MPs have been calling for better accountability when it comes to answering Written Questions. On 2 September 2021, the National Assembly approved a Mechanism on Delayed Replies to Questions. The system includes the Speaker writing to the defaulting Ministers and the Leader of Government Business quarterly, reporting those Ministers to the Rules Committee, and in the case of continued default, a reprimand from the Speaker in the House. Finally, the Speaker may escalate the matter to the Leader of Government Business as a formal complaint. It was agreed that the National Assembly wait to see the impact of these sanctions before taking more extreme steps.
This paper welcomes the adoption of the monitoring system and suggests three recommendations:
- The need for timely evaluation of the monitoring system – unlike the delay in devising the system
- The provision of a clear definition of ‘reprimand’
- Conduct a workshop for role players on the Rules and Guidelines on how and to whom they apply
This paper welcomes the adoption of the monitoring system and suggests three recommendations:
- The need for timely evaluation of the monitoring system – unlike the delay in devising the system
- The provision of a clear definition of ‘reprimand’
- Conduct a workshop for role players on the Rules and Guidelines on how and to whom they apply
