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Freeze top public pay - Darling Freeze top public pay - Darling
(21 minutes later)
Chancellor Alistair Darling has recommended a pay freeze for 40,000 senior public servants in 2010/11.Chancellor Alistair Darling has recommended a pay freeze for 40,000 senior public servants in 2010/11.
He has written to salary review bodies calling on them to freeze the pay of judges, senior NHS managers and GPs.He has written to salary review bodies calling on them to freeze the pay of judges, senior NHS managers and GPs.
In addition, about 700,000 middle ranking public servants including doctors, dentists and prison officers - will get a rise of between 0 and 1%. In addition, about 700,000 middle-ranking public servants, including doctors, dentists and prison officers, will get a rise of between 0 and 1%.
Unions said they were disappointed by the news and the Tories questioned the announcement during their conference.Unions said they were disappointed by the news and the Tories questioned the announcement during their conference.
Mr Darling's move breaks the convention about avoiding big policy statements during rival party conferences and a Conservative spokesman said people would "question his motives".Mr Darling's move breaks the convention about avoiding big policy statements during rival party conferences and a Conservative spokesman said people would "question his motives".
Shadow Chancellor George Osborne is due to deliver his keynote speech to the Conservative Party conference in Manchester on Tuesday.Shadow Chancellor George Osborne is due to deliver his keynote speech to the Conservative Party conference in Manchester on Tuesday.
The spokesman said the move "comprehensively shows that the Conservative party is setting the terms of the political debate on the economy.The spokesman said the move "comprehensively shows that the Conservative party is setting the terms of the political debate on the economy.
People are having to manage the reduction in budget and potentially great change in the public services and frankly a nought percent increase is no way to either motivate or reward anybody. Jonathan Baume, First Division AssociationPeople are having to manage the reduction in budget and potentially great change in the public services and frankly a nought percent increase is no way to either motivate or reward anybody. Jonathan Baume, First Division Association
"It is surprising that the Labour Chancellor chose to make this announcement - which affects hundreds of thousands of people - in the middle of a Conservative Party conference.""It is surprising that the Labour Chancellor chose to make this announcement - which affects hundreds of thousands of people - in the middle of a Conservative Party conference."
If it is fully implemented, the pay freeze will be the toughest public sector pay deal in 30 years.If it is fully implemented, the pay freeze will be the toughest public sector pay deal in 30 years.
No recommendation about pay for the armed forces has been made.No recommendation about pay for the armed forces has been made.
And Mr Darling's announcement does not affect teachers, nurses and police officers who are still subject to three year pay deals which come to an end next year.And Mr Darling's announcement does not affect teachers, nurses and police officers who are still subject to three year pay deals which come to an end next year.
A Treasury source told the BBC the pay freeze will override the final year of a three-year pay deal for senior public sector workers.A Treasury source told the BBC the pay freeze will override the final year of a three-year pay deal for senior public sector workers.
This means the salary rise expected next summer by GPs, judges, NHS managers and the heads of quangos will not now go ahead.This means the salary rise expected next summer by GPs, judges, NHS managers and the heads of quangos will not now go ahead.
And according to the BBC's political correspondent Ben Wright, the Treasury have also said the pay freezes are devolution sensitive.And according to the BBC's political correspondent Ben Wright, the Treasury have also said the pay freezes are devolution sensitive.
So the freeze for GPs applies to England and Wales, and senior civil servants who work in national organisations - such as a HM Revenue and Customs worker in Scotland - are also subject to the restriction.So the freeze for GPs applies to England and Wales, and senior civil servants who work in national organisations - such as a HM Revenue and Customs worker in Scotland - are also subject to the restriction.
But if someone works in the Scottish health department the pay freeze does not apply, our correspondent added.But if someone works in the Scottish health department the pay freeze does not apply, our correspondent added.
'Better ways''Better ways'
Jonathan Baume, general secretary of civil service union the First Division Association, said a pay freeze was not the right move.Jonathan Baume, general secretary of civil service union the First Division Association, said a pay freeze was not the right move.
"For the senior civil service, we were about the enter the third year of a three year settlement which we had entered into in good faith..."For the senior civil service, we were about the enter the third year of a three year settlement which we had entered into in good faith...
"These are staff who are doing very demanding jobs at the moment."These are staff who are doing very demanding jobs at the moment.
"We recognise there is a very difficult fiscal situation - there is a crisis in the public finances - but people are having to manage the reduction in budget and potentially great change in the public services and frankly a nought percent increase is no way to either motivate or reward anybody.""We recognise there is a very difficult fiscal situation - there is a crisis in the public finances - but people are having to manage the reduction in budget and potentially great change in the public services and frankly a nought percent increase is no way to either motivate or reward anybody."
The British Medical Association said it was not right to penalise frontline NHS staff "especially as many of them are under the pressure of more work during the recession.The British Medical Association said it was not right to penalise frontline NHS staff "especially as many of them are under the pressure of more work during the recession.
"There are other more effective ways of making savings in the NHS.""There are other more effective ways of making savings in the NHS."