Health quango whistle-blower is sacked

The official who alerted the authorities to possible abuses of taxpayers' money at a government health quango has been sacked from the agency's key audit committee, writes Chris Blackhurst. Membership of the committee gave David Griffiths, a non-executive director of the Welsh Health Promotion Agency, access to all its financial affairs and documents.

Last month, Professor John Catford resigned from his pounds 80,000- a-year post as head of the agency after admitting an affair with a colleague during an official trip to Brazil. In the Commons, Professor Catford was accused of fiddling expenses, and MPs sought an inquiry.

Mr Griffiths had earlier written to the Secretary of State for Wales over several matters he said he had been uneasy about, after claiming that an approach to agency executives had fallen on deaf ears. Last week, Mr Griffiths was sacked for 'leaking confidential information'. He denied the allegation.