Purvis in move to ban quango fat cat bonuses (BANFFSHIRE and BUCHAN COAST Liberal Democrats)

BANFFSHIRE and BUCHAN COAST Liberal Democrats <info@banffandbuchanlibdems.org.uk>

Purvis in move to ban quango fat cat bonuses

March 23, 2010 5:13 PM
Originally published by Scottish Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrat Finance spokesperson Jeremy Purvis MSP has moved to ban bonuses to quango Chief Executives until 2013.

Mr Purvis has lodged amendments to the Public Sector Reform (Scotland) Bill that would force quangos to review immediately their Chief Executives' pay package and conditions and make it illegal to pay bonuses to quango chiefs for the next two years.

The amendments will be debated by the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, during Stage 3 of the Bill's consideration.

Commenting, Mr Purvis said:

"In these tough economic times it is completely unacceptable for any quango Chief Executive to get a bonus.

"The Scottish Government has failed to get a grip of this situation, despite mounting public outrage. The Finance Secretary's begging letter to quangos was a totally inadequate response to reports that the taxpayer would be footing the bill for boosting quango chiefs' six figure salaries with bonuses.

"In an answer to a Parliamentary Question to me it was apparent that while half of quango bosses that were asked to hand back their bonuses would do so, there were 12 quango chiefs still to have their 2009/10 packages agreed by the Government.

"Given the lack of Government action on this issue, we are asking for this Bill to do what the Government should have done months ago. MSPs now have the chance to make a stand against bumper bonuses for these bosses who are already the highest paid public servants in Scotland."