Thank you for contacting me about MPs' pay.

Since 2012/13, when MPs voted to freeze their salaries in line with public sector workers, MPs have not been able to set the terms of their own remuneration. Instead, it is now the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) to decide MPs' pay. All parties agreed in 2009 to set up IPSA so that MPs would no longer have a say in setting their pay and pensions - this is therefore not a decision for the Government or for MPs, but solely for IPSA.

IPSA confirmed in 2015 that MPs' pay would rise to £74,000 as part of a package of changes to their remuneration. As of 2016/17, MPs' pay is also adjusted annually in line with average earnings within the public sector. This was implemented as part of a package that also introduced a new pension on a par with those in other parts of the public service.

When it comes to the part of MPs' pay that the Government does control - ministerial pay - I welcome the confirmation that this will not increase, but will instead be frozen for another five years. By 2020, ministerial pay will not have risen for a decade.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.