BBC U-turn over allowing unlimited access to accounts

The BBC is to cave in to pressure from ministers by giving the Government total access to most of its accounts.

In a deal due to be outlined today, the National Audit Office will be given free rein to scrutinise the salaries of some of the corporation's top stars.

It marks a victory for Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who threatened to introduce laws to force BBC bosses to co-operate if they failed to reach a deal.

However, ministers have agreed that the NAO will report the findings of its investigations to the BBC Trust rather than directly to MPs. At the moment the NAO carries out two or three investigations a year into the BBC's value for money but only with permission from the trust.

Mr Hunt said it was "part of the transparency agenda which is a key element" of Government policy.