Life's a beach

Yesterday's revelations about Departmental expenses, including tales of Rada acting lessons and a visit to a chocolate factory, must be music to the ears of those who like to villify the public sector. But I say take these stories with a barrelful of salt.

My former Department fell foul of similar exposure when it published details of annual expenditure. Elements of the media pounced on accounts of chauffeur-driven cars and a trip to Blackpool Pleasure beach with suitably outraged indignation.

The resulting coverage read like civil servants had been having one long jolly at taxpayers' expense. The reality - which never got published - was that most of these jaunts were organised at the behest of Ministers. The chauffer-driven cars were booked not for staff but for Ministers on their travels. And the pleasure beach, which the media enjoyed so much, was used solely for its conference facilities.

Talking of beaches, we've just been up to Northumbria for a couple of days. The coastline is spectacular; miles and miles of golden sands dotted with castles, built to keep out the Scots and the Scandinavians. Weather was a bit grey but hey, it's November..