Dashwood: Will Tesco's suspended exec John Scouler dazzle on the dancefloor?

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Is it a sign of the resurgent economy that the Treasury’s air travel budget is also sky-high?

According to Exchequer officials’ latest expenses claim, George Osborne’s aides spent more than £31,000 on flights in May this year, giving a boost to the bottom lines of carriers including British Airways, Iberia, Air India and Cathay Pacific.

The globetrotting department also budgeted for £3,387.66 on stationery, £3.450.60 on newspapers and – no doubt in the spirit of learning on the job – almost £28,000 on training courses.

The Government’s monthly expenses audit, which covers all spending over £500, was introduced in 2010 as part of the Coalition’s commitment to “transparency”.

But Dashwood smells a rat. The Treasury’s debt collection agency, the Debt Management Office (DMO), itemised a £631.23 payment to Rentokil for “pest control”.

Eek! No wonder the DMO is an arm’s-length body.

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Underwear queen Michelle Mone is known for her dynamic corsetry but, sadly, her financial figures are less uplifting.

Newly published accounts for MJM International, the company behind the Ultimo bra brand, show that shareholder funds plunged from £493,382 in February 2013, to a £287,168 deficit at the end of December – despite Mone pumping in a £40,915 loan.

The company is also facing “unknown” costs in relation to a constructive dismissal case involving Mone’s former accountant, Hugh McGinley, who is suing MJM for £20,000 after claiming he was forced out of his job due to stress.

But Mone isn’t too deflated. MJM International has subsequently been swallowed up by her new firm Ultimo Brands International, which an aide says is “on target to return to profitability next year”.

Onwards and upwards.

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harriet.dennys@telegraph.co.uk

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