I was rather surprised to read that former chancellor and prime minister Gordon Brown paid his cleaner through PAYE. After all, surely the individual met the tests for self-employment?

It’s doubtful that a busy minister spent time giving instructions on how the work should be done.

It was thus less surprising to hear shadow chancellor Ed Balls – and former special adviser to Gordon Brown – tell us that he gets receipts for cash payments to gardeners and cleaners.

Financial secretary to the Treasury - tax minister - David Gauke got into a spot of hot water when he mentioned that using cash could lead to tax evasion. Senior ministers proclaimed that there was nothing wrong with using cash.