Dundee LibDems criticise large civil service bonuses

4.55.00am GMT Sun 30th Dec 2007

Liberal Democrats - fighting for a fair deal for pensioners

Dundee Liberal Democrats have today (Sunday 30th December) criticised the huge Christmas bonuses awarded to senior management at the Department for Work and Pensions.

Figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats reveal that 200 senior civil servants in the Department for Work and Pensions have received a total of £1 675 366 in bonuses this year, an average of over £8 000 each. This compares to £13 extra per year given to pensioners over the age of 80 and the yearly pensioner Christmas bonus of £10, which has been frozen since 1972.

Liberal Democrat Group Leader on Dundee City Council, Cllr Fraser Macpherson, said, "These significant bonuses are simply unacceptable and an insult to pensioners who have been receiving the same measly £10 Christmas bonus for over 30 years.

"Nearly £1.7 million has been spent on civil servant bonuses, public money that would have been better spent on tackling pensioner and child poverty."

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