§ Mr. NellistTo ask the Prime Minister if he will issue guidance to Ministers to ensure that any parliamentary question answered by an agency begins by quoting verbatim the parliamentary question asked.
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 2 December 1991]: My right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council recently announced the Government's proposal that replies from agency chief executives to written parliamentary questions should be published and that he would be pursuing the proposal with the House authorities—Official Report. 27 November, column 558. We hope that new arrangements can be implemented soon and at that point will issue guidance on the arrangements to Departments and agencies. In preparing such guidance, we shall certainly bear in mind the suggestion made by the hon. Member.