Disbursements

I come a little late to the scavenging over the latest round of BBC expenses, so have had to try harder.

I still wonder whether Preston is the right base for Ian Haythornthwaite, doubling as Peter Salmon's finance boss in Salford, and head of sport rights (in succession to Dominic Coles). £4,693.63 on UK rail, buses, trams, car parking and hotels in the quarter. One £983 flight to New Orleans, via JFK - meals at the Corner Oyster House, the Camelia Grill and The Market Cafe. Then back via Newark, with "dinner" (£9.23) at MacDonalds. Mr Coles hasn't trained him well  - surely there's one in Preston ?

Zarin Patel, still thought to be working her notice as redundant CFO, kept up the search for ideas and contacts over the quarter. No less than four of her external entertainment claims came in at £100 on the nose. My receipts never seem to do that, but I'm sure it's all been audited by KPMG. .

And chums of Steve Mitchell, former Number 2 in news, who retired in March none too happy with the obsessive interest of Nick Pollard in controlling news through lists, will note he managed to have a reasonably comfy seat on a last trip to the Washington bureau in February, at £3684.76.