IPSA's review of Pay for Committee Chairs

UPDATE: Following the original response being provided, the requestor contacted the ICO to complain that the information requested had not been provided. Through discussion with the ICO, the requestor described the information that was being sought, which was subsequently provided. Our original response, and the information that was subsequently provided are both contained below.

Original response

IPSA holds the information that you request.

On 25 May 2016, IPSA confirmed the outcome of its review of the additional salaries paid to Chairs of Select Committees and to Members of the Panel of Chairs.

The original version of the report stated at paragraphs 8 and 24 that: “Two members of the public responded with some general comments on the salaries for Chairs of Committees, noting that they regarded the level of salaries to be too high.”

Following publication, you contacted IPSA to assert that this statement did not reflect your submission to the consultation, a full copy of which has been published on our website (alongside all other responses to the consultation). You can find copies of these responses at the following address: http://parliamentarystandards.org.uk/transparency/Pages/Consultations.aspx.

Although we do not consider that this statement was factually incorrect, an amendment was made to the two paragraphs to help alleviate your concerns. Paragraphs 8 and 24 of the report now state: “Three members of the public responded to our questions. Two noted that they considered the level of salaries for Chairs of Committees to be too high”.

Please click here to view a copy of the report that was originally published on IPSA’s website on 25 May 2016.

A copy of the amended report can be found on our website at the link provided above.

Subsequent response

I understand from the ICO that the information that you were seeking is the version of the draft report reviewed at the IPSA Board meeting on 18 May 2016, and not the subsequent ‘final draft’ which is what we understood you to be requesting (and which was provided in response to your original request).

Please click here to view the version of the report presented to IPSA’s Board prior to final approval. This version of the report was drafted by IPSA’s Policy team and reviewed by IPSA’s Board prior to final approval being granted at the meeting of 18 May 2016. The final version of the report, which contained the final decision of the Board and a small number of presentational changes requested by the Board, is publicly available on our website (and has also been provided to you in response to your original request). Minutes for the Board meeting held on 18 May 2016 are published on our website.