Strength in numbers

James Purnell, BBC Director of Strategy and Digital, was wheeled around tv and radio on Monday, to be grilled about unusual pay-offs to senior managers. With Matthew Amroliwala on the News Channel, Jeremy Paxman on Newsnight, and Ian Dale on LBC, he agreed the findings of the NAO were shocking, but lessons had been learned, rules had changed and "there would be no witch-hunt".

The MPs on the Public Accounts Committee will probably think differently next Wednesday afternoon. Lord Patten and Antony Fry, from the Trust, can probably deflect most arrows - they invited the NAO in on this issue, they only directly appoint the DG (and Patten has said his hands were tied over the Entwistle deal). The charge still lies that, having exhorted the Executive to cut the boss class ("more senior leaders than China" Lord Patten), they failed to read their cuttings and question more exit deals than those agreed with George and Mark Byford.

Lord Hall will cling to his move on Day 2 of his tenure, announcing a cap of £150k on future severance agreements.  But the "no witch-hunt" line stands oddly with his move to suspend a senior member of staff over the failed £100m Digital Media Initiative.

Pots of money for "restructuring" have been traditionally doled out to the control of divisional directors. But, in the end, compromise agreements, pension augmentation, and notice terms belong to the experts of BBC Human Resources. Expect Lucy Adams to face her most testing public appearance yet.