Dec 10, 2009, post by ALTUM
UK Chancellor Alistair Darling’s announced his pre-Budget report this lunchtime. The main points are that VAT is back up to 17.5% from the existing 15% as from 1st January 2010. Basic state pension will rise by 2.5% on April 2010 and national insurance rates to rise by 0.5% from April 2011. Stamp duty break on certain properties will end on 1st January 2010. Child benefit will rise by 1.5% in 2010 and public sector pay increases will be capped at 1% for two years from 2011.
Apr 19, 2009, post by Admin
Gordon Brown and the chancellor Alistair Darling, said that the pay of executives of so-called quangos should not be greater than the pay increases for rank-and-file staff. The move has been brought to light following increased political pressure most vocaly from the Conservative party leader David Cameron, who berated about the “frankly astonishing salaries” paid to “quango fat cats” whilst the private sector suffers from pay and job cuts, going on to cite 10 governement quango heads earning over £250k with the top head of OFCOM receiving £417k p.a of tax payers money.
