As Leader of the House, I have a particular responsibility to encourage departments to be punctual in answering written questions, but the content of each answer is a matter for the minister concerned. The Ministerial Code says that \u201cMinisters 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\u201d.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4144", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hill of Oareford"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Hill of Oareford"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-05-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-05-13T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "92"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : ""} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House of Lords"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-05-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Leader of the House, in the light of the answers on 6 May to written questions tabled by Lord Mendelsohn, what steps he will take to ensure that the replies to written questions answer the question which was put as fully as possible.", "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" : "HL6992"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/42668", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Leader of the House of Lords"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/42668/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
It is the responsibility of individual ministers to decide what answers they give to Questions for Written Answer (QWAs), and they are of course accountable to the House for those answers. The importance of this direct accountability is such that I recently decided, following the introduction of a new system for answering QWAs electronically, to require Ministers in this House to continue providing personally signed answers to noble Lords. The Ministerial Code states that \u201cIt is of paramount importance that Ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament\u201d.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4144", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hill of Oareford"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Hill of Oareford"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-03-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-03-20T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "92"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : ""} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : ""} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-03-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "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 steps he has taken to ensure that Ministers make sure, before signing replies to Questions for Written Answer, that the replies answer the questions which have been put.", "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" : "HL5937"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/40536", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Leader of the House of Lords"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/40536/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Of the 13 questions to the Ministry of Justice that remained unanswered after 10 working days on 27 February, all but one have now been answered. <\/p>"}
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I take the matter of late answers to Questions for Written Answer very seriously. My office reviews the ‘Questions unanswered after 10 working days’ in House of Lords Business <\/em>every day. As soon as a question appears in this section of House of Lords Business<\/em>, my office contacts the relevant department’s Parliamentary Team, and they remain in contact with the Parliamentary Team and the Minister’s Private Office until the question is answered.
I have also recently taken the opportunity to discuss the need for timely answers with members of the front bench in this House.<\/p>