By Martin Banks - 28th January 2010
Any increase in MEP allowances is totally unjustifiable
Nigel Farage
Possible proposals to increase MEPs' monthly allowances for assistants by €1,500 have been condemned as "scandalous".
MEPs already receive €17,540 per month for the cost of employing assistants in Brussels and their constituencies.
Parliament's budgets committee voted to approve the increase because it is claimed that under the Lisbon treaty, deputies will take on additional duties and may need to employ more staff.
It was also agreed to hire 150 extra staff to help MEPs deal with the new powers.
British members immediately condemned the move with UK Independence Party MEP Nigel Farage saying, "Any increase in MEP allowances is totally unjustifiable. I am not on the committee but would have voted against it."
Tory MEP Roger Helmer agreed, saying, "At a time when public sector workers in Britain are being asked to tighten their belts, this a farce and a scandal. Many MEPs, including myself, will struggle to spend our existing allowance as it is."
Stephen Booth, of UK-based Eurosceptic think tank Open Europe, claims the move will cost European taxpayers an estimated extra €13.3m and increase parliament's budget to €1.6bn this year.
He said, "MEPs already receive more than enough in allowances so there's no justification for this increase. With taxpayers all over Europe struggling with the recession, MEPs must cut back on their lavish salaries and allowances if they want to be taken seriously by voters."
"The EU institutions are so out of touch with ordinary citizens that the prevailing culture in Brussels seems to be 'who cares, it's only taxpayers' money'".
A parliament spokesman said the allowance is used to pay MEP staff salaries and other costs such as national insurance contributions.
"It is important to stress that the allowance is not paid directly to MEPs but via a third party and is made available to MEPs to enable them to employ the staff they feel are necessary to do their work.
"On average, each MEP has three to four staff and from this allowance they have to pay their salary and other employer costs such as social security contributions.
"The rise reflects the extra legislative responsibilities they've been given under Lisbon," he said.
The increase, still to be ratified by the full parliament, was opposed only by MEPs from the far-left European United Left (EUL) group, the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group and the Europe of Freedom and Democracy.
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