As Leader of the House I take very seriously the responsibility incumbent on all Ministers to provide full, timely and comprehensive answers to Questions for Written Answers (QWAs). My office works closely with all departmental Parliamentary teams to help provide advice on what is expected of them in providing such answers.<\/p>
<\/strong><\/p> Ministers are also reminded regularly of the importance of their obligations to the House.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4329", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Evans of Bowes Park"}
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, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Evans of Bowes Park"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-11-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-11-02T12:26:13.907Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "92"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : ""}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House of Lords"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Written Questions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Leader of the House what guidance or training is given to Ministers on the requirements to answer written questions from Members of the House comprehensively.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4216", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Empey"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Empey"}
], "uin" : "HL9633"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1228057", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Leader of the House of Lords"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1228057/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " As of 30th July, there have been 7,372 QWAs tabled this session in comparison, a total of 6,266 QWAs were tabled in the whole of 2019. All departments have been working extremely hard in difficult and unprecedented circumstances. My office is in regular contact with departments about late responses. Additionally, I remind my ministerial colleagues of the need to provide timely answers to written questions and have received assurances that any backlogs are being worked through. <\/strong><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4329", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Evans of Bowes Park"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Evans of Bowes Park"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-07-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-07-30T12:37:26.573Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "92"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : ""}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House of Lords"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-07-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Written Questions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of questions for written answer tabled by members of the House of Lords that have not been answered within the required timeframe; and why those questions have not yet received an answer.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3691", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Roberts of Llandudno"}
], "uin" : "HL7393"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1185092", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1185092/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " This Government takes parliamentary accountability very seriously. The Cabinet Office complies with guidance on written Parliamentary Questions. This guidance is regularly reviewed and frequent discussions take place across Whitehall regarding possible improvements in the answering of questions from parliamentarians.<\/p> The information requested in the Parliamentary Questions HL2127, HL2128, HL2129, HL2130, HL2131 and HL2132 remains a policy in development. Parliament will be updated in due course in the usual manner as the policy, and its delivery, progresses.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4200", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord True"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord True"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-03-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-03-30T12:35:23.67Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-03-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Written Questions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there have been any changes to the Cabinet Office document Drafting answers to parliamentary questions: guidance since 2 February 2011; and what assessment they have made of the compliance of the Written Answers by Lord True on 11 March (HL2127, HL2128, HL2129, HL2130, HL2131 and HL2132) with this guidance (1) in general, and (2) with specific reference to paragraphs three and five of that document.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4304", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Allen of Kensington"}
], "uin" : "HL2594"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1061380", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1061380/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Guidance on responding to Parliamentary Questions, and details of ministerial responsibilities, can be found on Gov.uk. This guidance states that Ministers must:<\/p> The Commons Procedure Committee monitors performance on departments\u2019 response rates to Parliamentary Questions and publishes results on a sessional basis. The latest report for Session 2016-17 was published on the Committee\u2019s website on 15th<\/sup> December 2017. Similar reports are available for previous Sessions.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/15", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir David Lidington"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Aylesbury"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr David Lidington"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-04-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-04-16T09:36:17.283Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-03-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Written Questions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish a ranked list of Departments in order of the proportion of Named Day Questions which they answered on that Named Day excluding holding answers in each of the last three years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/534", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Ruane"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Vale of Clwyd"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chris Ruane"}
], "uin" : "134559"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/872991", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/872991/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " It is for individual Departments to ensure that written Parliamentary Questions (PQs) are answered in line with the Ministerial Code.<\/p> The Ministerial Code sets out that Ministers must give accurate and truthful information to Parliament. It also states that Ministers should be as open as possible with Parliament. The Cabinet Office produces guidance to officials on drafting answers to PQs. This is available on GOV.UK;<\/p> https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/drafting-answers-to-parliamentary-questions-guidance. A Minister may refuse to answer a question on the grounds of unreasonable or disproportionate cost of researching an answer.<\/p> The Leader of the House of Lords\u2019 Office oversees Departments\u2019 performance and the quality of answers in response to Peers questions. Internal committees of both Houses conduct similar scrutiny of Departmental performance in responding to PQs.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/57", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Young of Cookham"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Young of Cookham"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-04-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-04-16T13:51:35.04Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-03-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Written Questions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what structures are in place to ensure consistency of quality across departments in responding to Questions for Written Answer in line with constitutional norms, especially regarding the need to be \"as open as possible\" in answering (LJ (1996\u201397) 404).", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/738", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Alton of Liverpool"}
], "uin" : "HL6676"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/675213", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/675213/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The content of each answer is a matter for the Minister concerned, and each Minister is responsible to the House for the answers they provide. Answers to similar questions asked of different Departments can vary.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/57", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Young of Cookham"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Young of Cookham"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-01-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-01-24T15:55:31.44Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-01-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Written Questions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government, where one department has provided information in the response to a Question for Written Answer, whether they would expect other departments to answer a similar question in a similar manner.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4153", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Kennedy of Southwark"}
], "uin" : "HL4778"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/671118", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Leader of the House of Lords"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/671118/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " As Leader of the House I take very seriously the responsibility incumbent on all Ministers to provide full, timely and comprehensible answers to Questions for Written Answer (QWAs). My office immediately approaches departments who have not responded to questions after 10 working days, and remains in contact with them until the questions are answered.<\/p> I am informed that due to ongoing technical problems with software used by the Home Office for processing answers to QWAs, the usual clearance process has experienced delays since October which have caused a backlog. I have been assured that steps have now been taken to safeguard against the problem reoccurring.<\/p> The Ministry of Justice recognise recent reductions in performance with regard to QWA responses, which I am informed is due to a reduction in resources\u200b \u200bas \u200ba result of process and system changes. The Department has assured me that they have taken steps to rectify this, including making further process improvements.<\/p> I have written to the Secretaries of State for both Departments to stress the importance of providing full and timely responses to QWAs and have written to my front bench team to reiterate the House\u2019s expectations in the light of recent performance.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4329", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Evans of Bowes Park"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Evans of Bowes Park"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-01-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-01-23T15:09:22.54Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "92"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : ""}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House of Lords"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-01-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Written Questions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Leader of the House whether the failure on 10 January of the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice to answer Questions for Written Answer which had been tabled in November 2016 was in part due to those departments not being fully staffed to normal levels in the days following the bank holiday on 2 January.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/883", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Jopling"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Jopling"}
], "uin" : "HL4521"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/663048", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/663048/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4021", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chris Skidmore"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingswood"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Chris Skidmore"}
, "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/663048/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "CO-DC00-PRN01_Rayhan Ali_4231_001.pdf"}
, "title" : "UKSA Response to PQ58421"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-01-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-01-09T16:12:29.367Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-12-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Written Questions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2016 to Question 51658, when he expects the UK Statistics Authority to place its additional analysis in the Library.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4400", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Margaret Greenwood"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wirral West"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Margaret Greenwood"}
], "uin" : "58421"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/657749", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Leader of the House of Lords"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/657749/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " As Leader of the House I take very seriously the responsibility incumbent on all Ministers to provide full, timely and comprehensible answers to Questions for Written Answer. This is something I stress regularly to frontbench colleagues and which I will certainly reiterate in the light of the Noble Lord\u2019s question. My office also engage regularly with private offices and Parliamentary teams when issues arise, both proactively and in response to concerns raised by individual members. It is for Ministers, though, to be directly accountable for the content of their answers, which is why I fully support the rule that Ministers must personally sign all answers to members of the House of Lords.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4329", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Evans of Bowes Park"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Evans of Bowes Park"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-12-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-12-20T17:18:58.72Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "92"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : ""}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House of Lords"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-12-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Written Questions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Leader of the House what arrangements are in place to ensure that, in answering Questions for Written Answer, government departments are, as required by the Ministerial Code, \"accurate and truthful\" and as \"open as possible\" in the answers they provide to members of the House of Lords; whether she has put in place a system to provide quality assurance of the answers provided by government departments to members of the House of Lords; and if so, what..", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2671", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Harris of Haringey"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Harris of Haringey"}
], "uin" : "HL4068"}
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