Written question asked by Peter Luff (Conservative) on Monday, 29 November 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 13 December 2004. It was answered by Alun Michael (Labour) on Monday, 13 December 2004 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials were (i) consulted about and (ii) shown the article written by the honourable Member for the Wrekin, the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister for Rural Affairs, published in the Sunday Telegraph on 21st November, prior to its publication.

Answer: Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials were (i) consulted about and (ii) shown the article written by the hon. Member for the Wrekin, the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister for Rural Affairs, published in the Sunday Telegraph on 21 November, prior to its publication. [201671] Alun Michael: Parliamentary Private Secretaries are not obliged to clear anything they write in a personal capacity with Ministers or officials. Indeed this would be wholly inappropriate when matters are the subject of a free vote. As a courtesy, my hon. Friend sent me a draft copy of his article but he did not invite approval of it, and I offered no comments on it prior to publication. No officials were consulted about or shown the article before its publication.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 201671; 428 c807-8W
Session: 2004-05
Subjects: Hunting Members Newspaper press The Sunday Telegraph Bradley, Peter
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk