§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Prime Minister (1) to what extent Ministers and Junior Ministers were required to be in attendance for duty from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. in their offices on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day; and whether he will ensure that someone of Ministerial rank is available at Ministerial offices on these days in the future;
(2) whether he is aware of the growing practice under his administration of Members of Parliament receiving replies from civil servants during Parliamentary Recesses, and that even where there are several Junior Ministers in a Department no Minister is available to answer queries; and whether he will arrange that on all days other than defined public holidays a Minister or Junior Minister should deal with matters affecting their Departments during Parliamentary Recesses.
§ The Prime MinisterIt is the practice of this Administration for the Minister in charge of each Department to ensure that at least one member of his Ministerial team is in attendance or is otherwise available for departmental duties during the Recess. These arrangements have been fully implemented.
It is exceptional for Ministers to authorise civil servants to send substantive replies to Members of Parliament, and it is certainly not a growing practice. It is well understood that Ministers' private secretaries necessarily deal with many routine letters and telephone calls to Members.