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Committee publication · Correspondence · 14 May 2025

Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade relating to WPQ performance, dated 3 April 2025

From: Procedure Committee

Inquiry: Written Parliamentary Questions: Departmental performance in Session 2024-26

Summary

The Procedure Committee Chair writes to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade about the Department's below-standard performance answering written parliamentary questions (WPQs). During July–December 2024, DBT answered only 77% of Named Day questions on time, falling short of the committee's 85% benchmark. The Chair requests improvement steps within six weeks.

Key findings

  • DBT answered 144 of 187 (77%) Named Day WPQs on time in the period 17 July to 6 December 2024, below the 85% standard.
  • Ordinary WPQ performance was 405 of 480 (84%), also below the 85% threshold.
  • DBT's answering performance has been inconsistent since its formation in January 2023, with previous underperformance noted in Session 2022–23.
  • The committee observed improvement in Session 2023–24 but is disappointed by the renewed decline in the current session.
  • The Chair requests the department provide details of improvement steps within six weeks.

Tone

Critical

Topics

parliamentary-proceduregovernment-accountabilitydepartmental-performance

Key actors

Cat Smith MP, Jonathan Reynolds MP, Procedure Committee, Department for Business and Trade, House of Commons Table Office

Notable line

“DBT's answering performance has been inconsistent.”

Key Quotes

“… the standard considered acceptable by us and by our predecessors is for 85% of questions to be responded to on time.”
— Cat Smith MP · explaining the committee's benchmark for departmental performance
“… we have noted that your Department is currently performing below the 85% standard.”
— Cat Smith MP · summarizing DBT's first-part session performance
“We were pleased to note an improvement in our Report on the 2023 – 24 Session, and are therefore disappointed to see that the department has 1 Source: House of Commons Table Office WPQ system 2 Procedure …”
— Cat Smith MP · expressing concern about renewed underperformance
“We encourage you to take steps now to ensure that DBT's performance can reach and exceed the 85% standard, and not decline any further.”
— Cat Smith MP · requesting improvement action
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Source · parliament.uk record ↗

Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade relating to WPQ performance, dated 3 April 2025 | Beyond The Vote | Beyond The Vote