One of the pleasures of working in Westminster, for a politico-geek, is seeing our parliamentarians out and about in almost a natural habitat – collecting their dry cleaning, being interviewed on College Green, or just marching purposefully towards an important meeting.

Our office is close to John Reid’s London pied-à-terre, but it was only a couple of days ago, as I headed towards the office carrying a guily bacon roll, that I first saw him close up as he passed in the opposite direction, mobile phone clutched to his ear.

He seemed calm and relaxed, which must mean that everything is going swimmingly at the Home Office. Remember him proudly announcing that he would work 18 hours a day to sort of the foreign prisoners farce? I guess that must be all sorted now. Hang on, Home Office Watch will know:

Remember the foreign offences scandal? 27,500 files, detailing serious offences committed by British citizens abroad, were “lost” in the Home Office. Tackling that backlog and getting the offences noted on the Police National Computer was clearly the top priority. Such a high priority in fact that John Reid promised it would be completed in three months. His statement is here.

Three months was up, well, ages ago quite frankly, but not a peep from Dr Reid. Could they have missed a deadline? The Home Office? Surely not.

The Government not crowing about an achievement? Doesn’t seem the most obvious explanation…