Ministers at the DCLG may be ruminating over the adage ‘if you sow a wind, you may reap a whirlwind', although in this case, it is more a case of sowing biscuit crumbs.

If you recall at the back end of last year, the DCLG issued advice called '50 ways to save'. This included such advice as Number 39: 'Stop serving food and drink at meetings', based on the fact that the DCLG staff managed to get through almost half-a-million quid on refreshments in 2009/10 (How? Have you ever tasted their reception wine?).