The Royal Household has given some of its top earners a "heck of an increase" while many staff had their pay frozen last year, according to an MP.

Margaret Hodge, chairwoman of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, made the remarks yesterday as she grilled the Keeper of the Privy Purse about how staff on £21,000 received a pay freeze in 2012-13, while three of the five members of the Lord Chamberlain's committee were given extra.

Sir Alan Reid was asked by Ms Hodge: "Was it really sensible for three out of the five members of the Lord Chamberlain's committee, all earning over £100,000, to give themselves extra money when they were expecting staff on £21,000 not to have extra money."

Ms Hodge added: "It strikes me as being not a very good message for a public organisation to freeze the wages of its staff, from a very low level - from £21,000 - and then to see the top management award themselves (a rise)... I have no doubt you can justify them but... Seems to me not a very good message at a time of constraints."

Sir Alan stressed that his pay of £180,000 was frozen during the past financial year, as was the salary of the Queen's private secretary Sir Christopher Geidt, who earns £146,000 a year.

Mike Stevens, the Queen's deputy treasurer, told the MPs that Lieutenant Colonel Sir Andrew Ford, known as the Comptroller and head of the Lord Chamberlain's office, which organises ceremonial events such as investitures and garden parties, saw his salary increase last year by £7000 to £116,000 because he took on the extra responsibility of royal travel.