Downing Street has remained coy over the possibility of Peter Mandelson returning to the cabinet.

Number 10 said on Monday said the issue was "one for re-shuffles" and that it was too early in the year to talk about the issue.

The official spokesman refused to rule out that Number 10's line on the former Northern Ireland secretary's future - that his cabinet career was over - had changed.

The report by Sir Anthony Hammond into the row over the millionaire Hinduja brothers' passport applications, which Tony Blair had asked to be re-opened, was now ready and would be published "shortly" he said.

The debate about Mandelson was heightened at the weekend when Labour Party chairman Charles Clarke said members would have "no great difficulty" accepting his return to the cabinet.

Clarke also pointed out there were no calls being made for the "very talented politician" to be brought back into government.

"I think Peter is a very talented politician. At all times, whatever particular events took place on the Hindujas or whatever, it's a matter for the prime minister whether he wants an individual in the cabinet," Clarke said.

"I don't think there's anyone saying 'bring him back', on the contrary, but on the other hand if the prime minister was to take a view that Peter would be an addition to the team, I don't think the party would have great difficulty with that."

Speculation about the Hartlepool MP getting a third cabinet appointment began again last week after he produced new evidence about the Hinduja passport affair.

The original investigation, completed after Mandelson quit, cleared him of impropriety but left open the question of whether he had made a telephone call to then Home Office minister Mike O'Brien.