Third report of session
2006-07 from the procedure committee
QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER AND WRITTEN MINISTERIAL
STATEMENTS DURING SUMMER RECESS
1. The Leader of the House has proposed the following
permanent arrangements for tabling Questions for Written Answer
(QWAs), and making Written Ministerial Statements (WMSs), during
the summer recess, following the experiment last summer.
(a) On the first Monday in September and the
first Monday in October, members may table QWAs, up to the usual
maximum of 6 per day
(b) The usual expected deadline for responses
will apply, i.e. two weeks
(c) Hansard will publish answers online as they
are received
(d) A paper Hansard will be published the day
after the second tabling day
(e) WMSs made during recess will be published
in the same way
(f) For this year, the tabling days will be 3
September and 1 October. In future the Leader of the House will
announce the tabling dates by WMS
2. The Table Office will be open on the tabling
days. As usual, QWAs may be submitted on any other day through
the Duty Clerk, for tabling on the next tabling day up to the
limit of six. Hansard will publish answers online in weekly batches.
3. We recommend that these proposals be agreed
to. We suggest that the Leader of the House be given discretion
to vary the standard pattern of dates, by agreement through the
usual channels, in case of exceptional recess dates.
4. Many House staff are restricted to taking
leave in August and September. Therefore, although every effort
will be made to ensure a speedy response to questions on domestic
matters tabled on 3 September, they may not be answered within
the 14 day limit.
5. Standing Order 45 states:
"A Question to which an answer in writing is
desired may be placed on the Order Paper under the heading "For
Written Answer". The reply shall be printed in the Official
Report; it may be given on any sitting day including that on which
the Question is handed in."
6. The last limb of this implies that QWAs may
be tabled and answered only on sitting days. We recommend that
the last limb be deleted, leaving only:
"A Question to which an answer in writing is
desired may be placed on the Order Paper under the heading "For
Written Answer". The reply shall be printed in the Official
Report."
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