Consultation launched on financial support for MSs
A consultation has been launched seeking views on the financial support available for members of the Senedd and their staff.
The proposals form part of the Independent Remuneration Board of the Senedd’s review of its Determination for the next election in May 2026.
The Welsh Parliament is currently preparing for the biggest change since devolution as it expands to 96 Members, with greater power to hold Welsh Government to account, develop new laws and better represent the people of Wales.
Changes
This first phase of the consultation will focus on overnight accommodation, constituency offices and engagement and support for Senedd groups.
The next Senedd election will also see the introduction of revised constituency boundaries under a new election system, where six members will represent each of 16 new constituencies.
This will require significant changes to the Determination and for the Board to decide on the appropriate support for members to enable them to do their jobs effectively whilst also ensuring value for money for the people of Wales.
Devolution
The Board’s work is shaped by its statutory duties and its core principles, which include ensuring members receive the support they need to reflect the complexity of their roles, and that people are not deterred, on financial grounds, from seeking election to the Senedd.
Dr Elizabeth Haywood is the Chair of the Independent Remuneration Board of the Senedd: “The next Senedd will look and feel very different to the current and all previous Senedd terms and present the biggest change since devolution.
“Within this context, the Board will need to decide on the appropriate provisions and support for Members to enable them to do their jobs effectively – representing their constituents, making laws and holding the Welsh Government to account – whilst always ensuring value for money for the people of Wales.
“We are carrying out an in-depth review, re-assessing the purpose of every aspect of financial support available to Members, from office costs and staff budgets to pay.”
A second consultation on members’ salaries and staffing budgets follow in spring 2025.
The first consultation opens on Friday 25 October, and will close at 17:00 Friday 6 December, 2024.
Information about the proposals and how to submit views is available on the Independent Remuneration Board’s website.
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How can we afford all these extra MS’s? No money for NHS, housing, public transport etc but for MS’s the sky is the limit.
Quite Frankly I object to any further expenses for the Senedd. The WAG have proven to be dictatorial and these changes should have been put to the people of Wales to make a decision on extra members of the Senedd and not decided on in house… Have the courage to call an early election and have the people of Wales decide
They get more then enough already in wages, why should they receive support when ordernary people are expected to make do with far less.
Why are we even having more MS’s and more spent on them when we never got a say on the expansion the 1st place and when we don’t even have enough to fund the bare bone essentials.
Close the Senedd, save billions in tax revenue, save the economy and put the proceeds towards the NHS, social care, education and local services.
What about the financial support they have withdrawn from the elderly? Hypocrisy comes to mind.