Tuesday, 13 August 2024

Business of the house

Sessional orders

James NEWBURY (Brighton) (12:47): I move, by leave:

That this house agrees to the following change to the sessional orders to come into effect on the next sitting day:

Omit sessional order 11 and insert:

11 Content of answers

(1) Standing order 58(1)(a) is suspended and all answers to questions must be direct, factual, succinct and responsive.

(2) The Speaker may determine that an answer to an oral question without notice or supplementary oral question is not responsive to the question and may accordingly direct the minister to provide a written response to the question and lodge it with the Speaker by 2 pm on the next sitting day. The Speaker will then forward the written response to the member who asked the question, and the Clerk must electronically publish the response.

(3) The Speaker will determine the adequacy of each written response to a question provided under this sessional order. The Speaker may determine that a written response does not appropriately answer the question and may direct that the minister provide another written response by 2 pm the next sitting day. The Speaker will forward the written response to the member who asked the question. The Clerk must electronically publish the response.

Leave refused.