The NAO and PAC make these directions public, but usually in a low-key way. In one case, information was simply placed in the Commons library which is not open to members of the public. There could be better ways of publicising them. The most high-profile case under Blair concerns the Millennium Dome. But he was overruled by the culture secretary Chris Smith, who argued that it would cost much more money and damage the country's image to close the dome early.
Ministers often overrule officials if there are wider considerations than just money.
Two years ago it emerged that hundreds of disabled people were receiving welfare benefits to which they were not actually entitled, because of errors in the benefits system. The disabled people were not at fault, but were faced with having to repay the money, sometimes amounting to thousands of pounds. Legislation was later introduced to correct the errors. Ministerial directions come in all shapes and sizes, and some are quite minor. Civil servants pointed out last August that, strictly speaking, this sum fell outside the scope of expenditure that could be officially authorised.