Review of the Storting’s arrangements for MPs
Here is a summary of the ongoing and planned reviews of the Storting’s arrangements for MPs.
Earlier this year, the Storting’s Presidium made the decision to review a number of the arrangements that Norwegian MPs are entitled to. Some of these reviews are already in progress, while others are still in the preparatory stage. Certain processes also include the consideration of historic cases for individual MPs.
Severance pay
On 9th September 2021, the Presidium asked the Storting’s administration to look into potential changes to the severance pay scheme which departing MPs are eligible to. In October 2021, the Storting passed amendments to the corresponding scheme for members of the government.
This review is being conducted by the Storting’s administration and is now in progress. A report with recommendations will be delivered to the Presidium by the end of the year.
The Storting’s Secretary General has also commissioned an external audit of the MPs who are receiving severance pay in 2021 and 2022. This will include the inspection of tax returns and public registers after the end of the severance pay period
Commuter accommodation
The Presidium has appointed an independent review board to conduct a revision of the rules and regulations for the MPs’ commuter accommodation scheme. This review will not be examining historic individual cases.
The aim of the review is to ensure that the rules reflect the intention behind the scheme, which is to provide MPs who live in other parts of the country with accommodation in Oslo so that they can carry out their duties as an MP when in the capital city. Included in the board’s remit will be an extensive review of the terms and conditions for the allocation of accommodation, MPs’ reporting accountability, and the scheme’s control mechanisms. The deadline for submission of the review board’s report is 1st October 2022.
The board will carry out a complete and independent review of current rules, guidelines and practice. It will also assess the most appropriate means of regulating and anchoring the scheme in the years ahead. The objective will be to establish solid and unequivocal rules and put in place reliable control mechanisms. The composition of the review board ensures wide-ranging expertise and experience as well as the requisite independence.
The review board is in a start-up phase of proceedings. Read more about the review board.
Review of historic commuter accommodation cases
After a meeting between the Presidium and the parliamentary leaders on 18th November, it was agreed to initiate a review of historic commuter accommodation cases. The Presidium will return to how this should be done in the near future.
Wide-ranging tax review
The business law firm Grette has been engaged by the Storting’s administration to conduct a wide-ranging tax review of the schemes and allowances available to Norwegian MPs. The aim is clarify situations where there is a tax liability, and to ensure that such liability will be dealt with correctly in the future. This review includes tax-related aspects of the commuter accommodation scheme.
In addition to a report, the review will look into historic individual cases in which tax-related questions have been raised. In such cases, the review will examine whether the MPs’ schemes and allowances should have been liable to income tax with associated payroll tax. This includes clarifying the correct information to report in individual cases. The tax review itself will determine how far back in time the assessment of individual cases will go.
Extended deadline
The initial deadline for the tax review has been extended from 30th November to 15th December. The reason for this is that the Directorate of Taxes has needed time to reply to the questions asked, and the tax review is still awaiting answers to some of its other questions.
In order for the tax review to be as complete as possible, it is important to wait for the necessary information from the Directorate of Taxes before the report can be finalized. The tax review will also need a certain amount of time to process information provided by the Directorate of Taxes. The law firm Grette has consequently asked for an extension to the deadline.
The tax review’s report will be submitted to the Storting’s administration.
Read more about the tax review.
Internal audit
On 11th March 2021, the Presidium asked the Storting’s administration to set up an internal audit within the organization.
A public tender process for the procurement of internal auditing services is currently underway. The tender deadline expired recently, and the aim is for the new system to be in place as of 1st January 2022.
Reviews initiated by others
As well as the various measures above that have been initiated by the Storting, on 18th November 2021 it was announced via the press that two external reviews have also been instigated.
The Office of the Auditor General gave notice that it would review the commuter accommodation matter.
On the same day, the Oslo Police District announced that it was opening an investigation into a number of publicly-discussed cases relating to suspected irregular use of the commuter accommodation scheme.