Vicky Pryce returns to role advising Vince Cable

Former civil servant will continue to be part of panel in an unpaid position

Vicky Pryce: 'Keeping women close to their families is absolutely essential' (Getty Images)

Vicky Pryce has returned to her role as a Government economics adviser after she was jailed for swapping speeding points with her ex-husband Chris Huhne.

The former civil servant is attending meetings of Business Secretary Vince Cable's economy panel, although a ministry source stressed the role was unpaid.

"Vicky Pryce was appointed to the monitoring the economy panel over 10 years ago when, at the time, she was chief economist at the DTI," the source said.

"As a distinguished economist, she continued to be part of this panel after leaving the Department.

"She has now resumed her unpaid position as part of this panel after serving her sentence, which in no way brought into question her ability or judgment as an economist."

Ms Pryce headed the Government's economic service before leaving for the private sector to avoid a conflict of interest when Mr Huhne was appointed Energy Secretary in 2010.

Vicky Pryce gave Chris Huhne a black eye after she found out about his affair, court hears

Ms Pryce and Mr Huhne were jailed for eight months after she took speeding points for him. The speeding scam only came to light in newspapers after Mr Huhne’s acrimonious break-up with Ms Pryce in 2010.

Mr Huhne resigned from the Cabinet when he was charged with perverting the course of justice, and later quit as a Liberal Democrat MP and privy councillor.

Disgraced former MP Chris Huhne lands new job

He is now a chairman of Zilkha Biomass Energy and a consultant for Nationwide Energy Services. He also writes a column for The Guardian.