To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Ministers: Correspondence
Thursday 1st July 2021

Asked by: Tony Lloyd (Labour - Rochdale)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his policy is on Ministers devolving responsibility for answering hon. Members letters to officials.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

As outlined in the ‘Guidance for Handling Correspondence’, correspondence to Ministers from hon. Members should be signed off at an appropriate equivalent ministerial level. Where an MP has written about the day-to-day operations of an Executive Agency or a Non-Departmental Public Body, the appropriate Chief Executive may reply.

Official replies to letters from MPs should only be authorised in some circumstances, for example, when dealing with a large volume of letters on the same issue which would lead to an improvement in departmental performance handling or that it has been decreed that under certain circumstances an official reply would be more appropriate.