Supplementary Note from the Table Office
(Session 2008-09, P 43)
REGISTRATION OF
DISSATISFACTION WITH
ANSWERS
1. Responding to Mr Hemming's Questions
(Qs 33-42) as to whether one way of dealing with answers which
Members consider unsatisfactory might be for the Member to complete
a form indicating that in his or her view the answer given to
a question was unsatisfactory and to hand that form into the Table
Office, I promised that we would give further thought to the matter
and, if possible, provide a supplementary note.
2. Before recommending the introduction
of a procedure for recording answers regarded as unsatisfactory
your Committee may wish to consider:
— What it would add to Members' current
ability to follow up answers through pursuant questions, business
questions or an adjournment debate.
— Whether Members should be able to
register dissatisfaction with all answers, including blocks.
— Whether Members would have to give
a reason which Ministers could consider.
— Whether a limit should be placed
on the number of registrations of dissatisfaction which a Member
could make per day and/or per Session.
— Whether only the Member who tabled
the Question should be able to register dissatisfaction with the
answer.
3. If your Committee felt it would be useful
to introduce a procedure to allow dissatisfaction with answers
to be recorded, one option would be for the registration to lead
to a standard pursuant Question, such as:
"Pursuant to the hon. Member for X's registration
of dissatisfaction with the Answer given to Question 123456, Official
Report, column 123, on [subject], [on the grounds that the Answer
did not provide all the requested information], if he will reconsider
the Answer provided".
4. Alternatively, the registration, together
with the text of the question and answer, could be printed in
Hansard and copies of the declaration sent to the relevant department
and departmental select committee. If your Committee considered
it appropriate, any response from the department could also be
printed in Hansard.
5. It is not possible to estimate how many
Members might choose to make use of such a procedure. In making
any recommendation on the issue therefore your Committee might
also wish to recommend that the Speaker should have a power similar
to that which the House conveyed on him in relation to e-tabled
Questions "to modify or halt the system if it appears it
is being abused."
March 2009
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