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Cabinet Office

Answer

Mr. Salmond: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his policy is with regard to (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department giving evidence to (i) Scottish Parliament, (ii) Welsh Assembly and (iii) Northern Ireland Assembly committees; and to what categories of document he gives (A) full access, (B) restricted access and (C) no access to (1) Scottish parliament, (2) Welsh Assembly, (3) Northern Ireland Assembly and (4) House of Commons Select Committees. [7054] Mrs. Roche: General advice on attendance of UK Ministers and officials at Committees of the Devolved legislatures has been published under the Cabinet Office's series of Devolution Guidance Notes (available at www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/ guidance/dgn12.htm. The guidance applies equally to invitations from Committees of the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly. The Government's aim is to respond promptly and courteously to such requests for information as they are received. The precise nature of requests could vary widely. The nature of the information provided in response will be judged subject to criteria as set out in the Devolution Guidance Note. Requests are also assessed on a case-by-case basis under the terms of any relevant statutory provisions and under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (available at www.cfoi.org.uk/coptext.html, which also covers information requested by House of Commons Select Committees.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

7054; 372 c1003-5W;372 c1003-4W

Session

2001-02

Subjects

Disclosure of information Devolution Civil servants Government departments Northern Ireland Assembly National Assembly for Wales Ministers Scottish Parliament Select committees Cabinet Office

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk