Commons Speaker issues warning to ensure ministers give MPs accurate information

Rules governing ministerial behaviour should be reconsidered if ministers are not giving accurate information to MPs, the Commons Speaker has suggested.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle was speaking in the Commons after a Labour MP suggested Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden should resign for allegedly misleading the Commons over figures he used when criticising the Opposition’s spending plans.

Addressing a separate issue, Sir Lindsay also accused the Government of being “disrespectful” to the House and its members.

Mr Dowden told the Commons last month that Labour’s plan to spend £28 billion a year on initiatives to reduce carbon emissions would push up interest rates “adding £1,000 to everyone’s mortgage”.

He was speaking two days after the Daily Mail reported that “Treasury analysis” suggested the pledge would increase interest rates by 0.75% and add £1,000 a year to a £200,000 home loan.

But the source of the figures has since been challenged, with LBC reporting earlier this month that the Statistics Authority had spoken to the Treasury and been informed by it that the figure is not based on analysis by Treasury officials.

Labour former minister Dawn Butler, who also raised the issue in the Commons last week, told the House on Wednesday she was “shocked” that Mr Dowden had not corrected the record.

The ministerial code says: “It is of paramount importance that ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament, correcting any inadvertent error at the earliest opportunity.”

Making a point of order in the Commons, Ms Butler said: “Mr Speaker, I don’t know if you’re shocked, but I am.

“The Deputy Prime Minister had an opportunity to correct the record today where he misled the House on June 7.

“He failed to do so.”

After being reminded by the Speaker that MPs should not accuse MPs of deliberately misleading the House, she continued: “The Deputy Prime Minister inadvertently misled the House but didn’t come to correct the record, even though we’ve made it clear that he has, in regards to the £28 billion costing mortgage payers £1,000 a year.

“The only place that appeared was in the Daily Mail.

“He’s disrespecting yourself Mr Speaker, he’s disrespecting Parliament and the House, and according to the ministerial code he should now resign.

“Mr Speaker, can you advise me, he is in breach of the ministerial code, how can I ensure that he resigns?”

Sir Lindsay said the responsibility to make any necessary correction to the record lies with Mr Dowden, adding: “I think it is upon Government to look at itself.

“If the ministerial code is not being adhered to, I really do think the rules need to be looked at again to ensure that ministers, because don’t forget elections change ministers as well, that ministers ought to ensure that this House hear the facts.

“I will leave it at that.”

Following up with a second point of order, Labour MP Debbie Abrahams (Oldham East and Saddleworth) said she wrote to the Prime Minister in January asking him to support her private member’s bill which she said aims to “restore confidence and trust in politics and politicians” and which would allow for the independent adviser on ministerial standards to commission their own inquiries.

She said she has not received a response from the Prime Minister, despite following it up with a letter on June 9.

Sir Lindsay said: “There are clear expectations that correspondence from (MPs) will be dealt with within a reasonable timeframe.

“And I’ve got to say, I do stress, members deserve early replies on behalf of their constituents.

“It’s the constituents that put MPs in this House.

“I don’t mind which part of the chamber they come from, but I expect ministers, they all seem to want the job, well, take the job seriously, and ensure that (MPs) get their replies in due time.”

He added: “I do stress, there is a time that this Government respects the members of all sides of this House.

“It is becoming apparent they are disrespectful, and it’s not acceptable.”