who has the authority to set the salaries of members of congress
United States House of Representatives As of DecemberÂ 2014[update], the annual salary of each Representative is $174,000.[25][26] The Speaker of the House and the Majority and Minority Leaders earn more: $223,500 for the Speaker and $193,400 for their party leaders (the same as Senate leaders).[26] A cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) increase takes effect annually unless Congress votes to not accept it. Congress sets members' salaries; however, the Twenty-seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits a change in salary (but not COLA[27]) from taking effect until after the next election of the whole House. Representatives are eligible for retirement benefits after serving for five years.[28] Outside pay is limited to 15% of congressional pay, and certain types of income involving a fiduciary responsibility or personal endorsement are prohibited.[26]
Salaries of Members of the United Kingdom Parliament The basic annual salary of an MP in the House of Commons was increased to £74,000 as of 31 July 2015.[2] Many MPs (ministers, the Speaker, senior opposition leaders, opposition chief whip, etc.) receive a supplementary salary for their specific responsibilities. As of 1 April 2015 these additional entitlements range from £15,025 for Select Committee Chairs[3] to £74,990 for the Prime Minister.[4] On 24 May 2015 David Cameron announced that he intended to freeze ministerial pay for the next five years.[5] However, on 2 June 2015 the Daily Mail reported that ministerial pay was to increase at the same time as MP's basic pay was increased to £74,000. The Prime Minister's total salary would therefore increase from £142,500 to £149,440. The total salary for Cabinet Ministers would increase from £134,565 to £141,505. The total salary for ministers would increase from £89,740 to £96,375. And the total salary for parliamentary under secretaries would increase from £89,435 to £96,375.[6] Full details of current ministerial pay at all levels have yet to be published on either the UK Parliament website or that of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.