By Nick Assinder - 10th February 2010
The torture, it appears, never stops. Just as MPs are talking about moving on from the expenses scandal there are fears it is about to come full circle.
Remember Derek Conway and the lucrative non-job he handed to his son and which pre-dated the Telegraph revelations?
The upshot of that, and all the subsequent revelations, was to ensure that the new Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has been taking a close look at MPs' employment practices, specifically with relation to "jobs for the family".
The consultation period comes to an end on Thursday and, apparently, current staff members have relished the opportunity to have their say.
The Committee on Standards In Public Life had originally suggested a blanket ban on MPs giving jobs to family members but, after much controversy, it seems that may be abandoned.
And many staff members accept that move, on the grounds that plenty of those family members do perfectly good, legitimate jobs and work long, unsocial hours.
But they are far more interested in the relative rates of pay being offered to wives, sons, daughters and the rest.
For example, the Commons guidance on pay rates suggests office managers/executive secretaries should be paid on a scale roughly between £21,000 and £40,000 and a junior secretary between £14,000 and £25,000.
That leaves plenty of room for manoeuvre and there are more than a few staff members curious to see if there is one rate for the job for them and another for a family member.
Just another turn of the thumb screws then.
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd