Departmental Evidence and Response to Select Committees (the 'Osmotherley Rules')
Contents
1. Introduction
- Status of the Guidance
- Scope of the Guidance
- Central principles
2. The Select Committee System
- General description
- House of Commons: Departmental-related Select Committees
- Powers of Select Committees
- Core tasks
- Public and closed evidence sessions
- Informal briefings
- Travel overseas by Select Committee
- Departmental Select Committee Liaison Officers
- Provision of departmental publications
- General Elections: Dissolution of Parliament
3. Role of Officials Giving Evidence Before Select Committees
- General
- Summoning of Named Officials
- Position of Retired Officials
- External Expert Witnesses
- Agency Chief Executives
- NDPBs
- Parliamentary Privilege
4. Evidence to Select Committees
4A. Provision of Evidence by Officials: Central Principles
- General
- Accuracy of Evidence
- Discussion of Government policy
- NAO and PAC Reports
- Consulting Ministers on Evidence
- Inter-departmental Liaison
- Research and Surveys
- Ministerial Statements
4B. Provision of Information
- General
- Excessive Cost
- Matters which may be sub judice
- Conduct of Individual Officials
- Papers of a Previous Administration
4C. Status and Handling of Evidence
- Status of evidence
- House of Commons
- House of Lords
- Comment on evidence from other witnesses
- Providing sensitive information in confidence
- Handling of sensitive information in oral evidence
- Handling of sensitive information in written evidence
4D. Evidence From Other Bodies
5. Government Responses to Select Committee Reports
- Leaked Select Committee Reports
- Publication of Committee Reports
- Briefing No 10 and Other Departments on Forthcoming Committee Reports
- Preparation of Press briefing
- Immediate Comment on Committee Reports
- Immediate Comment on NAO and PAC Reports
- Timing of Government Response to Committee Reports
- Form of Government Response
- (a) Command Paper
- (b) Memorandum or letter
- (c) Oral Statement
- Responses to Reports from ad hoc Committees
ANNEX A House of Commons Standing Order No. 152
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