Conservative MPs Priti Patel and Charlie Elphicke have criticised the Charity Commission for offering a pay deal worth up to £125,000 plus benefits for its new chief executive.

Last week, the Charity Commission started advertising for a new chief executive, after Sam Younger decided he would not complete a second three-year term with the organisation.

The pay package offered is up to £125,000; less than Younger’s pay of £130,000 - £135,000.

However, speaking to The Telegraph today, Elphicke and Patel criticised the pay deal.

Patel has already been strongly critical of high pay levels in the charity sector. Although the Charity Commission is a public body, she said: “Charities should be exercising pay restraint and the Charity Commission should be leading by example.”

While, Elphicke told The Telegraph: “It is welcome to see the Charity Commission providing leadership on pay. However ordinary people might struggle to understand why anyone is paid more than six figures in the charity world. This need to be explained.”

Patel and Elphicke will challenge a panel of charity sector representatives on charity executive salaries in December, with the Public Administration Select Committee, on which both sit, taking oral and written evidence on charity salaries.

An oral evidence session on the issue is planned for 17 December. Civilsociety.co.uk understands that Sir Stephen Bubb, chief executive of Acevo; Caron Bradshaw, chief executive of CFG and Martyn Lewis, chair of NCVO will give evidence.

Lewis is also chairing a NCVO-led panel which will draw up guidance on how trustees should decide senior staff remuneration.

A spokesman for the Charity Commission said: "The board considered the appropriate salary range and commissioned an independent market assessment before agreeing the indicative salary range.

"The salary offered is at the lower end of the market rate for comparable roles in the public sector and in other regulators.

"This is less than the current incumbent’s salary."