Thank you for contacting me about the Procedure Committee report on correcting the Parliamentary record.
I am grateful to the Committee for their work, and I look forward to engaging on proposals that may improve the system.
It is ultimately the responsibility of individual Members to ensure that they uphold the standards required of holders of public office and the provision of accurate information is, of course, a key component of accountability to Parliament. This is set out in the extant 1997 Resolution on Ministerial Accountability to Parliament.
Although Members of the House who are not Ministers of the Crown are not scrutinised in the same way, both the Official Opposition and indeed all Members are expected to observe the Seven Principles in Public Life.
As such, I know the Government in its evidence to the Committee set out that it thought it reasonable that all Members be subject to similar requirements in relation to the correction of inadvertent errors and that, therefore, there is merit in considering options for extending the formal process for corrections so that it is available to all Members.
However, I understand the Government will be responding in full to the report and its recommendations in due course and I will read this with interest.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.