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Ex-BBC chief Mark Thompson to be quizzed on pay-offs Senior BBC figures facing pay-off questions from MPs
(about 1 hour later)
Former BBC director general Mark Thompson will face MPs later, after accusing the trust which oversees the corporation of "fundamentally misleading" Parliament over pay-offs. Seven senior BBC figures, including former director general Mark Thompson, have begun giving evidence to MPs over pay-offs made to outgoing executives.
The BBC Trust says the claims are bizarre and denies MPs were misled. Mr Thompson has accused the trust which oversees the BBC of "fundamentally misleading" Parliament over severance payments at an earlier hearing.
Mr Thompson is one of seven senior BBC figures being questioned over the size of severance deals at the corporation. Trust chairman Lord Patten has denied those claims, calling them "bizarre".
The BBC has been criticised for paying £25m to 150 outgoing executives - £2m more than their contracts required. The BBC has been criticised for paying £25m to 150 outgoing executives - £2m more than their contracts stipulated.
BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten and the BBC head of human resources Lucy Adams will also appear before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday. Lord Patten and the BBC head of human resources Lucy Adams are also appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
Speaking ahead of the hearing, Lord Patten said he hoped the issue of severance could be discussed "without too much bitterness or wrangling because that is bad for the BBC". Alongside them are BBC trustee Anthony Fry, former trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons, trust director Nicholas Kroll and a former senior independent director, Marcus Agius.
Last week, Ms Adams said she had made a mistake when she told MPs in an earlier hearing she did not know about an email concerning pay-offs to top executives. A spokesman for the prime minister said "legitimate questions" had been raised about the use of licence payers' money and should be answered.
'Shocked''Shocked'
They will be joined by BBC trustee Anthony Fry, former trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons, trust director Nicholas Kroll and a former senior independent director, Marcus Agius. Speaking ahead of the hearing, Lord Patten said he hoped the issue of severance could be discussed "without too much bitterness or wrangling because that is bad for the BBC".
The hearing is a follow-up to a similar hearing in July which saw Lord Patten tell MPs he was "shocked and dismayed" by pay-offs totalling £25m to senior managers made between 2009 and 2012.The hearing is a follow-up to a similar hearing in July which saw Lord Patten tell MPs he was "shocked and dismayed" by pay-offs totalling £25m to senior managers made between 2009 and 2012.
He said that if Mr Thompson was called before MPs, he would be "as interested as you are, why we didn't know" about the payments.He said that if Mr Thompson was called before MPs, he would be "as interested as you are, why we didn't know" about the payments.
Mr Thompson - who left the BBC last year and is now chief executive of the New York Times newspaper - did not give evidence at that hearing.Mr Thompson - who left the BBC last year and is now chief executive of the New York Times newspaper - did not give evidence at that hearing.
At central London's Portcullis House on Monday, he will be expected to answer allegations made in July that he had not been open with the trust about pay-offs to two senior executives - former deputy director-general Mark Byford and former marketing chief Sharon Baylay.At central London's Portcullis House on Monday, he will be expected to answer allegations made in July that he had not been open with the trust about pay-offs to two senior executives - former deputy director-general Mark Byford and former marketing chief Sharon Baylay.
Ahead of the hearing, Mr Thompson sent a letter to the PAC, saying statements by Lord Patten were inaccurate and the trust chairman had been "fully briefed" about the two settlements.Ahead of the hearing, Mr Thompson sent a letter to the PAC, saying statements by Lord Patten were inaccurate and the trust chairman had been "fully briefed" about the two settlements.
He also said he had emails which showed that trust members approved the payments.He also said he had emails which showed that trust members approved the payments.
Mr Thompson's 13,000-word document included a briefing note prepared for Lord Patten on defending the size of the payments.Mr Thompson's 13,000-word document included a briefing note prepared for Lord Patten on defending the size of the payments.
Another attachment challenged Ms Adams' claim that she did not know of an email explaining the pay-offs, and appeared to show that she helped to compose it. Another attachment challenged Ms Adams' claim, made at the hearing in July, that she did not know of an email explaining the pay-offs, and appeared to show that, in fact, she helped to compose it.
However, before Mr Thompson submitted his document, Ms Adams had already written to the PAC herself, admitting she made a mistake in her earlier evidence and had simply not recognised the email from its description.However, before Mr Thompson submitted his document, Ms Adams had already written to the PAC herself, admitting she made a mistake in her earlier evidence and had simply not recognised the email from its description.
The BBC Trust said it rejected the suggestion that Lord Patten and Anthony Fry misled the PAC.The BBC Trust said it rejected the suggestion that Lord Patten and Anthony Fry misled the PAC.
It also denied Mr Thompson's claim it approved a £949,000 severance package for Mr Byford and said it had been "assured that the package was within contractual terms".It also denied Mr Thompson's claim it approved a £949,000 severance package for Mr Byford and said it had been "assured that the package was within contractual terms".
The biggest severance payments included:The biggest severance payments included:
The PAC meeting in July followed the publication of a report in which the National Audit Office criticised the corporation, saying the scale of the payments risked public trust.The PAC meeting in July followed the publication of a report in which the National Audit Office criticised the corporation, saying the scale of the payments risked public trust.