Huge pay rises for Commons officials in expenses scandal

The House of Commons has awarded double-digit pay rises to senior officials, including some who oversaw the expenses scandals.

Accounts published today at Westminster revealed that the most senior official, Clerk to the House Malcolm Jack, is paid more than the Prime Minister after a rise of £25,000.

His salary of almost £175,000 rocketed to almost £195,000 in 2008-09 - an 11.43 per cent increase. Mr Jack, who enjoys the use of a grace and favour property, also received an increase in benefits in kind, from £20,000 to £25,000.

He was in command of the officials attacked for failing to enforce the rules when paying out generous parliamentary expenses, leading the Prime Minister to criticise the "gentlemen's club" arrangements.

Andrew Walker, the Commons' director general of resources, was given a rise of eight per cent from around £120,000 to £130,000. Joan Miller, the head of IT at Westminster, got the biggest rise, from £95,000 to £110,000 - up 15 per cent.

Today's published accounts also showed that the taxpayer subsidies for MPs' pensions soared to £12.45million.

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "With millions taking pay freezes and cuts or even facing redundancy, parliamentary officials should not be cashing in such massive pay rises."