Ministerial pay decision about ‘fairness’, says Swinney

The decision to allow ministers to receive an increase to their MSP salaries was about the “principle of fairness”, the First Minister has said.

It emerged over the weekend that John Swinney had decided to scrap the 16-year policy of ministers not taking increases to the salary they receive as MSPs which was first instituted by Alex Salmond.

As a result, ministers will see an almost-£20,000 boost to their pay packets to £74,507 a year.

The announcement came as part of a Government-initiated question in Holyrood and was not publicly announced.

The freeze on ministerial salaries, however, has been maintained, while Mr Swinney also said he would not take the increase given his position as the “decision maker”.

Asked about the change at a press conference on Monday, the First Minister said: “The decision I’ve taken is one that just applies a principle of fairness across the Scottish Parliament.

“I think that’s the right decision to take so that members of the Scottish Parliament are able to draw the salary to which they are entitled as MSPs.”

He added: “No other ministerial pay arrangement has been frozen across the United Kingdom for 16 years other than the Scottish Government which is the decision that I have sustained.

“And I’ve made a decision about my own circumstances, because I am the decision maker and I think that puts me in a different category to my colleagues.”

The Mail on Sunday reported the First Minister had initially decided to take the increase to his MSP salary, but changed his mind after being approached by the newspaper.