The largest salaries paid by you
Tuesday, 1 June 2010 5:28 PM
One hundred and seventy two civil servants earn more than the prime minister, the government has revealed.
A list published by the Cabinet Office today revealed the name, job title, grade and salary level of senior civil servants across Whitehall.
Office of Fair Trading chief executive John Fingleton emerged as the highest-paid civil servant. His £275,000-£279,999 pay band is nearly double the £142,500 David Cameron earns every year.
Other high-paid civil servants include NHS chief executive Sir David Nicholson, who earns at least £255,000, and the Department for Work and Pensions' chief information officer Joe Harley, who earns at least £245,000.
The head of the civil service, Sir Gus O'Donnell, is ranked fifth in the list on at least £235,000. He earns less than Britain's senior military officer, Sir Jock Stirrup, who earns at least £240,000.
"We are pulling back the curtains to let light into the corridors of power," Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said.
"By being open and accountable we can start to win back people's trust. Openness will not be comfortable for us in government; but it will enable the public to hold our feet to the fire. This way lies better government."
The government hopes publishing the information will win public support - and political momentum - as politicians try to curb civil servants' pay across the board.
Mr Cameron chose to take a five per cent pay cut, reducing his salary to below the £150,000 threshold for publication today.
Among those in the £150,000-£154,999 pay band are the chief protection officer of the Asset Protection Agency; the director of service prosecutions at the Ministry of Defence; and the East Midlands' director of offender management at the National Offender Management Service.
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