Five new members have been appointed to sit on the National Assembly for Wales Remuneration Board.
The Assembly was the first parliamentary body in the UK to set up an independent body to determine the pay and allowances of Members.
The Board was established by the National Assembly for Wales (Remuneration) Measure 2010 and has the responsibility of setting the remuneration and financial support for Members of the National Assembly to enable them to fulfil their roles effectively.
The five, who will take over from the existing Board from 21 September 2015 at the end of the existing Members' terms of office (see full biographies in notes to editors) are:
- Dame Dawn Primarolo (Chair) – MP for Bristol South between 1987-2015, she has held various Ministerial positions in the UK Government and was Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons.
- Dame Jane Roberts – a consultant psychiatrist and former leader of Camden Borough Council, she currently chairs the think tank, New Local Government Network, and has an extensive background in local government and in health.
- Roger Williams - MP for Brecon and Radnorshire 2001-2015.
- Michael Redhouse - Principal of EMES Consulting, which he founded in 2002, helping many major organisations with their remuneration and benefits issues and a member of the School Teachers' Pay Review Body.
- Trevor Reaney - Clerk and Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Assembly
The new Chair of the Board, Dame Dawn Primarolo, said:
"I am delighted to be taking up this position and look forward to working with my new colleagues in the service of Wales and its Assembly.
"The National Assembly elected in 2016 will carry more legislative and financial responsibility than ever before. Building on the firm foundation laid by our predecessor Board, I hope we can work with Members, staff and with the people of Wales to help meet those challenges."
Following the appointment, the Chief Executive and Clerk of the National Assembly for Wales, Claire Clancy said: "First, I would like to pay tribute to the current members of the board for the considerable body of work they carried out in reaching their Determination on the system of financial support for the Fifth Assembly.
"The National Assembly was the first parliamentary body in the UK to set up an independent body to determine the pay and allowances of its Members. The Board members play an important role in ensuring confidence that public money is spent with probity, accountability, value for money and transparency.
"I am delighted that we have been able to attract such high calibre individuals to serve in the board's second five year term."