Vicky Pryce returns to economics role to advise Cable

Vicky Pryce has resumed her role as a Government economics adviser after serving a jail term for swapping speeding points with her former husband Chris Huhne.

The former civil servant is attending meetings of Business Secretary Vince Cable's panel monitoring the performance of UK plc.

A source close to Mr Cable stressed the role was unpaid, insisting Ms Pryce's conviction was not relevant to her economics expertise.

"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," the source said.

Since her release last May, Pryce - a long-standing friend of Mr Cable and his wife - has written a book about her experiences in prison.