Some 96 MPs voted to exempt themselves from the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act last week – 78 Labour and 18 Tories.

There is still hope that the Lords will throw out the Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill, thus closing what could become a shameful loophole in the legislation.

The Mail on Sunday this week made much sport of the fact that the sponsor of the bill, David Maclean, had claimed a quad bike on Parliamentary expenses (albeit as a result of multiple sclerosis-related mobility problems).