Deputies, Reserves, Subs, call them what you will but with the Prime Minister away in Japan attending a meeting of the G7 it will be the Chancellor of the Exchequer standing in to answer the questions on his behalf today.

I came across a briefing form the House of Commons Library earlier in the week which analysed the number of attendances by the Prime Minister  at Prime Minister’s Questions since 1979.

Margaret Thatcher attended 694 question times out of a maximum of 752

John Major attended 351 out of 398

Tony Blair attended 326 out of 343

Gordon Brown attended 75 out of 85

David Cameron attended 146 out of 157 in the last Parliament and so far in this Parliament he has attended 31 out of 33.