HL Deb 29 July 2002 vol 638 c160WA
Lord Patten

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 10 July (WA 98), how the giving of information on the number and duration of Cabinet meetings fetters "the ability of Ministers to meet and discuss policy issues in private" or inhibits "effective decision making". [HL5457]

Lord Williams of Mostyn

Issues are discussed and agreed by Ministers in many different ways. If the occasion and duration of Cabinet and Cabinet committee meetings were known publicly, the likely speculation about what could be read into this information could inhibit the use of the full range of effective decision-making processes.