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Statement from the Â鶹Éç Trust

"This is a bizarre document. We reject the suggestion that Lord Patten and Anthony Fry misled the PAC. We completely disagree with Mark Thompson's analysis, much of which is unsubstantiated, in particular the suggestion that Lord Patten was given a full and formal briefing on the exact terms of Mark Byford's departure, which in any event took place before the current Chairman's arrival at the Trust. It remains the case, as noted by the NAO in its original report, both that the Trust under the Chairmanship of Sir Michael Lyons was told that these payments were within contractual terms and that the Trust did not have a role in the approval process. The Trust has already published its own account of events, which took place well before Lord Patten's arrival, and we look forward to answering fully and openly further questions at Monday's PAC hearing. For Lord Patten and Anthony Fry the overriding concern remains the best interests and good standing of the Â鶹Éç." 

Statement from Â鶹Éç Trustees in post in September 2010

We are the current members of the Â鶹Éç Trust who were in post at the time Mark Thompson took the difficult decision to close the job of Deputy Director-General.  The Â鶹Éç Executive negotiated the terms for Mark Byford's redundancy a full six months before Lord Patten took office as Chairman of the Â鶹Éç Trust.

We were not asked for approval of the financial package – formally or informally – nor did we give it. The Trust was assured that the package was within contractual terms and that the Chairman of the Â鶹Éç's Executive Remuneration Committee had agreed to it being approved.

The Trust's concern throughout this period was to ensure that the Director-General met the strategy set for him by the Trust: to reduce radically both the number of senior managers and the cost of the management paybill, and he achieved both.

Richard Ayre, Diane Coyle, Anthony Fry, Alison Hastings and David Liddiment

Current members of the Â鶹Éç Trust who were in post in September 2010