§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the meetings(a) Ministers and (b) special advisers in his Department have had with lobbying companies since 1 May 1997. [49667]
§ Mr. HoonMinisters, their Special Advisers and other civil servants meet many people in the course of their work. This properly includes meetings with interest groups outside Government; indeed, one of the specific functions of Special Advisers is to liaise with such interest groups. This liaison is intended to help Ministers draw upon outside contributions—from academics, think-tanks, trade and industry associations, trade unions, lobby groups and others, as well as relevant experience from other countries—during the process of policy analysis and development. By convention it is not the practice of government to make information on such meetings or their content publicly available—a principle reflected in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information published in January 1997. Special advisers and other civil servants must observe the requirements of propriety: for instance, they must not provide confidential information without authorisation or allow improper influence on policy. Any breach of these requirements could be a disciplinary offence.
§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and task forces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49780]
§ Mr. HoonI refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him today,Official Report, columns 641–42, by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.