Commentary on Sections and Schedules Remuneration, oaths etc. Section 20: Remuneration of Assembly members
94.This section provides for the payment of salaries and allowances to current Assembly members, and for the payment of pensions, gratuities and allowances to former members and office-holders.
95.Subsection (1) imposes a duty on the Assembly to provide for the payment of salaries to Assembly members. The Assembly is free to determine the amount of any salary.
96.Subsection (2) permits the Assembly to provide for the payment of allowances to Assembly members. It is for the Assembly to decide what allowances are payable.
97.Subsection (3) allows the Assembly to make provision for the payment of pensions, gratuities or allowances to former Assembly members, and to the former holders of certain offices (such as the Presiding Officer and Deputy Presiding Officer) even though they may still remain Assembly members.
98.Subsection (4) permits the Assembly to include in any provision under subsection (3) provision for contributions or payments towards pensions, gratuities and allowances. The Assembly can also make arrangements for the establishment and administration of one or more pension schemes. It can do this through the Assembly Commission or by such other means as the Assembly decides.
99.Payments of salaries, allowances and pensions, etc. to current and past Presiding and Deputy Presiding Officers are to be charged on the Welsh Consolidated Fund (so that payment will not need to be authorised annually by the Assembly).
100.Provision for payments under this section may be made either by the Assembly’s standing orders or by Assembly resolution and may also be the subject of an Assembly Measure under Part 3 of the Act. Functions may be conferred on the Assembly Commission.
101.Paragraph 12 of Schedule 11 provides for pay etc, determinations made under sections 16 and 18 of the Government of Wales Act 1998 to continue in force post-repeal of those section as if they had been made under this section.