Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish ministers will donate pay rises to public purse

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Ministers in Scotland will not receive a pay rise this year, Nicola Sturgeon has said, after the Prime Minister said he would accept an increase.

The watchdog tasked with setting pay for MPs announced earlier this month that the base salary would increase by £2,200 to £84,144 – a boost of 2.7%.

On Monday, the Prime Minister’s spokesman said there was “no facility” for the increase to be rejected.

On Twitter, Nicola Sturgeon said her ministers would, as they have done since 2008, donate increases to their pay to the public purse.

The First Minister said: “Ministers in @scotgov have not taken a pay rise since 2008 and I can confirm we will not do so this year either.

“We donate increases back to the public purse for spending on services.

“Where there is a will, there is a way.”

Salaries for MSPs and ministers in Scotland are set by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB), which is made of a representative of each party and chaired by the presiding officer.

In December, the body announced a 3.4% increase in base salaries to £66,662 from next month.