This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/7281993.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Assembly members' 8.3% pay rise | Assembly members' 8.3% pay rise |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Welsh assembly members are set to receive an inflation busting pay-rise of 8.3%, bringing their salaries more in line with MPs at Westminster. | Welsh assembly members are set to receive an inflation busting pay-rise of 8.3%, bringing their salaries more in line with MPs at Westminster. |
| An independent panel recommended the rise of almost £4,000 - to £50,692 a year - because of growing workload. | |
| AMs are paid 76% of MPs' salaries but this gap is set to be reduced to 82%. | |
| As well as this one-off rise, AMs are set to receive the 1.9% below inflation rise agreed by MPs. The rise has been called unjustified by Plaid Cymru. | |
| The increase will bring a backbench assembly member's salary up to just over £50,000 a year. | The increase will bring a backbench assembly member's salary up to just over £50,000 a year. |
| ASSEMBLY MEMBERS' PAY 1999-2000 £34,438 £33,3602000-2001 £35,437 £34,327 2001-2002 £38,000 £35,357 2002-2003 £41,500 £36,241 2003-2004 £42,434 £37,056 2004-2005 £44,000 £37,7972005-2006 £45,232 £38,853 2006-2007 £46,191 £39,677 April 2007-Oct 2007 £46,804 £40,225 Nov 2007-March 2008 £47,292 £40,645 Pay for Assembly members since 1999, second figure is extra pay for ministers. Source: Welsh Assembly Government. | ASSEMBLY MEMBERS' PAY 1999-2000 £34,438 £33,3602000-2001 £35,437 £34,327 2001-2002 £38,000 £35,357 2002-2003 £41,500 £36,241 2003-2004 £42,434 £37,056 2004-2005 £44,000 £37,7972005-2006 £45,232 £38,853 2006-2007 £46,191 £39,677 April 2007-Oct 2007 £46,804 £40,225 Nov 2007-March 2008 £47,292 £40,645 Pay for Assembly members since 1999, second figure is extra pay for ministers. Source: Welsh Assembly Government. |
| Members of Parliament currently receive £60,277 and they have accepted a 1.9% rise in the latest pay review round, in line with public sector workers. | Members of Parliament currently receive £60,277 and they have accepted a 1.9% rise in the latest pay review round, in line with public sector workers. |
| The cross-party Assembly Commission, which sets pay, met on Thursday to discuss the panel's findings. | |
| The commission insists that the rises are an inevitable result of the assembly's enhanced powers to draft and pass laws. | The commission insists that the rises are an inevitable result of the assembly's enhanced powers to draft and pass laws. |
| But they are certain to cause anger in the public sector, according to the BBC's Welsh Affairs correspondent, Vaughan Roderick. | But they are certain to cause anger in the public sector, according to the BBC's Welsh Affairs correspondent, Vaughan Roderick. |
| While the commission plans to crack down on the members' allowance system the deal has already been condemned by Plaid Cymru. | While the commission plans to crack down on the members' allowance system the deal has already been condemned by Plaid Cymru. |
| Deputy leader of the Plaid assembly group, Alun Ffred Jones AM, said: "Voting to accept such a generous pay rise for AMs wouldn't have been right when many others, particularly those in public sector jobs, have been given such tight pay awards. | Deputy leader of the Plaid assembly group, Alun Ffred Jones AM, said: "Voting to accept such a generous pay rise for AMs wouldn't have been right when many others, particularly those in public sector jobs, have been given such tight pay awards. |
| "We were unable to justify the sums that had been recommended and we oppose the decision to accept that recommendation." | "We were unable to justify the sums that had been recommended and we oppose the decision to accept that recommendation." |
| The chair of the commission, the assembly's presiding officer Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas, also announced a review of the allowance system for AMs. | |
| "It is a personal view but I would like to see an end to the allowance system as we have seen it operating," he said. | |
| "All matters have to be radically considered so that expenses are claimed properly." | |
| This would include an examination of employing family members and allowances for mortgages on members' second homes some miles from Cardiff. | |
| Referring to Westminster allowances Lord Elis-Thomas said: "It has been a scandal of my life claiming these ridiculous allowances as an MP in Westminster." |