| Category . | Definition . | Example . |
|---|---|---|
| Full reply | An answer in which requested information is provided, and/or the Commission’s views are made clear on the issue in hand. | Q (Robert Halfon, Conservative): What steps the Commission is taking to increase the number of apprentices in the House of Commons? A (Tom Brake, Commission Spokesperson): To increase the number of apprentices, the House service has taken a number of steps. That includes expanding the range of apprenticeship programmes on offer from 2 to 14 since September 2018 and upskilling existing employees by enrolling them on apprenticeship programmes. The expansion of apprenticeship programmes will continue. Ongoing engagement and planning for apprenticeship roles across all House teams will ensure more quality apprenticeships are created (see Halfon 2019). |
| Intermediate—deferred | An answer in which it is claimed that a full reply in terms of information, views and/or decisions can only be given in future correspondence, meetings, debates, or other inquiries. | Q (Alison Thewliss, SNP): What rates are House of Commons apprentices paid? The Government’s minimum rate is £3.70 per hour for under-19s and those over 19 in their first year. I would be interested to know how much apprentices in the House, who do a very important job, are paid. Would it not set an example to give them a much higher rate so that the rest of the country could do so as well? A (Tom Brake, Commission Spokesperson): I am afraid that my briefing on the subject has no information on that, so I will write to the hon. Lady to confirm the rate. Hopefully, she will be satisfied with the rate House apprentices receive (see Halfon 2019). |
| Intermediate—partial | An answer in which the requested information is incomplete, and/or the Commission responds on its own terms, and/or the Commission responds to a closely related issue, and/or the Commission’s views on the topic in hand are ambivalent. | Q (Barry Sheerman, Labour/Co-op): What steps he is taking to improve the working conditions of staff on the parliamentary estate? A (Tom Brake, Commission Spokesperson): The Commission seeks to provide good working conditions for all its staff. Terms and conditions of staff are kept broadly in line with those in the home civil service. No staff are paid below the London living wage. A range of facilities, including welfare support and learning opportunities are provided. The 2015 staff survey showed increasing job satisfaction, with 86% of staff willing to recommend the House of Commons as a good place to work (see Sheerman 2015). |
| Intermediate—referred | An answer which is referred, in full or in part, to the relevant minister, official or other government/ parliamentary body. Referred replies also include answers where the Commission simply states that an issue is outside of its remit and/or those that refer to previous Commission answers. | Q (Philip Hollobone, Conservative): If gender equality is core to the way in which the House of Commons works, why are only two members of the 12-member House of Commons Commission women? A (Tom Brake, Commission Spokesperson): That is a good point, and in terms of the party appointees, it is for the political parties to respond to it. I am pleased, however, that the two lay people on the Commission are women, as the hon. Gentleman indicated (see Hollobone 2016). |
| Non-reply | An answer in which the specific question is evaded, and/or a completely different question is answered, and/or the requested information is not provided, and/or the Commission’s views on the topic in hand are withheld. Non-replies can also arise in answer to rhetorical questions or when the questioner fails to ask anything specific. | Q (Philip Hollobone, Conservative): As the House of Commons Commission is encouraging British-produced food and drink on the parliamentary estate, may I commend to the right hon. Gentleman Weetabix breakfast cereal made in Burton Latimer and Warner Edwards gin made in Harrington—both within the Kettering constituency—as appropriate for the start and end of the parliamentary day? A (Tom Brake, Liberal Democrat): The hon. Gentleman’s love of Weetabix is now on the record (see Hollobone 2018). |
| Category . | Definition . | Example . |
|---|---|---|
| Full reply | An answer in which requested information is provided, and/or the Commission’s views are made clear on the issue in hand. | Q (Robert Halfon, Conservative): What steps the Commission is taking to increase the number of apprentices in the House of Commons? A (Tom Brake, Commission Spokesperson): To increase the number of apprentices, the House service has taken a number of steps. That includes expanding the range of apprenticeship programmes on offer from 2 to 14 since September 2018 and upskilling existing employees by enrolling them on apprenticeship programmes. The expansion of apprenticeship programmes will continue. Ongoing engagement and planning for apprenticeship roles across all House teams will ensure more quality apprenticeships are created (see Halfon 2019). |
| Intermediate—deferred | An answer in which it is claimed that a full reply in terms of information, views and/or decisions can only be given in future correspondence, meetings, debates, or other inquiries. | Q (Alison Thewliss, SNP): What rates are House of Commons apprentices paid? The Government’s minimum rate is £3.70 per hour for under-19s and those over 19 in their first year. I would be interested to know how much apprentices in the House, who do a very important job, are paid. Would it not set an example to give them a much higher rate so that the rest of the country could do so as well? A (Tom Brake, Commission Spokesperson): I am afraid that my briefing on the subject has no information on that, so I will write to the hon. Lady to confirm the rate. Hopefully, she will be satisfied with the rate House apprentices receive (see Halfon 2019). |
| Intermediate—partial | An answer in which the requested information is incomplete, and/or the Commission responds on its own terms, and/or the Commission responds to a closely related issue, and/or the Commission’s views on the topic in hand are ambivalent. | Q (Barry Sheerman, Labour/Co-op): What steps he is taking to improve the working conditions of staff on the parliamentary estate? A (Tom Brake, Commission Spokesperson): The Commission seeks to provide good working conditions for all its staff. Terms and conditions of staff are kept broadly in line with those in the home civil service. No staff are paid below the London living wage. A range of facilities, including welfare support and learning opportunities are provided. The 2015 staff survey showed increasing job satisfaction, with 86% of staff willing to recommend the House of Commons as a good place to work (see Sheerman 2015). |
| Intermediate—referred | An answer which is referred, in full or in part, to the relevant minister, official or other government/ parliamentary body. Referred replies also include answers where the Commission simply states that an issue is outside of its remit and/or those that refer to previous Commission answers. | Q (Philip Hollobone, Conservative): If gender equality is core to the way in which the House of Commons works, why are only two members of the 12-member House of Commons Commission women? A (Tom Brake, Commission Spokesperson): That is a good point, and in terms of the party appointees, it is for the political parties to respond to it. I am pleased, however, that the two lay people on the Commission are women, as the hon. Gentleman indicated (see Hollobone 2016). |
| Non-reply | An answer in which the specific question is evaded, and/or a completely different question is answered, and/or the requested information is not provided, and/or the Commission’s views on the topic in hand are withheld. Non-replies can also arise in answer to rhetorical questions or when the questioner fails to ask anything specific. | Q (Philip Hollobone, Conservative): As the House of Commons Commission is encouraging British-produced food and drink on the parliamentary estate, may I commend to the right hon. Gentleman Weetabix breakfast cereal made in Burton Latimer and Warner Edwards gin made in Harrington—both within the Kettering constituency—as appropriate for the start and end of the parliamentary day? A (Tom Brake, Liberal Democrat): The hon. Gentleman’s love of Weetabix is now on the record (see Hollobone 2018). |
| Category . | Definition . | Example . |
|---|---|---|
| Full reply | An answer in which requested information is provided, and/or the Commission’s views are made clear on the issue in hand. | Q (Robert Halfon, Conservative): What steps the Commission is taking to increase the number of apprentices in the House of Commons? A (Tom Brake, Commission Spokesperson): To increase the number of apprentices, the House service has taken a number of steps. That includes expanding the range of apprenticeship programmes on offer from 2 to 14 since September 2018 and upskilling existing employees by enrolling them on apprenticeship programmes. The expansion of apprenticeship programmes will continue. Ongoing engagement and planning for apprenticeship roles across all House teams will ensure more quality apprenticeships are created (see Halfon 2019). |
| Intermediate—deferred | An answer in which it is claimed that a full reply in terms of information, views and/or decisions can only be given in future correspondence, meetings, debates, or other inquiries. | Q (Alison Thewliss, SNP): What rates are House of Commons apprentices paid? The Government’s minimum rate is £3.70 per hour for under-19s and those over 19 in their first year. I would be interested to know how much apprentices in the House, who do a very important job, are paid. Would it not set an example to give them a much higher rate so that the rest of the country could do so as well? A (Tom Brake, Commission Spokesperson): I am afraid that my briefing on the subject has no information on that, so I will write to the hon. Lady to confirm the rate. Hopefully, she will be satisfied with the rate House apprentices receive (see Halfon 2019). |
| Intermediate—partial | An answer in which the requested information is incomplete, and/or the Commission responds on its own terms, and/or the Commission responds to a closely related issue, and/or the Commission’s views on the topic in hand are ambivalent. | Q (Barry Sheerman, Labour/Co-op): What steps he is taking to improve the working conditions of staff on the parliamentary estate? A (Tom Brake, Commission Spokesperson): The Commission seeks to provide good working conditions for all its staff. Terms and conditions of staff are kept broadly in line with those in the home civil service. No staff are paid below the London living wage. A range of facilities, including welfare support and learning opportunities are provided. The 2015 staff survey showed increasing job satisfaction, with 86% of staff willing to recommend the House of Commons as a good place to work (see Sheerman 2015). |
| Intermediate—referred | An answer which is referred, in full or in part, to the relevant minister, official or other government/ parliamentary body. Referred replies also include answers where the Commission simply states that an issue is outside of its remit and/or those that refer to previous Commission answers. | Q (Philip Hollobone, Conservative): If gender equality is core to the way in which the House of Commons works, why are only two members of the 12-member House of Commons Commission women? A (Tom Brake, Commission Spokesperson): That is a good point, and in terms of the party appointees, it is for the political parties to respond to it. I am pleased, however, that the two lay people on the Commission are women, as the hon. Gentleman indicated (see Hollobone 2016). |
| Non-reply | An answer in which the specific question is evaded, and/or a completely different question is answered, and/or the requested information is not provided, and/or the Commission’s views on the topic in hand are withheld. Non-replies can also arise in answer to rhetorical questions or when the questioner fails to ask anything specific. | Q (Philip Hollobone, Conservative): As the House of Commons Commission is encouraging British-produced food and drink on the parliamentary estate, may I commend to the right hon. Gentleman Weetabix breakfast cereal made in Burton Latimer and Warner Edwards gin made in Harrington—both within the Kettering constituency—as appropriate for the start and end of the parliamentary day? A (Tom Brake, Liberal Democrat): The hon. Gentleman’s love of Weetabix is now on the record (see Hollobone 2018). |
| Category . | Definition . | Example . |
|---|---|---|
| Full reply | An answer in which requested information is provided, and/or the Commission’s views are made clear on the issue in hand. | Q (Robert Halfon, Conservative): What steps the Commission is taking to increase the number of apprentices in the House of Commons? A (Tom Brake, Commission Spokesperson): To increase the number of apprentices, the House service has taken a number of steps. That includes expanding the range of apprenticeship programmes on offer from 2 to 14 since September 2018 and upskilling existing employees by enrolling them on apprenticeship programmes. The expansion of apprenticeship programmes will continue. Ongoing engagement and planning for apprenticeship roles across all House teams will ensure more quality apprenticeships are created (see Halfon 2019). |
| Intermediate—deferred | An answer in which it is claimed that a full reply in terms of information, views and/or decisions can only be given in future correspondence, meetings, debates, or other inquiries. | Q (Alison Thewliss, SNP): What rates are House of Commons apprentices paid? The Government’s minimum rate is £3.70 per hour for under-19s and those over 19 in their first year. I would be interested to know how much apprentices in the House, who do a very important job, are paid. Would it not set an example to give them a much higher rate so that the rest of the country could do so as well? A (Tom Brake, Commission Spokesperson): I am afraid that my briefing on the subject has no information on that, so I will write to the hon. Lady to confirm the rate. Hopefully, she will be satisfied with the rate House apprentices receive (see Halfon 2019). |
| Intermediate—partial | An answer in which the requested information is incomplete, and/or the Commission responds on its own terms, and/or the Commission responds to a closely related issue, and/or the Commission’s views on the topic in hand are ambivalent. | Q (Barry Sheerman, Labour/Co-op): What steps he is taking to improve the working conditions of staff on the parliamentary estate? A (Tom Brake, Commission Spokesperson): The Commission seeks to provide good working conditions for all its staff. Terms and conditions of staff are kept broadly in line with those in the home civil service. No staff are paid below the London living wage. A range of facilities, including welfare support and learning opportunities are provided. The 2015 staff survey showed increasing job satisfaction, with 86% of staff willing to recommend the House of Commons as a good place to work (see Sheerman 2015). |
| Intermediate—referred | An answer which is referred, in full or in part, to the relevant minister, official or other government/ parliamentary body. Referred replies also include answers where the Commission simply states that an issue is outside of its remit and/or those that refer to previous Commission answers. | Q (Philip Hollobone, Conservative): If gender equality is core to the way in which the House of Commons works, why are only two members of the 12-member House of Commons Commission women? A (Tom Brake, Commission Spokesperson): That is a good point, and in terms of the party appointees, it is for the political parties to respond to it. I am pleased, however, that the two lay people on the Commission are women, as the hon. Gentleman indicated (see Hollobone 2016). |
| Non-reply | An answer in which the specific question is evaded, and/or a completely different question is answered, and/or the requested information is not provided, and/or the Commission’s views on the topic in hand are withheld. Non-replies can also arise in answer to rhetorical questions or when the questioner fails to ask anything specific. | Q (Philip Hollobone, Conservative): As the House of Commons Commission is encouraging British-produced food and drink on the parliamentary estate, may I commend to the right hon. Gentleman Weetabix breakfast cereal made in Burton Latimer and Warner Edwards gin made in Harrington—both within the Kettering constituency—as appropriate for the start and end of the parliamentary day? A (Tom Brake, Liberal Democrat): The hon. Gentleman’s love of Weetabix is now on the record (see Hollobone 2018). |
This PDF is available to Subscribers Only
View Article Abstract & Purchase OptionsFor full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.
