Asked by: Carla Denyer (Green Party - Bristol Central)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, with reference to the oral contribution of Leader of the House of Commons on 10 October 2024, Official Report, column 475, for what reason a response from a Minister was not provided before 21 October; and whether a response will be provided before any future decision is made relating to the government's independent adviser on political violence and disruption.
Answered by Lucy Powell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Following the Business Question on the 10th October 2024, I wrote to the Cabinet Office and my office further contacted the Home Office to raise this matter. Where Members raise issues with Ministers, it is important that they receive full and timely responses. I understand that the Home Office has now responded to the Hon. Member.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of current mechanisms monitoring the potential receipt of funding by hon. Members from (a) companies and (b) individuals sanctioned by (i) Ukraine and (ii) other allies.
Answered by Lucy Powell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The rules governing the receipt of benefits by members are a matter for the House of Commons. The Commons ‘Code of Conduct’, together with ‘The Guide to the Rules’, contain specific provisions regarding the registration of interests as well as gifts and benefits received from sources outside of the UK. Both of these can be found on the parliament website (available at: https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/commons/hoc-code-of-conduct/). Any alleged breaches of these rules are investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards with the oversight of the House's Committee on Standards.
In addition, there are parliamentary rules which require All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) to refrain from accepting secretariats provided by foreign governments. These can be found within the ‘Guide to the Rules on APPGs’ on the parliament website (available at: https://www.parliament.uk/about/mps-and-lords/members/apg/rules-on-appgs/).
Separately, the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 contains clear rules on donations, with members obliged to carry out permissibility checks on the donations they receive and report to the Electoral Commission eligible donations they receive in connection with their political activities.
These mechanisms ensure transparency is at the centre of the parliamentary standards system and reduce the possibility of undue foreign influence in our democratic institutions.
Asked by: Ben Spencer (Conservative - Runnymede and Weybridge)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, how many and what proportion of (a) named day and (b) ordinary written parliamentary questions were answered within the response deadline by (i) Department and (ii) month since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Lucy Powell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Data on response times to written parliamentary questions (PQs) is held by the House, not the government. PQs are an important part of the scrutiny of government and we are committed to ensuring that Members receive full and timely responses. In May 2024, the Procedure Committee published its report regarding Departmental performance in responding to Written Parliamentary Questions (PQs) in the 2022-23 Parliamentary Session (available at:
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5804/cmselect/cmproced/676/report.html). The government has recently shared its response with the Committee and recognised that there is room for improvement upon the record of the previous government. I have written to all Members of Cabinet to ask that departments and Ministers consider how performance can be improved in this Parliament.
The Procedure Committee monitors departmental PQ performance and their sessional reporting continues to be an effective tool. I look forward to working with the Committee on this.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, Pursuant to the answer of 18 September 2024, to Question 5016, on Emily Middleton, how many written parliamentary question responses have cited a forthcoming FOI response.
Answered by Lucy Powell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The information requested is not held by the government. It is a matter for individual departments to determine how to respond to parliamentary questions from Members. However, the government's position regarding the relationship between the treatment of requests for information through parliamentary questions and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 is unchanged. The Guide to Parliamentary Work (available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-parliamentary-work), published by my office, 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 to remind departments and Ministers about the importance of providing full and timely responses to parliamentary questions.
The Procedure Committee monitors departmental PQ performance and their sessional reporting continues to be an effective tool. I look forward to working with the Committee on this.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, whether she plans to bring forward a motion to allow the UK Youth Parliament to debate in the House of Commons Chamber.
Answered by Lucy Powell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The use of the Chamber by the UK Youth Parliament requires the agreement of the House of Commons. I would be happy to bring forward a motion to facilitate this in due course.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, if she will facilitate a vote on proposals for financial redress contained in the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report on changes to women's State Pension age, published on 21 March 2024.
Answered by Lucy Powell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The Government is taking the necessary time to properly review and consider the Ombudsman's report, given the significance and complexity of the issue. Once the Government has outlined its approach, opportunities for the House to debate this matter would be considered in the usual way.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, what the cost to her Department was of ministerial severance payments in each year from 19 December 2019 to 30 May 2024; which Ministers received a severance payment; and how much each Minister received.
Answered by Lucy Powell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. member to the response to be provided by the Cabinet Office (3029).
Asked by: Kit Malthouse (Conservative - North West Hampshire)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, what (a) statutory and (b) non-statutory direct ministerial appointments excluding special advisers she has made; and (i) who the appointee was and (ii) what the (A) remuneration, (B) title and (C) terms of reference was for each appointment.
Answered by Lucy Powell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
I have not made any statutory or non-statutory direct ministerial appointments since being appointed as Leader of the House of Commons.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, whether she plans to amend the Restoration and Renewal (a) budget, (b) timetable and (c) decant policy.
Answered by Lucy Powell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The Restoration and Renewal Programme is a matter for Parliament. The Parliamentary Client Board agreed the strategic direction of the Programme in February and expect costed proposals for three options (including full decant, continued presence and enhanced maintenance and improvement) to be put to members in 2025, enabling the Programme to progress.
Asked by: Richard Tice (Reform UK - Boston and Skegness)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, if she make it her policy that the resolution restricting short money for parties with fewer than five hon. Members should be amended to only apply to parties with fewer than three hon. Members.
Answered by Lucy Powell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Short Money is allocated on the basis of the number of seats won by each opposition party at the previous general election. The House of Commons Members Estimate Committee is responsible for modifying the provisions of the Resolutions relating to Short money as it considers “necessary or desirable in the interests of clarity, consistency, accountability and effective administration, and conformity with current circumstances” (Standing Order No. 152D (3)(c)) .
We should acknowledge that public money underpins the political system in respect of the Opposition as well as the Government, but we must always be conscious of the cost to the taxpayer. Further consideration of this policy is rightly a matter for the House.