BBC expenses change postponed

Controversial new rules on expenses' claims have been deferred for a month by the BBC.

The new arrangements, originally timed to start on January 1 2000, will not be introduced until February 1 at the earliest, oncefurther talks with the unions have taken place.

A meeting between the unions and BBC management, scheduled for today December 12, has been cancelled, and is likely to be reconvened in January.

Prior to the cancellation, unions were expecting to hear the BBC's response to a catalogue of criticisms levelled against the new expenses policy.

Among the many changes which have been attacked by BBC staff are the abolition of lunch allowances, restrictions on evening meal claims, and the replacement of fixed-rate allowances by a capped-actuality system in all departments.

No reason was given by the BBC for the one-month stay of execution, but the decision has averted the chance of an industrial action ballot among BECTU members before Christmas.

The union now expects to receive the BBC's final views on the new expenses policy within a few weeks, after which a decision will be made about the industrial action ballot.

BECTU is still committed to achieving an acceptable agreement on expenses, and plans an industrial action ballot if this cannot be achieved.