It'll cost us too much to tell you... again

For the second weeking running the Chancellor of the Exechequer has refused to answer a simple accounting question on the grounds that it will cost too much to tell them. The question was put by Tory MP, Mark Francois (he's been busy), about how much the Treasury had "spent on external media trainers in each year since 1997, broken down by supplier".

The response by one of Brown's minions, John Healey, was that the "information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost". This answer is nonsense anyway, but coming from the Treasury, a department who's roles is to manage the books, it's incredulous bordering on the edge of absurdity.

One must presume that they have something to hide on this matter. Using public funds to support party political media training perhaps?