No matter how hard you might try, or indeed wish to, to cheer the announcement yesterday that the Government is to change disciplinary procedures to make it easier to sack underperforming civil servants, it requires a considerable leap of faith to believe that change is imminent.

Are the sounds we heard on Monday and Tuesday those of people who have finally realised that the time to pay the piper has arrived?

IS the Government sending a signal to the nurses’ union that if they take their claim through benchmarking, a nod-and-wink way will be found to grant it?

Nurses and midwives are very unhappy with the pay rises that have been recommended for the public health sector.