§ Mr. Richard ShepherdTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list those departments of state that currently publish details of responses received to consultation exercises.
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§ Mr. WaldegraveThe code of practice on Government information commits Government Departments to publishing relevant facts and analysis underlying major policy proposals and decisions and this will include the details of consultation responses. It is already usual practice for comments to be sought in consultation exercises on the understanding that they can be made publicly available unless respondents have requested that their remarks be treated as confidential.
The code does not require provision of the responses themselves, although this will often be the most straightforward way of providing the information. Indeed, I will soon be placing responses to the "Open Government" White Paper in the Libraries of both Houses.