Pension and security details that a First Minister is entitled to

Information Standards Freedom of Information Response

Our Ref: FoI 24-21

20 July 2021

Freedom of Information Act 2000

I can confirm that the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission (Assembly Commission) holds some of the information relevant to your request of 11 June 2021.  In your request you asked for the following information:

“1. Please provide information on the pension and any other benefits a First Minister is entitled to receive when they leave office. Please also provide information on how the pension and other benefits are calculated.”

Pensions for Members are governed by the Northern Ireland Assembly Members Pension Scheme, which states that Members accrue pension entitlement at 2% of their annual pensionable salary and this is pro-rated for the length of time in office.

There are no ongoing benefits save any pension entitlement once a Member has left the Assembly.

“2. Please also confirm whether a former First Minister is entitled to police protection after leaving office regardless of the period for which they held the office.”

The Assembly Commission does not hold this information.

If you feel that the information we have provided does not meet your request fully, please contact this office as soon as possible.  You have the right to request a formal review by the Assembly Commission and if you wish to do so, please write to me at the above address.

If after such an internal review you are still unhappy with the response, you have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF who will undertake an independent review.

The Assembly Commission may publish details of your FOI request and our official response within the organisational disclosure log. The request will be completely anonymised and you will not be identified in any way. This is to meet the requirements as laid out by in the agreed publication scheme with the Information Commissioners’ Office.

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me.  Please remember to quote the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

INFORMATION STANDARDS