Reimbursement of Members' Expenses Scheme

That the Parliament recognises that the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (“the SPCB”) commissioned and received a report from Sir Neil McIntosh on the Reimbursement of Members’ Expenses Scheme and in implementation of those recommendations therefore agrees to:

Amend the Resolution of 12 June 2008 (“the Resolution”) agreeing to the Reimbursement of Members’ Expenses Scheme (“the Scheme”) annexed as Annex 1 to the Resolution by—

adding after “appropriate” at the end of paragraph (iv) “and in particular, and without prejudice to the generality—
(a) entering into arrangements with those members who, in relation to Edinburgh accommodation, are claiming and have claimed reimbursement of mortgage interest allowance in accordance with paragraph 4(5)(b) of Part B of the Previous Scheme and paragraph (v) of the Resolution. In respect of paragraph 2.1.6 of the Scheme as amended by this Resolution, the entitlement to the costs in paragraph 2.1.3 (b), (c), (d) and (e) of the Scheme will not apply to those members who have not entered into such an arrangement with the SPCB; and
(b) making provision for termination payments to members’ staff who are close family members of the member (as defined in paragraph 9.1.1 of the Scheme), where the costs of employing such close family members is reimbursed in accordance with Section 3 of the Scheme and termination of the employment of such close family members on or before the 31 July 2015 is due to the effect of paragraph 3.1.8 of the Scheme as inserted by this Resolution, and paragraph (a)(ii) of this Resolution. Such termination payments shall be calculated in accordance with the principles for determining redundancy payments provided for in Section 3.6 of the Scheme”;

(ii) adding after “31 March 2011” at the end of paragraph (v) “except that (i) the entitlement to reimbursement of staff costs under Section 3 of the Scheme in respect of close family members (as defined in paragraph 9.1.1 of the Scheme) whose employment by a member commenced before 1 April 2010, and (ii) the requirement to declare such relationships to the SPCB in accordance with paragraph 3.7 of the Scheme as it read prior to the amendment made by this Resolution, shall end not later than 31 July 2015”;

(b) Amend the Scheme with effect from 1 April 2010 by—

(i) substituting for existing paragraph 1.6.2—
“On no more than two occasions in any financial year, a member may
transfer in total an amount which does not exceed in aggregate one half of the limit on that member’s entitlement to reimbursement of office costs to that member’s entitlement to reimbursement of staff salary costs. A member making such a transfer shall notify the SPCB in advance of incurring any costs in respect of the sum transferred”;

(ii) deleting from paragraph 2.1.4 the words “and 2.1.6”;

(iii) substituting for existing paragraph 2.1.6(b)—
“(b) the member also owns another residence in Edinburgh which the member uses in connection with the performance of Parliamentary duties, the member is entitled to claim reimbursement of the actual costs specified in paragraph 2.1.3 (b), (c), (d) and (e) in respect of that other residence.”;

(iv) inserting as new paragraph 2.3—

“2.3 SHARED RESIDENTIAL LEASED ACCOMMODATION
 
2.3.1     Section 2.3 shall only apply to a member with a main residence in a constituency listed in Group Three of Annex A.
 
2.3.2 Subject to paragraph 2.3.3, where more than one member leases the same residential property in Edinburgh together with another member or members, those members are entitled between or amongst them to reimbursement of the costs of leasing the residential property in accordance with paragraph 2.1.3.
 
2.3.3     The limit on the entitlement of each member to reimbursement of costs reimbursed under paragraph 2.3.2 i