort design
• KN95 PRC Standard (Similar to NIOSH N95)
• CE 0194
• FFP2 - EN149 Filtration Level