In theory the shake-up of the NHS will cost over £1bn upfront but save more than £1bn annually thereafter, according go the coalition. But there are many inside and outside the health service who fear for the consequences of such a major management revolution, as I wrote a few days ago.

Sir Nick Macpherson, permanent secretary at the Treasury, appeared to issue a coded warning over the reforms when he addressed the public accounts committee on Wednesday afternoon. Read more

Bonuses are a highly controversial issue right now but Sir Gus O’Donnell, head of the UK civil service, has no qualms in calling for top civil servants to be paid more – and to get higher one-off payments.

The mandarin told the public accounts committee today that departments were losing some of their best staff because of the competition from the private sector. Read more

You’ve already read the quote from the numerical filibustering Labour peer.

Today here is another quote, this time from Lady Ford, citing a famous historical cannibal, Sawney Bean (pictured). Her words were at 7.30am yesterday after an all-night session in the chamber. And Labour is still claiming that its peers aren’t deliberately time-wasting? Read more