Understanding Remuneration
In exchange for their service, elected officials are compensated through comprehensive remuneration packages outlined in a country’s laws and regulations. Formal benefits and allowances typically encompass the total compensation proactively bestowed upon representatives, including wages, categorized spending allowances, and myriad benefits that may also extend to family. Those benefits sometimes track with basic provisions afforded to public employees, such as healthcare; others are unique or modified due to the elected officials’ status. At the same time, formal restrictions on elected officials typically include limits on earned income, other compensation, or elected officials’ (or their families’) conduct due to their status as representatives. Such restrictions often are imposed to ensure that the officials’ representation is not influenced by loyalties to anyone other than their constituents, including for personal gain.
While such benefits and restrictions tend to be explicit in the law, they are not always listed in one central place. Many countries have formal codes of conduct that outline at least some of these rights and responsibilities (New Zealand and Sri Lanka, for example). In other countries, these provisions are codified in disparate rules, regulations, or parts of the law (such as Nepal, which has no central code of conduct for MPs). Each studied country also sets remuneration in different ways. In New Zealand, the Remuneration Authority, on an annual basis, consults specific criteria to determine MPs’ remuneration.27 In Ecuador, the Legislative Administration Council (El Consejo de Administración Legislativa, or CAL) establishes remuneration.28 In Nepal, the government may update MPs’ remuneration “in a manner not to be to the disadvantage of the Office-bearers or Members” via “a notice in the Nepal Gazette.”29 In Sri Lanka, Parliament itself establishes remuneration for all MPs, “by law or resolution” after the start of its term.30
In any case, remuneration policies are often open to reinterpretation by individual legislatures or administrations. That flexibility enables elected officials to undertake reforms reflective of the country’s current state of affairs (e.g., elected officials taking pay cuts in line with austerity measures or national crises). However, these gray areas also invite opportunity for corruption. As has been discussed, uncertainty about the perceived and real benefits elected officials receive can drive down trust in those officials.
Table 1 summarizes the remuneration provisions identified through analysis of the four cases. These 16 categories of remuneration provided to and restrictions placed on elected officials take many styles. The remainder of this section discusses each category and identifies more specific sub-categories of salaries, benefits, and restrictions identified through this research. When all countries provide the same benefits, they are labelled “Standard” in Table 1. When two to three countries provide a benefit, it is considered “Typical.” When a provision is available in only one country under investigation, it is considered “Rare.” Table 1 also summarizes key points of variation.
Benefits and Allowances Afforded to Elected Officials
Salary and Allowances
This category of benefits encompasses direct payments to elected officials as part of their compensation, including wages, emoluments, per diems (i.e., fixed daily allowances to cover travel expenses), pensions, and severances. The structure of these payments varies significantly from country to country and is sometimes supplemented by additional allowances tied to activities.
In each country, MPs receive a base salary paid on a regular schedule, which can scale up based on one’s rank. Table 2 provides an overview of recent base salaries for an ordinary MP (e.g., not a speaker or holder of another senior position), with calculations in U.S. dollars as of April 2024. In Ecuador, all Assembly Members receive 12 monthly payments as well as two additional payments annually.31 In New Zealand, all MPs are paid “fortnightly in arrears by direct credit to a nominated bank account.”32 The Remuneration Authority determines New Zealand MPs’ salaries based on several factors: the office (e.g., speaker, whip); the electorate, meaning which mechanism of the mixed-member proportional system led to that individual serving in office; or “any other considerations that the Remuneration Authority may determine.”33 The prime minister, speaker, and MPs generally also receive a separate allowance for basic expenses.34 Sri Lankan MPs of higher rank, such as the speaker and deputy speaker, earn a higher base salary, paid monthly, than regular MPs.35 Monthly remuneration for office-bearers and members in Nepal is scaled by position as well.36
Additional allowances are also available in most places based on an elected official’s office and duties. In New Zealand, the prime minister, speaker, and MPs receive supplementary allowances in addition to their base pay meant to cover out-of-pocket expenses for related parliamentary business, such as donations, raffle tickets, passport photos, and meals.37 Nepalese MPs receive a salary monthly plus an additional daily allowance when they attend meetings “of any House or any Committee or the joint meeting of both Houses” and during scheduled recesses.38 Sri Lankan MPs receive a sitting allowance for each session of Parliament they attend and a committee allowance for attending committee meetings on non-sitting days in addition to their monthly base salaries. As of 2019, the sitting allowance was 2,500 rupees per day.39 In contrast, remuneration in Ecuador is standard for all Assembly Members and the amounts are available publicly via an information portal, website, or other appropriate means.40
In some countries, the economic situation or other crises also may factor into annual salary rates. For instance, the base salary for Assembly Members in Ecuador was reduced following the 2015 economic crisis, and then reduced again to align with policies of austerity. Similarly, in New Zealand, MPs took a 10 percent pay cut to show solidarity with those affected by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.42 This is one way government bodies can be responsive to and reflective of the pressures faced by constituents during crises.43
Paid Leave
This category of benefits includes vacation time, personal time, parental leave, sick leave, bereavement leave, and other types of paid time off extended to elected officials.
Elected officials tend to receive paid leave in amounts similar to other public employees in their country. In New Zealand, all public employees have public holidays off44 with and a minimum of 10 days of sick leave, and they are entitled to additional types of leave as outlined in the law and determined by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.45 In Nepal, all employees are entitled to 12 days of paid sick leave per year, adjusted proportionally46 In Ecuador, employment contracts can specify sick leave following either the Organic Law on Public Service or the Labor Code, which specify different minimum sick leave limits.47 In Sri Lanka, after public or private sector employees have held a position for two years, they are entitled to seven days of casual or sick leave; in their first year of employment, they are granted four to 14 days of fully remunerated annual leave depending on the month when the contract starts.48
Parental leave varies most significantly from country to country and based on the conditions of the family. In New Zealand, after the birth or adoption of a child, the primary caregiver is granted 26 weeks of paid parental leave, in addition to special paid leave for pregnant women “for reasons associated with the pregnancy.”49 In Sri Lanka, a new mother may receive continuous leave for up to 84 work days (21 weeks) after birth at full pay with options to extend at reduced pay rates for an additional 84 days; the minimum maternity leave is 4 weeks.50 As of September 2023, adoptive mothers in Sri Lanka are permitted up to four months of leave after adoption; adoptive fathers are permitted three working days of paternity leave.51 In Ecuador, new mothers are entitled to 12 weeks of maternity leave, with additional time granted for multiple births and caesarean section deliveries; new fathers receive a 10-day paternity leave after the birth of their child, with additional time for caesarean section deliveries (15 days in total).52 In Nepal, women working in government receive a minimum of 98 days of leave with pay, which they can take before or after delivery; men with pregnant wives can take 15 days of paid leave. Additional leave is provided for “complicated surgery … per the opinion of the specialist doctor due to morbidity.”53 Parental leave, like sick leave, is often in line with the leave schedules for public employees in the country generally and not unique for elected officials.
Travel and Transportation
This category of benefits includes such expenses as flights, taxis, rental cars, parking, tolls, and fuel, among other travel-related expenditures. In every country studied, elected officials received some kind of travel and transportation benefit.
Cars, drivers, or fuel allowances are provided to high-ranking elected officials in most countries. All MPs in New Zealand are permitted to use a personal car and submit requests for reimbursement or to use a taxi or rental car when on domestic official travel.54 The speaker, deputy speaker, leader of the opposition, and leader of any political party with more than 25 members in Parliament are entitled to chauffeur-driven cars. In Nepal, every high-ranking office-bearer55 is provided an automobile and fuel and does not need “to submit bills and vouchers of fuel and mobile received by them.”56 In Sri Lanka, until recently, all MPs received a tax-exempt permit (valued at approximately Rs. 20 million, or USD 66,350) to import a personal vehicle. This scheme is currently on hold, citing the economic crisis.57 MPs, however, still receive a driver allowance if they are not provided a driver directly from the government; they also receive a fuel allowance, which is calculated based on the distance from Parliament to each MP’s district and “the approved market price of one litre of diesel on the first day of every month.”58 In contrast, Assembly Members in Ecuador are not generally provided with cars or transportation within the capital, Quito.
Other types of transit costs are also commonly provided, especially for MPs who do not receive a driver or car allowance. In Ecuador, while there is no car allowance, Assembly Members with permanent residences outside Quito are entitled to 52 domestic round-trip airfares per year (one per week). Thirteen of those flights may be to destinations other than a legislator’s primary residence.59 In Nepal, MPs receive 1000 rupees (USD 7.50) for each day they must travel to participate in meetings in any House of Parliament, committee, or joint meeting of both houses, as well as a few days before and after; MPs are also entitled to a double travel allowance when travelling and returning to their permanent residences on the same day.60 Thus, some kind of transportation benefit is standard, but the specific provisions vary significantly within and across countries.
Accommodations
This category of benefits can include housing provisions or rent and utilities allowances for elected officials. Rent allowances are often provided to officials who live beyond a certain distance from Parliament and cannot reasonably commute to legislative sessions from their primary residences.
Housing units are sometimes maintained for MPs’ use. For instance, in Sri Lanka, the Members’ Services Office maintains the Madiwela Housing Complex for rent by eligible MPs based outside of Colombo. The Members’ Services Office is tasked with maintaining those housing units and providing services to the official residence of the speaker.61 In New Zealand, the Office of Ministerial Services may allocate an official residence to any minister whose home base is “outside the Wellington commuting area.”62 The government will cover costs associated with moving from the minister’s current residence to this official residence and “maintenance and support services commensurate with the status of the official residence.”63 Since February 2022, New Zealand MPs who cannot use the accommodations due to unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances can receive temporary funds for a second accommodation – for instance, if they are facing a security threat.
Other accommodation arrangements operate based on direct compensation or reimbursement. For instance, in Nepal, the government “shall bear the whole tariff of electricity and water supply installed with the residence of the Speaker and the Chairperson” in addition to arrangements for housing. If government housing cannot be provided directly for any reason, MPs will receive monthly stipends to cover housing costs, including installation of electricity and water supply and reimbursement for a certain number of telephone calls per month.64 In Ecuador, Assembly Members whose place of residence is located more than 60 miles from Quito receive compensation for a rental home.65 Some kind of accommodation provision is standard.
Security
This category of benefits includes security services provided to elected officials for their personal safety.
Governments typically provide blanket security services to all elected officials. For instance, in New Zealand, the Intelligence and Security Agency provides any “public authority” with “protective security services, advice, and assistance.”66 This includes personnel, information, and physical security, as well as advice about national security risks. In Sri Lanka, the Ministerial Security Division provides police protection to all MPs.67 In Ecuador, the Legislative Escort of the National Police is charged with securing the legislative area, and thus the members, although no specific additional security is provided for Assembly Members.68
Higher-ranking officials often receive additional security. The president of the Assembly in Ecuador has a police escort, for example. Likewise, in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan Army oversees a special unit dedicated to protecting the prime minister.69 In Nepal, the number of security personnel assigned to parliamentary leadership is similarly based on rank.70 Security provisions thus vary widely from those afforded to all public employees and special accommodations.
Office expenses
This category of benefits often includes office space, furniture, and other supplies an elected official might need to fully perform their work duties.
It is typical for a parliament to provide office space for its members; sometimes, it may also provide electronic devices or funds for office expenses. In New Zealand, for example, MPs receive furnished office space and can use dedicated funds to purchase computers, stationary supplies, and other office equipment.71 Similarly, in Nepal, all office-bearers are legally required to have office space equipped with furniture, typewriters, and telephones in the Parliament Secretariat.72
Not all office spaces suit elected officials, who often desire the flexibility to work elsewhere, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, in Ecuador, while there is a dedicated building with offices for Assembly Members, internet connectivity issues reportedly disincentivize members from working there regularly. Sri Lankan MPs receive Rs. 100,000 (USD 331.75) per month to maintain offices of their choosing.73 These provisions are specific for MPs as opposed to other public employees.
Communications and technology
Closely related to office expenses, this category of benefits typically provides elected officials with personal or professional information and communication technology (ICT), including telephones or other electronics (e.g., laptops, tablets). Elected officials in every country studied receive some type of ICT benefits.
Similar to office supplies, ICT benefits can be issued in the form of hardware or via a separate fund for acquiring such equipment. In New Zealand, an ICT Allocation, Members’ Communication Appropriation, and Non-staff Allocation all help fund MPs’ ICT costs. The funds may cover hardware (e.g., smartphones, computers) or services (e.g., cellphone usage charges, printing), with service levels varying depending on location and the type of equipment in use.74 In Nepal, the government pays the deposit and other expenses incurred when installing a telephone line in buildings assigned to parliamentarians for their use as offices.75 In Ecuador, the government pays for elected officials’ internet plans and provides a cellphone and tablet for institutional use.76 In Sri Lanka, all MPs receive a telephone allowance of Rs. 50,000 (USD 165.88) per month for a landline and mobile device.77 These provisions, like office expenses, are uniquely defined for MPs versus other public employees.
Medical provisions
This category of benefits includes coverage for medical treatments, provision of medical insurance, or direct payments for medical services in countries without universal healthcare coverage. In countries with universal healthcare, elected officials may be eligible for supplemental medical care or coverage.
In some countries, elected officials receive the same medical care as other public sector employees. In Ecuador, by virtue of being in an officially employed position, Assembly Members are eligible for free health insurance and access to specific healthcare providers; they do not receive additional benefits beyond those available to other public sector employees.78 In Sri Lanka, MPs must use the compulsory group insurance. MPs receive Rs. 6,000 (USD 19.91) for annual medical expenses at Sri Jayawardenepura General Hospital and Rs. 5,000 (USD 16.59) for eyeglasses every three years; they also may incur up to Rs. 200,000 (USD 663.50)-worth of inpatient medical treatment annually.79
In some countries with universal healthcare, such as New Zealand, MPs are afforded additional benefits. Their Employee Assistance Programme is meant to provide MPs and other Parliamentary Service employees with “short-term support for personal or work-related issues that are impacting you and your work life.”80 Specifically, New Zealand MPs are eligible to use a confidential counseling and advice service for up to four fully funded sessions. In other countries, elected officials receive free or discounted medical services. In Nepal, for instance, senior doctors provide free services to MPs, and the government covers any hospital stays or emergency hospital treatment for MPs, as recommended by the senior doctors.81
Tax breaks82
This category of benefits typically refers to any tax breaks that elected officials may receive on income or other taxable expenses. Not all countries offer these benefits, and the impact varies greatly in countries that do offer tax breaks.
Some of the tax breaks are income-related. For example, in Ecuador, the 13th and 14th salary payments are not subject to taxes.83 In Sri Lanka, taxes on the allowances that MPs receive are based on Advance Personal Income Tax Table 01, published by the Department of Inland Revenue.84 Beyond income, some benefits are exempt from taxes. In February 2023, the Sri Lankan Inland Revenue Department amended its instructions regarding non-cash benefits, significantly reducing the percentage of taxes that MPs pay on vehicles, fuel, accommodation, and communications allowances.85
In other countries, elected officials have separate funds that are not subject to taxation, meant to compensate for expenses incurred during service. In New Zealand, for instance, in addition to their income (which is taxed like that of all public employees), MPs receive a basic tax-free expense allowance to reflect their “genuine expenses”; this is explicitly not considered remuneration under the Members’ Conditions of Service.86
Staff selection and benefits
This category of benefits includes the ability to select, hire, and fire staff either directly hired or chosen from among a civil servant corps. Typically, these choices are based on expertise and personal preferences, but the elected officials do not usually need to justify their selections.
In practice in most countries, elected officials can select their staffers directly. Assembly Members in Ecuador are allowed to directly hire two advisors and two assistants as their personal staff.87 Members in higher positions are allowed to hire additional advisors and assistants. Those advisors are, in theory, chosen for their substantive expertise and justified to the CAL, although staffers with personal ties to Assembly Members have reportedly been approved for positions that are outside their realm of expertise.88 Similarly, in Sri Lanka, many MPs are known to employ their wives or relatives as their personal staff89 despite the Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament stating that they must not expect any “financial … benefit or personal advantage for himself, [or] his family members.”90
In other countries, staffers are hired by the government and merely managed by elected officials. For example, in New Zealand, support staff are employed by the Parliamentary Service and managed by MPs. Although the MPs are involved in the recruitment process, they cannot ask staffers to engage in political party work on their behalf. All MPs receive a staff funding allocation, the level of which depends on the MP’s position in Parliament.91
Additionally, in some countries, benefits extended to MPs are also extended to members of an MP’s staff. For instance, in Sri Lanka, each MP is paid a total of Rs. 10,000 (USD 33.18) per month for the traveling expenses of four personal staff. In Nepal, MPs are provided furniture and a pre-determined amount of money “for office expenses of the personal secretariat and guest reception.”92
Familial benefits
This category captures benefits that are extended to the families of elected officials, such as tuition, travel, transportation, and security. The line between such familial benefits being written into law and being afforded informally often blurs.
Formally sanctioned familial benefits vary widely country to country. Some are financial. For instance, an MP in Sri Lanka may designate their pension to be payable to a surviving spouse and children after their death.93 Other formal permissions are more functional. For instance, in New Zealand, family members may travel with MPs who are traveling for parliamentary purposes or ministerial business, and spouses of certain members of the parliamentary leadership (e.g., speaker, deputy speaker) may use chauffeur-driven cars for purposes related to parliamentary work on which those MPs are engaged.94 Sri Lankan MPs and their families are entitled to use the 19-room Holiday Bungalow (“General’s House”) in Nuwara Eliya, which is maintained by the Members’ Services Office.95 MPs’ spouses and certain children are also eligible to receive official diplomatic passports.96
Some informal benefits often extend to elected officials’ families. Staff positions are sometimes offered to family members, who may or may not have area expertise related to the Assembly Member’s portfolio.97 In Sri Lanka, where dynastic politics have been the norm since independence with a few families dominating politics, nepotism is rife as spoils, much like power, are kept in the family98 and politicians’ children are given coveted diplomatic posts.99 Nepotism among elected officials is reportedly widespread in Nepal as well.100
References
27 The Remuneration Authority Act 1977 establishes the Remuneration Authority, which consists of three members appointed by the governor-general for three-year terms. Section 12 of the Act explicitly grants the Authority the right to determine “the salaries and allowances of members of the House of Representatives” in accordance with the Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Services) Act 2013. See also Remuneration process. (2024). Remuneration Authority.
28 National Assembly of the Republic of Ecuador. Organic Law of the Legislative Function (translated from Ley Organica de la Funcion Legislativa), Registro Oficial Suplemento 642 §160. (2009). (Ecuador). The CAL comprises the President of the National Assembly, two Vice-Presidents, four Assembly Members, and the Secretary-General (also acting as the Secretary-General for the CAL). See Legislative Administration Council (CAL). Asamblea Nacional, Republica del Ecuador.
29 Parliament of Nepal. Remuneration and Facilities of Authorities and Members of Parliament Act, 2052 (1996). Schedule-1. (Nepal).
30 Parliament of Sri Lanka, Secretariat. Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (revised edition 2023), Chapter X.
31 The thirteenth payment is equivalent to an additional month of the MP’s salary, while the fourteenth payment is equivalent to one minimum-wage monthly salary. These payments are provided to all eligible Ecuadorian workers as per §§ 111, 113 of the Labor Code (translated from Código de Trabajo), Registro Oficial Suplemento 167. (2005). (Ecuador).
32 New Zealand Parliament. Members’ Guide (Aratiki Mema), 52nd Parliament.
33 Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Services) Act Part 2, §8. (2013). (N.Z.). On the differences in “electorate,” see Mixed-Member Proportional System Explainer on the Election Commission website.
34 McGee, D. (2023). Members’ Conditions of Service. In Wilson, D. (ed.), Parliamentary Practice in New Zealand (p. 70). See also Income Tax Act 2007 (N.Z.).
35 Daily Mirror. (2023, April 2). Lawmakers paying 36% as tax and their salaries exposed! Dailymirror.lk.
36 Parliament of Nepal, supra at note 29, Schedule-1. (Nepal).
37 McGee, D., supra at note 34. See also Income Tax Act 2007 (N.Z.).
38 Parliament of Nepal, supra at note 29, §§ 3-4.3. (Nepal).
39 Parliament of Sri Lanka. (2019, March 21). Allowances and Benefits.
40 National Assembly of the Republic of Ecuador. Organic Law of Transparency and Access to Public Information (translated from Ley Orgánica de Transparencia y Acceso a la Información Pública), Registro Oficial Suplemento 337 § 7(c). (2004).
41 Nepal monthly salary provided in Ministry of Justice, Notice 9, Regarding the salary scale of various officials of the state; see also Know how much a minister, an MP and other high officials earn in Nepal. (2021, September 7). OnlineKhabar English; New Zealand salary schedule as provided in Parliamentary Salaries and Allowances Determination (No 2). (2020); Ecuador National Assembly monthly remuneration per position (2022) provided in Organic Law of Transparency and Access to Public Information Literal c. – Remuneración mensual por puesto, supra at note 40; Sri Lanka Allowances and Benefits provided in Allowances and Benefits provided to Members of Parliament. Note: the base salary reflected in this table does not include earned income through sitting allowances for Sri Lankan MPs.
42 See Walls, J. (2020, July 25). Covid 19 coronavirus: MPs’ pay cuts finally in effect after Jacinda Ardern promised them three months ago. The Herald; Roy, E. A. (2020, April 15). Jacinda Ardern and ministers take pay cut in solidarity with those hit by Covid-19. The Guardian.
43 In Sri Lanka, the decision to suspend the tax-exempt vehicle permit scheme for MPs amid economic challenges sparked widespread debate. While proponents argued that the measure was necessary to address fiscal constraints, opponents – mostly new MPs eager to avail themselves of the permit before their terms end – maintain that the ban hampers their ability to perform their duties. Such controversies underscore the importance of transparent and accountable remuneration practices in times of economic uncertainty. See Controversy surrounds request for vehicle permits by MPs amid economic challenges. (2023, December 10). Hiru News.
44 Public holidays, including religious holidays and Provincial Anniversary Days, are named in the Holidays Act 2003, although the specific dates are determined annually based on the calendar. Days of observance for holidays that fall on weekends are determined by Employment New Zealand. See Employment New Zealand. (2024, March 2). Public holidays and anniversary dates.
45 For a full overview, see Employment New Zealand. (n.d.). Leave and holidays.
46 Nepal Leave Laws & Holidays. (2024, January 17). Vacation Tracker. The authors could not triangulate this source through other sources.
47 See Help Ecuador: Labor Rights. (n.d.). UNHCR; National Assembly of the Republic of Ecuador. Organic Law on Public Service (translated from Ley Orgánica de Servicio Público), Registro Oficial Suplemento 294. (2010). (Ecuador).
48 Shop and Office Employees (Regulation of Employment and Remuneration) Act, Part I, §6. (1954). (Sri Lanka).
49 Buchanan, K. (2017, December 5). New Zealand: Paid Parental Leave to Be Extended to 26 Weeks by 2020. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. See also Parental Leave and Employment Protection Amendment Bill No. 1-2. (2017). (N.Z.).
50 Sri Lanka Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government. (2005). Public Administrations Circular (4/2005): Maternity Leave – Chapter XII of the Establishments Code.
51 Sri Lanka Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government. (2023). Public Administration Circular 16/2023: Granting Leave for a Public Officer for Adoption of a Child.
52 See UNHCR, supra at note 47; National Assembly of the Republic of Ecuador, supra at note 31. Labor Code §152. (Ecuador).
53 The Right to Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Act, 2075 §§ 13, 14. (2018). (Nep.).
54 New Zealand Parliament. (n.d.). Speaker’s Directions 2020.
55 “‘Office-bearer’ means the Speaker, Chairperson, Leader of Opposition Party, Leader of Ruling Party, Chief Whip of Ruling Party, Deputy Speaker, Vice-Chairperson, Chief Whip of Opposition Party, Whip of Ruling Party and Chairperson.” Parliament of Nepal, supra at note 29, § 2. (Nepal).
56 Parliament of Nepal, supra at note 29, §10, Schedule-1. (Nepal).
57 Vehicle permits to contest? (2024, February 4). The Morning.
58 MPs are not entitled to an official vehicle unless they are appointed as a Minister. See Parliament of Sri Lanka, supra at note 39. MPs receive monthly fuel allowances that are calculated based on the nationwide price of fuel and the MP’s represented district. This figure “ranges between Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 65,000 [USD 49.76 to USD 215.64].” SL MPs fuel allowance to be reduced in dollar crisis. (2022, March 30). The Sunday Times.
59 Celi, E. (2019, May 12). Cada asambleísta cuesta USD 15,000 mensuales, en promedio. Primicias.
60 Parliament of Nepal, supra at note 29, Annex-I (updated 2020), §§4.4, 10.5. (Nepal). The authors could not independently verify the data points about Nepal in this paragraph.
61 The Madiwela Housing Complex consists of 120 housing units, each with an area of 900 square feet and equipped with three bedrooms and a parking space. See Parliament of Sri Lanka (n.d.). Members’ Services Office.
62 New Zealand Parliament. Members of Parliament (Accommodation Services for Members and Travel Services for Family Members) Determination 2020 (LI 2020/206), Sec. 26. (2023). (N.Z.).
63 Ibid.
64 Parliament of Nepal, supra at note 29, §§9, 11. (Nepal).
65 National Assembly of the Republic of Ecuador, supra at note 28. Organic Law of Legislative Function, §160. (Ecuador).
66 Intelligence and Security Act 2017, Sec. 11. (2023). (N.Z.).
67 Parliament of Sri Lanka. (n.d.). Security Officers of Deputy Ministers: Details. In 2022, the Ministerial Security Division increased the security detail from two to six trained police officers, including a sub-inspector, for each MP. See Bird, R. (2022, May 13). Additional security for MPs in Sri Lanka. Newscutter.
68 National Assembly of the Republic of Ecuador, supra at note 28. Organic Law of Legislative Function, Second Special Provision. (Ecuador).
69 See Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order of Sri Lanka. (2008, January 11). President’s Security now Comes Under New Army Unit.
70 Parliament of Nepal, supra at note 29, Schedule 3. (Nepal).
71 New Zealand Parliament, supra at note 32.
72 Parliament of Nepal, supra at note 29, §17. (Nepal).
73 Parliament of Sri Lanka, supra at note 39.
74 New Zealand Parliament, supra at note 32.
75 Parliament of Nepal, supra at note 29, §11.2. (Nepal).
76 The cell phones and tablets are reportedly unreliable, and some Assembly Members opt not to use them. Interview data.
77 Parliament of Sri Lanka, supra at note 39.
78 This is true for any publicly employed adults in Ecuador; however, there is a large informal sphere (53.5 percent of workers), meaning that most Ecuadorians are not eligible. See Social Security Law (translated from Ley de Seguridad Social), Registro Oficial Suplemento 465, Article 2. (2001). (Ecuador); Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos. (2023). National Survey of Employment, Unemployment, and Subemployment (translated from Encuesta Nacional de Empleo, Desempleo y Subempleo). Labor indicators, 1st trimester of 2023. https://www.ecuadorencifras.gob.ec/empleo-desempleo-y-subempleo/
79 Right to Information Request, submitted January 24, 2023 (No. P/I/23/0006).
80 New Zealand Parliament, supra at note 32.
81 Parliament of Nepal, supra at note 29, § 16. (Nepal).
82 Reliable information about the tax code in Nepal was not available, so its exclusion from this section is information driven, not an analytic choice.
83 National Assembly of the Republic of Ecuador, supra at note 31. Labor Code, §§ 112, 114. (Ecuador).
84 Right to Information Request, submitted January 24, 2023. (No. P/I/23/0006).
85 Inland Revenue Department. (2022). Quantification of Values for non-cash benefits in calculating employment income, SEC/2022/E/05. See also Kotudurage, R. (2023, February 12). Intellectuals’ views on relaxed PAYE taxes. Sunday Observer. Sample bill at Numbers.lk [@numberslka]. (2023, May 3). Taxes & MPs: How MPs in Sri Lanka Reduced Their Tax Liability from Rs. 76,000 to Rs. 17,000 [Tweet; photo of MP tax liability bill]. X (formerly known as Twitter).
86 See McGee, D., supra at note 34.
87 National Assembly of the Republic of Ecuador, supra at note 28. Organic Law of Legislative Function, Chapter XVIII, §159. (Ecuador).
88 Id. See also interview data.
89 For example, Sri Lanka Minister appoints family as staff, give themselves 7 vehicles: report. (2022, April 28). EconomyNext.
90 Parliament of Sri Lanka. (2018). Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament. Part IV, §7. (Sri Lanka).
91 New Zealand Parliament, supra at note 32.
92 Parliament of Nepal, supra at note 29, §14, Schedule 3. (Nepal).
93 Parliamentary Pensions (Amendment) Act (No. 47 of 1990), Sec. 7A, Sri Lanka Consolidated Acts. (1990).
94 New Zealand Parliament, supra at note 62, Secs 50, 52. (2023). (N.Z.).
95 Parliament of Sri Lanka, supra at note 61.
96 Sri Lanka Department of Immigration and Emigration, supra at note 24.
97 Interview data.
98 See, e.g., Of Nepo-Babies and Sri Lankan Politics. (2023, June 10). Daily FT.
99 See, e.g., UNP MP Chandrani B’s Son Gets Diplomatic Posting. (2014, September 25). Colombo Telegraph; Wijedasa, N. (2014, January 19). Foreign Service or Family Service? Sunday Times. Ali Sabry’s Photo with son at UN fuels nepotism outcry. (2023, September 23). Daily Mirror.
100 See, e.g., Giri, A. (2023, August 3). Maoists seek probe into leaders’ assets. Kathmandu Post.