Sir Alistair Graham, chairman of the committee on standards in public life, has critcised Sir Alan Budd's report for failing to answer key questions.

Describing Sir Alan's inquiry as "unhelpfully narrow" Graham said it had failed to establish whether the former home secretary breached the ministerial code of conduct or whether officials in his private office breached its civil service equivalent to help him.

Speaking on Tuesday, deputy prime minister John Prescott said Blunkett had "been found guilty of the offence ... and paid the price."

The Conservatives have continued to call for a judicial inquiry into the Blunkett affair.

The Independent reports that at their weekly meeting yesterday, permanent secretaries agreed to bring in new rules to stop ministers abusing their position by giving special treatment to friends or constituents.

It has also emerged that Kimberly Quinn kept a detailed three-year diary of her relationship with Blunkett.

Stephen Quinn, her husband, denied she would sell her story.

"She will never publish anything about this," he said.

"It would bring humiliation on me, on Kimberly and our children. I can’t think of anything more despicable to do."