THE hospital trust at the centre of the C-diff killer bug scandal says it cannot reveal details of any pay-off that was made to the former chief executive Rose Gibb.

The Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust says it is withholding details of any severance payout to Ms Gibb because it signed a confidentiality agreement that would be breached if it released the information. That could result in the trust being sued.

It also said that it would be in breach of the Data Protection Act if it released the information.

There has been speculation that the trust gave a six-figure "golden goodbye" to Ms Gibb, who was paid a salary of £150,000, although any settlement is in limbo after health secretary Alan Johnson stepped in to prevent the trust from giving her the money.

The Kent Messenger Group was among those who had sought details of the payout under the Freedom of Information Act.

The trust said it had taken legal advice over its ruling but did confirm that it expected details to be published in its annual report and accounts next year.

The Department of Health said it was still awaiting its own legal advice about whether it could force the trust to withhold any pay-off.