---

Data Protection and Freedom of Information

I may have missed something when the Secretary of State and Lord Chancellor opened the debate; perhaps he could remind the House on a point. It seems pretty odd for this House to be debating the salary of an individual, whatever their status—civil servant, head of a non-departmental body or whatever. The remuneration is very large, particularly for an office based in Cheshire. It is not based in London, although the Information Commissioner may work there; I do not know. However, the office is in Wilmslow. There is also one in Northern Ireland and one elsewhere. I do not resile at all from what the Front Benchers of both main parties said about the motivation for the pay increase—the increase in work load and responsibilities. However, as a trade unionist, it strikes me as questionable, but not necessarily wrong, not to re-advertise a job when it changes so fundamentally. It may well be that if the post were re-advertised as a bigger job with a bigger salary, the current incumbent would walk the process and get the job. From the accolades given to him tonight, it seems that that might well be the case. However, the job is changing so fundamentally as to attract a 40 per cent. pay increase, and there is to be a big increase in work load. In the 2004 annual report, the body was described as a small office; we are now told that it has 260 staff. There has been an increase in responsibilities, and the Lord Chancellor's written statement today announces an intention to increase still further those responsibilities. Given that, I wonder why, instead of us simply increasing the salary through this motion, the post is not re-advertised as a bigger job for which the current incumbent, Mr. Thomas, could apply.