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Members' Salaries, Pensions and Allowances

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend, and I see the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) nodding in agreement as well. He has taken a strong view on this matter. My hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr. Clegg) has argued that his preferred option would be the state pension, because it is simple and because everyone out there knows what the state pension is—[Interruption.] I am not saying that it was his idea. The hon. Member for Sunderland, South has argued that case, and I am saying that my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hallam also supports that argument. He also supports the proposal that we look at the matter independently to find the best simple comparator that will work, if such a thing exists. Obviously, the pension is a front runner among the options, but there might be others. In the end, we must choose something that a tabloid newspaper, the woman in the street or anyone else can understand, and that we can justify and explain in a sentence without having to give a lecture on the subject.