Q. Chancellor Alistair Darling has finally announced reforms to the Capital Gains Tax changes he made last year. Do you think this will salvage his reputation among business people?

A. His solution, which on the face of it answered his immediate problem about people wishing to sell their businesses, leaves many others in "middle England" with what appears to be a worse position. The original issue was a small number of very wealthy people using the system to pay a lower rate of tax and yet we end up with another piece of legislation to further complicate the position – a sledgehammer to crack a nut and more red tape!

Q. Brian Ashton will unlease his new look England rugby team on Saturday (Feb 2) as the Six Nations kicks off. But is this a new dawn for English rugby or is it still a puzzle how someone savaged by senior members of the World Cup squad last year kept his job?

A. If you believed all the hype in the books you probably wouldn't let him coach your under 11 mini rugby team. Therefore I hope it is a new dawn as the first match is Wales and there is still something special about the England-Wales rugby match. My playing days are long gone but our Welsh coach always seemed to have the advantage of Wales beating England, but that was 30 years ago!

Q. The fight against obesity is coming to a company near you, according to a new idea flagged up by a government which is desperate to help us shed the pounds. Do firms really have a role in the fight to keep the nation fit and healthy?

A. It would be easy to say that this has nothing to do with employers but you should want your staff to be fit and healthy. I probably need to reassure our team that although I believe in the fit and healthy approach we will keep our tradition of cakes for birthdays, we won't ban the chocolate supply and certainly have no plans for a lunchtime jogging society!