Assembly Committee backs creation of independent panel to set level of financial support for AMs – but suggest some improvements

8 March 2010

The National Assembly for Wales’ Legislation Committee No. 1 has backed the Proposed National Assembly for Wales (Remuneration) Measure.

This is the first ever Measure to be proposed by the National Assembly Commission and seeks the establishment of a Remuneration Board, independent of Assembly Members, to determine Members’ pay and ’ other financial support.

Now members of the Legislation Committee have backed the proposed Measure, after a 3 month inquiry but have recommended that some amendments are made.

“We believe significant progress had been made since the inception of the Assembly in gaining the trust of the public,” said Committee Chair, Rosemary Butler AM.

“It is important that the Assembly , as an institution, and Assembly Members, as elected representatives, continue to build on this trust.

“We feel the proposed Measure and the establishment of an independent Board to determine financial support for Assembly Members provides an opportunity to do this.”

The Committee did raise concerns about the limited information within the Measure in respect of the accountability arrangements which they’ve called on Presiding Officer Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas AM, as the Member in charge of the Measure, to address as a priority.

They also called for a statement to be included in the Measure to make clear the Board is independent of the Assembly and for the Measure to make explicit the intention that the Board will operate in an open and transparent manner and that a duty be placed on the board in this regard.

Finally, the Committee recommended the Measure includes a requirement on the Board to consult interested parties, including Assembly Members and their support staff before it makes decisions that will affect them.