§ Mr. Rookerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those topics on which it is not his practice to answer parliamentary questions; and if he will list any changes in the practice of his Department since 3 May.
765W
§ Mr. Lawson[pursuant to his reply, 9 November 1979, c. 362]: My right hon. Friend may decline to answer questions on matters which are primarily the responsibility of another Minister or where the cost of an answer would be excessive. Otherwise each question will continue to be answered on its merits except that questions will not be answered, for example, on the tax affairs, and so on, of individual persons and companies, or questions on the immediate prospects in the domestic and external financial markets which would prejudice the operations of the authorities in those markets.