BBC Trust chief's expenses hit £12,000

Published on Thursday 27 January 2011 15:20

BBC Trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons ran up expenses totalling more than £12,000 in six months, new figures have revealed.

Sir Michael, who has "part-time access to a driver and car", spent 875 on taxis.

His expenses, released in a BBC report, cover April to September last year and included 5,593 on hotels, 4,501 on train fares and 427 on flights. They totalled 12,403.

He also accepted tickets to a Seal concert hosted by Radio 2 and took his daughter to see Jack Johnson, also at a Radio 2 concert.

The trust also paid 55 for a single train fare from Birmingham to Euston for his wife on 10 May, when she attended the Sony Music Awards with Sir Michael.

He also spent 1,565.75 hosting a box at the BBC Proms for invited guests.

The trust paid out a total of 46,554 to its members in expenses over the period and a further 2,066 to director Nicholas Kroll.

That is 22 per cent less than the previous half-year period. Sir Michael is stepping down from the role in May after four years.

Among the names said to be in the running for the job is former Hong Kong governor Lord Patten.