Chris Heaton-Harris – 2022 Comments on Reducing Pay of MLAs

The comments made by Chris Heaton-Harris, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, on 7 December 2022.

For over 200 days MLAs have been receiving full pay while failing to fulfil the full duties they were elected to do. Reducing their pay until an Assembly is restored reflects the work they are currently carrying out.

This pay reduction is a necessary step when the people of Northern Ireland are tackling significant cost of living challenges and, after long-term mishandling of the NI public finances [by NI ministers] that has left a staggering £660m black hole, further protecting public finances.

I urge Northern Ireland’s parties to use the time that this Act allows to work together and return to their full roles in a devolved government so that they can better serve the people of Northern Ireland.