The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

IN THE FILM 'Deep Blue Sea' a well-meaning scientist enhances the brainpower of sharks in an attempt to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease. One presumes that this came under the heading of 'it seemed like a good idea at the time' but of course if the blindingly obvious downside had been foreseen there would then have been no basis for the film. Needless to say for those who did not waste a couple of hours of their life watching it there is a lot of chasing snapping of teeth and (for the lucky ones) close shaves. Perhaps this is how the Treasury Ministers occasionally feel as they steer the 'good ideas' of the Finance Bill through the choppy waters of Standing Committee F.

Subcontractors

The Fifth Sitting on 21 May started with a subject dear to...