Data on Highest and Lowest Total Remuneration of Political Officeholders from 2016 to 2025
Ministry of FinanceSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the highest and lowest total remuneration for political officeholders from 2016 to 2025 and whether these figures will be published annually, as asked by Ms He Ting Ru. Replying on behalf of the Prime Minister, Minister Chan Chun Sing explained that political appointment holders' pay comprises a fixed monthly salary, the 13th-month allowance, the Annual Variable Component, the National Bonus, and individual performance bonuses. He noted that an MR4 Minister's reference monthly salary is $55,000, spanning an 85% to 110% range, with other grades determinable from the 2012 White Paper. Between 2016 and 2025, the National Bonus ranged from 0.75 to 5.63 months, while the individual Performance Bonus actually awarded ranged from 2.5 to six months. Minister Chan Chun Sing stated that the Government will consider how best to disclose more information on the remuneration of political appointment holders going forward.
Transcript
6 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) for each year from 2016 to 2025, what was the highest and lowest total dollar remuneration, of (i) Ministers (ii) Senior Ministers of State and Ministers of State and (iii) Senior Parliamentary Secretaries and Parliamentary Secretaries, inclusive of fixed pay, all bonuses and allowances; and (b) whether the Government will publish such figures annually going forward.
Mr Chan Chun Sing (for the Prime Minister): The annual remuneration of all Political Appointment Holders (PAHs) comprises the fixed monthly pay, the 13th month Non-Pensionable Annual Allowance (NPAA), the Annual Variable Component (AVC), the National Bonus and the individual performance bonus.
Data on many of these components are available in the public domain.
For example, over the period in question, the reference monthly salary for an MR4 Minister was $55,000. The minimum and maximum salary points was set at 85% and 110% of this monthly salary in accordance with the salary framework.
The minimum and maximum monthly salary of PAHs at other grades can similarly be derived from the 2012 White Paper on "Salaries for a Capable and Committed Government".
The NPAA is one month of salary. The AVC is typically about one month and follows the amount received by the general Civil Service.
The National Bonus is determined by national socioeconomic outcomes and can range from zero to six months. The individual Performance Bonus depends on the Prime Minister's assessment of each appointment holder's performance.
Over the period from 2016 and 2025, the National Bonus ranged from 0.75 to 5.63 months, while the individual Performance Bonus actually awarded ranged from 2.5 to six months.
Taken together, this information provides a clear indication of the remuneration levels and ranges of PAHs.
Going forward, the Government will consider how best to disclose more information on the remuneration of PAHs.