“I will write” replies to be used “rarely” promises Hain
The Leader of the House of Commons has told MPs that he has agreed to a number of reforms to the system of Ministerial replies.
“I will write” replies have become an increasing source of complaint to many MPs who claim that the Government is using the system to bury bad news.
Normal written replies to Parliamentary questions are recorded in Hansard, and so can be seen by both the public and the media. However Ministers can chose to tell an MP they will write in reply, and place a copy of the answer in the Commons library which is not accessible to press or public.
Apart from complaints to the Speaker, Michael Martin, the Public Administration Committee also raised the matter in a report in February. It recommended that wherever possible answers should be placed on the official record.
MPs claim that there has been a dramatic increase in “I will write” answers over the past year, and that some letters never actually appear in the library.
In a written statement to the Commons, Peter Hain said that, following discussions with the Speaker: “Departments will give “I will write” answers only rarely, when there is particular reason for delay.”
He promised that: “Government departments will continue to make every effort to provide a substantive answer to every parliamentary question within the customary timescale” but if this is not possible before the end of the session, rather than issuing an “I will write reply” will say:
“It has not proved possible to respond to the [Right] hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation. It will then be open to the Member concerned to re-table the question in the new session if he or she wishes.”
A copy of “I will write” answers will now also be published in Hansard.
Mr Hain also pledged that it would be made clearer when Ministers wish to provide confidential information that “would not be appropriate for publication” in response to a question, rather than simply promising a written reply.
The new arrangements will come into effect in September.
