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MP expenses chiefs' pay rises emerge
Ben Bailey04.08.09
The official who ran the House of Commons fees office which administered the discredited MPs' expenses system was awarded a pay rise worth around 8% last year, it emerged today.
Official House of Commons accounts revealed director general of resources Andrew Walker's pay rose from between £115,000 and £120,000 in 2007/08 to a range from £125,000 to £130,000 in 2008/09.
The most senior official, Clerk to the House Malcolm Jack, saw his salary rise from between £170,00 and £175,000 to £190,000 to £195,000 - an increase of around 11%.
He also saw his benefits in kind rise from £20,000 to £25,000, the accounts showed.
As Clerk of the House, Mr Jack is responsible for ensuring that pay levels are "broadly in line with the Home Civil Service".
But the inflation-busting increases for senior Commons officials will cause controversy during a time when public sector pay is being restrained due to the effect of the recession on the public purse.
The largest rise was for Joan Miller, in charge of Parliament's IT systems, whose pay rose from between £90,000 and £95,000 to a range from £105,000 to £110,000 - an increase of around 15%.
Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "With millions taking pay freezes and cuts or even facing redundancy, parliamentary officials should not be cashing in such massive pay rises."
The Fees Office's role in administering MPs' pay and perks was scrapped in the wake of the expenses scandal.
Before Parliament rose for its summer recess, emergency legislation was passed which sets up a new independent authority to regulate the expenses regime.
A new criminal offence was also created, which means an errant MP caught fiddling the expenses system could face up to 12 months in jail if convicted.
Sir Christopher Kelly's Committee on Standards in Public Life is carrying out a root-and-branch review of the expenses system and is due to report in October.
Reader views (8)
Another example of the Commons rewarding failure with more taxpayers' money.
- Colin Macpherson, Gramat France
Having recently been a member of a jury that found a couple guilty of benefit cheating, its illuminating to find different standards of probity are allowed for our public servants including my local MP.
- Fred, Horsham
Before we know it Gordy and his corrput cronies will be advocating restraint when it comes to salary demands. The hypocrisy at all levels of government is staggering, but not nearly so staggering as the population's apathy when it comes to doing anything about it.
If it was France (or any other country where the people still have a pair of dangly wobbly things and aren't so obsessed with Katie Price, reality TV and the Z-listers) there would've been a public riot by now.
Vive La Revolution!
- David Leach, Beyond the Pale, Ottery St Mary, Devon
Mark, London: "Third world".
Indeed it is. A pensioner in the UK is lucky to get GBP18.57 PER DAY to exist on.
The time is now long overdue for 40,000,000 peeps to march on the House of Conmen - I will be first in the queue.
- Reuben Camara, Republic of Morecambe, UK
Ah ZaNuLabour rewarding failure as usual. Of course shouldn't rule out the hush money element as well. Welcome to the 3rd world!
- Mark, London
These rises are indefensible - I wonder just why they were made - prehaps they know too much????
- Very Very Angry At Paying Tax For Mp'S Expeses, Home Counties
Does this honestly suprise anyone? It's the civil service we're talking about here, those that can do, those that can't, well, fumble around and eventually work for the State, cocking up everything in their path.
- Bob, Cheam
Yet again under this Labour Government 's watch the public sector pay packet increases way above inflation and that doesn't include the increased pension benefits that will accrue.
For God's have an election and get rid of these incompetants.
- Tonyjohnson, Hythe Kent
