No increase to MPs’ allocations, official figures show

AMMAN — Despite reports on social media outlets about increases to MPs’ financial allocations, public budget’s figures have indicated otherwise.

According to the General Budget Department, the value of the financial allocations for 129 deputies in 2017 stood at JD5,418,000 in addition to JD42,000 allocated for the Lower House speaker. 

Official figures indicate that the value of these allocations will remain the same for MPs and the speaker totalling JD5,418,000 and JD42,000 for the years 2018, 2019 and 2020. 

However, official figures indicate an increase of around JD700,000 in the value of the current and capital expenditures of the two Houses of Parliament from JD22,139,000 in 2017 to JD22,854,000 in 2018.

These expenditures include salaries, payments, social security subscriptions, social assistance, services and equipment. 

In a statement on Sunday, the Lower House’s permanent office refuted news reports about increasing MPs’ financial allocations as “baseless”.

The office said that increasing lawmakers’ allocations is, in principle, not an easy decision to make as it requires changing the public budget law.

News reports were circulated on Facebook earlier this week, claiming that each MP’s financial allocations had been increased by JD880 monthly. 

Noting that MPs’ allocations have not been changed since 10 years, the House said that spreading such “rumours” is part of the trend to circulate false information on social media networks.