The Children's Off Topic Thread

[Mervyn and Trish]

But he does look a bit like Bruce Forsyth!!

Which bit? Is it my dancing feet?

[qbman1]

No, your appendix

[towny44]

But he does look a bit like Bruce Forsyth!!

Which bit? Is it my dancing feet?

Nice to see them, to see them, nice.

[qbman1]

Let's have a look at the old floorboard.....

[Stephen]

lower lower

[qbman1]

Didn't he do well

[qbman1]

Afraid Merv's looking rather better than Brucie - just heard the old chap's passed on

[Stephen]

A little respect is in order please as news has just been announced that the great man has passed away.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-40978576

[qbman1]

Didn't I say that ?

[Stephen]

Yes .

[Mervyn and Trish]

Just to clarify, re the great man passing, it was Brucie, not me.

[Stephen]

Thanks for clearing that up O'Grate one

[towny44]

I read in this morning D. Wail that the BBC pension fund is in distress and it will need to soak up 10% of the license fee just to keep it's head above water. Hope you're not too reliant on it Merv?

[qbman1]

The BBC pension fund is generally referred to in Broadcasting House as "Merv's Millions"

[Mervyn and Trish]

I can tell you from the latest actuarial report supplied to BBC pensioners Towny that the Wail, as usual where the BBC is concerned, is talking b@@locks! And like all employers the BBC pays into its employees' pension fund.

[Stephen]

I think that means Merv's Mills are safe Towny

[Manoverboard]

How do BBC pensions work for those staff who appear on BBC TV but are not deemed employees for UK taxation purposes, ie are self employed types who pay corporation rather than income tax ... do they get / not get a BBC pension in such instances ?

[towny44]

I can tell you from the latest actuarial report supplied to BBC pensioners Towny that the Wail, as usual where the BBC is concerned, is talking b@@locks! And like all employers the BBC pays into its employees' pension fund.

Is that a categorical no Merv that the pension fund will never require subsidising with 10% of the companies revenues?

[Mervyn and Trish]

BBC staff get BBC pensions. For which they pay contributions. And they earn very ordinary salaries.

Freelances/self employed, as in any industry, are responsible for their own tax and pension arrangements.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I can tell you from the latest actuarial report supplied to BBC pensioners Towny that the Wail, as usual where the BBC is concerned, is talking b@@locks! And like all employers the BBC pays into its employees' pension fund.

Is that a categorical no Merv that the pension fund will never require subsidising with 10% of the companies revenues?

If I could foretell the future Towny I'd buy a lottery ticket!

But what I can tell you categorically is that the BBC pension scheme, like all others, has had deficits in recent years, caused by the financial crash and that lovely Mr Brown pillaging schemes to prop up government spending. But over the last three years the deficit has decreased.

"Subsidising" is an interesting use of words. Did you have a company pension? And if so did your employer contribute to it? Because all reputable companies do so. So contribute is a word I'd use rather than subsidise.

And since the BBC's biggest cost is staff salaries, it's not surprising that associated costs, such as national insurance, pension contributions, etc form a significant part of its expenditure. But I repeat, the figures I've got from the actuary do not represent 10% of the licence fee.

[qbman1]

Calm down, calm down !

[Jan Rosser]

Calm down, calm down !

Now now Cubie stop stirring - pensions can be a very touchy subject

[qbman1]

But not for the very wealthy - eh, Blod ?!

[towny44]

Merv, my company also subsidises the pension fund, but it's the shareholders who pay for that not TV license payers.

[qbman1]

I'm happy to chip in 10% of my license fee to fund Merv's lavish lifestyle