James Bond too badly paid to thrill

Sir John Sawers, the head of the British intelligence agency MI6, has said that poor pay and less recognition is “putting off” new recruits in the agency and now they are unwilling to risk their lives for the country.

Sir John Sawers, the head of the British intelligence agency MI6, has said that poor pay and less recognition is “putting off” new recruits in the agency and now they are unwilling to risk their lives for the country.

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“People are less likely to go the extra mile and do the more dangerous thing or take that added level of risk if they feel they are not recognised for it and their rewards are somehow inadequate. Now, this is a growing problem,” Sir John told the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC).

According to The Telegraph, Sawers said that existing officers are also increasingly less willing to “go that extra mile” because they are not sufficiently rewarded for their performance.

He warned MPs that the staff feels they are not being properly recognized for the “challenges and responsibilities” they face.

The comments are a far cry from the film image of spies, which see the likes of James Bond enjoying fast cars, exclusive hotels and the latest gadgets.

New recruits in the intelligence services tend to start at a salary of around 25,000 pounds a year, and after ten years, they may be earning around 43,000 pounds.

Sir John said: “We may have to do something which recognises that the staff of the intelligence agencies, a bit like the police or the armed forces, do something that’s unique and those unique qualities should be recognised.”

Malcolm Rifkind, the chairman of the ISC, said, “The government needs to have more flexibility in its civil service pay policy.”