The Secretary General of Parliament, Mrs. Kushani Rohanadheera, clarified that a Member of Parliament (MP) is not paid a salary but is entitled to an allowance.

Joining the Ada Derana’s current affairs programme ‘BIG FOCUS’, she explained that currently an MP is entitled to an allowance of almost Rs. 54,000.

Apart from this, they are also entitled to an attendance allowance of Rs 2,500 for the days when parliamentary sessions are held and an allowance of Rs 2,500 for attending committee meetings held on days when the parliamentary sessions are not held.

She mentioned that the fuel allowance is based on the distance, which is calculated according to a formula.

Mrs. Rohanadheera also noted that MPs who do not have a house within 40 kilometers from the Parliament are eligible to apply for accommodations in the parliamentary housing complex in Madiwela. 

The housing complex includes only a total of 108 houses, which are allocated based on the order of requests submitted by the ruling party and the opposition.

Secretary General of the Parliament added that the MPs residing in these houses pay a monthly rent of Rs. 2,000, with electricity and water bills borne by the MPs themselves.

Furthermore, she highlighted that the Parliament and the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs have facilitated the reduction of the amount from allowances by providing them the medical facilities from the Sri Jayawardenepura Hospital, and mentioned that the relevant ministry will also bear the necessary allowances for the personal staff of the MPs.