Still counting

The Public Accounts Committee seems to be as much a fan of the BBC as the Mail and Telegraph. Barking's Margaret Hodge stands shoulder-to-shoulder with eight Conservatives and one Libdem in kicking Auntie for the way it pays people who are not, formally, members of staff, in their latest report.

The BBC, in the form of Zarin Patel and David Smith, appeared in front of the PAC in July, and promised a detailed review and further information. It seems, so far, the BBC has only managed the further information - more damning than the original submissions - and the review promised is incomplete, to some grumpiness inside and outside. So we learn that BBC "talent pay" stands at £203m for 2011/2, down under 5%  from close to £213m in the previous year; that 91 people regarded as "on-air" talent are paid more than £150k; that, off-air,  an IT Contractor, a Producer and a Project Manager each earned more than £150k; and that, again, off-air, more than 300 people are paid through service companies.

HR Director Lucy Adams made an uncomfortable appearance on Newsnight last night - was she unlucky to face the pious economics expert Paul Mason, in a room that looked more suitable for holding hostages than interviews ? My mum would have told her to stop starting answers with "So..", and brush the hair out of her eyes. Try from 16 minutes in...