Members: Correspondence

(asked on 11th May 2020) - View Source

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's guidance entitled, Handling Correspondence from Members of Parliament, Members of the House of Lords, MEPs and members of Devolved Administrations, when Ministers plan to recommence signing off directly correspondence from hon. Members.


Answered by
Chloe Smith Portrait
Chloe Smith
This question was answered on 19th May 2020

The right of MPs to take up constituents’ cases and other issues directly with the Government is an important part of the democratic process and underlines the accountability of Ministers to Parliament. It is essential that MPs receive carefully considered and prompt responses to their enquiries from all Government Departments, which address constituents’ concerns.

Further to the Leader of the House of Common’s comments during the Business Statement of 6 May 2020, the Cabinet Office guidance for departments on handling correspondence states that replies to letters from MPs by officials should only be authorised in certain exceptional cases, for example, when dealing with a large volume of letters on the same issue or under certain circumstances where an official reply would be more appropriate.

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