§ 29. Mr. GunnellTo ask the Lord President of the Council what assessment he has made of the consequences for the procedures of the House of the recommendations of the second report of the Select Committee on Public Service of Session 1995–96 (HC 313) in respect of the answering of parliamentary questions. [4036]
§ The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. Tony Newton)The recommendations of the Public Service Select Committee, and the Government's responses, bear on how parliamentary questions should be answered. They have no direct implications for the procedures of the House.
§ Mr. GunnellI thank the Lord President for his answer. Does he not agree, however, that, after considering the history of parliamentary questions and their use sometimes as a game, the Select Committee felt that the purpose of such questions was to hold the Executive to account, and pointed out that they should be answered—adding that, when they were not answered, an explanation should be given? Indeed, the Government agreed with the Select Committee.
Will the right hon. Gentleman draw the attention of the Prime Minister and other Ministers to the fact that parliamentary questions should be answered, and point 18 out that words should not be used to pretend that an answer has been given when even simple answers such as "Yes" and "No" are frequently avoided?
§ Mr. NewtonThe hon. Gentleman will know that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has responded to the reports to which he refers in, I think, very positive terms, seeking to clarify the basis on which parliamentary questions are answered. I hope that that will help the House, but I will draw what the hon. Gentleman has said to my right hon. Friend's attention and, as he asked, to that of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.