Question

To ask the hon. Member for Warrington North, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how IPSA assesses how many staff are required to meet workload demands on hon. Members' offices; and how is this scrutinised by the Committee.

The core MPs' staffing budget is set at a level that will accomadate a 'notional' office of five full time equivalent staff, but is intended to provide flexibility for MPs to decide how best to staff their office. For example, an MP could decide to have fewer full-time equivalent staff members paid at higher salaries if what they value is experience. Alternatively, they could prioritise experience and leadership quailties in one role and leave room for progression in other roles. Many MPs do employ more than five full-time members of staff.

In making decisions about the use of public money, IPSA consults widely and uses all of the available evidence as well as taking into account wider economic and fiscal context. IPSA understands from data that not all offices require an additional staff member.

Most MPs underspend their budgets. Approximately one third of MPs are projested to spend more than 95% of their budget this year. A small number of offices have applied for additional funding this year to help with an exceptionally busy period.

Rather than applying for a one-size-fits-all solution at significant cost to the taxpayer, IPSA believes that a more targeted approach is a better and more prudent way of supporting offices. This is why IPSA is creating a £7.7 million staffing support fund, which will become available from 1 April 2026. This will provide structural financial and advisory support for temporary staffing pressures, that can be tailored to each office's needs.

IPSA will work with the House services to collect data on caseload volume and complexity to inform plans for the future.

The Speaker's Committee's remit is set out in the Parliamentary Standards act 2009. The Committee last met IPSA on 4 March 2026 to consider IPSA's draft main estimate for 2026/27, where MPs' staffing was discussed. This was a public meeting, and a recording of that session has been made available on Parliament Live.