Ludhiana: June 28, 2023: (Kartika Singh/Arth Parrkash):: AAP MP (Rajya Sabha) from Ludhiana Sanjeev Arora who is presently on a private visit to the United Kingdom (UK) visited Parliament there and witnessed the ongoing session.
He was welcomed by among others Virendra Sharma who is the Labour MP for Ealing, Southall, and has been an MP continuously since 19 July 2007. Virendra Sharma was born in India and speaks fluent Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu. Since Sharma entered Parliament, and before, he has been campaigning for proper recognition of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. Another UK MP Navendu Mishra and UK’s Parliamentary staff were also present.
Arora also took a round of the UK Parliament building and its surroundings
Arora was apprised that the UK Parliament building is located in The Palace of Westminster, an iconic UNESCO world heritage site of great historical, cultural, and political significance. Presently, The Palace of Westminster is in serious need of restoration and renewal. Serious and concrete efforts are being made to restore this building.
Further, Arora was apprised that The House of Lords is often referred to as the 'Upper House' or 'Second Chamber'. It plays a crucial role in examining bills, questioning government action, and investigating public policy. Members of the House of Lords bring experience and knowledge from a wide range of occupations. Currently, there are about 800 members who are eligible to take part in the work of the House of Lords. He has also been apprised that the UK public elects 650 Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent their interests and concerns in the House of Commons. The Palace of Westminster serves as the meeting place for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Informally known as the Houses of Parliament, the Palace lies on the north bank of the River Thames in the City of Westminster, in central London, England.
The basic Annual Salary for a UK MP is £86,584, around 90 lacs INR
Arora was also apprised of the salary and perks of UK MPs. The basic annual salary for an MP from 1 April 2023 is £86,584 (around 90 lacs in Indian Currency). UK MPs also receive expenses to cover the costs of running an office, employing staff, having somewhere to live in London or their constituency, and traveling between Parliament and their constituency. This is additionally paid in the amount of Pounds 225000 annually (Around 2.25 Croes in Indian Rupees).
During his visit to UK Parliament, an Indian Parliament memento was presented by Arora to UK MPs
Meanwhile, Arora said during his visit to UK Parliament, he observed that the sessions were being held in a very orderly manner and very fruitful discussions were being held. He added salary & other perks of an MP in the UK are almost 15 times more compared to that in India. He said UK MPs are very simple and down to earth and most of them come either by bus or train to attend Parliament session.
Arora said the purpose of his visit to the UK Parliament was to understand the differences and similarities between the functioning of parliaments and MPs of the two nations. He said he has gained a very remarkable knowledge from his visit. He thanked UK MP Virendra Sharma and Parliamentary staff for extending him a warm welcome and accompanying him while taking a round of Parliament there.
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