The Ministerial and Other Salaries Act 1975 (c. 27) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that governs the salaries of ministerial and certain other political offices in the UK. It was amended by the Ministerial Salaries (Amendment) Act 2026.
In 2003, a joint public bill committee deemed the act one of "the fundamental parts of constitutional law..."
Provisions Salaries The act sets out the salaries of government ministers, opposition leaders, opposition whips and the speakers of the two Houses of Parliament.Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975, ss 1(2), 1(3), 1(3A), sch 1 and sch 2.
Government ministers There can be up to 111 paid posts across the following ministerial offices (this limit was 100 before 29 April 2026). SalaryOfficeMPNot MP£76,762Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury£68,827Chancellor of the Exchequer£68,827£101,038Secretary of StateCabinet members who hold the offices of: Lord President of the Council, Lord Privy Seal, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Paymaster General, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury or Minister of State£33,002£78,891Non-Cabinet members who hold the offices of: Lord President of the Council, Lord Privy Seal, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Paymaster General, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury or Minister of StateMinisters in charge of government departments who are not a member of the Cabinet and who are not eligible for a salary under any other part of the actFinancial Secretary to the Treasury£23,697£68,710Parliamentary Secretary (other than Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury)£19,239Junior Lord of the TreasuryAssistant Government Whip, House of Commons£63,537Lord- or Baroness-in-waiting
There can also be paid posts in each of the following 9 ministerial offices. SalaryOfficeMPNot MP£68,827£101,038Lord Chancellor£95,772£105,699Attorney General for England and Wales£59,248£91,755Solicitor General for England and WalesAdvocate General for Scotland£33,002Treasurer of HM Household£19,239Comptroller of HM HouseholdVice-Chamberlain of HM Household£78,891Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms£68,710Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeoman of the Guard
The effect of this legislation is that the maximum number of paid ministerial posts is 120 (the maximum was 109 before 29 April 2026). The only limit on the number of unpaid ministerial posts is that the maximum number of MPs who can be appointed to a ministerial post is 95 (whether paid or unpaid).
Opposition leaders and whips There can be up to 6 paid posts across the following opposition offices. SalaryOfficeMPNot MP£63,098Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons£68,710Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords£33,002Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Commons£63,537Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords£19,239Assistant Opposition Whip, House of Commons
Speakers in the House of Commons and the House of Lords There can be 1 paid speaker in each House. SalaryOfficeMPNot MP£75,776Speaker of the House of Commons£101,038Lord Speaker
Limits The act (as amended in 2026) explicitly imposes the following limits on the number of government and opposition office holders who can be paid.Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975, sch 1 s 2. OfficesLimit Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury Chancellor of the Exchequer Secretaries of State Lord President of the Council (if a member of the Cabinet) Lord Privy Seal (if a member of the Cabinet) Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (if a member of the Cabinet) Paymaster General (if a member of the Cabinet) Chief Secretary to the Treasury (if a member of the Cabinet) Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (if a member of the Cabinet) Ministers of State (if a member of the Cabinet) 22 Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury Chancellor of the Exchequer Secretaries of State Lord President of the Council Lord Privy Seal Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Paymaster General Chief Secretary to the Treasury Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury Ministers of State Ministers in charge of government departments who are not a member of the Cabinet and who are not eligible for a salary under any other part of the act Financial Secretary to the Treasury 54 Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury Chancellor of the Exchequer Secretaries of State Lord President of the Council Lord Privy Seal Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Paymaster General Chief Secretary to the Treasury Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury Ministers of State Ministers in charge of government departments who are not a member of the Cabinet and who are not eligible for a salary under any other part of the act Financial Secretary to the Treasury Parliamentary Secretaries (other than Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury) 94 Junior Lords of the Treasury 5 Assistant Government Whips, House of Commons 7 Lords- and Baronesses-in-waiting 5 Assistant Opposition Whips, House of Commons 2
Repealed enactments Section 5(3) of the act repealed 2 enactments, listed in schedule 3 to the act. +Enactments repealed by section 5(3)CitationShort titleExtent of repeal1972 c. 3Ministerial and Other Salaries Act 1972The whole act.1974 c. 21Ministers of the Crown Act 1974Section 1.
See also House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 Ministerial and other Maternity Allowances Act 2021
Notes
References
External links
House of Commons Information Office Factsheet on Ministerial Salaries House of Commons Library Standard Note on Limitations on the number of Ministers and the size of the Payroll vote