Select Committee Reports

HC Deb 19 March 1999 vol 327 cc839-40W

Mr. Duncan Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) pursuant to his answer of 10 March 1999,Official Report, columns 250–51, on Select Committee reports, if he will list the occasions on which Ministers discussed the contents of Social Security Committee reports or draft reports of the deliberations of the Committee with members of the Social Security Committee prior to their publications; [77810]

(2) pursuant to his answer of 10 March 1999, Official Report, columns 250–51, on Select Committee reports, if he will conduct an investigation into whether special advisers or civil servants reviewed or discussed Social Security Committee reports, drafts or parts of reports or their conclusions, prior to their publication. [77811]

Mr. Darling

There have been no occasions on which I, or my ministerial colleagues, have discussed reports or draft reports with members of the Social Security Committee prior to their publication.

Also, other than embargoed copies of Social Security Committee reports, issued under House of Commons Standing Orders, neither civil servants nor the special adviser have discussed reports or draft reports prior to their publication. I see no reason or basis for an investigation.