RBS notified the stock market of the share awards on Tuesday just 10 minutes after rival bailed-out bank Lloyds Banking Group confirmed the scale of payouts to its management team.
But the scale of payouts, even in cases where they might be available, is paltry compared with the cost to a British citizen of rebuilding his or her life back here at home.
The chancellor estimated that the 50% tax on bonuses of more than £25,000 would yield £550m, but the scale of payouts by big firms is now leading government sources to suggest that the actual figure could be far higher.
Hester refused to be drawn on the scale of the payout likely to go to the head of the investment bank, John Hourican, saying it would be "invidious" to discuss the matter.
Trinity Mirror, which has seen its share price fall 7.1p or 3.9% since the ruling was published, said that it is considering appealing against the scale of the payouts.
The court of appeal judgment is a major blow to Trinity Mirror, which immediately said it will now appeal to the supreme court, as the scale of the payouts are likely to set a precedent for future damages awards.
The scale of the payouts has been revealed after Cable referred three of Deloitte's most experienced administrators to the accountancy watchdog over their handling of the Comet case.
The precise scale of the payouts at the loss-making bank, 83% owned by the state through £45bn of taxpayer funds, will become clearer next week when the annual report is published.
The scale of the payouts to a dozen or so individuals at each of HSBC, Barclays and the bailed-out banks Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland is being revealed just as the banks prepare to hand out bonuses for 2014 – a year when many of them were hit by fines for misconduct.
Besides the resolution timing all other factors, including the timing of payout, are held constant across treatments.
