Members: Allowances

Leader of the House written question – answered at on 2 June 2009.

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Photo of Dai Davies Dai Davies Independent, Blaenau Gwent

To ask the Leader of the House whether it is the Government's policy that hon. Members who are married to or in a civil partnership with a member of the House of Lords will be eligible for a second home allowance.

Photo of Chris Bryant Chris Bryant Deputy Leader of the House of Commons

By tradition the two Houses of Parliament have made separate financial provisions for their Members. The Government believe that all MPs' and peers' pay, allowances and pensions should be set, administered, monitored and audited by an independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.

Does this answer the above question?

Yes2 people think so

No3 people think not

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Annotations

michael powell
Posted on 3 Jun 2009 2:49 pm (Report this annotation)

How could this be independant if run by Parliament.
What is needed is an independent body with nothing to connect to parliament with whatsoever and then may be there would be a change.
because change is needed.

Garry Lelliott
Posted on 3 Jun 2009 4:45 pm (Report this annotation)

Michael, I think you have mis-interpreted the Minister's response slightly. The term Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority refers to an organisation outside of, but scrutinising, the parliamentary standards and processes, not a bunch of MPs setting their own rule. We have all seen how well that works!
Of more concern is that, without the IPSA being given some real teeth to punish transgressors, it will be yet another quango siphoning money away from front-line services.
Allied to this new IPSA should be a mechanism for instant recall of an MP found to be fiddling. Why should the taxpayer fund a thief until the next general or bye election. Getting caught is hardly likely to make them more honest, is it!
MPs are referred to as the right honourable, if they can't live up to the second part of this title, they clearly are not worthy of representing their constituents.