Procedure Committee

Monday 6th July 2026

(began 2 months, 3 weeks ago)

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14:53
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None Portrait Speaker 3
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Thank you. Thank you very much, chair. And I just do want to start by saying, uh, we in the Foreign Office do take written parliamentary questions and their responses to Parliament extremely seriously. And it is also clear that the department's performance in that time was unacceptable. Whilst that was before I was at the department, I do want to apologise for that which, um, did see a number of reasons which the previous Foreign Secretary I think had also outlined in response to this committee.

Uh, part of that was um the. Unexpected increase in, in questions and some of that was also due to, um, quite a significant increase in challenges on the international stage. And combined with that, what our data also shows when you look at the major events that have sort of happened, is that, um, some of the, uh, the drop in performance was also around when there were significant policy changes and also changes in ministers, um, ministers in those roles. Um, we do take this very seriously and I hope that the committee will also recognise that since September, when the new Foreign Secretary and team overall came in, that we have made it a priority in.

The Foreign Secretary has to see an improvement in performance, which I hope has been seen. And that is um and I'm sure we'll come on to this, uh, reasons, part of the reasons being that ministers and officials are now working very closely together on what we can learn from that first year, and also the impacts of those particular moments of change. I'm sure we'll come on to this, uh, reasons. On the performance of the Foreign Office. But also, I'm extremely pleased that we've seen since May this year, 89% of responses being answered.

And I'm sure we'll come on to this, reasons. Part of the reasons being that ministers and officials are now working very closely together on what we can learn from that first year, and also the impacts of those particular moments of change or crisis. On the performance of the Foreign Office. But also, I'm extremely pleased that we've seen since May this year, 89% of responses being answered on time, exceeding the standard of the committee and in the very latest, um, responses through June that we are exceeding 90%.
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None Portrait Speaker 3
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I appreciate the question. And there were two there were two things I would highlight. Um, one is the impact of ministers travel and sometimes ministers can be away for 1 or 2 weeks in the month. Uh, but secondly, with some of the changes that we saw and with the change, particularly in February 2025, that was the departure of Minister Dodds. Um, and also a change in government policy at that time, um, around international development that there was, um, there was an increase, an increased pressure on the department that took some time, uh, to, I think, recover from alongside the demands minister's time, particularly with the new government.

I think the, um, the demands on ministers for travel and I think as well at that time, the, the Middle East being continuing to be quite a significant, um. On parliamentary time as well as ministers in the Foreign Office, I would highlight two issues that really dominated much of the parliamentary time, one being the Middle East and the other being, um the Chagos. Um deal. And um with Mauritius. And when you combine that and you also see that um a very high percentage of parliamentary questions were being answered by two ministers alongside urgent questions.

Um, a very high proportion of urgent questions as a whole for the whole of government being answered by um the Foreign Office in proportion, um that they were extra demands on time. And what I would just highlight here is that it can be the same teams, particularly the policy teams who are dealing with responding to urgent. Questions also dealing with um, freedom of information requests and parliamentary questions and correspondence. Um and so it is something that is important for us to be learning from about how you deal with the multiple demands that can come from particular issues that are.

That demand from parliamentarians. Understandably so, is very high in those concentrated times.
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None Portrait Speaker 1
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Thanks, John Lamont.
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None Portrait Speaker 2
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Thank you chair.
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None Portrait Speaker 3
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Yeah, I'm very happy to to share the process. And I think it may be that, um, Aiden may also want to come in, but we have questions that come into the department basically overnight. And then from 7 a.m., 6 or 7 a.m. in the morning. And it is a very early start for the team. They will then be involved in triaging those questions, giving some consideration to whether they might be grouped. Um, also then, um, looking at um whether they may have been asked before, um and then sharing them with the policy teams to ask for policy teams to send in a draft.

Um, the policy, um, um. Outline and uh, and then possibly some drafting, but then that will come in through by the end of that first day likely, and then be going into the drafting teams to put forward a draft, um, into private offices. Um, we then see those drafts coming through and with some background information as well, that may be useful for consideration. Just to give context for those answers. Um, that will then come through into the parliamentary offices of the private offices, um with private offices, the special advisers team will first be taking a look so that when it arrives with ministers, um, hopefully with a um, a day or same day, um, time to be able to respond within.

For name days particularly, this is important because it is a three day turnaround. Uh, we will then be um. Reviewing the information we've been given. Um, we may also know if there were possible alternative, um, drafts to the, to the answer based on um, how the ministers might want to approach responding. Um, and, and then ministers will um, will then respond back into our private office. What we also do have um from the parliamentary office is a, I think a closer working with the private offices.

So private offices will be aware of what needs to be answered that day. And there is a big attempt at 5:00 if it, if ministers have been in meetings or traveling, um to say, look, you must get this in by six um in order that we can be on time. Um I think the systems that we have improved by virtue of what happens at what time in, in that few days. Um, and also I think particularly the importance of, of triaging has also made a big difference to the speed by which we get the answers.

And by the triaging, I would say those that are questions that could usefully be grouped, um, they may be slightly different, but from different MPs. But actually the answer works for them all. And that can speed up the ministers being able to respond. But um, in addition, and I think this is something again, we may come back to um the I refer questions, what we have found and we've sort of now geared the system up in that first day, in that first morning of triage, is to assess whether that question or extremely similar has already been answered such that there hasn't been any change.

There's been no update, no, no new information. And whether we can respond with an I refer answer. That um, and that happens again as part of that process.
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None Portrait Speaker 4
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Sorry, Minister.
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None Portrait Speaker 3
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Um, well, I wouldn't suggest that um, colleagues are slow. What I would suggest is that there has been a significant um, demand on two ministers who have answered 62% of all Foreign Office parliamentary questions. Um, since the general election. And it won't surprise you that the biggest burden has fallen on the Minister for the Middle East. Um, and and then secondly, on Minister Doughty, um, with his responsibilities for overseas territories as well, what I would highlight is that that part of that is because it doesn't it isn't just the demand of parliamentary questions that falls on them in light of how quickly things can change.

And Minister Doughty also has Ukraine, which has again been a huge demand on on questions from parliamentarians is that there can also be very, very short notice meetings that are called or even travel. And that's been the case for Minister Doughty and Minister Falconer. And so alongside that, the the number of parliamentary questions, um and the timeliness with which they have to be responded to and has been a bit more of a, of a, of a, of a challenge, I do think, and again, I put this, um, you know, alongside, you know, the workloads that part of this is then about us learning.

It's about us learning as the Foreign Office, if we can, if one thing we can know is that there are likely to be demands on the system at short notice. And I think we've seen the acceleration of that in the last few years, but that that's becoming a bit of a norm in today's world. Then how do we build in more of the the way in which we work in a more streamlined way that can be supportive to those ministers when they're going through particular, um, difficult times?We all have it to some extent, but I think it's been particularly pronounced.

And the numbers demonstrate that.
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None Portrait Speaker 3
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This is a debate that we've had and what we have sought to do to date is to look at where we can streamline the processes that I think, in the latest data is making a significant impact. If you look even at the last few months. And part of that is the, um, the reduced redrafting because of the earlier engagement. But one of the other innovations, I would say innovation because it is thinking through what can we do differently and better has been to preempt where there might be an issue coming up or a change or a shift in international policy or something that, um, that means that there's likely to be parliamentary questions that may be forthcoming.

One recent example I might highlight was the Ebola crisis. And when we saw the early signs of that to be a bit up front about it, and I know we were in meetings to say, should we do a statement?And what that enables is that you can be ahead in the Commons to be to be recognising this is going to be of interest. And rather than wait, how can we be giving information to Parliament earlier?So by having a statement, being able to take questions, um you can actually get a lot more information on the public record.

Um and then what that also enables is that for a short period of time where there may not be any change in that, but parliamentarians who may not have been able to be in that statement or urgent might have been an urgent question if it wasn't a statement. But we we're trying proactively with the statements that you can do. The I refers answers a little bit more because you're referring back to something that is on public record in the Commons. And when MPs get that, often it can be helpful because they don't just have the answer to their particular question.

They will be able to see that there may be related matters raised that would be of interest to them and their constituents as well. So I say that because I think for the Middle East, for where we saw this issue that, um, that was with on the development side where we've seen it with Ukraine, or we've seen it, um, with, um, the Chagos deal that we've been able to think, how do we do something differently that reduces the pressure?
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None Portrait Speaker 5
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Um.
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None Portrait Speaker 4
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Um.
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None Portrait Speaker 3
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Um, I'm, I'm absolutely, and I think it's very helpful, um, to, to work through, through those changes. Um, firstly, I think it's worth saying there was a, um, a tightening up of the central processes with, um, with the parliamentary office. And I think this is related to um a reform triage system. Um, what we also looked to do is as part of that is strengthen the training that was given to staff on parliamentary question processes and also on why they're so important as part of the government's accountability to Parliament.

Um, I myself have been in sessions in the Fcdo where they are general staff briefings from ministers about what's important to ministers and been able to relay some of those messages as well. So that's understood um more um more clearly and directly from, uh, from us as, as members of Parliament to um, the systems that we've reformed have also seen that more, um, intensive. Process on that first day. Um, and with, uh. Checking in with teams, uh, daily about being able to get processes and answers back.

Um, and. In addition, ministerial private offices get a dashboard every week to show the performance of their ministers and other ministers so that it is a bit more of sort of early supporting earlier intervention, um, um, in those circumstances, we also monitor peak performance on a quarterly basis at the Fcdo's management Committee. Um and that is chaired by the Permanent Secretary. Um in terms of the triage that is in the, in the morning at about 6 or 7 a.m.. Um, that is important in terms of being able to look, as I said, about what questions could be grouped or what may have been asked before.

Um, I do just want to, will just briefly highlight and we may want to come back to this. It's a question for us about what the resources are in the table office, because I certainly know from my earlier days as a member of Parliament having questions refused, because they very similar ones had been asked before in the recent past. That doesn't seem to happen as frequently, um, as it as it has before. Um, but that, um that triaging I think is, is helpful in terms of where we might be able to refer parliamentarians to previous answers in, in I refers.

Um, and then as I also said, the insights that come from that part of the process, from that part of the process with questions that are becoming, are asking, being asked more frequently where we may want to see some, see some other interventions. Um, we then go through the process that I highlighted, which is after a question comes through, goes through to the policy teams that comes back to the drafting teams. Um, we are able to see that go through then to a review process. And then with the special advisers, the important, um, part as well.

All of the special advisers role is they're able to see across the department what's coming in and where there might be some common themes or even issues. Um, and then we're able to get, the draft question and the draft answer the question and the draft answer given to us. Hopefully the day before. But if not on the morning of the day that a name day will be due, and sometimes there can be 1 or 2 days for ordinary questions, um, as well. Was there anything else that you wanted to add?
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None Portrait Speaker 6
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Sorry.
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None Portrait Speaker 3
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I was just going to add one other. Point I first, I just want to also put on record my thanks to foreign um, foreign office officials, FCO officials. I think there has been an extraordinary amount of work that's gone into trying to look at where we can see improvements. And I think just building on what Aidan said, we are looking to bring in a new case management system. I think it's likely to be from early next year. Um, and the benefits of, of that will be be able to take some of the learnings from how we've changed the processes to look at what we can actually build in some of the technology to do for us.

Um, whether that is some sort of AI tools to help with some of the grouping. Um, at the beginning, um, where actually you can improve that, um, with, with, with AI, it's still involves the human at every stage we're making decisions. Um, but it can speed up that process. Um, and I think the second thing is that, um, you know, departments, um, have slightly different ways of doing this based on the volume of questions. They might have the slightly different nature of, um, of.

The questions and the inputs from across their departments. And we have obviously a, I mean, the Foreign Office has extensive, um, kind of, you know, country teams, um, you know, the desk teams that we have, um, the themes, you know, security and migration. And I mean, it's the, the matrix of challenging questions is enormous in the Foreign Office. Um, and so having a case management system that is more tailored to the processes we have, and we need to make it swifter for parliamentary questions rather than what we have at the moment, which is a system that sort of been designed for, you know, other, you know, other things.

Correspondents or FOI is a bit more, but actually something that is learning what processes we actually have and that we can support the technology to deliver those processes. So we hope to see that the streamlining will actually become an increasingly part of business as usual, and reduce the human resource during that time.
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None Portrait Speaker 3
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In relation to name day?They are by their nature more demanding because you have three days rather than five days. Uh, I do um, have some um um. You know, personal kind of sympathy with having both. Um and that's having been a, uh, a parliamentarian opposition parliamentarian for 13 long years. Um, but I think that that was, um, I think what's in, um, in. Important to recognise is it is whilst we have those demands, what we've tried to do is to streamline our systems and design them such that we can prioritise and that those questions and their draft and the draft answers can be put before ministers in good time.

One of the struggles, I think before, um, uh, some of the. Changes, um, has been that sometimes you can get questions, you know, maybe very tight, very tight just before the deadline and you may be in meetings. And look, I think in relation to this, um, you know, I've had the experience both in the Foreign Office and previously in the Home Office when the current Foreign Secretary was the Home Secretary, where we needed to see improvements in the system and nudging things earlier for, for members of Parliament.

And we went through a similar change process there as we have in the Foreign Office. Um, it does mean that, you know, if you can have that effective prioritisation and teams are better trained staff are better trained than the name day questions can be coming in time and in good time, like either the evening before or early morning for ministers to be able to review. And ordinary questions can be, you know, maybe on day four, because they're not due till two till day five. Um, one of the issues that has been, I think an underlying problem has been the number of, um, what we call the duplicate questions.

And I raise this in relation to the comment I just made about the table office resources. Um, more so in the past, um, uh, the table office, um, has refused to allow you to table a question that was asked was very similar to one that was recently asked. Um, but that does require table office resource, um, to be able to, to do in search that with the volume of questions, we also have seen increasing. Um, and I think this is a particularly different parliament in that we've seen a large, you know, turnover of, um, of, of members of Parliament as well.

So a lot of things we are kind of bedding in, um, in, in different ways and learning from, uh, as well. But what that meant, what, what that has meant is that we've seen a volume of name day questions. Sometimes they don't need to be name day. And I think it's also being able to, um, maybe be able to support members of Parliament in what may be tighter as a name day or could be ordinary if it's a three day versus five day, which then may help members of Parliament to be getting those answers on time.

But I think the point that I would just reiterate is that this, um, in, in my view, does also come back to the table office being able to be better resourced so that it shouldn't then make a difference to whether it's a name day question or a, or an ordinary question in terms of timeliness of response. If actually we reduce duplicates and we're able to support MPs to be able to maybe make a different decision about which which route they use.
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None Portrait Speaker 3
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Well, I, I, I do recognize there are different views on this. My view is probably, um, just influenced by how I've used both in the past. And I think there is a point um, to, to raise about the, um, what the options are for MPs and it is really hard, especially for new MPs to really, um, and I say this for me, I'm still learning in some ways about things. I thought, hang on a minute, I actually never knew that. Um, so I think um, for me, I think knowing when you do want an answer in a timely way, and there may be a particular reason, there may be a debate coming up and you really want to understand something and it's not on public record or um, there can be a, you know, something coming up on the international stage.

I mean, there can be reasons why actually having a shorter term, shorter time may be useful. Um, but I do think there are questions that we can look at, um, about whether there can be, also more support, um, from the table office to ask MPs whether they do need that in three days or whether it might be five days, bearing in mind that we are all wanting to have a system that works effectively, um for um for Parliament, um and that the large number of, you know, the increase, I think we've seen in 68% increase in, um, in questions on the previous year, um, that, um, that.

The ways in which those systems can work more effectively together can be helpful. So from my point of view, dealing with the issues, um, may actually reduce the need to change, um, name day versus ordinary.
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None Portrait Speaker 8
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Okay. Thank you.
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None Portrait Speaker 2
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Thank you chair.
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None Portrait Speaker 3
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I think that is a very important question, and I know that the committee has asked that, because there will also be that, um, that triangle between volume, speed and quality. Um, uh, what I would say is this that, um, the, if I come back to the improvements that, that we have made, um, and the, you know, the recent, um, numbers that have seen, you know, both an increase and also an increase in, um, timeliness of response, that quality also comes in with, um, what, how, with how the drafts go to ministers and, and ministers having time to be able to review and feedback with us.

Having built in more time for the review and feedback that has also seen a drop in the number of redrafts. Um, and, and also with the, um, with the way in which we're able to review, you know, if we, if we do an I refer question, um, I think, um, that that number is increased about 39% I think as well, um, that, um, that I always review what was said before. And actually that supports consistency of response as well. And then if you are going to change that, then your new response with the additional information becomes the one that's on record until there's been another material change.

Sometimes when you actually have multiple drafters, um, and you then get multiple responses that can also affect the quality because, um, there's a little bit of, you know, human error or challenge or differentiation that can be built in. So we actually, our system is, I think, protecting against some of that. Um, and I would say that ministers take the quality of their responses extremely seriously. Um, if parliamentarians don't feel that they've had a quality response. Look, I think there are other routes that are always available and open to them.

One is to ask questions again and parliamentarians do. The other may be to also approach the minister and parliamentarians do that, um, all the time. And we do make ourselves available. Um and also it may be that in oral statements or, or Foreign Office orals and so on, that parliamentarians do come back to say further, you know, maybe further to the question that they've asked. Um, those are all routes through which, for the information that parliamentarians need for their work in Parliament or for their constituents, there are those routes of which pqs are a part of that process.
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None Portrait Speaker 9
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Much.
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None Portrait Speaker 1
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Christopher.
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None Portrait Speaker 4
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Um well, I actually think when I looked at the data and I also looked at what were the things that happened in the year and how might they be associated with, um, with some of the drops?I think it would probably be the case across all departments that where ministers changed, um, that, that had an impact. I think also, um, with, um, with where there was a big policy change that we had on international development that led to a significant number in a short space of time. So I think there were circumstances that were, um, that were particular, I think to that first year, I think when the previous foreign Secretary did respond to the committee, I think there were already steps starting to be put in place.

Um, and then what I will say is that, um, you know, following, I think a further small drop, which I think possibly was reflected, I haven't looked but reflected across other departments. When we had the reshuffle in September that for the new Foreign Secretary it was an absolute priority. And I think it was for all of us that we saw an improvement in the performance and that we wanted to see that systemically sustained. Um we were also able to bring in some of the reforms that we had brought in, in the Home Office, which we saw an increase in performance there too.

Um, and I'm very, very grateful, again, to officials, I think, and Aidan and team who have, I think, been very open minded about where we can see changes and why it's so important that we deal with every aspect of the system and that every member of staff involved in that feels very valued, and how important their role is, so that we actually have a much more streamlined and effective system that is seeing us work like clockwork, particularly through the three days for a name day question.
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None Portrait Speaker 4
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I think that's very helpful to clarify. And I think the answer is, is a genuine issue. Um, and it is, it is the reason why we, um, we're also looking at where we can make some changes. So for example, um, when I was um, travelling. When I first came into the role, the pqs were sometimes sort of kept until I got back. Um, and that led to a bit of a drop in performance. Um, what we then started to do when I realized, when I realised that and private office also shared that in terms of the stats is that then we increased the sort of the, the work that was coming into me while I was travelling and while I'm travelling, it doesn't mean that we're just travelling.

I mean, I will have a box at the airport, I will have a box on the plane. I will be straight off and almost sometimes straight into meetings. I can be overnight and straight into something at 8 or 9:00 in the morning. Um, and you are always planning ahead. You know, I can be back to back then in meetings with ministers, and sometimes I will be on trips where I don't have, you know, I don't have the phones with me. We may not actually manage to see, um, be on the computer till in the evening.

Some of the changes that I certainly can speak to, having made on, you know, the longer distance trips because I have the Indo-Pacific is that we build in box time into the day. Um, more systematically. And we give that information early to posts to make sure that there are box time moments in the day so that anything urgent from London and particularly the, the, the questions, which is priority do get put to me at moments in the day. Um, that can it also is the case that um, uh, that we might try and preload where there might be questions and it could be ordinary questions that rather than waiting a day or two that we try and preload if there early.

So actually being able to plan more effectively around the travel is one of the innovations that we are making. But it is a real issue for ministers because before we travel, there is an intensity of meetings and preparation. Um, while we're travelling there is often very little time anyway. It isn't that there's free time really built in. Um, and after travel there's a concentration of catching up on the things that have built up. So what we've had to do now is to think, how do we still manage the work through that process?And that has involved thinking a bit differently about how we plan the visits.
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None Portrait Speaker 1
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John.
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None Portrait Speaker 4
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Surely the Foreign Secretary will know quite a lot, but the Foreign Secretary won't necessarily have the capacity to answer parliamentary questions in a day. Um, uh, you know, her horror like her her diary, like most section eight, will be an absolute horror. Um, but it is important to recognise that we have, you know, that is partly why we have the duty minister system. Um, again, I think this is where we've looked to where we can improve because I think where there was a concern with ministers, where there may be particular, you know, there are sensitivities.

You have to really understand sometimes the detail, um, to know. How best to answer a parliamentary question because you will be more aware of the context in which that question may be being asked. And so we do, like, I think, to answer our own questions. Um, that is a sort of a default position. Um, and, and if at all possible. So, and that's partly why I, um, you know, my team will send me the parliamentary questions, um, even when I'm abroad and it will be literally, I will finish maybe at 9 or 10 at night, um, in somewhere in the Indo-Pacific, you know, London is in the afternoon.

Um and, and I will then spend 2 or 3 hours on the sort of the day box if you like. Um, and that's something I've learned now build in, um, into, into the schedule. Um, but um, as we may well on an ad hoc basis, answer some questions, but what I will say again is it comes down to the quality and, you know, you know, where you might even, you don't necessarily ask for a redraft, you may just edit a question yourself, which is often what I do.

It will be an edit to the question as drafted. And that detail of knowledge won't be there with a minister that that is on duty. So that's why I think ministers prefer doesn't mean it doesn't happen, but it doesn't happen as a regularity, in the same way that we might take an urgent question, um, or a statement.
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None Portrait Speaker 1
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As.
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None Portrait Speaker 4
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Well I think um. And thank you for, for asking that. I think if I just highlight a few of the areas of change that I think it may be useful, um, for the committee to consider. Um, and this is where, um, we had, you know, suggested some changes potentially that could be useful to the streamlining of the system. And what we see is, um, sometimes a drop in, um, the. Um, the. Sort of, um, the overall, um, uh, questions that I don't want to say the quality of questions because it's not the question itself, but the, the system, the overall quality of how the system is working for us.

So the first area I would highlight is the reducing of duplicates, um, or questions that have been asked similarly. Um, I, I, I do think this may either require an increase in resourcing at the table office, or it might even be some tools at the table office might have to be able to put a question in to see, um, it could be AI tools as to, has this been our, similarly in the past, um and to be able to make a judgement, um, on that in order to, as I've had in the past, you know, members hub, it says, um, you know, this has been a similar question.

You may want to consider your question, um, reconsider your question. Um, so to see some of that happening will I think reduce the amount of grouping that we sometimes end up doing. Um, and the volume of questions, which itself is a, is a taker of, of time. Um, and I think that's important because it is about being able to make sure that we are giving members of Parliament the chance to ask the range of questions that they want. And as a collective too, because members of Parliament don't just look at their own questions and answers, they also look at what's been asked on these topics by other parliamentarians as well.

The second um, I would, um, urge a sort of closer focus on is um rules around using AI for drafting of questions. I personally have a real concern about that. You know, AI can be used for many things, but it does feel to me that, you know, our constituents may expect us to be able to draft our own questions. Um, and that, um, then, you know, what's going into it and that you've done the research for it. You know, it can take a lot of time to research a really good parliamentary question.

And that's what we're all trained, uh, to be able to do. Um, so understanding that as you know, as a, as a, as a, as a question and whether there should be any more guidance around that, um, is I think a question that the committee may want to consider. The third area I might highlight is research questions. Um, I understand that there is no limit on questions that are asked in recess. Not that I think we all give up, you know, every day recess to ask 50 parliamentary questions.

But there's nothing to stop that happening. But I think what is a challenge on the on the department side is the way in which those questions are handled. So they are um, you know, there are um um. Sort of publishing and publish days on which those questions are, um, internally shared. I'm not sure whether they're externally published, but they're internally shared with departments at the very end, um, possibly of recess and can come back on the technicality of this. But what it means is that on the first pretty much on the first day back, you know, it might be there's 200 questions that have been tabled that suddenly are there on the first day back.

Now, that means that you start day one after a parliamentary session, a parliamentary recess with a backlog, whereas it might be that there are ways in which you can have those questions, even if the answers don't come until, um, day one and they're all published together, that the questions to be able to work through them, you know, because on recess, um, officials might take leave as well as, um, you know, as well as others because the demands are less on their time and they have very high pressure roles during parliamentary periods and parliamentary session.

So whether there can be some review of that recess questions, whether there's a review on whether there should be a maximum number of questions that should be asked, could be asked by any parliamentarian in recess. Um, I don't have a fixed view on that, but it might be worth looking at some of the data as to, you know, what's the range of questions being asked and whether there might be some guidelines that could come in around that. But I think again, would be a data, um, you know, some data underpinning to that analysis, but actually having the process work so that there isn't a massive load on day one when there'll be a whole other sets of loads on the department and then on ministers time and then on maybe questions and uqs and statements.

Um, and then you're always on the back foot for a number of weeks. Um, that can't be in the interests of all of us. Um, and then I do think if I come back to this point about duplicates, um, and even what might be considered an inadmissible question, if the table office was able to spend more of that time pushing back, um, then that would reduce the pressures for name day and ordinaries, or at least bring them into line in a sort of more stable workflow.
15:59
None Portrait Speaker 1
-

Gavin.
15:59
15:59
16:00
16:00
None Portrait Speaker 6
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And I think this is a very important point that you're actually raising, because do you think I mean, we would probably have my recollection, and obviously, I appreciate this a long time since I was a minister, but my recollection there is an element of sometimes relief. You get to recess. You don't have an overbearing whips office demanding your attendance. You don't have to go to any uqs or statements or, God forbid, any Westminster Hall debates and everything else. There's a sense of liberation where you can sort of maybe do a little bit more.

Um, but maybe time has tainted my view on it. And, but what I, I do think departments continue to function. Can departments continue to make announcements and do press releases?Admittedly, you're not going to announce the annexation of Eritrea. Um, but you would hopefully Parliament would be recalled for that. But, but stuff still happens and that prompts questions. And actually you would probably rather it as if you would actually dial down the ability for people to ask any form of questions during recess, because you're a minister.

And I would have had the same view when I was a minister, but as a parliamentarian, I would say that actually the questions still need answering isn't the best. Most sensible way is actually to look at a means for parliamentarians to, you know, be able to ask questions. But actually the department to get the questions. So if I table a question on day two of parliamentary recess, then you get that question on at least day three, but then actually you're able to answer it, you know, two weeks later.

So actually there's a smoothing out of questions as against because you're right, you get it all in a tidal wave. So you get the questions. But actually there is ability to publish the answers to those questions in the usual run of the mill of things. Because you're right, people will be on holiday and in the department as they would be in Parliament and everything else like that. But isn't that equally making you more accountable as a minister to Parliament, but also making sure that you don't have these?Know, swell of, uh, enormous sort of churn of additional questions all coming at once.
16:02
16:02
None Portrait Speaker 6
-

Um.
16:02
None Portrait Speaker 4
-

Well, I've been a whip. There is, there is whipping. As you know. Um, I, I will say this, look, I think I was trying to make a differentiation between what government might do is a bit more of the routine of government in terms of announcements and press releases and visits and so on that do take place. Um, but, you know, quite often, you know, more, um, more often you will have, you know, major announcements that are to be made will be done during parliamentary sessions because then there's parliamentary statements that are important as part of that, as part of that process in relation to what may happen through, um, through recess.

Will you are absolutely right. And I think this is a very important distinction. Parliament may be in recess, but government carries on. Um and absolutely is the case during recess. I will be um, you know, in the department, um probably more so than even in the constituency on occasion, depending on the circumstances. Um and, and that is important. It's, it is the executive function, um in relation to questions, I think that will be um, part of the, you know, I'm sure the work of the committee in Parliament and um, in relation to what might get answered, um and whether there are particular challenges around, around that or not during recess, but I think there is this the point about being able to share those questions in a more timely way, at the very least, um, that will make it, um, at the first step as a first step, much easier to get quality answers on day one of returning.

And, and I think there is definitely questions to look at around that. And in relation, um, as well to, um, to what may happen in recess. You're absolutely right. There can be, and particularly on the international stage, there can be anything that happens when sometimes Parliament itself might be recalled. And we have seen that um as well. Um, and that is important to be able to keep the links between government and Parliament, um, responsive at all times. Um, but, and in the, in light of that, you know, what, you know, are there more questions about the processes of scrutiny?Um, or whether that may happen and may be able to wait until Parliament returns.
16:05
None Portrait Speaker 1
-

Katrina.
16:05
None Portrait Speaker 4
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Um.
16:05
16:05
16:06
16:07
This debate has concluded
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