Large salaries could 'bring the charitable world into disrepute'

Large salaries paid to charity staff could "bring the charitable world into disrepute", Charity Commission chairman William Shawcross has warned.

Mr Shawcross said organisations must ask if pay levels are "really appropriate".

The Daily Telegraph reported 30 staff at 14 leading UK foreign aid charities were paid £100,000 or more last year.

The charities make up the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), which said charities must find "a balance" between low costs and "robust management".

Mr Shawcross said the commission could not tell charities how much they should pay their executives, but urged them to be cautious.

According to the Telegraph, British Red Cross chief executive Sir Nick Young was paid £184,000 last year, two Save the Children executives received more than £160,000 each and Christian Aid chief executive Loretta Minghella was paid £126,072.

The number of staff being paid more than £100,000 at the 14 charities it focused on had risen from 19 since 2010, the newspaper added.