MSPs can claim money back for "expenses" (costs). These must be costs from carrying out their duties in Parliament or helping their constituents.
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The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) provides financial assistance to opposition parties in the Parliament. This is sometimes known as 'Short money'.
The table shows the amounts eligible parties actually claimed in the period 2021-22. It is split into two periods because of the general election in May 2021.
The first period (P1) is from 1 April 2021 to the day before the election of the Scottish Ministers. The second period (P2) is the remainder of the 2021-22 year. The annual entitlement per member was £9,060.09.
| Eligible party | Members (P1) | Eligible amount (P1) | Members (P2) | Eligible amount (P2) | Total eligible amount | Amounts claimed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottish Labour | 24 | £90,551.26 | 22 | £116,316.66 | £206,867.92 | £188,694.19 |
| Scottish Conservative and Unionists | 31 | £116,962.04 | 31 | £163,900.75 | £280,862.79 | £280,862.79 |
| Scottish Liberal Democrats |
5 | £18,864.84 | 4 | £21,148.48 | £40,013.32 | £40,013.32 |
| Scottish Greens | 6 | £22,637.81 | 6 | £31,722.73 | £54,360.54 | £53,021.56 |
| Total | 66 | N/A | 63 | N/A | £582,104.57 | £562,591.86 |
Payments are only made for expenses incurred. Claims must include a breakdown of what is being claimed. They must also include a statement that the expenses claimed were incurred by the party exclusively for the purpose of assisting MSPs who are connected with the party to perform their Parliamentary duties. A certificate must be provided to the Parliament by an independent professional auditor annually.
Scottish Labour expenses certificate (366KB, pdf) posted 17 March 2023
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party expenses certificate (74KB, pdf) posted 17 March 2023
Scottish Liberal Democrats expenses certificate (174KB, pdf) posted 17 March 2023
Scottish Green Party expenses certificate (588KB, pdf) posted 17 March 2023
Details of financial assistance to non-Government parties in previous years
The Scotland Act 1998 provided for an Order in Council to allow the SPCB to provide assistance for opposition parties by making payments to registered political parties in the Parliament “for the purpose of assisting members of the Parliament who are connected with such parties to perform their Parliamentary duties.”
Section 97 of the Scotland Act 1998
Order in Council: The Scottish Parliament (Assistance for Registered Political Parties) Order 1999
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