Lib Dems slam Tories and SNP for backing quango bonuses

5.22.36pm GMT Thu 25th Mar 2010

Scottish Liberal Democrats have slammed the Tories and SNP for backing bonuses for quango bosses.

Party leader Tavish Scott MSP challenged the First Minister to back a Liberal Democrat move to ban bonuses for quango bosses. The First Minister refused.

Tory and SNP MSPs voted down the Liberal Democrat amendment to the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill later this afternoon which would have forced quangos to review immediately their Chief Executives’ pay package and conditions and made it illegal to pay bonuses to quango chiefs for the next two years.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Finance spokesperson Jeremy Purvis MSP said:

“When there is only a little money to go around it is even more important that it goes around fairly.

“The SNP’s pay policy of 1% will mean less than £150 a year to people on the lowest pay, but £600 a year to senior managers. Meanwhile Scottish quango chiefs are still pocketing tens of thousands of pounds in bonuses.

“Our amendment would have changed the law to stop those bonuses. It would have meant a fairer deal for everyone.

“The First Minister, SNP and Tories chose sides today. They backed the quango fat cats over the interests of the people on the lowest pay.”