Latest news with #payrise
Daily Mail
41 minutes ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Minister pressures water boss to refuse rise doubling salary to £1.4m amid furious row over exec pay and sewage leaks - but rules out nationalisation
Southern Water's chief executive should refuse a pay rise that almost doubled his income to £1.4million, the Environment Secretary has said. Steve Reed told the BBC 's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg that Lawrence Gosden's £691,000 salary increase was 'outrageous' and implored the company to 'think about how this looks to their customers'. It comes amid a furious row over the pay and bonuses enjoyed by executives at water utilities which oversaw huge spikes in sewage leaks last year. The number of serious pollution incidents caused by water firms rose by 60 per cent in just 12 months, the Environment Agency revealed on Friday. Asked whether Mr Gosden should turn down the pay rise, Mr Reed said: 'I think it would be right if he did .. I don't think Southern Water has performed well enough for that kind of pay increase to be merited.' He added: 'Trust between the customers and the water companies is at the lowest point probably ever, and by paying their senior executives rises of that kind, what message are they sending to their customers? 'I really would urge them to think about this very, very, very carefully.' The Government is bracing for the release of a landmark review into the water industry, which could reportedly lead to the abolition of embattled water regulator Ofwat. The Independent Water Commission, led by former Bank of England deputy governor Sir Jon Cunliffe, will outline recommendations to turn around the floundering sector in its final report on Monday. The review was commissioned by the UK and Welsh governments as part of their response to systemic industry failures, which include rising bills, record sewage spills and debt-ridden company finances, although ministers have ruled out nationalising companies. The Government will respond to the recommendations in Parliament later on Monday. The review reportedly includes proposals to establish a new system of regulation, which is currently split between Ofwat, the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate. Ministers will announce a consultation that could lead to axing Ofwat, which oversees how much water companies in England and Wales can charge for services, according to the Guardian. Ofwat has faced intense criticism for overseeing water companies during the years that they paid shareholders and accrued large debts while ageing infrastructure crumbled and sewage spills skyrocketed. In an interview with the Sunday Times, Environment Secretary Steve Reed suggested he was in favour of a new model where regional boards managed water in their areas, including representatives from water companies, local authorities and other organisations. He said: 'I think the catchment-based model has a lot to commend it. Because if you can manage what's going into the water better, you can clean up the water faster.' But speaking to the BBC he again ruled out the possibility of nationalising the water industry, saying it would cost too much and take years during which pollution would get worse. The Environment Secretary told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: 'Nationalisation would cost upwards of £100 billion that we'd have to take away from the National Health Service and schools to give to the owners of the companies that are polluted.' He added: 'If we try to unpick the current model of ownership, it would take years, and during that period, pollution would get worse because the companies wouldn't invest knowing that they were going to be nationalised. The EA report found there were 2,801 sewage leaks last year, up from 2,174 in 2023. Just three firms were behind 81 per cent of the most serious - Thames, Southern and Yorkshire. The agency revealed consistently poor performance from all nine water and sewerage firms in the country despite its expectations for pollution incidents to decrease. Meanwhile, just two companies – Northumbrian Water and Wessex Water – had no serious incidents last year, meeting the Environment Agency's expectations to see a trend to zero serious pollution incidents by 2025. It also follows a report released by the Public Accounts Committee earlier on Friday, in which the cross-bench group of MPs called the level of pollution 'woeful' and recommended an overhaul of the regulation system. Under the Water (Special Measures) Act introduced by the Government last year, the watchdog will have greater powers to take swift action against polluting companies. To boost funding for water regulation, the Environment Agency is also consulting on a new levy on the water sector to recover the cost of enforcement activities, while the Environment Department (Defra) last week confirmed a 64 per cent increase in its funding from 2023/24. A Water UK spokesperson said: 'While there have been some improvements, it is clear that the performance of some companies is not good enough. 'This is finally being put right, with a record £104 billion investment over the next five years to secure our water supplies, support economic growth and end sewage entering our rivers and seas. 'However, fundamental change to regulation is also needed. We hope that the recommendations of the Independent Water Commission next week will ensure the sector continues to get the investment it needs to drive down pollution incidents.'
The Sun
3 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Talks between Wes Streeting and militant junior doctors end in stalemate as damaging NHS strikes loom
TALKS between Wes Streeting and militant junior doctors have ended in a stalemate. The impasse leaves open the threat of damaging NHS strikes beginning in a week's time. 2 Health Secretary Mr Streeting insisted he could not give in to the British Medical Association's demands for a 29 per cent pay rise. But there was a glimmer of hope as it agreed to continue talks to avert the five-day walkout from next Friday. Last year, the BMA bagged a 22 per cent pay rise over two years. The Health Secretary has said resident doctors' pay has risen by 28.9 per cent over the past three years. Mr Streeting added: 'We'll be having further conversations in the coming days to try to avert strikes. 'While we can't move on pay after a 28.9 per cent pay rise, we are working on areas where we can improve working lives for resident doctors. "Strikes have a serious cost for patients, so I am appealing to the British Medical Association to call them off and instead work together to improve their members' working conditions.' The Department of Health is also reportedly looking at student loan help for younger doctors who rack up debts of up to £100,000 — although suggestions they will be wiped have been denied. Junior doctors, now called resident doctors, admitted that the public did not want them to strike. Junior Doctors Announce Five-Day Strike in July Amid Ongoing Pay Dispute Dr Melissa Ryan, of the BMA's resident doctors committee, was asked if it would accept better working conditions instead of cash. She said: 'We're willing to be here. We're interested to hear what Mr Streeting has to say.' Up to 50,000 doctors are set to walk out on July 25 until 7am on July 30. Tens of thousands of appointments will be cancelled if the strikes go ahead, it is feared. 2
The Independent
3 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Government ‘has very small window to avert resident doctors' strike'
There is a 'very small window of opportunity' for the Government and resident doctors to reach an agreement to avert strike action, the Resident Doctors Committee (RDC) has said. A five-day walkout is scheduled to start next week and could cause significant upheaval to the NHS in England. Co-chairs of the RDC – part of the British Medical Association (BMA) – said they had an 'open and frank' conversation with the Health Secretary on Thursday afternoon, but no resolution was reached. After the meeting Wes Streeting reiterated that 'we cannot move on pay after a 28.9% pay rise' but the Government is looking at ways to improve resident doctors' working lives. RDC co-chairs said working conditions are being considered but a pay deal is 'probably the simplest solution'. Neither the RDC or the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) confirmed a date for the next talks. Asked if they would meet with the Health Secretary on Friday, Dr Ross Nieuwoudt told reporters: 'Well, if Wes Streeting is free I'd be happy to.' His co-chair Dr Melissa Ryan said: 'The advantage of being a doctor is that we're used to working all hours of all days, so we said we're available at any moment to continue our talks.' Dr Nieuwoudt added: 'We have a very small window of opportunity over the next few days to avert strike action. 'Talks today have been constructive, they're a first step, it was a very high-level discussion, we're looking forward to more discussions to hopefully avert strike action.' After the meeting, Mr Streeting said in a statement: 'We had a constructive conversation with the BMA (British Medical Association) today and we'll be having further conversations in the coming days to try to avert strike action. 'While we cannot move on pay after a 28.9% pay rise, we are working on areas where we can improve working lives for resident doctors. 'Strikes have a serious cost for patients, so I am appealing to the BMA to call them off and instead work together to improve their members' working conditions and continue rebuilding the NHS.' Ahead of the meeting at Portcullis House, it was put to the RDC co-chairs that the public was 'broadly on-side' for the previous round of strikes but support is now 'waning'. Dr Ryan responded: 'I think that the public is behind us in the sense that they want to see doctors paid fairly, they want doctors to be in the NHS, doctors retained, because ultimately they want good care'. On Tuesday, NHS leaders said there was no extra money to cover industrial action by resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors. The last round of strikes, which also included walkouts by other health workers, came at an estimated cost of £1.5 billion to the NHS in England. Some 1.5 million appointments, procedures and operations were postponed as a result of the stoppages. On Thursday, The Times reported that it had seen an audit which found that five patients died as a result of disruption linked to strikes by junior doctors in 2023 and 2024. One prevention of future death report detailed how 71-year-old Daphne Austin, who had a kidney injury, died after getting 'no medical input' on one of the strike days because the consultant who was covering was in charge of 25 patients. Another states that 60-year-old John Doyle died of 'natural causes against a background of missed opportunities to diagnose and treat cytomegalovirus infection, together with the impact of the resident (formerly junior) doctors' strike on the provision of consistent patient care'. Asked if they recognise the report in The Times as true, Dr Nieuwoudt said: 'The evidence that we've seen, the evidence over the past few years, is that the processes that we have in place in order to maintain patient safety are robust and they've been working well, they've been the processes that have been in place since 2016 and over 11 rounds of industrial action.' He added: 'What you're seeing, instead of resident doctors in the hospitals, is the most highly trained and specialised doctors looking after acute patients. 'We just need to ensure that the (NHS) trusts are picking up their responsibility of cancelling elective services and moving those consultants over to where they're needed, which is protecting the patients in acute setting during industrial action.' The strikes ended last September when resident doctor members voted to accept a Government pay deal worth 22.3% on average over two years. The 2025/26 pay deal saw resident doctors given a 4% increase plus £750 'on a consolidated basis', working out as an average rise of 5.4%. Government officials said these two increases equate to a 28.9% pay rise. But the BMA said resident doctors need 29.2% to reverse 'pay erosion' since 2008/09. Earlier this month, the union announced that resident doctors in England would strike for five days from 7am on July 25.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Government ‘has very small window to avert resident doctors' strike'
There is a 'very small window of opportunity' for the Government and resident doctors to reach an agreement to avert strike action, the Resident Doctors Committee (RDC) has said. A five-day walkout is scheduled to start next week and could cause significant upheaval to the NHS in England. Co-chairs of the RDC – part of the British Medical Association (BMA) – said they had an 'open and frank' conversation with the Health Secretary on Thursday afternoon, but no resolution was reached. After the meeting Wes Streeting reiterated that 'we cannot move on pay after a 28.9% pay rise' but the Government is looking at ways to improve resident doctors' working lives. RDC co-chairs said working conditions are being considered but a pay deal is 'probably the simplest solution'. Neither the RDC or the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) confirmed a date for the next talks. Asked if they would meet with the Health Secretary on Friday, Dr Ross Nieuwoudt told reporters: 'Well, if Wes Streeting is free I'd be happy to.' His co-chair Dr Melissa Ryan said: 'The advantage of being a doctor is that we're used to working all hours of all days, so we said we're available at any moment to continue our talks.' Dr Nieuwoudt added: 'We have a very small window of opportunity over the next few days to avert strike action. 'Talks today have been constructive, they're a first step, it was a very high-level discussion, we're looking forward to more discussions to hopefully avert strike action.' After the meeting, Mr Streeting said in a statement: 'We had a constructive conversation with the BMA (British Medical Association) today and we'll be having further conversations in the coming days to try to avert strike action. 'While we cannot move on pay after a 28.9% pay rise, we are working on areas where we can improve working lives for resident doctors. 'Strikes have a serious cost for patients, so I am appealing to the BMA to call them off and instead work together to improve their members' working conditions and continue rebuilding the NHS.' Ahead of the meeting at Portcullis House, it was put to the RDC co-chairs that the public was 'broadly on-side' for the previous round of strikes but support is now 'waning'. Dr Ryan responded: 'I think that the public is behind us in the sense that they want to see doctors paid fairly, they want doctors to be in the NHS, doctors retained, because ultimately they want good care'. On Tuesday, NHS leaders said there was no extra money to cover industrial action by resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors. The last round of strikes, which also included walkouts by other health workers, came at an estimated cost of £1.5 billion to the NHS in England. Some 1.5 million appointments, procedures and operations were postponed as a result of the stoppages. On Thursday, The Times reported that it had seen an audit which found that five patients died as a result of disruption linked to strikes by junior doctors in 2023 and 2024. One prevention of future death report detailed how 71-year-old Daphne Austin, who had a kidney injury, died after getting 'no medical input' on one of the strike days because the consultant who was covering was in charge of 25 patients. Another states that 60-year-old John Doyle died of 'natural causes against a background of missed opportunities to diagnose and treat cytomegalovirus infection, together with the impact of the resident (formerly junior) doctors' strike on the provision of consistent patient care'. Asked if they recognise the report in The Times as true, Dr Nieuwoudt said: 'The evidence that we've seen, the evidence over the past few years, is that the processes that we have in place in order to maintain patient safety are robust and they've been working well, they've been the processes that have been in place since 2016 and over 11 rounds of industrial action.' He added: 'What you're seeing, instead of resident doctors in the hospitals, is the most highly trained and specialised doctors looking after acute patients. 'We just need to ensure that the (NHS) trusts are picking up their responsibility of cancelling elective services and moving those consultants over to where they're needed, which is protecting the patients in acute setting during industrial action.' The strikes ended last September when resident doctor members voted to accept a Government pay deal worth 22.3% on average over two years. The 2025/26 pay deal saw resident doctors given a 4% increase plus £750 'on a consolidated basis', working out as an average rise of 5.4%. Government officials said these two increases equate to a 28.9% pay rise. But the BMA said resident doctors need 29.2% to reverse 'pay erosion' since 2008/09. Earlier this month, the union announced that resident doctors in England would strike for five days from 7am on July 25.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
What bullying row? How Naga Munchetty scored hefty pay rise that dwarves BBC Breakfast co-host Charlie Stayt's despite toxic conduct probe
Naga Munchetty received a hefty pay rise from BBC bosses despite being reprimanded after she was accused of bullying and hauled into a meeting over a sex jibe. The BBC Breakfast presenter and 5 Live host, 50, had been spoken to by execs after she made a sex jibe during an ad break while hosting the radio show. She is believed to have used a crude slang term for a sex act and reportedly asked a colleague if they had ever done it. It was also revealed how Naga was also spoken to after a junior staffer accused the journalist of bullying them. However, despite the bullying and toxic row bringing a dark cloud over BBC Breakfast, it's been revealed Naga received a pay rise. New figures released by the broadcaster today show the presenter was awarded a £10,000 increase in her annual salary. It now takes her pay packet to an eye-watering £355,000 - almost double that of her co-host Charlie Stayt. Charlie, 63, has remained in the £190,000 bracket as tensions between the pair are said to be 'rife'. Naga hosts BBC Breakfast on Thursdays to Saturdays with Charlie, while Jon Kay and Sally Nugent anchor the programme from the start of the week. BBC Breakfast's editor Richard Frediani reportedly took an extended period of leave, after an internal review of bullying and misconduct allegations was opened into the show. It was previously claimed that the show's staff are feeling increasingly 'uneasy' around Frediani, with the former Head of ITV News accused of 'shaking' a female editor while working on the show. Meanwhile, the Mail told how Naga has been holding discussions with Sky News and radio station LBC in an apparent bid to leave the corporation, industry sources have revealed. In a surprise move, the presenter held talks with both broadcasters in what appears to be an attempt to escape the toxic atmosphere on the programme she co-hosts three days a week with Charlie Stayt. However, sources say the talks broke down recently, with some bosses at the networks unsure about 50-year-old Ms Munchetty's 'tough ways' and deciding against continuing negotiations. However, sources say the talks broke down recently, with some bosses at the networks unsure about 50-year-old Ms Munchetty's 'tough ways' and deciding against continuing negotiations. One said: 'There were quite a few discussions with both Sky and LBC but then it was decided by both that they wouldn't go any further. 'She is quite sharp and it is perhaps not what they were looking for, so it all kind of fell apart. 'Rightly or wrongly, Naga has a reputation for being quite tough and difficult at times – they didn't like that.' BBC Breakfast bosses were reportedly forced to apologise to Geri Halliwell-Horner after a very awkward interview with Naga and Charlie. During the awkward resurfaced interview from October 2023, Naga, caught the Spice Girl off guard as she asked: 'Do you not like being interviewed?' After the segment ended, Geri, 52, allegedly said she did not want to appear on the show opposite the pair ever again. The BBC's annual report on its top earners revealed Gary Lineker and Zoe Ball have topped the BBC rich list again this year, as the corporation acknowledged 'challenges' with its workplace culture. Match of the Day host Lineker left his job in May after being accused of posting an antisemitic trope on social media. The 64-year-old's £1.35 million salary made him the Beeb's highest-paid star over the last year, according to the BBC's annual report for 2024/25. Radio 2 host Zoe Ball is the highest-paid woman at the corporation on £519,000, despite working part-time. She left her full-time position as the station's breakfast show host in December. Her replacement Scott Mills is on £359,999.
