Vicky Pryce returns to Whitehall advising Vince Cable on the economy Economist jailed last year has been hired by Lib Dem Business Secretary Convicted of perverting the course of justice by taking speeding points from then-husband Chris Huhne Was stripped of her Companion of the Order of Bath by honours system Disgraced Vicky Pryce who was jailed for taking the speeding points of ex-husband Chris Huhne has been hired as an adviser to the government. The respected economist whose dramatic downfall culminated in her being jailed and even losing an honour from the Queen is now back working alongside Business Secretary Vince Cable on how to maintain growth. It marks a surprise return to Whitehall for the 62-year-old who has maintained close friendships with senior Liberal Democrats. Vicky Pryce, the ex-wife of former Cabinet minister Chris Huhne, is advising Vince Cable on the economy Far from disappearing from the limelight, the former head of the government economic service wrote a book - Prisonomics - on the economic and human cost of keeping women locked up. In March last year Miss Pryce was convicted of perverting the course of justice along with Huhne after it emerged she had taken three speeding points to stop him losing his licence in 2003. She served 62 days of an eight-month prison sentence. However, she has remained good friends with Mr Cable who has appointed her to a panel of experts advising ministers on the state of the economy. With little fanfare, Miss Pryce returned to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills this week for an unpaid role on the "Monitoring The Economy" panel. A spokesman said: "The panel debates and discusses macroeconomic issues and Ms Pryce has attended in her capacity as a highly regarded economist over the past ten years, including as chief economist for the department. Miss Pryce and her former husband Chris Huhne (left) were jailed in March last year, but she has remained friends with Lib Dem Business Secretary Vince Cable who has now appointed her to his 'Monitoring The Economy' panel The panel sees economists and external experts sit alongside company bosses and civil servants from the Treasury and BIS. It meets three or four times a year to advise Mr Cable. Miss Pryce used to be the head of the economic service under the Labour government, but stepped down when her then-husband Mr Huhne became Energy Secretary as the coalition was formed. She split from the Lib Dem Cabinet minister after he had an affair with his press officer, Carina Trimingham. It led to a bitter and very public feud between the former couple, culminating in revelations that Mr Huhne had asked his wife to take three speeding points for him in 2003. Her subsequent conviction and jail sentence saw her stripped of her official honour, the Companion of the Order of the Bath. A BIS source told The Times: "As a distinguished economist, she continued to be part of this panel after leaving the department. 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.