§ Lord Rodgers of Quarry Bankasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the recent record of Ministers in writing frequently to newspapers is consistent with paragraph 102 of the Ministerial Code which says that Ministers "are advised not to engage in controversy in the correspondence columns of either the home or overseas press" except to correct serious errors or misstatements of fact, when such letters should be brief.
§ Lord McIntosh of HaringeyMinisters have a duty to explain government policies to the public. If these are being misconstrued in the media it is wholly consistent with paragraph 102 of the Ministerial Code for the record to be set straight.