The annual cost of parliamentarians’ salaries now tops $4 million, according to new figures released by Government.The highest earner is Premier and Finance Minister Paula Cox on $224,000 a year; she earns $8,000 less than Governor Sir Richard Gozney, who is on $232,000.Attorney General and Justice Minister Michael Scott has the second largest salary, earning $194,000 a year.Full-time Cabinet Ministers get $168,000 or $142,000, depending on whether they sit in the House of Assembly or Senate, respectively.It is believed that all of the Cabinet are full-time, though it was not possible to confirm that with Government yesterday.Opposition Leader Kim Swan gets $86,000 and the least well paid parliamentarians are Opposition senators Jeanne Atherden, Michael Dunkley and Suzann Roberts Holshouser and independent senator Joan Dillas-Wright, who each receive $30,000 a year.MPs and senators have not had a pay rise since 2007, other than for cost-of-living increases.The numbers are revealed in the Government’s Budget for 2011/12, which allocates more than $5.3 million to Parliament, a rise of nine percent on the $4.9 million given in 2010/11.A breakdown of the $5.3 million total includes $4.3 million on salaries, $431,000 on professional services (ie consultants/contractors), $265,000 on grants and contributions, $83,000 on communications and $16,000 on advertising and promotion.The amount budgeted for salaries represents a seven percent increase, while there is a 78 percent increase for professional services, a 133 percent increase for advertising and promotion and a 315 percent increase for communications.Government wouldn’t respond when asked the reason for the increases yesterday but the rise for salaries may be in part because Cabinet now has 13 ministers, two more than it had a year ago.The amount spent on communications will more than quadruple from $20,000 to $83,000 in the coming year which may be because of plans to digitally record parliamentary proceedings for a new official Hansard.The Budget breakdown for the Legislature shows that $4.03 million is for “ministers and members”, $1.2 million for administration (a 13 percent rise), $110,000 for the Opposition Leader’s office and $20,000 for the Youth Parliament.Government House gets more than $1.6 million in the 2011/12 Budget: $1.2 million for the Governor’s office and $450,000 for Deputy Governor David Arkley’s office.The total includes $1.1 million for salaries and wages, $120,000 on “other expenses”, and $108,000 on repair and maintenance. Government House employs 15 people.A Government spokeswoman said yesterday the Ministry of Finance would not answer questions about the 2011/12 Budget until after debate begins in Parliament on Monday.lUseful website: www.gov.bm