BBC chief claimed for mountain gear

Nov 12 2009

The controller of Radio 1 claimed nearly £550 for equipment for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief, newly-published BBC expenses have revealed.

Andy Parfitt completed the charity ascent of the 19,300ft (5,900m) peak in March alongside celebrities including Radio 1 DJs Chris Moyles and Fearne Cotton and singers Gary Barlow and Cheryl Cole.

Mr Parfitt, who is on a total pay package of £218,800 and lists running as one of his recreations in Who's Who, bought £541.83-worth of "specialist clothing" and other "essentials" for the expedition.

He also claimed £26.20 for taxis to pick up and transport his equipment for climbing the mountain.

A BBC spokeswoman said: "Andy climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with Chris Moyles and Fearne Cotton - for the Comic Relief climb, which raised over £3.5 million for the charity - earlier this year. Andy provided technical support (he is a trained radio operator) to enable Chris to broadcast from the mountain each day. The specialist clothing was essential kit for the climb, taking into account the conditions that Andy would be facing."

The BBC has published the precise salaries and a detailed breakdown of expenses claims for more than 100 of its most senior managers. Nearly 3,000 separate claims made by the corporation's 107 top "decision-makers" between April and June this year were posted on its website. They include for the first time expenses incurred through the BBC's central booking system.

The BBC said it had "gone beyond any other public body" in organising the data.

In just one month, Caroline Thomson, the Corporation's chief operating officer, claimed more than £1,500 for taxis and her total bill for cab claims over a three-month period reached almost £4,000. Her taxi claim for May was her largest, amounting to £1,534.47.

The largest single cab claim by the executive - who earns £333,000 in salary alone, with a total remuneration package of £413,000 - was £114.42.

Ms Thomson said: "Today's quarterly disclosure is a significant move for the BBC in our continued commitment to achieving ever greater openness and transparency to the public who pay for the BBC." The newly-published information can be found at www.bbc.co.uk/info/running/bbcstructure/index.shtml.