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Ex-BBC chief Mark Thompson to be quizzed on pay-offs Ex-BBC chief Mark Thompson to be quizzed on pay-offs
(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.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.
The BBC Trust says the claims are bizarre and has denied MPs were misled. The BBC Trust says the claims are bizarre and denies MPs were misled.
Mr Thompson is one of seven senior BBC figures being questioned over the size of severance deals at the corporation.Mr Thompson is one of seven senior BBC figures being questioned over the size of severance deals at the corporation.
The BBC has been criticised for paying £25m to 150 outgoing senior executives.The BBC has been criticised for paying £25m to 150 outgoing senior executives.
This was £2m more than their contracts necessitated.This was £2m more than their contracts necessitated.
BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten and the BBC head of human resources Lucy Adams, who last week said she made a mistake when she told MPs she did not know about an email about pay-offs to top executives, will also appear before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday.BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten and the BBC head of human resources Lucy Adams, who last week said she made a mistake when she told MPs she did not know about an email about pay-offs to top executives, will also appear before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday.
BBC trustee Anthony Fry, former trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons, trust director Nicholas Kroll and a former senior independent director, Marcus Agius, will also give evidence. 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.
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.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.
He said that if Mr Thompson was called before MPs, he would be "as interested as you are, why we didn't know".He said that if Mr Thompson was called before MPs, he would be "as interested as you are, why we didn't know".
The row has opened up a growing split between past and present BBC executives. Mr Thompson - who left the BBC last year and is now chief executive of the New York Times - did not give evidence at that hearing.
In a letter to MPs investigating the excessive pay-offs on Friday, Mr Thompson - who left the BBC last year and is now chief executive of the New York Times - said statements by Lord Patten were inaccurate and information was kept from the National Audit Office which carried out a report into the severance packages. But later, at central London's Portcullis House, 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.
He also said he has emails which show that trust members approved the payments. Ahead of the hearing, Mr Thompson sent a letter to MPs investigating the pay-offs, saying statements by Lord Patten were inaccurate and information was kept from the National Audit Office which carried out a report into the severance packages.
The 13,000-word document was prepared ahead of his appearance before MPs, where 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. He also said he had emails which showed that trust members approved the payments.
The document included a briefing note prepared for Lord Patten on defending the size of the payments. The 13,000-word document included a briefing note prepared for Lord Patten on defending the size of the payments.
Another attachment challenged the BBC head of human resources Lucy 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 the BBC head of human resources Lucy Adams' claim that she did not know of an email explaining the pay-offs, and appeared to show that she helped to compose it.
Ms Adams said she made a mistake in her evidence to MPs in July over £25m paid to departing BBC executives before Mr Thompson's claims were made. It has emerged Ms Adams had earlier admitted she made a mistake in her evidence to MPs in July and had not recognised the email from its description.
The BBC Trust rejects 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 has also denied Mark Thompson's claim it approved a £949,000 severance package for his deputy Mark Byford. It also denied Mark Thompson's claim it approved a £949,000 severance package for his deputy Mark Byford.
Speaking on Friday morning, Lord Patten said he had "no concerns at all" about the statements made by Mr Thompson and was "looking forward" to appearing before the committee.Speaking on Friday morning, Lord Patten said he had "no concerns at all" about the statements made by Mr Thompson and was "looking forward" to appearing before the committee.
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.
The biggest severance payments included:The biggest severance payments included: