JOHNSTON Press chief executive Ashley Highfield has received a pay package of £1.65 million.

The newspaper publisher's annual report shows his basic salary was £404,000 while he also received an annual bonus of £483,000 and long-term incentive rewards to the value of £645,000.

On top of that there was pension payments worth £106,000 and other benefits of £11,000.

Part of Mr Highfield's annual bonus related to the renegotiation of the company's debt facilities.

The annual report notes that Mr Highfield's basic salary was increased to £408,000 in July last year. The company's remuneration committee decided to give him a further five per cent pay hike to £430,000 from January this year.

Johnston Press, which has cut hundreds of jobs in recent years, owns titles including The Scotsman and Yorkshire Post.