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Conservatives vow to cap public sector redundancy pay-offs | Conservatives vow to cap public sector redundancy pay-offs |
(about 11 hours later) | |
The Conservatives have vowed to cap public sector redundancy pay-offs if the party wins May's general election. | |
The party's election manifesto would pledge to introduce legislation to limit payments to £95,000, Treasury minister Priti Patel said. | The party's election manifesto would pledge to introduce legislation to limit payments to £95,000, Treasury minister Priti Patel said. |
Taxpayers should not have to fund "huge payouts when well-paid people get made redundant", she said. | Taxpayers should not have to fund "huge payouts when well-paid people get made redundant", she said. |
Labour said the Tories had already "wasted" more than £1bn on NHS payouts as part of a "reckless reorganisation". | Labour said the Tories had already "wasted" more than £1bn on NHS payouts as part of a "reckless reorganisation". |
The Conservative proposal follows a number of controversial pay-offs funded by the taxpayer, including some payments of more than £450,000 in the civil service and more than £500,000 in the NHS. | The Conservative proposal follows a number of controversial pay-offs funded by the taxpayer, including some payments of more than £450,000 in the civil service and more than £500,000 in the NHS. |
The Conservatives will also consult on extending the cap to cover those working for the BBC, where there have been controversial pay-offs up to just over £1m. | |
Staff earning less than £27,000 would be exempt from the cap to protect low-earning, long-serving public servants, the Conservatives said. | Staff earning less than £27,000 would be exempt from the cap to protect low-earning, long-serving public servants, the Conservatives said. |
'Horse bolted' | 'Horse bolted' |
"It's not right that hard-working taxpayers, many on low salaries, have to fund huge payouts when well-paid people get made redundant," Ms Patel said. | "It's not right that hard-working taxpayers, many on low salaries, have to fund huge payouts when well-paid people get made redundant," Ms Patel said. |
"This goes to the heart of our long-term economic plan for Britain. | "This goes to the heart of our long-term economic plan for Britain. |
"It's about backing hard-working taxpayers and making sure the economy is tilted in their favour; and it's about saving money so we help bring down our deficit and make our economy more financially secure." | "It's about backing hard-working taxpayers and making sure the economy is tilted in their favour; and it's about saving money so we help bring down our deficit and make our economy more financially secure." |
However, Labour shadow health minister Jamie Reed said Prime Minister David Cameron "can't get away from the fact that this horse has already bolted". | |
Mr Cameron had already wasted £1.6bn on redundancy payouts to NHS managers as part of "his reckless reorganisation", he said. | Mr Cameron had already wasted £1.6bn on redundancy payouts to NHS managers as part of "his reckless reorganisation", he said. |
"Front line NHS staff found it galling that 4,000 managers who received pay-offs are now back in NHS jobs," Mr Reed added. | |
Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA which represents senior civil servants, said the cap would hit many ordinary public sector workers. | |
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This is being portrayed as an attack on fat cats. The reality is this scheme will impact upon nurses, police officers, firefighters, midwives, as well as the people who I represent who are better paid." |
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