Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, what guidance he issues to Departments on whether they may decline to publish or signpost information which has otherwise been released to members of the public under Freedom of Information laws.
Answered by Alan Campbell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The Guide to Parliamentary Work (available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-parliamentary-work), published by my office, sets out the government's position regarding the relationship between the treatment of requests for information through parliamentary questions and the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000. Paragraph 221 states that “if information would be released under FOI, it would also be released in response to a WPQ”.
I have written to all Members of Cabinet and spoken with Departmental Parliamentary Clerks and Permanent Secretaries to remind departments and Ministers about the importance of providing full and helpful responses to WPQs.
In addition, the House of Commons Procedure Committee recently launched an inquiry into WPQs which is considering the interaction between WPQs and FOIs. I look forward to working with the Committee as this work progresses.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, whether he has had discussions with the House Authorities on guidance issued on parliamentary engagement with organisations whom the Government have banned engagement with.
Answered by Alan Campbell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
No such conversations have taken place between myself and the House Authorities.
Asked by: Will Forster (Liberal Democrat - Woking)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, if he will take steps to review the membership of the Privy Council.
Answered by Alan Campbell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
There are no current plans to review membership of the Privy Council. Information regarding membership and the arrangements for appointment to the Council is publicly available on the Privy Council Office website.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, Further to the UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, 22 December 2025, what steps he will take to assist Parliament scrutiny of new EU laws that the UK will adopt as a consequence of dynamic alignment; and whether he has had discussions with the House authorities on re-establishing a European Scrutiny Committee.
Answered by Alan Campbell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The Common Understanding is clear that where the UK Government decides to align with EU rules as part of a new agreement this will give due regard to the UK’s constitutional and Parliamentary procedures. The UK will be involved, as a sovereign nation outside of the European Union, at an early stage and contribute to the decision-shaping process of EU legal acts.
We will work with Parliament on the arrangements for the scrutiny of any necessary legislation, and the agreement more broadly, as the negotiations progress.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, what mechanisms are available to hon. Members to seek clarification or further information when a Department or public body is considered not to have provided a full or clear response to a Written Parliamentary Question.
Answered by Alan Campbell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Parliament has a right to scrutinise Ministers, and hold the Government and public bodies to account. I expect Hon. Members to receive both timely and helpful responses to their questions.
There are a number of mechanisms available to Members such as raising concerns on the floor of the House, including with myself at the weekly Business Question, or by writing to the relevant department or public body. I would also encourage Hon. Members to speak with myself or my office to further pursue these matters.
In addition, the House of Commons Procedure Committee monitors departmental performance in responding to Written Parliamentary Questions (WPQs). The Committee recently launched an inquiry into WPQs, and their sessional reporting continues to be an effective tool to hold Departments to account.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, what steps hon. Members can take to seek additional information from the Government in instances where a response to a written parliamentary question is considered incomplete or unclear.
Answered by Alan Campbell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Parliament has a right to scrutinise Ministers, and hold the Government and public bodies to account. I expect Hon. Members to receive both timely and helpful responses to their questions.
There are a number of mechanisms available to Members such as raising concerns on the floor of the House, including with myself at the weekly Business Question, or by writing to the relevant department or public body. I would also encourage Hon. Members to speak with myself or my office to further pursue these matters.
In addition, the House of Commons Procedure Committee monitors departmental performance in responding to Written Parliamentary Questions (WPQs). The Committee recently launched an inquiry into WPQs, and their sessional reporting continues to be an effective tool to hold Departments to account.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of improving parliamentary scrutiny procedures for international trade agreements.
Answered by Alan Campbell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Effective parliamentary scrutiny of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) is vital. The Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 (CRaG) gives Parliament the statutory right to scrutinise treaties prior to ratification, and includes the power to block ratification. Parliament must also pass legislation that may be necessary to implement a treaty.
In addition, the House of Commons Business and Trade Committee plays an important role in scrutinising the Government’s trade policy.
Taken together, the current framework facilitates robust parliamentary scrutiny of FTAs.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2025 to Question 91457, on Written Question: Government Responses, if he will undertake an assessment of whether the Cabinet Office provides full and helpful responses to Parliamentary Questions.
Answered by Alan Campbell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
It is a matter for individual departments to determine how to respond to parliamentary questions from Members. However, Parliament has a right to hold Ministers to account and I am committed to ensuring that Members receive full and timely responses.
I encourage hon. Members to raise any specific issues they may have with myself and my office.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, what assessment has been made of practices of Hon. Members who will not respond to correspondence from overseas electors who are assigned to their Parliamentary constituency.
Answered by Alan Campbell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The Government recognises the importance of MPs responding to correspondence in a timely and consistent manner. It is for each individual MP to determine how best to perform their parliamentary duties, including the management of correspondence from constituents resident in the UK and overseas. MPs are ultimately accountable to their constituents at the ballot box.
Asked by: Caroline Johnson (Conservative - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, how many and what proportion of Named Day written questions were answered (a) on time and (b) late (i) by Department and (ii) in total.
Answered by Alan Campbell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The information requested is not held by the Government. Data on response times to written parliamentary questions (PQs) is published following the end of every session by the House of Commons Procedure Committee as part of their continued monitoring and reporting of departmental PQ performance.