In these hard times it is nice to know

[RebelSouls]

you have a good pension waitng for you ?

http://www.telegraph....r-400000-pension.html

[factor-fiction]

Okay , a pension of £215,000 a year is a huge pension, but I expext he contributed to it and the benefit was part of the package offered to attract the best candidate.

Would you object if ITV pays the same or more? if not, are you suggesting the BBC should not try to compete for the best staff?

All these packages pale into insignificance compared with top footballers who earn over £5 million a year and get multi million pound signing on fees too.

Having said that, I think there is network of people with a vested interest in inflating salaries in certain job markets. I also agree it's time someone had a 'root and branch' review of how the BBC spends our money. We may find though that the cost of consultants to investigate this matter will exceed any benefits and may make things worse if it highlights to BBC staff that they are paid less than ITV/Sky staff, leading to costs being pushed up not down.

[Kathyan]

Nobody, and I don't care who they are, deserves or needs a pension of £215,000 a year!

[boxtops]

You'd certainly still be taxed at 40% minimum on it, being over the tax threshold!

[factor-fiction]

Nobody 'needs' a salary of more than £215000 a year but for scarce skill some employers have to pay much more than that, and have to offer a very attractive pension scheme. We all get the best package we can.
I don't see asimple solution.
At least when someone gets a pension of £215000 a year they'll be paying 50% rate of tax on most of it. So really a lot of it's going back to the licence fee payer in effect.

[jake-the-peg]

How about a pension of £700,000

http://news.bbc.co.uk.../business/7921778.stm

[RebelSouls]

No digs at the people on low incomes ?

[Gromit]

The Daily Mail Group have Ccnsiderable newspaper, television and radio Operations. They are a direct competitor for the BBC It is their iinterest to see a weakened or even fragmented BBC.

The constant drip of Anti-BBC stories in the Daily Mail should be viewed in that context. You wouldn't get Iuchard Branson praising British Airways, and you won't get the Daily Mail praising the BBC.

[Gromit]

In case you hadn't worked it out, that should br Richard Branson.

[jake-the-peg]

Ahh RS - I've upset you

That's so sad

[RebelSouls]

JTP try harder a lot harder

If it makes you happy having a dig at the people on low incomes carry on troll

[jno]

if you're envious, why not go out and get a high-paying job with a big pension yourself?

[factor-fiction]

Have I missed something, rebelsouls? Where is Jake's dig at people on low incomes?