States pay-offs revealed

PAY-OFFS totalling more than £800,000 have been given to more than 50 outgoing States employees on golden handshake deals, it has been revealed.

Chief minister Peter Harwood, pictured, said compromise agreements had been used to 'facilitate the exit' of 51 former employees, at a total cost of £827,394 to taxpayers, between the start of January 2008 and May this year.

Having initially refused to answer Deputy Peter Gillson's official written questions over financial settlements – submitted at the beginning of last month – the Policy Council has now revealed further details of the pay-offs.

However, Deputy Harwood said the Policy Council could not provide a breakdown of the pay-offs by department and committee.

He did reveal that seven of these former employees were back 'on the books' at the States.