IT is unclear whether the county's two MPs plan to keep their controversial 10 per cent pay rise.

The Hereford Times contacted Hereford and South Herefordshire MP, Jesse Norman, and MP for North Herefordshire, Bill Wiggin, to find out what they planned to do with the increase.

The rise in MPs’ salaries from £67,000 to £74,000 was announced by the independent regulator this month, despite a one per cent cap on the pay of public sector workers.

Some MPs have said they plan to give the money to charity while others have said they'll keep the increase.

Responding to questions from the Hereford Times, MP Jesse Norman conceded the issue was 'highly controversial'.

"On the one hand, many would argue that MPs should not receive any increase in pay at a time when the economy and real wages are still recovering. On the other hand, few people would want parliament to be the exclusive preserve of those with outside incomes," he said.

"For the record, I have never voted for an increase in MPs' pay or pensions, and I have never claimed any personal expenses as an MP – if I had the numbers would be much greater than that in the current proposal. I also already give at least the equivalent of this pay rise annually to charity, and have done ever since I was elected."

He reiterated that it is the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) that determines matters surrounding MPs' pay, not parliament.

"It has pointed out that over the last parliament, pay increased by five per cent in the public sector and 10 per cent in the whole economy," he said.

"Even on the present plan MPs will still be paid less than a range of public sector professionals, including assistant directors of local authorities, many secondary school head teachers, and HR directors in the NHS."

Mr Norman was recently appointed as chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee in the House of Commons.

MP for North Herefordshire, Bill Wiggin, did not respond to the Hereford Times.