§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 19 March (H.L. Deb., col. 1156), whether it is appropriate for a Minister to respond to a request for factual information by referring the House to information contained on a government website. [H1.1360]
§ Lord Bassam of BrightonThe Question I was asked was whether the Government intended to issue guidance about access to the countryside to those involved in the forthcoming local elections. I explained that detailed guidance already exists and that it covered matters such as countryside activities, visits to the countryside and how to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease.
I gave the address of the website so that Members of your Lordships' House, and those who follow our proceedings, could see for yourselves what was available.
The available guidance runs to many pages and I would not have been able to outline its content except by answering the Question at a length that would be inappropriate for an oral Question. In addition, as I indicated in my Answer, the guidance is regularly updated so anything more specific that I might have said as to the content of the guidance might rapidly have become out of date.