MP wants answers on payment to former airport boss
06.11.08
A local MP is calling on the Government and the Audit Commission to investigate an out-of-court settlement between Newcastle Airport and its former chief executive. John Parkin received a £6m payout before he resigned in May 2007, but the airport later launched legal action to claim the money back, with press speculation suggesting that he eventually received £2m.
A confidential out-of-court settlement was agreed between the two parties last month and no details have been revealled. Together, the region's seven local authorities are the airport's major shareholders. Peter Atkinson, Conservative MP for Hexham in Northumberland, is calling for the deal to be investigated. He is also demanding more transparency about the deal.
Mr Atkinson believes that, because the settlement involved public money, it should be made public. He said: ‘The whole business gets murkier by the day. This is public money, and I think the public and the council taxpayers have a right to know. You can't say this is a purely commercial transaction when 51% of the airport is owned by the public of the region.’
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