Minister has p's and q's watched

Apparently, Alan Johnson, the former Higher Education Minister who landed the job of Work and Pensions Secretary in the recent reshuffle, looks back fondly on his days at the Department for Education and Skills because he "was allowed to go out on his own more". It seems that officials, presumably terrified of any diplomatic faux pas in this sensitive area, are reluctant to allow Mr Johnson even to relieve himself unaccompanied.