The government may well be committed to trying to reduce the red tape burden, but TS reckons at least one area of business regulation is still on the increase: investigations.

Take the situation at poor old Rover. We’ve already had the FRC rooting around in their accounts. Then the DTI said it was launching its own investigation into how the car manufacturer ended up in such a sorry state.

Now we hear that the National Audit Office is to investigate (wait for it) the DTI’s role in the failed attempt to bail the company out. TS can’t wait to see who starts an inquiry into the NAO’s inquiry. Perhaps former Rover directors could have a go.