MSP pay to increase by 6.7% to almost £72,200

MSP salaries for 2024-25 will increase by 6.7%, a Holyrood committee has heard.

At a meeting of the Finance and Public Administration Committee on Tuesday, Conservative MSP Jackson Carlaw – representing the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body – announced the move, which will see pay rise to £72,195 for representatives.

The increase will take effect on April 1 and follows an increase of 1.5% last year and 3.4% the year before.

This year, salaries were based on increases to average weekly earnings (AWE), after previously increasing based on the Office for National Statistics (ONS) annual survey of hours and earnings (ASHE).

A spokesperson for the Scottish Parliament said: “The Scottish Parliament severed the link to MPs’ pay back in 2016 so that MSPs’ pay rises reflected public sector increases across Scotland, based on the ASHE index.

“In recent years, ASHE has been increasingly out of sync with other wage inflation indices to the point that MSPs received 1.5% last year when general inflation was running at 10%.

“Prior to that, MSPs received 3.4% in 2022-23 and 0% in 2021-22.

“This year, AWE will be applied to MSPs’ pay, meaning a rise of 6.7% and a salary rate of £72,195 from April 1, 2024.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “In 2023-24, Scottish ministers froze their pay for the 15th year running, recognising the wider economic and fiscal pressures, as well as the restraints placed on public sector pay. The voluntary pay freeze will continue in the next financial year.”