Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Hanson of Flint Excerpts

Thursday 4th June 2015 Commons Chamber

The Leader of the House was asked—

[Mr David Hanson (Delyn) (Lab)]

1. What guidance he has given to Ministers on making statements to the House before they are made to the press.

[Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab)]

5. What recent guidance he has given to ministerial colleagues on making statements to the House before they are made to the media.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Leader of the House of Commons (Chris Grayling)]

The ministerial code is clear: when Parliament is in session, the most important announcements of Government policy should be made in the first instance to Parliament. I have reminded my Cabinet colleagues of that.

[Mr Hanson]

On 21 May, the Prime Minister, in a speech to journalists outside this House, gave details of every aspect of the proposed immigration Bill, a full week before that Bill was announced in the Gracious Speech last Wednesday. Whatever the view of the Leader of the House on that, is it not better that Members of Parliament are the first to hear a new policy, so that they can either praise it or ask questions about it in this House?

[Chris Grayling]

With respect to the right hon. Gentleman, the House was not sitting at that point, and during the past couple of months political leaders of all parties have made detailed statements to the media about their plans for the next five years; fortunately, only one party is able to put its plans into effect. We will ensure that we continue to treat Parliament with the respect it deserves.