Review of Political Office Holders' Salaries Following 2023 Deferral

Mr Alex Yam asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance whether political office holders' salaries will be reviewed soon, since the last scheduled review in 2023 was deferred.

Mr Chan Chun Sing (for the Prime Minister): The current salary framework was established by a review committee in 2012, and the Government agreed with its recommendation that the framework would be reviewed by an independent committee every five years.

A subsequent committee was formed in 2017 to review the 2012 framework, and it concluded that the framework remained sound, and that political salaries should be adjusted annually in line with the movement of the benchmark salaries. Nevertheless, the Government decided not to make any changes to political salaries then. In 2023, the Government decided to defer the scheduled review, given the uncertain external environment and the downside risks in the global economy at that time.

The salary structure and benchmark have not been updated since they were introduced in 2012. It is therefore timely to undertake a review. The Government has convened an independent committee, chaired by Mr Gan Seow Kee, to conduct this review. The composition of the Committee is set out in the Table below.

The Committee has been asked to recommend the appropriate salary levels based on the current salary framework, and where necessary, to propose refinements so that the implementation of the framework will remain relevant and able to meet its intended purpose. The Committee has just been formed and will submit its report to the Government when ready, after which the Government will consider its findings and provide an update to Parliament.