Not a big help in the public purse - but politically potent

Ministerial pay cut by 5%

Ministerial pay cut by 5%

By politics.co.uk staff

The coalition government’s first Cabinet meeting has agreed to implement a five per cent pay cut for all ministers.

In addition David Cameron and Nick Clegg said they would impose a pay freeze for the lifetime of the parliament, which they intend to legislate to ensure will be the full five years.

The numbers involved are miniscule when compared with the billions of pounds needed to tackle the structural deficit.

This year the savings will amount to £300,000. By the end of the parliament the savings will have reached around £3 million.

Gordon Brown received a £150,000 ministerial salary. David Cameron will only receive £142,500.

Cabinet ministers will lose £7,082 from their salaries, reduced to £134,565, while ministers of state lose £5,197 from their previous £103,937 pay grade.