§ Dr. CunninghamTo ask the Lord President of the Council if, pursuant to his statement of 5 July,Official Report, column 1139, he has considered further the arrangements for answering parliamentary questions on matters delegated to executive agencies.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweI refer the hon. Member to the White Paper (Cm. 1263) which the Government have published today in response to the eighth report of the Treasury and Civil Service Committee, "Progress in the Next Steps Initiative". In its supportive report, the Committee made some observations about the procedure for dealing with Members' questions on matters delegated to executive agencies. The Government's reply makes clear that it is for the Minister responsible for an executive agency to decide the most helpful and appropriate way to respond to such a question: normally, he or she will ask the chief executive to respond by letter. In future, a copy of all such letters (save only for personal or confidential cases) will automatically be placed in the Library and in its Public Information Office. Where a case appears to be of immediate wide interest or it is desirable that it should be covered by parliamentary privilege, the Minister may decide to reply fully inHansard.
582WWe shall keep these arrangements under review. As the White Paper says, the Government's intention is that the establishment of "next steps" Agencies should improve the flow and quality of information to Parliament and the public and help to ensure that replies about management and delivery of Government services are full, prompt and as helpful as possible.