§ 9. Mr. DalyellTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the implications for the policy of open government of the evidence on parliamentary answers given by Sir Michael Quinlan to the Scott inquiry. [32612]
§ Mr. FreemanThe adversarial nature of Question Time does not detract from the Government's commitment to be as open as possible with Parliament and the public.
§ Mr. DalyellWhy has the Deputy Prime Minister funked answering the question himself?
§ Mr. FreemanI am sorry that the hon. Gentleman is not content. I am the Minister responsible not only for the 9 code of conduct but for the rules that apply to all Ministers when they answer to Parliament. I am the Minister with day-to-day responsibility for the civil service and I have answered the debates on both Nolan and Scott. If the hon. Gentleman had wanted to ask a supplementary, I would have willingly replied inp—I hope—a constructive fashion.
§ Mr. DalyellSo, may I have a supplementary?
§ Madam SpeakerNo. The hon. Gentleman had a supplementary and I thought it was perfectly proper.