Thousands of top-earning public sector workers, including judges, GPs and senior civil servants, are to have their pay frozen in 2010/11.

The Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) has backed a freeze as recommended by Chancellor Alastair Darling.

The SSRB suggested a rise of 2.25% for NHS managers, but that was rejected by the government. Senior military ranks will have their pay scale restructured.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the moves would save £3 billion by 2013/14.

The SSRB is independent of the government, but its recommendations are not binding and ministers will have the final say.

In a speech on Wednesday, the prime minister said: "Part of our tough approach to spending will be our tough approach to pay in the public sector.

"So today I can say that after the reports of the review bodies we will also freeze the salaries of senior staff in the civil service, senior staff in the military, the judiciary, senior managers in the health service and the pay of consultants, GPs and dentists."

Devolution-sensitive

Last October, during the Labour conference, Mr Darling recommended a pay freeze for 40,000 senior public servants in 2010/11.

"Against the backdrop of the challenges facing all sectors of the economy it is right that senior staff should show leadership in pay restraint"

Cabinet Office spokesman

He also said about 700,000 middle-ranking public servants, including doctors, dentists and prison officers, would get rises capped at 1%.

The announcement did not affect teachers, nurses and police officers, and would override the final year of a three-year pay deal previously agreed for senior public sector workers.

Mr Darling also signalled that generous public sector bonus packages might also have to be reduced.

The freeze is understood to be devolution-sensitive, meaning it applies to GPs, dentists, consultants and NHS managers in England and Wales, but not to someone working in the Scottish health department.

But some civil servants such as HM Revenue and Customs workers in Scotland will be subject to the pay restriction.

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: "Given the economic challenges we face, civil servants have important roles to play in ensuring there is financial stability and excellent public services.

"While the contribution of the Civil Service is highly valued, against the backdrop of the challenges facing all sectors of the economy it is right that senior staff should show leadership in pay restraint."

Wider freeze

Despite backing the call for a freeze, the SSRB said that cutting pay would make it harder in the long term for the public sector "to fill senior posts with people of sufficient quality".

"Our concern is that in recent years our remit groups are increasingly gaining the impression that the government takes their loyalty and goodwill for granted," it added.

The Conservatives have announced plans for an even more wide-ranging public sector pay freeze in 2011 if they win the general election.

It would affect all workers except the frontline military and anyone earning less than £18,000 a year.

The Liberal Democrats too, have said they want to see the overall public sector pay bill frozen and bonuses stopped.

Last week, MPs were awarded a pay rise of 1.5%.

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