more now on the political controversy engulfing the government on whether and what happened around christmas parties a year ago. we have just heard from our westminster colleagues that the chief civil servant at the department of education has said that the then education has said that the then education secretary gavin williamson instigated a small party at the offices of the government on the tenth of december last year because he wanted to thank staff for their work and that was first reported by the mirror newspaper. she said about two dozen people including herself had attended in the department riposte canteen where there were drinks and snacks brought by staff themselves and she told mp5 on the public accounts committee that although it was a work related gathering she accepted it would have been better not to have held the eventin been better not to have held the event in that way at that time. she asked the cabinet secretary to investigate because there will be disciplinary ac