Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Heald
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to her answer of 29 November 2006, Official Report, column 767W, whether her Department grades or classifies written parliamentary questions according to their political sensitivity.

Mr. McFadden
No.

Mr. Heald
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 29 November 2006, Official Report, column 767W, on parliamentary questions, if she will place in the Library a copy of the internal guidance in use in her Department on 6 December 2006 on (a) answering parliamentary questions for written answer and (b) procedures for handling Freedom of Information Act requests.

Mr. McFadden
When answering parliamentary questions the Cabinet Office takes account of the requirements of the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Code and Cabinet Office Guidance to Officials on Drafting Answers to Parliamentary Questions, copies of which are available in the Library for the reference of Members. The internal guidance is for internal purposes only.

In dealing with requests under the Freedom of Information Act the Department takes account of the requirements of the legislation. In addition, the Department for Constitutional Affairs publishes procedural and exemptions guidance which is available in the Library for the reference of Members and on the DCA website at:

http://www.dca.gov.uk/foi/guidance/exguide/index.htm.