We now have the Speaker's provisional selection of amendments for the debate this afternoon on the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill.

There are nine separate groups of amendments and new clauses and my NC 7, backed by over 80 MPs, is in the fifth grouping. I'd say there is absolutely no chance of it being reached.

But, if ever there were a day to debate Ashcroft and his decade of dissembling, it is today. But it is not going to happen.

The Order Paper is overloaded with zillions of New Clauses and amendments, many from the Government.

I reflect on this... What more powerful case could there be for a Business Committee, drawn from all sides of the House, to determine the Commons daily agenda.

I wanted the House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC) to satisfy itself that undertakings given by the Ashcrofts of this world were acted upon.

HOLAC doesn't want to go anywhere near this radioactive issue.  They say it is not a matter for them. The dirty deeds were done before HOLAC came into existence.

Last year I checked if any records held by HOLAC's predecessor body, the Political Honours Scrutiny Committee, had been destroyed. They haven't. And they are held in the Cabinet Office. 

But that doesn't mean to say that any Minister can just walk in, pull open the filing cabinet and have a root around.

In Whitehall there are Chinese walls which stop that happening.