Civil servants earn more than MSPs

Thursday, June 17, 2010

A study carried out by Scottish Conservatives has revealed that there are 400 Scottish government and Scottish parliament employees who earn higher salaries than MSPs –
including four Scottish government employees who earn more than First Minister Alex Salmond.


Mary Scanlon, Scottish Conservative MSP for Highlands & Islands, said: "Labour's legacy of debt means that we have to get value for money from the public purse. People will be surprised that there are 400 people in the Scottish government and Scottish parliament who earn more than MSPs, including some who are paid more than even the First Minister.

"We have warned for a long time that if the Scottish government doesn't prepare for lower spending, there will be unnecessary pain as cuts which are easy but painful are introduced ahead of savings which take time but have less impact on the frontline.

"The biggest challenge Scotland faces in the years ahead is to create a thriving and growing private sector to create new jobs and opportunities, and to counter the squeeze on public sector employment that is Labour's legacy."

There are 359 Scottish Government employees who earn more than an MSP. Of these, four earn more than the First Minister. There are 41 Scottish Parliament employees who earn more than an MSP. An MSPs' annual salary is £57,520.75. The First Minister's annual salary is just under £140,000 (£82,094 plus MSP annual salary)