Should MSPs be paid more for chairing Holyrood committees?
Presiding Officer Kenny Gibson has asked the parliament to consider paying committee chairs more money.
MSPs who chair Holyrood’s committee could soon be in for a pay rise.
The parliament’s presiding officer Kenny Gibson has asked Holyrood bosses to look at committee conveners’ salaries, saying a change in their pay would “acknowledge the demands placed on the role, as well as signalling the value parliament places on effective committee leadership and scrutiny”.
Mr Gibson, who previously chaired the parliament’s finance committee, said this would help maintain a strong committee system, which he says is “vital” to holding the government to account.
In a letter to Holyrood’s 16 committee conveners, he said: “As conveners, you are at the very heart of this, guiding members through complex and often contentious areas of scrutiny - or perhaps hearing from some of the most vulnerable people in society to ensure that policies reflect real life experiences.
“I know from my own experience that to be an effective convener, these responsibilities demand significant additional time, effort and leadership.
“Much of this work takes place outwith formal meetings and often away from public view. Nevertheless, it is a necessary part of the role conveners are tasked with.”
Currently MSPs are paid £77,711 a year, but are not given any extra pay for taking on the responsibilities of a committee chair.
Committee chairs in Westminster, the Welsh Senedd, the Northern Ireland Assembly and local authorities in Scotland all receive a higher pay for this responsibility.
For example, MPs in the House of Commons are paid £98,599 a year, and select committee chairs receive an additional £19,763 a year each.
Mr Gibson added: “The Scottish Parliament should be confident in recognising the importance of committee leadership in a similar way.
“This obviously comes at a time when we are considering parliamentary reform more broadly.
“I have spoken previously about how we cannot exist in a Holyrood bubble. Parliament must meet people where they are and scrutiny must be informed by the public in every corner of the nation.
“As presiding officer I want to support committees to engage more directly with communities right across Scotland.”
The presiding officer is also due to meet with committee conveners on 4 November to discuss “meeting formally or informally outside of Edinburgh once a year”.
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