Ministers to get 2.7% pay rise

Ministers to get

2.7% pay rise

Ministers will get a 2.7 per cent pay rise from 1 January, in line with the award to backbench MPs, Tony Newton, the Leader of the House of Commons, said last night.

The Prime Minister's salary will rise from pounds 57,018 to pounds 58,557 and that of a Cabinet minister in the Commons from pounds 42,834 to pounds 43,991. Middle-ranking and junior ministers will get corresponding increases, and the reduced parliamentary salaries paid to ministers and paid office-holders such as the Leader of the Opposition and Opposition whips, will increase from pounds 24,985 to pounds 25,660, Mr Newton told MPs in a written parliamentary answer.

A minister of state in the Lords, who receives no parliamentary salary, will get pounds 50,328 compared to pounds 48,835 this year.

Tony Blair, the Labour leader, declined the 4.7 per cent increase in the Leader of the Opposition's salary this year and currently receives pounds 37,495 instead of pounds 39,272.

On the assumption that he accepts the increase this year, his salary will rise to pounds 38,507, plus the reduced parliamentary salary.