Holyrood committee conveners could see pay rise by 20%

Holyrood’s Presiding Officer has announced plans to give a 20% pay rise to MSPs who chair committees in the Scottish Parliament.

Stressing that committees “really are at the heart” of Holyrood’s work, Kenneth Gibson said he wants their pay to rise from April 2027.

MSPs currently earn £77,711 but Mr Gibson said the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) will bring forward regulations which, if approved, will increase that.

This will mean that from April 1 committee conveners should “receive an additional payment equivalent to 20% of MSP salary”.

Announcing the move – which has the unanimous backing of the SPCB – in a letter to committee conveners, Mr Gibson said the “responsibilities, authority and accountability” of the role warranted this “formal recognition”.

Adding that Holyrood’s committees “really are at the heart of what we, as a Parliament, do”, the Presiding Officer said he would set out plans for further reforms and “strengthening the ties between Holyrood, its committees and communities across Scotland” in the coming months.