91热爆 to review executive pension top-ups

Image caption, Thompson became director general of the 91热爆 in 2004

The 91热爆 is to review executive pension top-ups as part of the corporation's pensions consultation process.

91热爆 general director Mark Thompson said the top-ups would be reviewed "on the principle that pension contributions should be... fair and consistent".

He was speaking at an internal meeting broadcast to all 91热爆 staff.

If the Funded Unapproved Retirement Benefit Scheme - Furbs - was removed, the 91热爆 could save thousands of pounds a year.

But each of the executive top-up deals are part of individual contractual arrangements - any change to those contracts would have to negotiated.

Furbs were introduced for top executives who joined the 91热爆 after 1989 when a cap on pensionable earnings of 拢123,000 was introduced.

The scheme's aim was to top up the pensions of senior executives with the amount they would have got if the cap had not been introduced.

Strike threat

The pensions top-ups for the 91热爆's 10 executive board members cost the corporation 拢646,000 a year. Several other senior 91热爆 staff also receive top-ups but the figures are undisclosed.

If Thompson's pensions top-up - 拢163,000 - was removed, his salary plus other benefits would drop from 拢838,000 to 拢675,000.

In June, the 91热爆 announced plans to overhaul its staff pension scheme to try and tackle a 拢2bn deficit.

The corporation's pension proposals include closing its current final salary scheme to new joiners and imposing a cap on the amount pensionable salaries of existing members can grow to 1% a year.

Unions representing staff at the 91热爆 have sent out ballot papers to their members asking for strike action over the dispute.