Petition Debate

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Wednesday 8th July 2020

(4 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Meg Hillier Portrait Meg Hillier (Hackney South and Shoreditch) (Lab/Co-op)
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On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. I know that I am not the only Member who has written to Ministers in the past few months about serious matters yet had responses from quite junior civil servants. Although I respect all civil servants, when I write to a senior Minister on a serious matter of policy—not an individual matter—I expect a response from the Minister. Are you, Mr Deputy Speaker, prepared to give me guidance on how we can make sure that this practice is nipped in the bud?

Nigel Evans Portrait Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans)
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The Speaker has made it absolutely clear that he expects all Back-Bench questions to Ministers not only to be answered but to be answered promptly, and I am sure that those on the Treasury Bench will make absolutely certain that Ministers are made aware of that rule.