Table Office: Conservative Party
The question
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Table Office will meet the staff of Conservative Members of Parliament to discuss their work.
Answered by Nick Smith
While hon. Members alone have the right to table questions, the Table Office routinely deals with Members’ staff, acting with the authority of their Member, about the tabling and drafting of questions, as part of the Office’s responsibility to ensure that questions adhere to the rules of order and practices of the House.
Most issues concerning the drafting of questions are resolved quickly, but where it is not possible to do so with a member of staff, the Table Office will ask to deal directly with the Member concerned. This reflects the fact that responsibility for tabling questions resides with the hon. Member personally and ensures that the Table Office’s resources are used in an effective manner.
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