Source · Select Committees · Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Recommendation 14
14
Paragraph: 98
The Committee was very disappointed that when the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster declined...
Conclusion
The Committee was very disappointed that when the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster declined to appear before the Committee on 4th February, Ministers sent in his place were poorly briefed and unable to answer the Committee’s questions. The ability of Select Committees to hold Ministers to account for decisions is a vital part of the democratic process. This is particularly true at a time when the country is facing the toughest possible restrictions on our freedoms, and when (as we have previously reported on) detailed scrutiny of the Government’s decisions has not always been possible in the timeframes required. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster’s refusal to attend this Committee and account for decisions made by the taskforce he chairs is contemptuous of Parliament.
Paragraph Reference:
98
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The Government has set out the four tests that will need to be met to move between each step, with at least a five week gap between steps: four weeks to observe the impact of the previous step and a further week’s notice to the public and businesses ahead of any further changes. This means that we will only move to the next step in the roadmap if it is safe to do so. On 5 April, the Government set out its assessment of these four tests that had been met at Step 2 and published the data and modelling that underpinned that decision. On 10 May, the Government did the same for Step 3. The Government also continues to hold regular press conferences, supported by our scientific advisers, to present the latest data and continues to ensure that data is available and accessible to the public on the key metrics. Government’s response to the Committee’s Eighth Report of Session 2019–21 7 A list of all the metrics available in the public Dashboard by area type and devolved nations is attached and can be accessed here: https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/download. The Dashboard has clear links to data at lower local authority level with a total of 101 metrics at an overview level for the UK. There are 116 metrics for England at a national level, 68 at a regional level, 17 at a NHS regional level and 11 at NHS Trust level.