Pay cuts urged for chairmen of committees

MPs who chair Commons select committees should lose their £14,500 extra salary payments at a time when voters are having their own pay cut, the Commons heard yesterday.

By The Newsroom

Published 16th Jul 2010, 13:41 BST

Updated 16th Jul 2010, 13:42 BST

Labour former Minister Kate Hoey called for a review of the payments, which are on top of an MP's 65,738 salary.

She has tabled a motion pointing out that 35 committee chairs can receive the payment and claiming the 510,370 annual cost to the taxpayer is "untenable".

During questions on future Commons business, the Vauxhall MP called for a debate on the issue and said the whole system should be reviewed.

But Commons Leader Sir George Young ruled out any changes, stressing the payments were agreed in the last Parliament, as part of an "alternative career structure" for MPs who did not wish to climb the Ministerial ladder.