All 1 Debates between Robert Neill and Duncan Hames

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Robert Neill and Duncan Hames
Thursday 25th November 2010

(13 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Duncan Hames Portrait Duncan Hames (Chippenham) (LD)
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Further to my questions in the House, the Secretary of State has challenged local government to get its house in order on executive pay-offs. Will he therefore commend the approach taken by Bristol city council, which has applied a cap of £700 per week in redundancy payments for each week’s pay in the settlement? That has cut redundancy costs by 30%, and it affects only the highest paid 10% of the work force.

Robert Neill Portrait Robert Neill
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It is absolutely right that Bristol council has used existing flexibilities to reflect the circumstances that apply to it. That is the right approach, and why, as I indicated in relation to a previous question, it would be inappropriate for the Government to restrict the ability of local authorities to respond to their own circumstances in such matters.