Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage cut in the salaries of Government Ministers would be required in order to create savings sufficient to pay salaries at the appropriate level to all Ministers who are currently unpaid.

The Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975 limits the total number of ministerial salaries to 109, and there are 109 such salaries being paid. Accordingly, it would not be possible to pay salaries to those Ministers who are currently unpaid even if salaries were reduced. Indeed, Ministerial salaries have reduced by 5% this Parliament, saving approximately £4million and demonstrating leadership in a time of pay restraint.

Information concerning levels of entitled ministerial salary can be found in the Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975 (amendment) Order 2011:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2011/9780111509258/body