Lord John Browne, formerly of BP, has been asked to help find efficiencies across government in a move that is not the first time a businessman has been brought in to Whitehall to help improve government delivery.

Speaking on the Today programme, Peter Riddell of the Institute for Government, said that Lord Browne's employment was "risky and controversial," following the BP Gulf oil spill. But added that Lord Browne "was a much admired" figure "for his understanding of how to run companies."

General Secretary of the First Division Association Jonathan Baume commented that Lord Brown would "get a lot of co-operation" from his colleagues and that his "diplomacy and international relations" experience at BP would complement the civil service.

He outlined that "the added value should not be over-emphasised."

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