2. Terminology
Availability of information
If the information has:
- been placed in the House Libraries, say “The information is contained in [name of publication]. Copies are available in the Libraries of both Houses.”
- not yet been placed in the House Libraries, say “I am arranging for copies of the document to be placed in the Libraries of both House.”
Give the relevant website address, if appropriate.
Addressing members of the House of Commons
| Member of the Government | Member of the Opposition | |
| Backbencher | My hon. Friend the Member for… | The hon. Member for… |
| QC MP | My hon. and learned Friend the Member for… | The hon. and learned Member for… |
| Privy Councillor MP | My rt hon. Friend the Member for… | The rt. hon Member for… |
| QC and a Privy Councillor MP | My rt hon. and learned Friend the Member for… | The rt hon. and learned Member for… |
Addressing members of the House of Lords
| Member of the Government | Member of the Opposition | |
| Backbencher | My noble Friend | The noble Lord/Baroness |
| Whole House | My Lords | |
Previous written answers
| Former ACME minister to an MP | “I refer the hon. Member/my hon/rt hon. Friend to the answer given to him/her by my hon/rt hon. Friend the Member for [insert parliamentary constituency followed by name in brackets] on [insert date] Official Report, col xxxxx.” |
| Different minister to same MP | “I refer the hon. Member/my hon/rt hon. Friend to the answer given to him/her by my hon/rt hon. Friend the [insert Ministerial title] on [insert date] Official Report, col xxxxx.” |
| Different minister to different MP | “I refer the hon. Member/my hon/rt hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon/rt hon. Friend the [insert Ministerial title) to the hon. Member/my hon/rt hon.Friend the Member for [insert constituency] on [insert date] Official Report, col xxxxx.” |
| Same minister to same MP | “I refer the hon. Member/my hon/rt hon. Friend to the answer I gave him/her on [insert date] Official Report, col xxxxx.” |
| Same minister to different MP | “I refer the hon. Member/my hon/rt hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon/rt hon. Friend the Member for [insert constituency] on [insert date] Official Report, col xxxxx.” |
For example: “I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my rt hon. Friend the Member for St Helens South (Shaun Woodward) on 27 June, Official Report, col 96W”
Disproportionate cost
If the cost of providing a PQ Answer exceeds the current limit (currently £800) write: “This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.”
Tables
Hansard does not always print Tables directly beneath the PQ in the Official Report. If a Table forms part of your answer say: “The information is shown in the table/following table” and not “in the table below.”
Holding Reply
A Holding Reply is given to a Named Day PQ when we are unable to give a substantive answer approved by the Minister on the date (the Named Day) requested by the Member. Parliamentary Branch issue Holding Replies. They do not appear in Hansard.
The Department
Use “my Department” if the Secretary of State is answering but “the Department” for other Commons Ministers.
The Department
When answering questions in the House of Lords, the Minister replying is doing so on behalf of the Government rather than on behalf of ACME. So instead of ‘the Department’ or ‘this Department’ write ‘The Department for ACME’.
