The public-funded BBC was today told by a United Kingdom parliamentary committee to make public the names of its employees who are being paid more than the country’s Prime Minister.
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The Conservative also told the Worcester News the fact the earnings of so many high-flying Beeb performers, presenters and producers is kept secret “raises suspicion”.
The BBC is already planning to identify those earning more than £450,000 but the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee said there was no reason not to publish details of those who get more than £143,000 a year.
“These salaries are paid by the license-fee payer, whether they are for broadcasters or BBC executives”.
Reports have suggested Chris Evans, Gary Lineker and Claudia Winkleman are among the top 10 highest earning stars working for the BBC, with many trousering pay packets of more than £500,000.
A spokesman for the broadcaster said introducing the transparency threshold would not be in the interest of licence fee payers.
The BBC warned this would hand a “poachers” charter’ to commercial rivals looking to woo BBC stars, though committee chair Damian Collins MP said these salaries are already known in the industry.
This recommendation is much lower than the Government’s original plans for a new royal charter, which sets a wage of £450,000 as the level for salaries to be released. The Chair of the new unitary Board of the BBC, however, is the head of a global broadcasting company.
“At any rate, it would not be appropriate for any minister, including even the prime minister, simply to offer her the job”.
The cross-party CMSC has criticised the decision, arguing that the new BBC chairman should have been recruited through “open and orderly public competition”. But given the prestige of the new role it is likely that other strong candidates could have emerged. “We believe the proposal in the white paper is a sensible compromise”.
Mr Collins said: “Whatever rules for public appointments are finally settled on, there must always be a very good reason for not following due process”.
A spokesperson for the UK Department of Culture, Media and Sport said: “The committee’s report is a welcome contribution to the debate. We will study it in detail ahead of the publication of the draft Charter and Framework Agreement”. “I think it will increase belief and trust in the BBC”.
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Commenting on the committee’s findings on her appointment, Collins said: “Ms Fairhead’s experience with the trust and the benefits of continuity might well have favoured her in a proper, open recruitment process”.
