Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

MSPs can claim money back for "expenses" (costs).  These must be costs from carrying out their duties in Parliament or helping their constituents. 

Search MSP travel and expenses claims

The SPCB publishes a summary of all the MSP costs for a financial year.

Total Members’ expenditure for 2023-24 and 2022-23

In 2023-24 the total costs reimbursed to or paid on behalf of Members, or borne by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) on behalf of Members, was £25.359 million. This represented an increase of £1.9 million or 8.1% on the previous year’s corresponding figure of £23.468 million. 

Detailed breakdown of Scottish Parliament expenditure

Further details of individual Members’ expenses and categories of expense are provided in the MSP expenses section.

The following information is reported at an aggregate level only for data-protection considerations

• Salary, pension and national insurance contributions of Members’ employees in 2023-24 was £20,603,621 (2022-23: £19,149,212). This included winding-up costs for Members’ staff of £50,450 in 2023-24 (2022-23: £74,359). There were no winding-up costs for Party Leaders’ staff in 2023-24 or 2022-23.
  
  Note: Total staff salary costs for each individual Member under the capped Staff Cost Provision Scheme is published for 2023-24. This does not include costs such as Employers’ National Insurance Contributions, pensions or winding-up costs which are met by the SPCB as part of the Reimbursement of Members’ Expenses Scheme rather than allocated out to individual Members.
  
  
• Total expenditure on childcare vouchers for 2023-24 was £4,535 (2022-23: £7,932).
  
  
• Additional central costs met by the Reimbursement of Members’ Expenses Scheme not allocated out to individual Members for Local Office Security Improvements and other security arrangements was £150,258 in 2023-24 (2022-23: £123,553). Total Members own security related and disability provision expenditure for 2023-24 was £34,307 (2022-23: £30,110).

All other expenditure under the Reimbursement of Members’ Expenses Scheme is available in the Members’ Expenses Scheme section, with detail for individual Members.

Equipment, furniture and office supplies

There are arrangements in place for the central provision of equipment, furniture and office supplies to Members, the costs of which are not claimed against expenses. Equipment and furniture is procured for Members’ use but remains the property of the SPCB. 

Expenses rates

The table below indicates expenses and provision limits for 2023-24 and the previous financial year. 

Pay range

The 2023-24 table shows pay ranges for the generic job roles for Members’ staff.