Why do women leave lavatory seats in the “down” position? I am getting increasingly fed up with this inconsiderate behaviour. Hygiene and common sense dictate that “up” should be the default option and everyone should leave the seat lifted, to keep it unsplashed next time. Public toilets should have sprung seats, returning automatically to up.

I was reminded of this important issue by a strangely touching documentary in the BBC One One Life series on Tuesday night. For the Love of Loos was produced and directed by Nick Angel, a man I once employed straight out of university to research a book for me. There was always something demonic about Mr Angel. His gift is to detect and communicate pathos with a mischievous yet tender hand. With the fragrant exception of the Duchess of Northumberland (a great TV find) his documentary was really about lavatory attendants and a roving toilet inspector. They spoke for themselves, all totally devoted to their national duty, curiously moving, almost noble, nearly but not quite ridiculous. Just when you wanted to giggle, tears of admiration welled in your eye.

Once upon a time Angel made and presented a documentary about namesakes (like the poor black lady whose name was Maxine Carr) that the duffers at Channel 4 screened at about 2am. I could not without a lump in my throat watch Michael Barrymore, the clairvoyant, waiting bravely in the local theatre for an audience that (he should have known) was never going to arrive (“Shall we just give it ten more minutes?”). The lonely dignity of the almost ludicrous is unbearably moving. Like Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads, like the late Beryl Reid's portrayal of Kath in Entertaining Mr Sloane, like John Osborne’s creation of the fading music-hall artist Archie Rice in The Entertainer — but in this case with real people — Nick Angel treads deftly the line between cruelty and respect. It is a desperately fine line.

— Most of an inside page of yesterday’s Times was devoted to the story of how a couple, David and Sally Naylor, decided this week to ascend England’s highest mountain, taking with them their 14-month-old baby and his five-year-old brother, and setting out at noon. “Baby saved after family’s ‘insane’ trip up mountain goes wrong” read the headline. The article — the tale of how they got lost in low cloud and had to be rescued close to a ravine at 4am after someone noticed that they had not returned to their car — included the “scathing verdict” of other climbers: a catalogue of denigration of Mr and Mrs Naylor and their folly in taking small children on such a climb. We British are marvellous at pompous huffing and puffing at the irresponsibility of people who do risky things, drink the water, fail to take out insurance, neglect to wear mittens or whatever. But I thought “Good for Mr and Mrs Naylor. They gave it a go.” We need more parents with that spirit. The weather and the forecast were mild, the baby was in a waterproof papoose, the family were most unlikely to die, mountain rescue teams need a reason for existence beyond giving quotes to newspapers — and what an adventure! That little boy will never forget his ascent of Scafell Pike. How much better than the parents who plonk children in front of a television in an overheated lounge and tell them on no account to play outside. How much better the parents whose instinct is to bring the kids along, rather than leave them behind. I wish my father had taken me on dangerous climbs. From the moment I could walk I wanted to climb mountains, but if you couldn't drive there Dad didn’t want to go. Far from being a victim of parental irresponsibility, young Naylor is a lucky boy.

— This is astonishing: 4 per cent — the number of senior civil servants in the Department of Health who believe that “change is well-managed” in their department; 10 per cent — the number who think poor performance in our health service is dealt with effectively; 16 per cent — the number who believe the DH is well-managed generally; 37 per cent — the number who have confidence in their ministers. Not one senior civil servant in the health department “strongly agrees” with the proposition that poor performance is dealt with effectively. Not one. These figures are far, far worse than equivalent figures for the civil service overall. All show a marked deterioration from the position last year. Taken from the Government’s regular in-house surveys, the details were slipped out by ministers late one night this week. As intended, the news media appear to have missed them. I just thought I’d mention it.

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