Personal Explanations — Replies to Questions for Written Answer

I seek the leave of the House to make a personal explanation under Standing Order 343.

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. That sounds very much like a ministerial statement. I can well remember when the Rt Hon Jenny Shipley tried to make a personal explanation in this House, and the Labour Party stopped that from occurring on the basis that it should be a ministerial statement, because it related to answers given in the House. I think that exactly the same rules should apply now.

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. The same member raised that precise point in the last session of the House, and you ruled then that the standard procedure throughout the time that you and I have been MPs is for a Minister to make a personal explanation to correct an answer.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: The answer is quite clear: it is in the hands of members. A member has asked for leave to make a personal explanation; if there is any objection, then the member cannot make a personal explanation. Is there any objection?

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Can you advise us as to what the situation is? You have just told us that it is the choice of the House as to whether a member can make a personal explanation, but it is a requirement of the Standing Orders for the mistake to be corrected. If a mistake is made by a Minister, surely the Minister is obliged to make a ministerial statement to correct his or her previous answers.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: If the Minister has made a mistake in a written reply, he can record the mistake by a written reply. I asked for the leave of the House. Is there any objection to the Minister making a personal explanation? There is.

Yesterday in the House I said that I—

💬 Mr SPEAKER: There is objection.

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I now want to raise a quite serious matter, which is a matter for future reference and is not in relation to this case. In relation to the ruling you have just given, where a Minister discovers that a mistake has occurred in an answer, seeks to make a personal explanation to correct that answer, and the House denies that leave, I see that as being the end of the matter.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: No. All that the Minister now has to do is to supply the Clerk with an answer in writing, and that will be sufficient.