As Bob said ' there's no success like failure'..........

Terry Garratt, Dudley, UK

This simply will not do.

Grant Wood, Torquay, UK

Don't worry folks, in 2 years time £900k will only be worth £90k in today money.....

jon, Rotherham,

This was clearly going to be a short term contract, why on earth was someone not employed as a consultant at a fixed price per day, so that the contract could be ended easily by either side.
The incompetence on awarding these contracts is amazing.

K Wells, Bognor, Sussex, England

Love the jealous comments so far. This woman didn't create the mess, she arrived to help clean it up. Oooops?? Perhaps the Government could have hired someone for 250K/yr who could have lost a further billion or two. You pay for quality. If she's good they got a great deal; if not . . . .

Rod, NYC, US (orig UK)

Good story Derv - absolutely unbelievable salaries cause me to fume. GRRRRRRRRRRRR!

Cormac, Bristol, uk

This is obscene!

John Lancaster, Sheffield,

She hasn't earned it, she's been paid it. Big Difference.

Polly Parish, tenby, wales

Is this really true.
Words FXXXXXXXXXwell fail me

Michael Palmer, Woodbridge, UK

It will take me about 60 years to earn that much..... Good work if you can get it

Fred , Worcester, England

Just another example of the corruption which surrounds this government. Jobs for mates earning ridiculously obscene salaries for doing nothing.
I'm sure she'd be proud to know that her salary could pay my Nothern Rock mortgage back 9 times over!

James B, Kent,

For what is she being paid? What has she contributed? Typical of the current regime in which obsene amounts are paid for nothing. The more grotesquely incompetent you are, the more you get, and the bigger the payout - too often followed by appearance in the honours list and a quango appointment.

Frank, CHESTER,

Glad the taxes i have worked hard to pay went to a worthy cause after all - Many thanks Mr Brown

Peter, Aldershot, UK

I'm so pleased about this. I was really worried that her evident ineptitude and short-sighted greed might lead to her being slung out on her ear with nothing.

Mikey, Bromley, Kent

I understand she is also a non-dom (as is Sandler).

John Norfolk, Norwich, UK