Treasury minister defends £950-a-day pay of new value for money tsar

The £950-a-day wage which the Government’s caller worth for wealth tsar volition person is fair, a curate has said.

David Goldstone volition beryllium paid the equivalent of conscionable nether £50,000 a twelvemonth erstwhile helium takes up the presumption of president of the caller Office for Value for Money, moving an mean of 1 time a period successful the role.

The appointment, announced successful the Budget, is aimed astatine scrutinising Government spending and minimising waste.

Ministers, however, person faced questions astir whether the relation itself represents worth for money.

If helium worked afloat time, Mr Goldstone’s wage would beryllium worthy astir £250,000 – importantly much than the Prime Minister is paid.

Treasury curate Darren Jones suggested the “rate of instrumentality for the improvements” which the caller Office for Value for Money volition marque “will beryllium far, acold greater” than Mr Goldstone’s pay.

Mr Jones, who is Rachel Reeves’ deputy, added: “It is close that we wage radical for their time. We can’t expect radical to enactment for free. That is an important mode successful which we bash things successful this country.

“Actually, the time complaint for David is, connected a benchmark basis, competitive.”

Mr Goldstone volition beryllium successful station for a twelvemonth and is liable for providing proposal to the Chancellor and Chief Secretary to the Treasury to prevention wealth by reforming systems and improving argumentation outcomes.

It is an autarkic relation and helium is not an worker of the Treasury.

Mr Goldstone is besides a non-executive manager of the Submarine Delivery Agency and HS2 Ltd.

He was antecedently main enforcement of Parliament’s Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority and main operating serviceman astatine the Ministry of Defence.

Mr Goldstone besides oversaw the Government’s £9.3 cardinal concern for the 2012 Olympics, including the Olympic Park venues and infrastructure.