Moves to stop MPs deciding own pay

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

These are some of the proposals under consideration by Sir John Baker, who was appointed by Gordon Brown in January to chair the review after the Prime Minister persuaded MPs to forego a 2.65% rise recommended by the Senior Salaries Review Board and accept a below-inflation 1.9% hike instead.

Sir John has set out the options for change in a consultation document.

He suggested that any agreement by MPs to give up the right to decide their own pay must be matched by a promise from Government not to overrule the outcome produced by a new salary-setting mechanism.

The mechanism - which should be in place by next year - could involve an independent body such as the SSRB setting future pay rises, said Sir John.

Or MPs' pay could be automatically uprated in line with the movement of inflation or the average public sector earnings index. Alternatively, it could be fixed as a set multiple of the national minimum wage, state retirement pension or median average salary.

Sir John advised against linking MPs' pay directly with a particular grade in the civil service, as this may be affected by unrelated changes in the civil service career structure.

He suggested that MPs could lose their annual pay rises altogether, and instead have salaries fixed for a whole Parliament - usually four or five years.

The uprating mechanism which is selected could be automatically subjected to review every Parliament or after a fixed period or could be reviewed only when MPs or Government demand it.

Sir John called for comments from MPs and other interested parties by April 11, ahead of the scheduled publication of his report in May.