The latest injection of transparency on MPs’ “outside interests” ie second jobs again reveals that some honourable members are getting paid for doing absolutely nothing.

Jimmy Hood, Labour’s champion for Lanark and Hamilton East, has listed in the MPs’ register of financial interests how for the last three months he has been paid as a parliamentary consultant to Scottish Coal. However, when it comes to time worked for his monthly £625, Mr Hood lists for July, August and September “hours worked nil”. His annual fee is £7500.

However, when it comes to being paid for nothing ex-Environment Secretary John Gummer appears to take the chocolate biscuit. Last month, it was reported how the Suffolk MP was paid £1,666.66 gross for a 20-minute board meeting, which he attended “by phone”. However, in the latest edition of the register he is reported as having received £3,562.50 gross, stating hours worked “nil”.

Today’s Cabinet ran over a range of issues, including expenses, with the debate led by Harriet Harman and Nick Brown. The PM’s spokesman decided this was one subject he did not want to give details about. Corridor talk suggests GB is none to pleased with the big H as she has taken a decidely different line on the Legg issue. While the PM insists MPs should shut up and pay up, his loyal deputy has advised colleagues to query any discrepancies and warned the ex-Whitehall mandarin against making any abitrary decisions.

The Kelly report on reforming the expenses system is due out early in November as is the Legg report. However, given the widespread disgruntlement among honourable members, miffed at Sir Thomas’s decisions, and their intention to query figures and even appeal, then the chances are that the Legg report might not appear until the New Year. In other words, the expenses agony for MPs will continue for weeks and months, getting perilously close to the general election campaign, which Messrs Brown and Cameron want to avoid as much as possible.

One final point mentioned by a seasoned parliamentarian is that what all this mess is having on the calibre of people at Westminster. We already know that many experienced MPs are standing down at the next election. Once the Kelly report is out and possibly recommends MPs not employing spouses and says they should only rent second homes in London or even have to live in communal accommodation, then this particular politician feels that even more old hacks will bail out ahead of the next election. Which means that the next parliament will look unrecognisable to this one with virtually no old faces.

Now this, of course, may be necessary to purge parliament but it might leave the place bereft of experienced hands. The seasoned parliamentarian’s argument being that government, opposition and politics in general could be the worse for it. Time will tell.