By Roger Harrabin Environment correspondent BBC Radio 4's Today programme

Gallows humour is breaking out in the department of transport press office following the suspension of head of news Ian Jones.

One press officer told me they were planning to begin future press releases with the words "beleaguered Transport Secretary Stephen Byers..." because journalists would write their story that way in any case.

The atmosphere, the civil servant told me, was one of "complete paranoia" in the press office because of the investigation instigated by the Permanent Secretary Sir Richard Mottram into leaks on the squabbling that surrounded the Jo Moore affair.

The press officers see themselves as more sinned against than sinning

Records in the department's digital telephone exchange were being scrutinised to discover who had been talking to newspaper journalists.

It is understood that Mr Jones has been suspended on full pay as a result of the enquiry.

A source close to Mr Byers told me: "No organisation can afford to have a press officer leaking information that is contrary to the interests of the organisation."

Mr Jones was not available for comment.

His suspension is the latest blow for a press office that is believed by Downing Street to be the source of many of the problems affecting the public image of the department.

Infamous memo

The press officers see themselves as more sinned against than sinning.

They had been privately complaining about the behaviour of Mr Byers' sacked special adviser Jo Moore long before her infamous memo suggesting that bad transport news should be buried on 11 September.

They complained that Ms Moore was rude, offensive and prone to humiliating press officers in public.

The bad feeling over her personal style has now ultimately led to the removal from office of Ms Moore and the director of news Martin Sixsmith; the suspension of Mr Jones; the possible future transfer of Mr Byers and the continuing purge of suspected dissidents in the press office.