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Ch15 Questions / RULES GOVERNING QUESTIONS / Direction of Questions / To Ministers



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House of Representatives                                Ch 15                                                 p 533

 

Questions / RULES GOVERNING QUESTIONS / Direction of Questions

 

To Ministers

All but a very small proportion of questions are directed to Ministers. Questions may not be put to one Minister, other than the Prime Minister, about the ministerial responsibilities of another 1 except that questions may be put to Ministers acting in another portfolio. 2 Where a question may involve the responsibility of more than one Minister, it should be directed to the Minister most responsible.

A Minister may refuse to answer a question. 3 He or she may also transfer a question to another Minister and it is not in order to question the reason for doing so. 4 If a question has been addressed to the incorrect Minister, the responsible Minister may answer, but if necessary the Member can be given an opportunity to redirect it. 5 In many instances the responsibilities referred to in a question may be shared by two or more Ministers and it is only the Ministers concerned who are in a position to determine authoritatively which of them is more responsible. 6 It is not unusual for the Prime Minister to refer questions addressed to him to the Minister directly responsible. No direct statement, request or overt action by the Prime Minister is required to indicate that another Minister will answer a question addressed to the Prime Minister. 7 The Prime Minister may also choose to answer a question addressed to another Minister. 8

Misdirected questions in writing are transferred by the Table Office, upon notification by the departments concerned.

Questions relating to the responsibilities of a Minister who is a Senator are addressed to the Minister in the House representing the Senate Minister.



H.R. Deb. (6.10.76) 1538.



H.R. Deb. (9.10.79) 1719.



H.R. Deb. (12.5.70) 1949; May , 23rd edn, p. 352.



H.R. Deb. (5.3.47) 352-3; H.R. Deb. (4.4.62) 1264-73; H.R. Deb. (22.8.79) 428-30. In the 1962 instance a motion of dissent from the Speaker’s ruling, which upheld the practice that Ministers may transfer questions to other Ministers, was defeated; see also May , 23rd edn, p. 344.



H.R. Deb. (27.3.95) 2134, 2137.



See The Table XXIX, 1960, pp. 150-1 for reference to House of Commons practice and its rationale.



H.R. Deb (29.6.2000) 18718-9.



E.g. H.R. Deb. (6.11.2003) 22359; H.R. Deb. (18.2.2004) 25104.