HL Deb 14 October 1997 vol 582 cc132-3WA
The Earl of Northesk

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What action they propose to take to ensure that their policies are reported first to Parliament rather than being widely disseminated in the media.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

The Prime Minister has recently issued theMinisterial Code to his colleagues. Chapter 3, which gives guidance on Ministers and Parliament, begins by drawing attention to the desire of Parliament that the most important announcements of government policy should be made, in the first instance, in Parliament. Copies of the Ministerial Code are in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.