MSPs are set to receive another pay rise, which will see their annual wages climb to over £74,000.
The 3.2% increase, which amounts to more than £2,000, was announced by the Scottish Parliament’s Presiding Officer in a letter to the Finance Committee.
It is due to take effect from April 1, 2025, and follows three consecutive pay rises since 2022/23.
However, the Scottish Government has said its ministers will continue to not accept rises, keeping wages as they were over 15 years ago.
The increase of £2,310 will result in a total earning of £74,506 per year. It is lower than last year’s 6.7% rise but higher than the 1.5% rise in 2023/24. In 2022/23, MSPs’ salaries were given a 3.4% increase. They did not rise in 2021/22.
Holyrood’s Presiding Officer said this year’s 3.2% uplift is in line with the Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) index.
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It represents a move away from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE Mean). Alison Johnstone said this had “become misaligned with other wage inflation indices in recent years”.
She said this year’s ASHE Mean is 6.7%, “further evidencing the misalignment”.
The Scottish Government said ministers will continue not to accept the rise. Ministerial pay will remain at 2008 levels – about 30% lower than if ministers accepted every pay rise.
A junior minister currently receives £81,449 while a cabinet secretary gets £96,999 and the First Minister receives £135,605 a year.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: “Ministerial pay has been voluntarily frozen for 15 years by Scottish ministers and there are no plans to change this.”
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