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The salaries of ministers and other political office holders are "targetted" to be reviewed in 2023.
Last committee was in 2017
Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing stated this on Jan. 10, 2023.
Chan was replying to Progress Singapore Party's (PSP) Non-constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Hazel Poa's parliamentary question on behalf of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Poa noted that the last committee to review political salaries was appointed in 2017 and asked PM Lee whether he has appointed a committee to carry out the five-yearly review.
If a committee has been appointed, Poa wanted to find out what the terms of reference given to the committee are and when the public can expect the report from the committee.
And if there is no committee yet, Poa asked when the committee is expected to be appointed and what its expected terms of reference are.
Committee formed every five years
Once every five years, a committee is formed to review ministerial and political officeholder salaries.
The last Committee to Review Ministerial Salaries was formed in 2017 by PM Lee, which noted a 9 per cent increase in benchmark salaries, and recommended adjusting political salaries each year to be more in line with "annual benchmark movements".
The then-Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean did not share the same view as these findings during the Committee of Supply debate in March 2018, and announced that ministerial salaries will be frozen for the next five years.
There would also be no change to the ministerial salary framework or levels for at least the next five years.
However, back then, Teo added that the government will review its decision again after five year, or when it becomes "necessary".
Review "targeted for 2023"
Chan made reference to the previous committee's findings and the government's decision to freeze ministerial salaries in his written reply to Poa on Jan. 10, 2023.
"The committee had concluded then [in 2017] that the salary framework remained relevant and sound ... the government decided [in 2018] not to make any changes to political salaries, since the economy was still in transition."
He shared that the next political salaries review is targeted for 2023, and more details will be shared in due course.
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