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657749

registered interest
date	13/12/2016
answering body	Leader of the House of Lords
answering dept id	92
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Leader of the House of Lords
hansard heading	Written Questions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	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..
tabling member printed	Lord Harris of Haringey
uin	HL4068
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2016 answer text <p>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’s 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> answering member printed Baroness Evans of Bowes Park question first answered 20/12/2016 17:18:58 answering member 4329 label Biography information for Baroness Evans of Bowes Park
tabling member	2671 label Biography information for Lord Harris of Haringey

582663

registered interest
date	13/09/2016
answering body	Leader of the House of Lords
answering dept id	92
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Leader of the House of Lords
hansard heading	Ministry of Justice: Written Questions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Leader of the House what explanation she has received from the Ministry of Justice concerning its failure to answer by 9 September a Question for Written Answer that was asked on 20 July (HL1379).
tabling member printed	Lord Jopling
uin	HL1846
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/09/2016 answer text <p><strong>The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park):</strong></p><p>I regularly stress to departments the importance of giving timely answers to Questions for Written Answer. My office immediately approach departments who have not responded to questions after 10 working days, and remain in contact with them until the questions are answered. This process has been followed in both of the cases to which the noble Lord refers.</p><p>In the case of the Ministry of Justice question, I am informed that the delay related the process of transferring it to the right department for response. After discussion it was transferred to the Cabinet Office, who will provide a substantive answer by close of play this week. As regards the Department for Education questions, I am informed that the delay related to gathering complex data spanning a long period and the need to obtain clearance from across government. Both of the questions concerned have now been answered.</p><p>Regarding timely replies more generally, I have recently written to the three departments with the greatest proportion of late responses in the last session and I regularly set out the House’s expectations as they apply to QWAs to my frontbench team. Notwithstanding the cases referenced above, I am pleased to say that the proportion of on-time responses from the Ministry of Justice rose from 74% of questions in 2014-15 to 87% in 2015-16; while the Department for Education answered well over 90% of questions on time in both sessions.</p> answering member printed Baroness Evans of Bowes Park question first answered 27/09/2016 15:42:54 answering member 4329 label Biography information for Baroness Evans of Bowes Park
tabling member	883 label Biography information for Lord Jopling

582664

registered interest
date	13/09/2016
answering body	Leader of the House of Lords
answering dept id	92
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Leader of the House of Lords
hansard heading	Department for Education: Written Questions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Leader of the House what explanation she has received from the Department for Education concerning its failure to answer by 9 September two Questions for Written Answer that were asked on 19 July (HL1338) and 21 July (HL1440).
tabling member printed	Lord Jopling
uin	HL1847
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/09/2016 answer text <p><strong>The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park):</strong></p><p>I regularly stress to departments the importance of giving timely answers to Questions for Written Answer. My office immediately approach departments who have not responded to questions after 10 working days, and remain in contact with them until the questions are answered. This process has been followed in both of the cases to which the noble Lord refers.</p><p>In the case of the Ministry of Justice question, I am informed that the delay related the process of transferring it to the right department for response. After discussion it was transferred to the Cabinet Office, who will provide a substantive answer by close of play this week. As regards the Department for Education questions, I am informed that the delay related to gathering complex data spanning a long period and the need to obtain clearance from across government. Both of the questions concerned have now been answered.</p><p>Regarding timely replies more generally, I have recently written to the three departments with the greatest proportion of late responses in the last session and I regularly set out the House’s expectations as they apply to QWAs to my frontbench team. Notwithstanding the cases referenced above, I am pleased to say that the proportion of on-time responses from the Ministry of Justice rose from 74% of questions in 2014-15 to 87% in 2015-16; while the Department for Education answered well over 90% of questions on time in both sessions.</p> answering member printed Baroness Evans of Bowes Park question first answered 27/09/2016 15:43:05 answering member 4329 label Biography information for Baroness Evans of Bowes Park
tabling member	883 label Biography information for Lord Jopling

581661

registered interest
date	12/09/2016
answering body	Leader of the House of Lords
answering dept id	92
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Leader of the House of Lords
hansard heading	House of Lords: Recess
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Leader of the House why there are half-term recesses for the House of Lords.
tabling member printed	Lord Stoddart of Swindon
uin	HL1797
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/09/2016 answer text <p>The business of the House is scheduled in a way which allows for periodic adjournments, including at half-term. This is the case because many of its members have family or other outside commitments away from the House, in many cases away from London. The House of Commons has a similar pattern of adjournments.</p> answering member printed Baroness Evans of Bowes Park question first answered 20/09/2016 12:36:28 answering member 4329 label Biography information for Baroness Evans of Bowes Park
tabling member	950 label Biography information for Lord Stoddart of Swindon

576333

registered interest
date	05/09/2016
answering body	Leader of the House of Lords
answering dept id	92
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Leader of the House of Lords
hansard heading	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Written Questions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Leader of the House, further to her Written Statement on 21 July (HLWS128), what discussion she has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in the light of that Department's position as the Department having the worst record in answering Questions for Written Answer within 10 working days, and whether the Secretary of State intends to make a Written Statement to explain what steps have been taken within that Department to match the overall record of government departments in answering 93 per cent of Written Question within 10 working days.
tabling member printed	Lord Jopling
uin	HL1573
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2016 answer text <p>I take very seriously my responsibility as Leader of the House to encourage Ministers to be punctual in answering written questions. I recently published data on departmental performance in answering Questions for Written Answer for the 2015/16 session, where I was pleased to see that 93% of questions were answered within 10 working days. Nevertheless, we must always strive to do better. I have written to the three departments with the greatest proportion of late responses in the last session to make clear the House’s expectations and to stress the importance of timely responses.</p><p> </p><p>Though the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (formerly the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) received 475 Questions for Written Answer in 2015/16 - more than double the number received in the previous session - Ministers were nevertheless disappointed by the department’s performance. In response the department has put in place a range of actions to improve performance, including strengthening internal deadlines and procedures. Baroness Neville-Rolfe, as the Lords Minister, has stressed to me how seriously the department takes its responsibilities to Parliament and is confident that performance will improve in this session.</p><p><br>My office continues to work with all departments to ensure prompt and comprehensive responses to all Questions for Written Answer. I will continue to publish data on an annual basis to allow analysis of performance over time. This practice is important in highlighting where improvements in timeliness could and should be made.</p> answering member printed Baroness Evans of Bowes Park question first answered 19/09/2016 09:08:00 answering member 4329 label Biography information for Baroness Evans of Bowes Park
tabling member	883 label Biography information for Lord Jopling

525116

registered interest
date	14/06/2016
answering body	Leader of the House of Lords
answering dept id	92
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Leader of the House of Lords
hansard heading	Refugees
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Leader of the House what processes she has put in place to ensure that select committee reports are debated in a timely manner.
tabling member printed	Baroness Scott of Needham Market
uin	HL699
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2016 answer text <p><br>My Noble Friend the Government Chief Whip makes regular offers of time, both on the Floor of the House and in Grand Committee, for debates on Select Committee reports to the Committee Office. The Committee Office then coordinates among Chairmen to determine which reports are debated on such occasions and in what order.</p><p>Debates covering nine reports have already taken place this session.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stowell of Beeston question first answered 20/06/2016 12:34:11 answering member 4205 label Biography information for Baroness Stowell of Beeston
tabling member	2542 label Biography information for Baroness Scott of Needham Market

523721

registered interest
date	07/06/2016
answering body	Leader of the House of Lords
answering dept id	92
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Leader of the House of Lords
hansard heading	Emergencies: Planning
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Leader of the House, further to the Written Answers by Lord Dunlop on 24 March (HL7079) and 22 January (HL4982), what guidance she has given to the Northern Ireland Office about answering questions fully and substantially, and in particular providing definitions as requested.
tabling member printed	Lord Laird
uin	HL536
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2016 answer text <p>The position has not changed since I answered the Noble Lord’s question HL6043 on 17 February. That answer is included below for your ease of reference and I have nothing further to add to this.</p><p><em>As Leader of the House, I regularly stress to departments the importance of giving full and timely answers to Questions for Written Answer. 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. That direct accountability is important: that is why Ministers in this House must provide personally signed answers to members.</em></p><p><em>The Ministerial Code says that “It is of paramount importance that Ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament”. It also makes clear that “Ministers should be as open as possible with Parliament and the public, refusing to provide information only when disclosure would not be in the public interest”. In addition, there is a longstanding rule of this House that all answers should be complete and comprehensible. I shall continue to make this guidance clear to all Ministers.</em></p> answering member printed Baroness Stowell of Beeston question first answered 20/06/2016 12:32:04 answering member 4205 label Biography information for Baroness Stowell of Beeston
tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

518730

registered interest
date	18/05/2016
answering body	Leader of the House of Lords
answering dept id	92
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Leader of the House of Lords
hansard heading	Written Questions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Leader of the House how many Questions for Written Answer were put to each Government department and answered within the target 10 working days in each month in the 2015–16 Session, together with the relevant percentages in each case.
tabling member printed	Lord Jopling
uin	HL24
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/05/2016 answer text <p>In line with the practice established in the last session, following the commitment made by my predecessor (HL Deb 8 May 2014, col 1575), I will continue to publish annually the performance of departments on their promptness in dealing with Questions for Written Answer. My office will also continue to work with all departments to ensure prompt and comprehensive responses to all Questions for Written Answer.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The statistics for the 2014-15 session are available as a Written Statement (HLWS39). I will shortly publish data on departmental performance for the 2015-16 session.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Stowell of Beeston question first answered 31/05/2016 13:19:28 answering member 4205 label Biography information for Baroness Stowell of Beeston
tabling member	883 label Biography information for Lord Jopling

518759

registered interest
date	18/05/2016
answering body	Leader of the House of Lords
answering dept id	92
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Leader of the House of Lords
hansard heading	Business: Billing
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Leader of the House what was the average time in (1) the 2015–16 Session, and (2) each of the last five Sessions before that, between the publication of a select committee report and its being debated; and how many select committee reports published in the 2015–16 Session and the previous five Sessions were undebated (1) 12 months, and (2) six months, after publication.
tabling member printed	Lord Sharkey
uin	HL53
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/05/2016 answer text <p>My office does not hold the information requested.</p><p> </p><p>My Noble Friend the Government Chief Whip makes regular offers of time for debates on Select Committee reports to the Committee Office. The Committee Office then coordinate among Chairmen to determine which reports are debated on such occasions and in what order.</p><p><br>Sixteen select committee reports were debated in the last session and debates on nine reports have been arranged thus far this session.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stowell of Beeston question first answered 31/05/2016 12:54:03 answering member 4205 label Biography information for Baroness Stowell of Beeston
tabling member	4196 label Biography information for Lord Sharkey

518112

registered interest
date	09/05/2016
answering body	Leader of the House of Lords
answering dept id	92
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Leader of the House of Lords
hansard heading	Standing Orders
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Leader of the House whether she is satisfied with the existing Standing Orders relating to the consideration of primary legislation in its later stages, and if not, whether she will refer that matter to the Procedure Committee.
tabling member printed	Lord Trefgarne
uin	HL8272
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/05/2016 answer text <p>It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will write directly to my Rt Hon. Friend.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stowell of Beeston question first answered 12/05/2016 12:21:57 answering member 4205 label Biography information for Baroness Stowell of Beeston
tabling member	1813 label Biography information for Lord Trefgarne