Cost of Parliament staff salaries more than doubled in two years

AMMAN — The cost of salaries for Parliament employees has more than doubled between 2013 and 2014, according to state budget figures. 

The amount went up from around JD2.6 million in 2013 to JD5.4 million in 2014, and is set to grow to JD5.6 million this year, data on the financial affairs of Parliament included in the draft state budget law  showed. 

The number of employees in Parliament stood at 612 in 2013, of whom 492 are men and 120 are women.

In 2014, the number of staff members increased by 22 per cent, growing to 745, (606 men and 139 women). 

This year, the number of employees is set to increase to 775, according to the budget’s preliminary figures.  

Salaries of male employees in 2014 totalled JD4.4 million, while wages of female employees were around JD1 million.

The overall budget of Parliament included in the draft law is estimated at JD20.9 million, registering a 15 per cent rise over the JD18 million allocated for 2014. 

The share of the Upper House in the 2015 spending bill is JD6.7 million, while JD13.9 million has been allocated for the Lower House. 

Financial allocations for the Senate president in 2015 are set at JD42,000, while allocations for the Lower House speaker are JD40,900. 

Travel allocations for official trips of deputies and senators are estimated at JD829,000 for this year, up by nearly 33 per cent compared with the JD617,500 re-estimated for 2014, budget figures showed. 

MPs’ official trips outside the Kingdom will cost the budget around JD609,000 this year, up from JD417,500 last year, while senators’ trips are set to cost JD220,000, up from JD200,000 in 2014.