Most of the chat before today's Executive meeting didn't focus on the policies under discussion - affordable housing, a review of the longstanding Review of Public Administration and so on. Instead questions and answers concentrated on whether the Executive would or wouldn't make statements after its meetings. It did last time it met, when Messrs Paisley, McGuinness, Robinson and Murphy talked about water charges. But some sources indicate that from now on it wants to tell the Assembly first about any decisions it is making, which would mean keeping shtum until Monday or Tuesday.
That said various ministers, such as Margaret Ritchie, Sir Reg Empey and Peter Robinson denied that they were under any gagging order.
A few points arise - if there is any really hot piece of news does anyone really think it will stay under wraps from Thursday evening until Monday afternoon? Also, in this day and age why does telling the legislators first mean waiting until the Assembly chamber actually sits? Have our MLAs not got e-mail accounts?
UPDATE: When the Executive ended Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness did speak to the press...so that gag didn't last too long...
Members of the Stormont Committee of the Centre are going away for a week to decide whether they should change their name. Some members thought it was well known who they were and what they did, but Alliance's Naomi Long argues that the public has no concept of the Committee's role, which is to shadow the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister.
But there's the rub. The Office has such a convoluted name. So if they call themselves "The Committee of the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister" people may understand what they do but they will never find a nameplate long enough to get all the words on.
Jim Wells suggested a two part name like "The Committee - Examining the work of the First and Deputy First Ministers". This has potential but is not nearly tabloid enough - instead they should think of a title which might grace a paperback cover. Something like "Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness - Our Part In Their Downfall" or "Scrutiny - Keeping an Eye on Everything". Any other suggestions?
We all know that Tony Blair and Peter Hain forced Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness into their unbelievable political civil partnership. So why does the Assembly have to debate a "legislative consent motion" next month enabling Westminster to push ahead with a bill on forced marriages? Oh, sorry.... the bill is trying to stop such shotgun weddings, not to make them mandatory.
I'm 
