Mr Brown said the government would make legislative time available for votes on MPs' salaries and allowances to be devolved to an outside body.

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The Bill, which has cross-party support, allows the Northern Ireland Assembly to delegate powers to set the salaries and allowances of its 108 members to an outside body.

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The new remuneration board, which held its first meeting with AMs last month, is the independent statutory body responsible for determining the salaries and allowances of AMs and their staff.

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In addition to high salaries, these people are provided generous allowances for housing and their children's private schooling.

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This is harsher than it looks because allowances an extra 60-90% to basic salaries, and because they will in future be taxed in the 40% band, not the 10% one as now.

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