Points of Order — Questions for Oral Answer—Correction of Ministers’ Answers

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. My question to you goes to Speaker’s ruling 179/3 in relation to errors in questions for oral answer. It is a relatively simple question and that is: where an error is made by a Minister when answering on behalf of another Minister, is the obligation to correct on the Minister who delivered the error or on the Minster to whom the question was asked? Clearly, there are two questions that do need correction, I think it is generally agreed, both to the Prime Minister, but one of them was answered by the Leader of the House, and the question is whether it goes to the Leader of the House—the obligation to make the correction now.

In the normal course of events, it is at the discretion of the Minister who made the statement to determine whether he or she wishes to correct any statement that that Minister has made in the House.

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I know it is a discretion, but there is certainly an obligation on someone to correct it, and it is a question about—we know that the Leader of the House could correct it, but it is a question about whether he is obliged to. We know that the Minister is obliged to correct an error, but it is whether the Leader of the House is.

It is a matter for the Leader of the House to determine—if that is the person whom you think ought to be correcting the statement. It is a matter for the Minister to decide whether in fact the statement made needs correcting. That is a discretion that is in the hands of the Minister, not in the hands of the Speaker.