Reimbursement of Members’ Expenses Scheme and Party Leaders’ Expenses Scheme

As concisely as I can, I will speak to and move two motions on behalf of the corporate body.

The corporate body lodged two motions to replace the current reimbursement of members’ expenses and party leaders’ expenses schemes. We are making the change now, in order that the new scheme can be fully effective from the start of session 7, to enable new and returning members to set up offices and employ their staff.

On behalf of the corporate body, the Presiding Officer wrote in November to all members following both reviews undertaken during session 6, explaining the detail of the changes that are proposed. A strong Parliament depends on having members who are equipped to fulfil their role, and we believe that the recommended changes will continue to help to ensure that MSPs will be properly supported to represent their constituents and hold the Government of the day to account.

If the scheme is agreed to, therefore, from the start of session 7, more support will be provided to enable members and their staff to work hybridly between home, Parliament and their local office. More flexibility will also be available to members in relation to the amount that can be transferred between the office costs and engagement provision, enabling more choice in how members communicate with their constituents or in the office that they may choose to have.

In responding to the gender-sensitive board findings, the provision for additional temporary resources where a member is absent long term, which was introduced last session, will be moved from an exceptional provision to a standard provision that members can apply for. New minimum office standards will be introduced, and more guidance will be provided to members to help them in finding suitable offices, including when they need to engage a property expert or to seek independent legal advice to protect members’ rights.

A new provision to provide additional care costs when business sittings go beyond our normal hours will be available on application to support members with caring responsibilities, for a child or children under the age of 16 or an adult dependant, up to a maximum of £1,050 per month, based on £350 per dependant, up to a maximum of three dependants.

We also assessed Edinburgh rents during the review. Although we are content that those who are entitled to flats can still afford them under the latest uplift, we have also recognised that there will be an on-going need for support with the additional council tax premium being applied to the accommodation. Therefore, rather than that support being a temporary measure, it has become part of the scheme as standard.

We have also looked at how better to support members who travel extensively in their constituency or region because of its geography. We will be providing additional funding to those who incur mileage over 11,000 miles, although, under His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs rules, that additional funding will be taxable.

We have also reviewed the party leaders’ allowance, which now becomes the party leaders’ expenses scheme. We have widened access to the scheme by reducing the eligibility criteria from parties with 15 or more members to those with five or more members. Funding should now be provided based on a fixed amount per party of £20,000, plus an amount per member returned for the party of £1,500.

Changes to the scheme to widen it have the support of all party leaders at Holyrood, and I hope that the corporate body can also count on the support of members in the chamber to support the motion.

I move,

That the Parliament, recognising that the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (the SPCB) carried out a review of the Reimbursement of Members’ Expenses Scheme approved by Resolution of the Parliament of 2 March 2021—

(a) in exercise of the powers conferred by section 81(2), (5)(b) and 85(5) of the Scotland Act 1998—

(i) confers functions on the SPCB to reimburse members in respect of expenses and cost incurred in each financial year in accordance with the Reimbursement of Members’ Expenses Scheme (the Scheme) annexed as Annex 1 to this Resolution and confers other functions on the SPCB as specified in the Scheme;

(ii) determines that the various limits on expenses or costs under the Scheme are as set out in the Schedule of Rates annexed as Annex 2 to this Resolution and that such limits are applicable until the SPCB exercises its power under the Scheme to uprate or vary them;

(iii) confers other functions on the SPCB as specified in the Scheme; and

(iv) approves the Scheme;

(b) determines that the Scheme shall come into effect on 8 May 2026;

(c) rescinds, with effect from 8 May 2026, the Resolution of the Parliament of 2 March 2021 (and as last amended).

Motion moved,

That the Parliament, recognising that the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (the SPCB) carried out a review of the Party Leaders’ Allowances Scheme approved by Resolution of the Parliament of 21 March 2002—

(a) in exercise of the powers conferred by section 81(2), (5)(b) and 85(5) of the Scotland Act 1998—

(i) confers functions on the SPCB to reimburse party leaders in respect of expenses and cost incurred in each financial year in accordance with the Party Leaders’ Expenses Scheme (the Scheme) annexed as Annex 1 to this Resolution and confers other functions on the SPCB as specified in the Scheme;

(ii) determines that the various limits on expenses or costs under the Scheme are as set out in the Scheme annexed to this Resolution and that such limits are applicable until the SPCB exercises its power under the Scheme to uprate or vary them;

(iii) confers other functions on the SPCB as specified in the Scheme; and

(iv) approves the Scheme;

(b) determines that the Scheme shall come into effect on 8 May 2026(c) rescinds, with effect from 8 May 2026, any previous resolution of the Parliament in relation to party leader expenses.—[Jackson Carlaw]