If you’re considering a career in politics, spewing hot air from one side to the other in the Maltese parliament does not pay much. Compiled by Matthew Vella
Revelations in the Daily Telegraph about exactly what British MPs claimed on expenses has prompted a public outcry in the UK, and several resignations, including that of the Speaker of the House Michael Martin.
Most MPs live in two places – their constituency and in London – and are allowed to claim expenses to cover the cost of running their second home. Details of what was claimed on second home expenses have never been revealed before the Daily Telegraph got hold of a leaked copy of all the claims.
Members of the House of Commons get an annual salary of £63,291 (€71,982). They also get an annual allowance of a maximum £100,205 (€113,965) to employ staff, an incidental expenses allowance of a maximum of £22,193 (€25,240) and an additional costs allowance of maximum £24,006 (€27,302). There are also transportation and communications allowances and a pension provision for members’ staff amounting to 10% of gross salary. They pay income tax.
The “additional costs allowance” covers things like mortgage interest payments on second homes and utility bills, and all MPs had to sign a declaration with every claim to the effect that “I confirm that I incurred these costs wholly, exclusively and necessarily to enable me to stay overnight away from my only or main home for the purpose of performing my duties as a Member of Parliament”.
But claims included ones for clearing a moat, maintaining swimming pools, a £1,645 “duck island” and a claim to fit mock Tudor beams to the front of a house. Claims for small items have also been ridiculed – including a trouser press, a bath plug and some Hob Nob biscuits.
WHAT DO OUR MPs TAKE BACK HOME WITH THEM?
Maltese MPs earn an honoraria of €18,181 every year. Gozitan MPs are also paid a €23.30 allowance for every daily sitting due to their transport costs from Gozo to Malta and back. The deputy Speaker and the president of the Permanent Committee on Foreign and European Affairs are paid €27,721, while the presidents of the other committees are paid €23,635. The parliamentary whips – David Agius and Joe Mizzi – are paid an additional allowance of €1,398.
MPs are also granted a paid fixed-line telephone and internet service, as well as 100 envelopes with paid postage each week. The deputy Speaker, the whips and the permanent committee presidents also get free mobile phone services, capped at €6,407 a year.
Both political groups are paid an annual €103,496 in financial assistance to cover expenses and overseas travel, which is paid in monthly installments. There are no reimbursements for personal expenses and all expenses are verified by the Auditor General.
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
MEPs get paid the same as politicians in their national parliaments, which varies widely but from July they will be paid €7,000 monthly – especially grand for Maltese MEPs. The bulk of their money is made from perks and allowances, and the contribution to a pension scheme which is matched by the European Parliament. They get paid a €287 allowance for every day they work in the Parliament. They are also reimbursed for weekly travel from home countries for the cost of an open economy ticket plus an allowance for distance travelled – which will finish soon enough. They also get a €190,000 subsidy for their staff costs and €42,000 to run their offices, apart from a host of other allowances.
FRANCE
Basic salary for members of the National Assembly is €7,009 per month pre-tax. They have to pay income tax on that as well as make contributions to social security. Members are allowed to hold other local elective offices such as mayor, and they can receive an extra €2,722 a month for that. They can also hold other remunerated posts that are not included in the parliamentary pay limits.
They may claim expenses of up to €5,837 per month for transport, rent for second homes in Paris, entertainment, clothing and incidentals. There are benefits in kind including free first-class travel on the national rail network SNCF, 40 free return flights per year between Paris and their constituencies and six free return flights per year on itineraries of their choice within mainland France.
The National Assembly can lend them money to buy or rent accommodation or office space either in Paris or in their constituency. The French National Assembly website says the average loan granted to MPs is €76,225 over 10 years at an interest rate of 2%.
GERMANY
German MPs receive €7,668 per month. They must pay income tax on this. They also receive a tax-free lump-sum of €3,868 to cover costs including maintaining an office in their constituency or renting a second apartment in Berlin.
Parliamentarians have the right to a furnished and equipped office at the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament. They are allowed to use office cars for trips within Berlin, get free train travel across Germany and are reimbursed for domestic flights used in exercising their mandate.
ITALY
Net salary of lower house MPs is €5,487 per month. They also receive €4,000 per month for accommodation expenses in Rome to attend parliamentary sessions and they have to attend at least one third of voting sessions to receive the full allowance.
They receive €4,190 per month for expenses linked to “relations with voters,” and around €1,100 per month for transport costs. Travel by plane, train and boat is free and a payment of €3,100 a year is made for telephone bills.
SPAIN
Spanish MPs receive a basic salary of €3,126 a month. On top of this, MPs from within Madrid get €870 a month in expenses, while MPs with a constituency out of the capital get €1,823 a month in expenses. MPs also receive a food allowance when travelling – €150 a day for international trips and €120 a day for domestic travel.
SWEDEN
The members of the Riksdag receive basic, monthly pay of 54,500 Swedish krona (€5,219) pre-tax. The Speaker gets 131,000 Swedish krona a month (€12,546). Members living more than 50 km (31 miles) from the Riksdag are entitled to reimbursement of up to 7,000 Swedish krona (€670) a month for overnight accommodation in Stockholm.
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