Strengthen standards requiring direct answers to questions in Parliament

Background

Clarify and strengthen parliamentary standards so Ministers and Members must give clear, relevant and direct answers to questions asked in either House, except where a refusal is formally justified under established public-interest or statutory exemptions.

Additional details

Avoiding a question through redirection, unrelated commentary, ad hominem or repeated refusal without clear justification can undermine scrutiny. We believe Parliament should clarify and strengthen its procedural standards so that: Answers must address the substance of the question asked; refusals to answer must explicitly cite a recognised procedural, legal, or public-interest ground; and the Chair may require clarification where an answer clearly fails to address the question.