This is a House of Commons Committee report, with recommendations to government. The Government has two months to respond.
Written parliamentary questions: Departmental performance in Session 2021–22 Inquiry
Date Published: 27 July 2022
1. In this report we publish data on departmental answering performance in the 2021–22 Session of Parliament, accompanied by a table showing comparable data since the 2015–16 Session. We have continued our work in evaluating statistics on the timeliness with which written answers to parliamentary questions have been provided. We have also, through the Chair, offered Members of Parliament a means by which unsatisfactory or late answers may be challenged. Following our last report on performance in the 2019–21 Session, we have also turned our attention to the causes of poor performance and the ways in which they can best be tackled.1
2. In our last report, we noted that the number of parliamentary questions for written answer (WPQs) had risen sharply against a benchmark of the previous Session. Over the Session that followed, the number of WPQs tabled by Members of Parliament stabilised at around 330 each sitting day, the level last seen when routine monitoring was started by our predecessor committee.2 We are pleased, therefore, to record a modest increase in the proportion of answers provided by Government departments on time over the 2021–22 Session, up from 79% to 85% of Ordinary questions and 74% to 79% of questions for answer on a Named Day. In the 2017–19 Session, 92% of Ordinary questions and 89% of Named Day questions were answered on time, so there is still some way to go before pre-pandemic levels of performance are reached.
Table 1: Number of questions successfully tabled to all answering bodies per sitting day, Session 2010–12 to 2021–22
Session |
Number of sitting days |
WPQs tabled per sitting day |
Change from previous Session |
2010–12 |
295 |
333 |
- |
2012–13 |
145 |
299 |
-10% |
2013–14 |
162 |
150 |
-16% |
2014–15 |
134 |
226 |
-10% |
2015–16 |
158 |
237 |
+5% |
2016–17 |
142 |
249 |
+5% |
2017–19 |
349 |
282 |
+13% |
2019 |
15 |
231 |
-18% |
2017–19 + 2019 |
364 |
279 |
+12% |
2019–21 |
209 |
331 |
+18% |
2021–22 |
149 |
334 |
+1% |
Source: 2010–12 to 2014–15: memorandum from the Leader of the House of Commons, November 2015; 2015–16 to 2022: Q&A system
Table 2: Overall rates of timeliness in written answers from Government departments, Session 2010–12 to 2019–21
Session |
Ordinary written |
Named day |
2010–12 |
69% |
69% |
2012–13 |
76% |
73% |
2013–14 |
85% |
78% |
2014–15 |
87% |
81% |
2015–16 |
92% |
86% |
2016–17 |
92% |
87% |
2017–19 |
92% |
89% |
2019 |
91% |
85% |
2019–21 |
79% |
74% |
2021–22 |
85% |
79% |
Source: 2010–12 to 2014–15: memorandum from the Leader of the House of Commons, November 2015; 2015–16 to 2022: Q&A system
3. We believe that it is reasonable for the House to expect to receive at least the same level of performance from Government more than two years after the start of the pandemic, and well beyond the point at which Government departments could be expected to have adjusted their operations. We are pleased that both the current Leader and his predecessor have accepted that the pandemic is no longer a reason for poor WPQ performance.3 The House should not accept a permanent reduction in ministerial accountability, and it is important that the improvements in performance continue in the 2022–23 Session.
4. In our last report, we identified areas where poor practice by departments had been identified in complaints made by Members in respect of answers they had received.4 We stated our intention to make recommendations for revisions to the Cabinet Office’s Guide to Parliamentary Work,5 and made recommendations to the former Leader in writing on 10 November 2021.6 Our recommendations for areas for improvement were as follows:
5. Our recommendations were accepted by the former Leader at the beginning of December 2021,7 so it is a matter of great disappointment that more than six months revisions to the Guide have not been made and no new Guide has been issued. We challenged the new Leader of the House, Rt Hon Mark Spencer MP, on the matter at his first appearance before us on 25 May 2022. He told us that:
We are working on that. We have your recommendations in hand. We are certainly working our way through that and hopefully we will be in a position to respond to you around the summer recess. We will get there as soon as we can, but certainly we are grateful for your recommendations and my office are munching their way through that.8
6. It is clearly unacceptable that more than half a year should have passed without action since the Government accepted our recommendations for changes to the Guide to Parliamentary Work.
7. The Government should, as part of its response to this report:
a) Publish a revised Guide to Parliamentary Work making the changes we have recommended to the section on parliamentary questions; and
b) Make a written statement with details of the calculation and revalorisation of the disproportionate cost threshold, in line with the recommendations of the Chair’s letter of 10 November 2021.
8. Our last report was published on 18 July 2021, the day before we held a further oral evidence session with the then Minister of State for Health, Edward Argar MP. In correspondence with the Minister, we advised the Department not to predicate its PQ recovery on diminishing levels of parliamentary interest in its work. The experience of the 2021–22 Session has borne that out. In the 2021–22 Session the Department for Health and Social Care received precisely one fewer WPQ each sitting day, 64.6 rather than 65.6, demonstrating that parliamentary interest has been sustained well beyond the acute phase of the pandemic. We have kept a close eye on the Department for Health and Social Care’s performance as part of our regular monitoring of departmental performance throughout the Session.9 We reviewed departmental performance in detail for the period to December 2021 at the end of March 2022. We identified six departments whose performance was either not of an acceptable standard or whose performance had declined in the first half of the Session. The Chair wrote to the relevant Secretary of State to ask for an explanation, and in the case of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to give oral evidence.10
Table 3: Departments in which poor performance was identified in the first half of the Session
Department Reason |
Reason given |
Action taken |
Performance at end of Session |
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy11 Reduction in performance |
“new and challenging issues that required more time to prepare accurate and substantial responses” |
1. New processes for drafting and clearance 2. Support from the Parliamentary Unit to policy teams 3. Greater focus on PQs within the Department |
Ordinary 87% |
Named Day 85% |
|||
Department for Work and Pensions12 Reduction in performance |
No explanation offered |
1. Discussed with Ministers 2. Streamlined processes 3. Training for civil servants |
Ordinary 86% |
Named Day 83% |
|||
Home Office13 Reduction in performance (Named Day only) |
“predominantly as a result of the fast evolving and complex situation in Afghanistan” “a large number of Ukraine related PQs” |
“looking at ways to streamline clearance of Named Day questions, particularly during a crisis situation” |
Ordinary 74% |
Named Day 72% |
|||
Department for Health and Social Care14 Insufficient progress |
High volume of WPQs relating to the pandemic |
No new measures in addition to existing plan |
Ordinary 68% |
Named Day 41% |
|||
COP2615 Poor performance in the context of low volume of WPQs |
Impact of ministerial absence during preparations for COP26 |
1. COP26 WPQs integrated within Cabinet Office 2. Support provided by Cabinet Office officials |
Ordinary 56% |
Named Day 71% |
|||
Women and Equalities16 Poor performance in the context of low volume of WPQs |
Slow transfers of WPQs in from other departments |
Work with the Cabinet Office and Table Office on attribution of PQs at the point of tabling and transfer |
Ordinary 78% |
Named Day 82% |
9. The nature of the responses we received to the Chair’s letters varied significantly. Some letters referred to good performance at other times, including early 2022. The strongest theme of the cause of poor performance was new issues, some of which such as the withdrawal from Afghanistan, could be regarded as exceptional. Other reasons given were less persuasive. The President of COP26 attributed poor performance to his absence (on ministerial business) from the Department. Ultimately neither crises nor routine business should lead to reductions in WPQ performance. We note the role played by the Cabinet Office in coordinating training and process issues across Whitehall and welcome the proactive approach that its Ministers have taken to maintaining its own performance.17
10. Written parliamentary questions are a core means by which Ministers demonstrate their accountability to Parliament and should be treated as a core delivery task by Departments. Secretaries of State should anticipate heightened parliamentary interest in high-profile situations and instruct Permanent Secretaries to resource teams accordingly.
11. Unfortunately the response that we received from the former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on 15 June left much to be desired.18 His letter cited performance in periods other than the one in question, and highlighted May 2022—a month during half of which the House did not sit—as a period of good performance. More than a year after the Department was first warned to not expect levels of parliamentary interest to decrease, it troubled us that the Department appeared to be treating higher levels of PQs as temporary. We were also surprised that the Secretary of State declined our invitation to be accountable for his Department’s performance.
12. While it is normal for Secretaries of State to delegate aspects of departmental management or operations to other members of a Ministerial team, it is the task rather than the responsibility which is delegated. Our invitation to the former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care was also precedented. On 12 December 2012 a junior Minister at the Department for Education gave evidence to our predecessors following prolonged poor answering performance. Our predecessors reported that:
Regrettably, that session raised for us more questions than it provided answers about the reasons for the department’s poor performance. [ … ] We were also unconvinced that the department was on top of the problems or that any improvements could be expected. We therefore invited the Secretary of State and the Permanent Secretary for a follow-up session.
The Secretary of State gave evidence on 23 January 2013, accompanied by his Permanent Secretary and a Senior Policy Adviser.
13. The Chair replied to the former Secretary of State on 29 June, calling for increased resources and political leadership within the Department.19
14. We reiterate our invitation, this time to the newly-appointed Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to give oral evidence on how his Department will reach an acceptable level of WPQ performance.
1. It is clearly unacceptable that more than half a year should have passed without action since the Government accepted our recommendations for changes to the Guide to Parliamentary Work. (Paragraph 6)
2. The Government should, as part of its response to this report:
a.Publish a revised Guide to Parliamentary Work making the changes we have recommended to the section on parliamentary questions; and
b.Make a written statement with details of the calculation and revalorisation of the disproportionate cost threshold, in line with the recommendations of the Chair’s letter of 10 November 2021. (Paragraph 7)
3. Written parliamentary questions are a core means by which Ministers demonstrate their accountability to Parliament and should be treated as a core delivery task by Departments. Secretaries of State should anticipate heightened parliamentary interest in high-profile situations and instruct Permanent Secretaries to resource teams accordingly. (Paragraph 10)
4. We reiterate our invitation, this time to the newly-appointed Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to give oral evidence on how his Department will reach an acceptable level of WPQ performance. (Paragraph 14)
Table 4: Departments listed alphabetically
Ordinary written |
Named day |
|||||
Questions tabled for answer |
Number (%) answered substantively within 5 working days |
Questions tabled for answer |
Number (%) answered on named day |
|||
Attorney General |
94 |
92 |
98% |
63 |
61 |
98% |
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy |
2,326 |
2,032 |
87% |
1,721 |
1,462 |
85% |
Cabinet Office |
698 |
592 |
85% |
707 |
551 |
78% |
COP26 |
126 |
70 |
56% |
92 |
65 |
71% |
Defence |
1,317 |
1,270 |
96% |
1,215 |
1,156 |
95% |
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport |
1,255 |
1,139 |
91% |
609 |
546 |
90% |
Education |
2,052 |
1,821 |
89% |
1,240 |
1,078 |
87% |
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
1,572 |
1,284 |
82% |
809 |
693 |
86% |
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office |
2,550 |
2,399 |
94% |
2,000 |
1,777 |
89% |
Government Equalities Office |
110 |
86 |
78% |
74 |
61 |
82% |
Health and Social Care |
5,859 |
3,981 |
68% |
3,772 |
1,543 |
41% |
Home Office |
2,098 |
1,562 |
74% |
1,885 |
1,366 |
72% |
International Trade |
716 |
613 |
86% |
357 |
273 |
76% |
Justice |
1,143 |
1,054 |
92% |
816 |
683 |
84% |
Leader of the House of Commons |
14 |
14 |
100% |
6 |
6 |
100% |
Levelling Up, Housing and Communities |
1,629 |
1,539 |
94% |
1,096 |
1,016 |
93% |
Northern Ireland Office |
116 |
98 |
84% |
99 |
74 |
75% |
Prime Minister |
56 |
55 |
98% |
58 |
54 |
93% |
Scotland Office |
76 |
76 |
100% |
46 |
46 |
100% |
Transport |
2,121 |
2,116 |
100% |
1,300 |
1,300 |
100% |
Treasury |
1,764 |
1,756 |
100% |
1,217 |
1,210 |
99% |
Wales Office |
96 |
95 |
99% |
35 |
34 |
97% |
Work and Pensions |
1,648 |
1,422 |
86% |
1,136 |
938 |
83% |
Source: data from the Q&A system provided by the House of Commons Table Office
Table 5: Departments ranked by number of questions for ordinary written answer received
Source: data from the Q&A system provided by the House of Commons Table Office
Ordinary written |
Named day |
|||||
Questions tabled for answer |
Number (%) answered substantively within 5 working days |
Questions tabled for answer |
Number (%) answered on named day |
|||
Health and Social Care |
5,859 |
3,981 |
68% |
3,772 |
1,543 |
41% |
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office |
2,550 |
2,399 |
94% |
2,000 |
1,777 |
89% |
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy |
2,326 |
2,032 |
87% |
1,721 |
1,462 |
85% |
Transport |
2,121 |
2,116 |
100% |
1,300 |
1,300 |
100% |
Home Office |
2,098 |
1,562 |
74% |
1,885 |
1,366 |
72% |
Education |
2,052 |
1,821 |
89% |
1,240 |
1,078 |
87% |
Treasury |
1,764 |
1,756 |
100% |
1,217 |
1,210 |
99% |
Work and Pensions |
1,648 |
1,422 |
86% |
1,136 |
938 |
83% |
Levelling Up, Housing and Communities |
1,629 |
1,539 |
94% |
1,096 |
1,016 |
93% |
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
1,572 |
1,284 |
82% |
809 |
693 |
86% |
Defence |
1,317 |
1,270 |
96% |
1,215 |
1,156 |
95% |
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport |
1,255 |
1,139 |
91% |
609 |
546 |
90% |
Justice |
1,143 |
1,054 |
92% |
816 |
683 |
84% |
International Trade |
716 |
613 |
86% |
357 |
273 |
76% |
Cabinet Office |
698 |
592 |
85% |
707 |
551 |
78% |
COP26 |
126 |
70 |
56% |
92 |
65 |
71% |
Northern Ireland Office |
116 |
98 |
84% |
99 |
74 |
75% |
Government Equalities Office |
110 |
86 |
78% |
74 |
61 |
82% |
Wales Office |
96 |
95 |
99% |
35 |
34 |
97% |
Attorney General |
94 |
92 |
98% |
63 |
61 |
98% |
Scotland Office |
76 |
76 |
100% |
46 |
46 |
100% |
Prime Minister |
56 |
55 |
98% |
58 |
54 |
93% |
Leader of the House of Commons |
14 |
14 |
100% |
6 |
6 |
100% |
Table 6: Departments ranked by proportion of questions for ordinary written answer receiving substantive response within five working days
Source: data from the Q&A system provided by the House of Commons Table Office
Ordinary written |
Named day |
|||||
Questions tabled for answer |
Number (%) answered substantively within 5 working days |
Questions tabled for answer |
Number (%) answered on named day |
|||
Transport |
2,121 |
2,116 |
100% |
1,300 |
1,300 |
100% |
Treasury |
1,764 |
1,756 |
100% |
1,217 |
1,210 |
99% |
Scotland Office |
76 |
76 |
100% |
46 |
46 |
100% |
Leader of the House of Commons |
14 |
14 |
100% |
6 |
6 |
100% |
Wales Office |
96 |
95 |
99% |
35 |
34 |
97% |
Attorney General |
94 |
92 |
98% |
63 |
61 |
98% |
Prime Minister |
56 |
55 |
98% |
58 |
54 |
93% |
Defence |
1,317 |
1,270 |
96% |
1,215 |
1,156 |
95% |
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office |
2,550 |
2,399 |
94% |
2,000 |
1,777 |
89% |
Levelling Up, Housing and Communities |
1,629 |
1,539 |
94% |
1,096 |
1,016 |
93% |
Justice |
1,143 |
1,054 |
92% |
816 |
683 |
84% |
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport |
1,255 |
1,139 |
91% |
609 |
546 |
90% |
Education |
2,052 |
1,821 |
89% |
1,240 |
1,078 |
87% |
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy |
2,326 |
2,032 |
87% |
1,721 |
1,462 |
85% |
Work and Pensions |
1,648 |
1,422 |
86% |
1,136 |
938 |
83% |
International Trade |
716 |
613 |
86% |
357 |
273 |
76% |
Cabinet Office |
698 |
592 |
85% |
707 |
551 |
78% |
Northern Ireland Office |
116 |
98 |
84% |
99 |
74 |
75% |
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
1,572 |
1,284 |
82% |
809 |
693 |
86% |
Government Equalities Office |
110 |
86 |
78% |
74 |
61 |
82% |
Home Office |
2,098 |
1,562 |
74% |
1,885 |
1,366 |
72% |
Health and Social Care |
5,859 |
3,981 |
68% |
3,772 |
1,543 |
41% |
COP26 |
126 |
70 |
56% |
92 |
65 |
71% |
Table 7: Departments ranked by number of questions for written answer on a named day received
Source: data from the Q&A system provided by the House of Commons Table Office
Ordinary written |
Named day |
|||||
Questions tabled for answer |
Number (%) answered substantively within 5 working days |
Questions tabled for answer |
Number (%) answered on named day |
|||
Health and Social Care |
5,859 |
3,981 |
68% |
3,772 |
1,543 |
41% |
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office |
2,550 |
2,399 |
94% |
2,000 |
1,777 |
89% |
Home Office |
2,098 |
1,562 |
74% |
1,885 |
1,366 |
72% |
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy |
2,326 |
2,032 |
87% |
1,721 |
1,462 |
85% |
Transport |
2,121 |
2,116 |
100% |
1,300 |
1,300 |
100% |
Education |
2,052 |
1,821 |
89% |
1,240 |
1,078 |
87% |
Treasury |
1,764 |
1,756 |
100% |
1,217 |
1,210 |
99% |
Defence |
1,317 |
1,270 |
96% |
1,215 |
1,156 |
95% |
Work and Pensions |
1,648 |
1,422 |
86% |
1,136 |
938 |
83% |
Levelling Up, Housing and Communities |
1,629 |
1,539 |
94% |
1,096 |
1,016 |
93% |
Justice |
1,143 |
1,054 |
92% |
816 |
683 |
84% |
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
1,572 |
1,284 |
82% |
809 |
693 |
86% |
Cabinet Office |
698 |
592 |
85% |
707 |
551 |
78% |
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport |
1,255 |
1,139 |
91% |
609 |
546 |
90% |
International Trade |
716 |
613 |
86% |
357 |
273 |
76% |
Northern Ireland Office |
116 |
98 |
84% |
99 |
74 |
75% |
COP26 |
126 |
70 |
56% |
92 |
65 |
71% |
Government Equalities Office |
110 |
86 |
78% |
74 |
61 |
82% |
Attorney General |
94 |
92 |
98% |
63 |
61 |
98% |
Prime Minister |
56 |
55 |
98% |
58 |
54 |
93% |
Scotland Office |
76 |
76 |
100% |
46 |
46 |
100% |
Wales Office |
96 |
95 |
99% |
35 |
34 |
97% |
Leader of the House of Commons |
14 |
14 |
100% |
6 |
6 |
100% |
Table 8: Departments ranked by proportion of questions for written answer on a named day answered on the day named
Source: data from the Q&A system provided by the House of Commons Table Office
Ordinary written |
Named day |
|||||
Questions tabled for answer |
Number (%) answered substantively within 5 working days |
Questions tabled for answer |
Number (%) answered on named day |
|||
Transport |
2,121 |
2,116 |
100% |
1,300 |
1,300 |
100% |
Scotland Office |
76 |
76 |
100% |
46 |
46 |
100% |
Leader of the House of Commons |
14 |
14 |
100% |
6 |
6 |
100% |
Treasury |
1,764 |
1,756 |
100% |
1,217 |
1,210 |
99% |
Attorney General |
94 |
92 |
98% |
63 |
61 |
98% |
Wales Office |
96 |
95 |
99% |
35 |
34 |
97% |
Defence |
1,317 |
1,270 |
96% |
1,215 |
1,156 |
95% |
Levelling Up, Housing and Communities |
1,629 |
1,539 |
94% |
1,096 |
1,016 |
93% |
Prime Minister |
56 |
55 |
98% |
58 |
54 |
93% |
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport |
1,255 |
1,139 |
91% |
609 |
546 |
90% |
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office |
2,550 |
2,399 |
94% |
2,000 |
1,777 |
89% |
Education |
2,052 |
1,821 |
89% |
1,240 |
1,078 |
87% |
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
1,572 |
1,284 |
82% |
809 |
693 |
86% |
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy |
2,326 |
2,032 |
87% |
1,721 |
1,462 |
85% |
Justice |
1,143 |
1,054 |
92% |
816 |
683 |
84% |
Work and Pensions |
1,648 |
1,422 |
86% |
1,136 |
938 |
83% |
Government Equalities Office |
110 |
86 |
78% |
74 |
61 |
82% |
Cabinet Office |
698 |
592 |
85% |
707 |
551 |
78% |
International Trade |
716 |
613 |
86% |
357 |
273 |
76% |
Northern Ireland Office |
116 |
98 |
84% |
99 |
74 |
75% |
Home Office |
2,098 |
1,562 |
74% |
1,885 |
1,366 |
72% |
COP26 |
126 |
70 |
56% |
92 |
65 |
71% |
Health and Social Care |
5,859 |
3,981 |
68% |
3,772 |
1,543 |
41% |
Karen Bradley, in the Chair
Aaron Bell
Jack Brereton
Chris Elmore
Kevan Jones
Owen Thompson
Draft Report (Written parliamentary questions: Departmental performance in Session 2021–22), proposed by the Chair, brought up and read.
Ordered, That the draft report be read a second time, paragraph by paragraph.
Paragraphs 1 to 14 read and agreed to.
Annex 1 agreed to.
Resolved, That the Report be the Second Report of the Committee to the House.
Ordered, That the Chair make the Report to the House.
Ordered, That embargoed copies of the Report be made available (Standing Order No. 134).
All publications from the Committee are available on the publications page of the Committee’s website.
Number |
Title |
Reference |
1st Report |
Proxy voting and the presence of babies in the Chamber and Westminster Hall |
HC 383 |
Number |
Title |
Reference |
1st Report |
Written parliamentary questions: Departmental performance in Session 2019–21 |
HC 532 |
Number |
Title |
Reference |
1st Report |
Procedure under coronavirus restrictions: proposals for remote participation - First Report of Session 2019–21 |
HC 300 |
2nd Report |
Procedure under coronavirus restrictions: remote voting in divisions |
HC 335 |
3rd Report |
Procedure under coronavirus restrictions: the Government’s proposal to discontinue remote participation |
HC 392 |
4th Report |
Proxy voting: review of pilot arrangements |
HC 10 |
5th Report |
Written Parliamentary questions: Departmental performance in the 2017 Parliament |
HC 790 |
6th Report |
Procedure under coronavirus restrictions: virtual participation in debate |
HC 905 |
7th Report |
Procedure under coronavirus restrictions: call lists and time limits on speeches in debates |
HC 1031 |
8th Report |
Back to the future? Procedure after coronavirus restrictions |
HC 1282 |
1st Special Report |
Procedure under coronavirus restrictions: the Government’s proposal for proxy voting for shielding Members |
HC 429 |
2nd Special Report |
Procedure under coronavirus restrictions: Government Responses to the Committee’s First, Second and Third Reports |
HC 565 |
3rd Special Report |
Proxy voting: review of pilot arrangements: Government Response to the Committee’s Fourth Report of Session 2019–21 |
HC 836 |
4th Special Report |
Procedure under coronavirus restrictions: Government Responses to the Committee’s Sixth and Seventh Reports |
HC 1165 |
5th Special Report |
Back to the future? Procedure after coronavirus restrictions: Government Response to the Committee’s Eighth Report |
HC 1389 |
1 Procedure Committee, Written parliamentary questions: Departmental performance in Session 2019–21, First Report of Session 2021–22
2 Table 1
3 Written parliamentary questions: Departmental performance in Session 2019–21, Appendix 1; Oral evidence, 25 May 2022, Q37 [Rt Hon Mark Spencer MP]
4 Written parliamentary questions: Departmental performance in Session 2019–21, para 7
5 Written parliamentary questions: Departmental performance in Session 2019–21, para 12
6 Chair of the Committee to the Leader of the House, 10 November 2021
7 Leader of the House to the Chair of the Committee, 1 December 2021
8 Oral evidence, 25 May 2022, Q36
9 Minister of State for Health to Chair of the Committee, 6 August 2021
10 All correspondence is published on the Committee’s website.
11 Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to the Chair of the Committee, 6 June 2022
12 Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to the Chair of the Committee, 22 June 2022
13 Secretary of State for the Home Department, 21 June 2022
14 Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to the Chair of the Committee, 15 June 2022
15 COP26 President to the Chair of the Committee, 6 June 2022
16 Minister for Equalities, Local Government, Faith and Communities to the Chair of the Committee, 31 May 2022
17 Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office to the Chair of the Committee, 22 July 2021; Paymaster General to the Chair of the Committee, 16 December 2021
18 Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to the Chair of the Committee, 15 June 2022
19 Chair of the Committee to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, 29 June 2022
Recommendations for changes to the Guide to Parliamentary Work
1. Clearer statement of the principle of ministerial accountability to Parliament
2. Improved explanation of the interaction between the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and parliamentary accountability
3. Improved guidance to officials on when reference to published material is appropriate
4. Recalculation of the disproportionate cost threshold
5. Clarification of the extent of ministerial responsibility for the work of arm’s-length bodies
6. Greater detail on the procedural rules relating to written questions