£140m of Scrap

I see our local MP has made the news about the140m computer system his department have scrapped.
The multi million computer system was meant to save taxpayers money and streamline benefit payments.
The system was launched two and a half years ago in an attempt to improve the way money was paid to people on unemployment and disability benefits. The Government hoped it would save about £60 million by simplifying the system.
John Hutton, the Work and Pensions Secretary, decided to abandon the programme earlier this year after unveiling his plans to replace incapacity benefit with employment support allowance.
Officials said last night that another system would be constructed to handle payments under the new allowance. But a spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions said ministers hoped to salvage some of the old program to use in the new system.
Philip Hammond, the shadow work and pensions secretary, said: "So far this year IT investments of over £650 million have been written off by John Hutton. There is clearly a lack of capability in the DWP to manage the implementation of large-scale IT projects."
What baffles me is that we don't seem to read these things about John Hutton in our local paper, only positive spin with lots of lovely "photo ops". Is it a case of you scratch my back I scratch yours or is this a way of keeping him sweet in case his career takes him all the way to the top, as has been rumoured.

UPDATE SAT 9th--- An explosive outburst reported by one BBC reporter is being attributed to John Hutton he is quoted as "it would be an absolute fucking disaster if Gordon Brown was Prime Minister and I will do everything in my power to fucking stop him" wow who would have thought it of him, but hey still nothing about all this in the local paper.