IPSA AND MPs STAFF PAY

That this House recognises the vital role that hon. Members' staff play and the hard work they do in supporting the work of hon. Members; notes with alarm that the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority's increase to hon. Members staffing budgets of 1.5 per cent for 2019-20 falls below the rate of inflation, amounting to a real terms cut; further notes that this staffing budget increase falls far below that of hon. Members salaries which is pegged to the public sector average; is concerned that staffing budgets and staff pay will continue to fall behind if this trend continues; notes that this decision was taken without proper consultation with the Unite Parliamentary Staff Branch with which IPSA holds a memorandum of understanding; believes that this 1.5 per cent increase is not reflective of the increasing workloads that staff of hon. Members are contending with; urges hon. Members to fully pass on the annual increase to their staff; resolves to work with the Unite Parliamentary Staff Branch to ensure staff of hon. Members receive fair pay for the work that they do; and calls on the House authorities to urge IPSA to reconsider this change to hon. Members' staffing budgets so that hon. Members can provide at least an inflation linked pay rise to their staff.