Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his oral contribution of 13 November 2017, Official Report, column 72, for what reasons the full staffing allowances of MLAs have been omitted from the remit of the independent review announced on 13 November 2017; and if he will make a statement.

The remit of the advice sought from Mr Trevor Reaney does include support and provision for the employment of Members’ staff. The full remit is set out in my letter to Mr Reaney and is available on the Northern Ireland Office website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/659476/mla_pay_letter__scanned_.pdf