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Data Protection and Freedom of Information

I cast no aspersions whatever on the Information Commissioner's performance or integrity—I am sure that he is an honourable man who does an excellent job. However, given the economic background at the moment, particularly today, I am surprised by the mood of the House. I know that it is very easy to give away public money, but how much money is being given away as result of this decision? I am particularly concerned about the backdating by one year of this pay award to someone who is retiring in a year's time. My constituents will say to me, ““Is this jobs for the boys?””, and ““Are you rewarding your friends?”” People will rightly raise those concerns. Over a four-year period, with the one-year backdating, we are talking about £250,000 of additional public money being given for a job that is not, in essence, changing. This public servant may deserve that amount, but many public servants who work diligently in very important jobs would want that sort of pay increase. I wonder how the Government, and particularly the Secretary of State, will respond to teachers, firemen and police officers who are told that they have to live with a low, constrained pay rise next year when their turn comes round. Those people might raise the issue of a 40 per cent. pay rise, backdated one year, for this individual who is already reasonably highly paid compared with many other important public servants. We must not set a precedent. I do not want to be churlish or upset the mood of the House, but I am concerned about this matter, and the case of other individuals, such as the chairman of the Electoral Commission, whose proposed salary was reduced from £152,000 to £100,000 following the amendment in the name of the hon. Member for North-West Leicestershire (David Taylor) and myself last week. The House should consider such matters carefully, and I am not sure that we have.