Gosport MP, Caroline Dinenage, has signed a joint letter to the interim Chair of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) which urges the proposed pay rise for MPs not to go ahead at this time.
IPSA, the independent body responsible for overseeing Members’ pay, pensions and expenses has put forward proposals for the periodic adjustments to MPs’ salaries. This is part of IPSA’s statutory duty to review MPs’ remuneration in the first year of each Parliament.
The letter was written by Dehenna Davison, Conservative MP for Bishop Auckland. It encourages IPSA to rethink these plans at a time when tough decisions have to be made with public spending to mitigate the damage of the COVID-19 pandemic, calling the potential pay rise ‘neither appropriate nor justifiable’.
Today, during Prime Minister’s Questions, the PM voiced opposition to any proposed pay increase. Although unable to influence MPs' pay, the PM has acted where he can and frozen Ministerial pay for the next financial year.
Commenting, Caroline said:
‘I’m pleased to support this letter and I entirely agree this is not the time to give MPs a pay rise. MPs pay is linked to the public sector so it is unlikely to go ahead, however I have signed this letter to encourage IPSA, the independent pay body, not to proceed with the increase.’