Facing both ways

The annual St David’s Day debate took place in the Commons today. It was a good-humoured affair, notable for the first appearance in the chamber by Peter Hain since stepping down as Secretary of State.

Peter made a remarkably thoughtful and dignified speech, in which he advanced the need to increase the size of the private sector in Wales. It was, in fact, almost a Conservative speech. I agreed with most of it and said as much when winding up for the opposition.

The debate was also memorable for a quintessentially have-your-cake-and-eat-it Lib Dem remark uttered by the MP for Brecon and Radnorshire, Roger Williams. Speaking of the Barnett formula (a matter which exercises Lib Dems in Wales more than any other), Roger said:

“I am all for making the present system work, but I am also all for changing it.”

You couldn’t make it up.

Déjà Vu All Over Again

Gordon Brown has recently adopted a strange practice when attempting to deal with David Cameron at PMQs. He replies, not to the question just asked, but to the previous one.

Today Cameron (who spoke entirely without notes) asked Brown (who was armed with his usual paginated, indexed and colour-coded lever arch file) a couple of questions about parliamentary pensions and allowances, to which the PM gave fairly non-committal replies.

Cameron then turned to the issue of Labour’s refusal to allow a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. Gordon clearly decided he wasn’t too keen on the question, so answered the earlier one about allowances again.

Cameron then challenged Brown to a televised debate at the next general election. Gordon answered the referendum question again. Cameron repeated the challenge. Brown repeated the referendum answer.

It was all very odd.

Nick Clegg, by the way, put in another feeble performance. He really must raise his game.

Gentleman Paul

A courteous, gentlemanly performance from Paul Murphy in his first outing at Welsh Questions.

He is a man who listens carefully to the question and then gives a measured and remarkably frank response. After the partisan abrasiveness of Peter Hain, this is a welcome change.

Synthetic Anger from a Dead Parrot

A ludicrous, posturing display by the Lib Dems today, when, led by their foreign affairs spokesman, Ed Davey, they walked out of the chamber over the Speaker’s refusal to allow a debate on their amendment to the motion on the Treaty of Lisbon, calling for a referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU.

The Lib Dems’ call for an "in-out" referendum is in truth nothing more than a smokescreen for their refusal to back Conservative demands for a referendum on the treaty itself. It is a spineless, cynical position rendered even more shameful by the ersatz outrage they displayed today. It was, as John Redwood put it, nothing more than synthetic anger.

I spoke to a Lib Dem MP shortly afterwards and suggested to him that the incident had done his party no good. He agreed with me.

“It was born out of desperation,” he said. “I swear I saw Ed Davey smiling as he left the chamber.”

Small wonder that people’s faith in politicians continues to wither.

Border Problems

Today I received a disturbing report from the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, highlighting worrying inequalities in access to neuromuscular medical services in Wales.

The position appears to be that, whilst South Wales is relatively well supplied with such medical services, the same is not the case in North and Mid Wales.

Most worryingly, a phenomenon similar to the Walton neurosurgery experience seems to have developed, with Welsh commissioners “unable to fund treatment at centres in England which border with Wales.”

A survey of Welsh local health boards (LHBs) found that 70 per cent of LHBs had neither an adult nor a child muscular clinic. Where services are provided, it is often unclear how specialised the service is, “and patients have to travel long distances within Wales and to London to receive this treatment.”

The report concludes:

“Action is urgently required regarding the paucity of clinics in Wales and the reluctance to commission specialist English services situated close to the Welsh border. The lack of contracts set up by Health Commission Wales with the level of specification sought after is of serious concern.”

It would consequently appear that, once again, the non-existent border with England is perceived as an insuperable obstacle to those who are responsible for funding the care of patients suffering from the most debilitating of conditions.

This is, quite simply, a scandal and is not what devolution was supposed to be about.

The Banana Split Show

Went to Anfield yesterday, my first visit of the season. One of the biggest downsides of life as an MP is that I am unable to watch Liverpool as often as I would like, so this was a treat to be savoured.

The visitors were Middlesbrough, who had had a good run of eight games without defeat.

Liverpool were still smarting from last week’s cup defeat to Barnsley, compensated for by the midweek victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League.

As it turned out, Liverpool put in a rather nervous performance, redeemed by a wonderful display from Fernando Torres, who scored a brilliant hat-trick, underlining his world-class credentials.

Middlesbrough were no pushover. They are a hard, tenacious and moderately talented side. Unfortunately, they were obliged to play in the worst away strip I have seen for a long time – white shirts and dirty yellow shorts made of a limp and saggy material. The friend who accompanied me remarked that it looked like a ‘20s retro strip that had run in the wash.

It is bad enough coming to Anfield as an away side, without appearing in front of the Kop looking like a giant banana split. Gareth Southgate should scrap this disgusting garb as a matter of priority.

Changing Perceptions

To Coleg Llandrillo this evening, to attend a dinner in honour of Bryn Williams, celebrity chef at Odette's, Primrose Hill, and an alumnus of the college.

Llandrillo has done a huge amount over the years to provide highly trained staff for the catering and hospitality industry. It is an important educational institution and I am extremely proud that it is based in my constituency.

The catering industry is now recognised as of vital importance to the economy of this country. For years, we British were slightly sniffy about it, which probably why we put up with standards of service that would have had a Swiss or Italian hotelier taken out and shot.

That perceptions have changed is due in no small part to the work of Llandrillo and other colleges like it. And the consequence is that we are now enjoying service of a quality long taken for granted by our friends on the continent.

Doesn't get it

The alternative reality inhabited by Gordon Brown became even more evident in today’s PMQs.

The Prime Minister was questioned by David Cameron over the failure of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to deal properly or at all with DNA data relating to 4,000 serious crimes which had been submitted to it by the Dutch police.

The data, in electronic form, was sent to the CPS in January, 2007, but examination of it did not begin until this month. So far, 15 matches have been found. 11 of those whose DNA has been matched are known to have committed offences in the UK.

Mr Brown told the House that the CPS had opened an inquiry, and went on to say:

"The inquiry will cover all the details of what happened. I must tell the right hon. Gentleman that it was possible for the Dutch to ask us to look at our DNA records only because we are keeping full DNA records. The Conservatives opposed that legislation."

Brown's assertion, delivered with his customary petulance, was, in fact, complete nonsense. It was Michael Howard, on his appointment as Home Secretary, who expanded the collection of DNA data as part of a package of measures to tackle rising crime. The Shadow Home Secretary at the time, one Tony Blair, dismissed them as “gimmicks”.

What Gordon apparently doesn’t understand is that it is not the keeping of DNA records that is the issue; it is the level of security with which it is kept and the legal principles that apply to its retention and storage. DNA data, in short, is material of the utmost sensitivity and should be treated accordingly.

In the present case, the data disc apparently lay on the desk of an official in the CPS for more than a year. The level of security applied to its handling was, effectively, zero. That should be a matter of deep concern to anyone, but most particularly to the British Prime Minister.

It would appear however, that the seriousness of the issue is lost on Gordon. He simply doesn’t get it.

That, too, is a matter of deep concern.

The Good Old Days

Late vote on the Northern Rock nationalisation Bill meant that we didn't enter the division lobby until after midnight.

One senior colleague turned to me, misty-eyed, and murmured: "It's just like Maastricht."

Dead Man Walking

Spent today in Cardiff, where I had a meeting with members of the Welsh Assembly’s Conservative group.

The weather was glorious as the train crossed the border; it seemed that spring had come early, and I felt quite chirpy as I walked up the steps of the Assembly building. Rather sinisterly, a BBC cameraman was filming outside the building, and panned to follow me as I entered. He obviously thought I was up to something.

Inside the Conservative office, a TV was showing the press conference from No. 10. Brown looked bad, but Darling was absolutely awful. He was muted and halting; George Osborne’s later description of him as a “dead man walking” was bang on.

I was on the train back to London when my BlackBerry told me that my presence was requested in the Chamber, to hear Darling’s statement on the Northern Rock’s nationalisation. I was more than a little unhappy I couldn’t be there.

The nationalisation of the Rock, with all its echoes of Labour’s disastrous government of the 1970s, is a huge blow for Gordon Brown. It gives the lie to the boasts of economic competence that he has repeated like a mantra, ad nauseam, for the last ten years. The country now has a liability of £100 billion and will be saddled with it for years to come. Some of it – quite possibly a lot of it - may be lost.

And all because Gordon Brown didn’t want the embarrassment of queues of depositors trying to get their money out appearing nightly on our TV screens when he was desperate to call a general election.

What a hopeless, incompetent, washed-up government this is.

A Naughtie Mistake

My friend Glyn Davies has speculated in his blog that Guto Harri, who is leaving the BBC to join the PR firm Fleishman-Hillard, must be a Conservative supporter, on the basis that he had also been tipped for the job now held by Andy Coulson.

I didn’t know Coulson was thinking of leaving CCHQ, but, in any event, I am not sure that one hundred per cent dedication to the political cause of the employer is a necessary prerequisite for a good PR man. In fact, a certain professional detachment is probably much more desirable.

The BBC has usually been pretty good at journalistic impartiality; Nick Robinson used to be a Young Conservative national chairman, but you’d never guess it. Andrew Marr was widely known to be a Labour supporter. But he has been known to give Labour ministers a good kicking more than once.

Jim Naughtie, however, did make a famous gaffe in an interview with Ed Balls prior to the 2005 general election, when he asked, “If we win the election, does Gordon Brown want to remain Chancellor?” before hastily correcting himself to: “If you win the election.”

Guto never did anything like that and, so far as I am concerned, I am entirely happy for his politics to remain a matter between him and the ballot box.

Good News for Plasma Buyers

Anyone who spends any time at all in a supermarket or a petrol station will view the latest published inflation rate of 2.2 per cent with a mixture of derision and disbelief.

Such scepticism is entirely understandable, because the cost of fuel and food – the essential components of most people’s weekly spend – is rising at a much greater rate. New figures from the Office of National Statistics show that fuel inflation is running at 19.3 per cent – the highest since records began in 1997. Meanwhile, inflation in the cost of food is running at 6.1 per cent, but at an alarming 15.4 per cent for such staple items as milk, cheese and eggs.

The low headline rate of 2.2 per cent is due to slashed January sale prices for clothing, shoes and luxury items, such as plasma TVs. Not, on the whole, everyday purchases.

Food price inflation is likely to climb still further over the coming months, as food producers pass on their own increasing costs to consumers.

The true rate of inflation for most average families is therefore considerably higher than the Government would care to admit. There will consequently be little scope for many more cuts in Bank of England base rate over the coming months.

All in all, a deeply troubling outlook for the British economy and worrying political prospects for the Government.

Rhos Point

The weather has been wonderful for the last few days; crisp and cold in the mornings, warm and sunny later, before turning chilly again an hour before sunset.

On my way home today, I decided to take a detour past Rhos Point.

It was a perfect evening, cold but calm, with hazy sunshine. The little harbour – in reality, no more than a breakwater – was thronged with fishing boats bobbing at anchor. People strolling on the promenade, enjoying themselves.

Just a few minutes in a busy day, in a busy week. But enough to remind me - if I needed reminding - what a fantastic place North Wales is.

Pub quiz material

Speaking of dragons, not many people know that the difference between a Welsh and a Chinese dragon is that those of the Chinese variety tend not to have wings.

Fabulous menagerie

Tonight, I’m speaking at a dinner to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

This is the year of the rat. I myself was born in the year of the dragon

I am told that this means that I may be noble, ambitious, dignified and magnanimous.

On the other hand, I may be ruthless, imperious, dogmatic and demanding.

My Chinese friends also tell me that an ideal career for a dragon is to be a politician. Whether that is because we tend to be noble or ruthless, dignified or demanding, I will let readers decide.

All that Jazz

Gcap Media, the UK’s biggest commercial radio operator, and owner of Classic FM, has decided to close its two digital-only stations, Planet Rock and theJazz. Its new chief executive, Fru Hazlitt, says that digital is not “an economically viable growth platform”, but other commentators suggest that the decision is in fact a defensive move in the face of takeover overtures from Global Radio.

Whatever the reason for the closures, I will be very sorry to see the demise of theJazz. One of my great pleasures in London was to spend an hour or so at the end of the day listening to smooth jazz broadcast in perfect, CD quality. Now theJazz has gone the way of Jazz FM, and the UK has no dedicated jazz radio station.

Things are very different in the US, where most major cities have at least one jazz station. One of my most cherished memories is of driving over the Golden Gate bridge from San Francisco to Sausalito one Sunday afternoon in the mid 1990s. It was, I later discovered, the hottest day ever recorded in the city.

The temperature was cooled a little by the excellent jazz broadcast on one of the local university radio stations. The presenter seemed unusually erudite. It was only when he signed off at the end of his two-hour stint that I learned his identity.

His name was David Sanborn.

Poisoned Chalice

Yet another very serious security lapse, this time in the House of Commons itself. A Brazilian illegal immigrant, who had absconded from Heathrow airport over three years ago, was found to be working as a cleaner in the House, using a security pass belonging to another person. Even worse, the breach, which was apparently detected and reported to the immigration minister, Liam Byrne, as long ago as 31 January, was confirmed only last night, when the Home Office was contacted by the Daily Telegraph, which had received leaked reports of the incident.

Coming so soon after last year’s scandal, when 11,000 illegal immigrants were found to be working in the security industry, this episode is bound to put further pressure on the hapless Jacqui Smith, the latest in a long line of cabinet ministers to regret drinking from the poisoned chalice that is the Home Office.

It is also very likely to provoke accustions of a cover-up. Indeed, it is noteworthy that the memo sent to Liam Byrne on 31 January describes the level of controversy as "high" and advises a "reactive" approach to the media, "given recent coverage of security guards employed illegally at Government offices".

A proactive approach, i.e. making a clean breast of the cock-up, would, I suppose, be too much to hope for.

Parliament is full of overseas cleaners; no doubt the Home Office, now the gaff has been blown, will be conducting an urgent audit to confirm their credentials.

Hard Times

The Archbishop of Canterbury is said to be “completely overwhelmed” by the hostility of the response to his remarks supporting the adoption of Sharia law and to be in a “state of shock” at the barrage of criticism.

Dr Williams’s emotional equilibrium will not have been improved by this morning’s Times leader. It is a coruscating, devastatingly honest, gimlet of a piece, showing that, when needed, the Thunderer can still thunder.

If I were Dr Williams, who I have no doubt is a serious, sincere and deeply spiritual man, I would be spending this weekend in deepest contemplation about my future.

Back on the rails

Yesterday, Sara and I attended a small ceremony at St Cynbryd’s church, Llanddulas, to mark the re-erection of the churchyard railings.

The old railings were taken down during the war, ostensibly – like the railings of Buckingham Palace and many other public buildings up and down the country – to be melted down for munitions manufacture. In fact, much of the metal removed was never used, and it has been suggested that large quantities were dumped at sea.

In any event, it has taken some 65 years for the Llanddulas railings to be replaced, so a small celebration – complete with tea and scones – was entirely justified.

Word Perfect

Visited Ysgol Llandrillo yn Rhos today, to learn more about synthetic phonics. This is the literacy education system that, put at its simplest, teaches children to recognise sounds and put them together to make words.

The version of synthetic phonics used at the school is Read Write Inc., a system developed by Ruth Miskin, former head teacher at Kobi Nazrul school, Tower Hamlets.

The lesson, which lasted one hour, was lively, the children clearly enjoying themselves. Although only five years old, they were astonishingly advanced – a testament both to the reading system and to the excellence of their teacher, Mrs Nye.

Educationalists are, I understand, increasingly turning to synthetic phonics as the preferred method of teaching literacy. The children read and write for an hour a day, grouped according to their reading level. They work with a partner, to practice what they have been taught. This means that all children participate fully during the whole lesson; there is no “down time”.

In many respects, the system is similar to the one by which I and many other people of my age were taught to read. Things changed in the mid 1960s, with a system that was essentially based on word recognition taking over. That synthetic phonics is now once again finding favour is proof of the old adage that there’s nothing new under the sun.

Decisions, decisions

Gordon Brown has apparently taken the personal decision to ban the controversial Egyptian cleric, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, from entering the UK.

Al-Qaradawi had applied for a visa to enter the country for medical treatment, but, according to the Evening Standard, the Prime Minister acted to block it.

On 30 January, David Cameron raised the case of al-Qaradawi at PMQs, asking Brown why the Government had not taken the decision to ban him. Cameron told the House something of al-Qaradawi’s background:

Mr. Cameron: This is not about expelling someone. This guy wants to come to our country, and we do not think that he should be allowed in. He was banned by a former Conservative Home Secretary, so why will the Government not ban him? Let me explain what this man, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, believes. He thinks that gay people should be executed, and encourages people to turn their bodies into bombs. Why can the Prime Minister not tell us his decision now? Does he think that Yusuf al-Qaradawi should be allowed in or not? A simple one—yes or no?

Brown’s response was curious:

The Prime Minister: In 2006, a decision was made not to exclude al-Qaradawi. We are looking at that again. He has applied to come into this country, and a decision will be made in due course. I have to say that it has to go through the proper judicial processes, but he has not been allowed into this country at this stage.

It is pretty clear from his answer that the Prime Minister did not understand the processes that applied to the application. He thought that it was a judicial issue, whereas it was in fact a matter for executive decision.

It is also fairly obvious that, stung by Cameron’s accusation that “this Prime Minister cannot answer a question and cannot make a decision”, the PM hot-footed it round to the Home Office and made sure that the visa was refused.

Unfortunately, having made the decision to ban al-Qaradawi, he is now accused by the Muslim Council of Britain of caving in to "unreasonable demands spearheaded by the Tory leader".

Only partly right. The demands were far from unreasonable, but cave in he certainly did.

Turbulent Priest

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, tells us that the adoption of Islamic Sharia law in the UK, at least in part, is now an inevitability.

He says that the UK has to face up to the fact that some of its citizens “do not relate to the British legal system” and that adopting parts of Sharia law would “help maintain social cohesion”.

I am not certain whether Dr Williams’s statement was made deliberately with a view to provoking outraged comment, but I am sure he will receive it by the bucketload.

For my own part, I would say, as gently as possible, that it seems to me that any individual who seeks to enjoy the liberties and privileges that come with residence in this country should expect to observe our laws. If he doesn’t like our legal system, then he enjoys, equally, a perfect liberty to leave and take up residence somewhere he may find more congenial.

Labour Lotto

Later today, my colleague Jeremy Hunt, Shadow Culture Secretary, will announce plans to depoliticise the National Lottery, freeing up an extra £180 million per annum for good causes.

In common with many other MPs, I find increasingly that strong bids for lottery support are being rejected. Under Labour, lottery money is routinely applied for purposes that should be the subject of general taxation, such as health, education and, notoriously, the London Olympics. A total of £3.8 billion has been used this way since Labour came to power in 1997.

Just as shameful is the way that lottery monies have been diverted to projects in Labour-held constituencies. The Telegraph reports that constituencies represented by Labour MPs have received an average of £852,063 in lottery grants since 1997, compared to £342,989 for those with Conservative members. The spirit of Tammany Hall lives on.

Hunt proposes, among other things, that the Lottery become accountable to Parliament, with appointments to Lottery distribution boards made subject to approval by select committees.

The proposed reforms are long overdue and will be welcomed by voluntary groups throughout the country. I have no doubt that they will be opposed by Labour, but it will be fascinating to see the grounds of opposition.

Mr Angry

Another drubbing for Gordon Brown at PMQs. He is looking increasingly shaky at the weekly Parliamentary set piece and the shakiness translates to what appears to be real anger. Conservative back benchers have picked up on this and the calls of “Mr Angry!” simply make Gordon’s bad temper worse.

Gordon’s humour will not have been improved by GQ magazine’s list of the 100 most influential men in Britain. Last year the Prime Minister – one Tony Blair – topped the list. This year, Gordon is only second.

Worse still for Gordon is the identity of the list's top man: David Cameron.

GQ writes that "Cameron has stayed on the front foot" since promising to slash inheritance tax and stamp duty.

It continues:

"It is Brown's responses to the Tories' initiatives that are the real driving force behind current Government policy-making."

How dreadful for Gordon: second fiddle to Cameron and reduced to following the Tories’ lead.

Expect more tantrums from Mr Angry.

Shivers

According to the Telegraph, Sir Ronnie Flanagan’s review of policing will call for a big reduction in red tape, including the scrapping of the notorious “stop and account” form, a copy of which David Cameron produced at last week’s PMQs.

So far, so good. The Conservatives have been pressing the government to get rid of this bureaucratic burden for several years.

However, the Telegraph also tells us that the form will be replaced by a hand-held computer that will send details of the interview directly to the police data bank.

Why is it that any use of the word “data” in an article that also includes the words “Home Office” sends shivers down my spine?

Plaid Cymru Splits

Talking of splits, which Plaid Cymru MP has signed a Commons Early Day Motion supporting a line contrary to his party’s in Cardiff?

No prizes for the right answer, just a feeling of smug satisfaction.

Tory Splits

The Planning Bill committee held its last session yesterday. Sixteen sessions in all, lasting a total of something like 100 hours. It has, for the last month, dominated my life, some of which I now hope to reclaim.

As it turned out, yesterday was dominated by matters Welsh. The Government had, disgracefully late, tabled a clause giving additional legislative powers to the Welsh Assembly in relation to development plans. Three additional “Matters” were to be added to the devolved competence provisions of the Government of Wales Act.

I tabled amendments to delete two of the Matters. The powers would enable WAG to intervene to an unacceptable extent in the preparation and content of local development plans. This, I told the committee, would undermine local democracy. It wasn’t devolution; it was an attempted power grab by WAG at the expense of local councils.

My stance outraged both Elfyn Llwyd, leader of Plaid Cymru, and Alun Michael, who, readers may recall, was once, in the Pleistocene era, First Secretary of the Welsh Assembly. “Tory splits!” they cried. “Why are you opposing in Parliament a measure that is supported by Conservatives in Cardiff?”

Tory splits nothing. I informed them that Conservatives at Westminster, Cardiff and local government levels were united in their opposition to the sneaky manoeuvre. (I had in fact discussed the issue with the Conservative spokesman in the Assembly shortly before the committee sat.)

Both seemed disappointed, and Alun Michael returned to his scribbling pad at the back of the committee room.

Healthansafety Corner

Today is Shrove Tuesday and should have been Pancake Race Day in Ripon.

However, this year’s traditional celebrations in the cathedral city have fallen flat because of “the amount of work needed to carry out risk assessments”.

The Dean of Ripon, the Very Rev Keith Jukes, told the Daily Telegraph:

"We have looked at this and there are a number of reasons why it won't take place and a big reason this year is, sadly, health and safety.

"Any organisation that runs an event has to go through risk assessments. The insurance companies demand it and in the end you have to work out whether it's a risk you take.”

My colleague, David Curry, MP for Skipton and Ripon, was so affronted by this latest triumph for the healthansafety industry that he raised it en passant at this morning’s session of the Planning Bill committee. I’m glad to say that there were murmurs of sympathy from both sides of the committee and the chairman, Barnsley’s Eric Illsley, muttered darkly that the Denby Dale pie would be next.

Chill Winds

Every week, the House of Commons library circulates its “Weekly Economic Update”.

This week’s edition makes very grim reading. It reports the following movements in GfK NOP’s Consumer Confidence Barometer:

The overall index fell by two points in November to stand at -14, the lowest since December 1995.

All five measures on the index showed a decrease in December. All except the expectations of future personal finances were lower than December 2006.

The outlook for major purchases (-14) is at its lowest since June 1991.

The index for the general economic situation over the next 12 months fell by five points to -26.

The Barometer measures a range of consumer attitudes, including forward expectations of the general economic situation and households’ financial positions, and views on making major household purchases.

I know nobody wants to use the r-word; but the Barometer now seems to be signalling recessionary sentiment.

I fear that 2008 will be a very tough year.

Freud's Analysis

Yesterday, I had a useful meeting with an official of the Department for Work and Pensions to discuss Pathways to Work, the DWP’s new programme for reducing the huge number of incapacity benefit (IB) claimants, of whom there are more than 2.6 million.

I was consequently very interested to read this article in this morning’s Daily Telegraph, which underlines the scale of the problem. The article relates that David Freud, the City adviser retained to review the welfare system, estimates that up to two-thirds of those claiming benefit are in fact capable of work and should therefore not be drawing IB at all.

(The IB claimant rate is, incidentally, massively higher in Wales than in the country as a whole. The proportion of the working age population claiming IB in Wales is 11.3%, compared with 7.3% nationally.)

Reform of the welfare system is long overdue. As Freud graphically puts it:

"The system we have at the moment sends 2.64 million people into a form of economic house arrest and encourages them to stay at home and watch daytime TV. We're doing nothing for these people."

One of the keys to the problem is that GPs are presently responsible for signing their own patients off work and are frequently reluctant to refuse to do so for fear of legal action. This is a ludicrous state of affairs. As Freud puts it, it is a classic case of conflict of interest. IB claimants should be assessed by independent medical practitioners and the current practice should be scrapped.

The Conservative party has recently announced proposals for independent medical assessments of IB claimants, and it is to be hoped that the new Work and Pensions secretary, James Purnell, will follow suit.

My big fear, however, is that back bench Labour MPs will find Freud’s remedies too hard to swallow and will put pressure on Purnell to water them down. That would be disastrous. Quite apart from the unsustainable cost of the present system to the public purse, the corrosive social consequences of large-scale subsidised worklessness are enormous and are growing. Doing nothing is not an option.

As my friend from the DWP told me yesterday, most people, notwithstanding their medical condition, are capable of doing work of some sort. At present, the IB system (with the exception of the nascent Pathways to Work) consigns them to total, sometimes lifelong, benefit dependency if they have a partial incapacity, without attempting to establish what they can do. They are thrown upon what must be a very demoralising scrapheap.

Freud appears to have radical ideas to help address the problem. They deserve to be paid careful attention and given a fair hearing.

Miles Kington

Miles Kington has died, at the relatively young age of 66.

Kington, like me, was brought up in the Wrexham area. During my teenage years, I was an avid reader of Punch, which, under the editorial direction of Bernard Hollowood, was far and away the funniest periodical on the news-stands. Kington and Alan Coren, who also died recently, were its funniest writers.

Kington’s humour was essentially British; his Franglais series in Punch made gentle fun of the Ted Heath school of strangulated linguistics and his Moreover column in the Times was always a delight.

I am very saddened at his death.