Question
On 7 September, the Secretary of State made a commitment that Devon MPs would be able to hold a meeting with the appropriate Minister to discuss local government reorganisation in Devon. Sadly, that meeting has not occurred to date. What timescale can the Minister give for such a meeting occurring?
Answer
We said that the meeting would take place after the review, as we wanted the review to take its course. It has obviously now concluded, and I have made a statement today. We have a list of about 40 to 50 MPs who have requested meetings in debates and in writing, so we will have a Monday evening surgery every two weeks from 7 pm to 9 pm. We will make sure that MPs are given a slot at the earliest possible opportunity.
Verdict: RED (22/100)
The question asked when a meeting about Devon would take place. The reply explains that the meeting was put off until a review was completed, and says that review has now finished. It also describes a fortnightly Monday evening surgery and promises MPs a slot 'at the earliest possible opportunity'. It gives no date, timescale, or committed timetable for the Devon meeting, so the central point of the question is largely unanswered and the asker would likely need to ask again for a specific date.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What timescale the Minister can give for the meeting between Devon MPs and the appropriate Minister to discuss local government reorganisation in Devon, as committed to by the Secretary of State on 7 September. | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply explains that the meeting was deferred until the review concluded and that the review has now finished, and it describes a fortnightly Monday evening surgery and a pledge to give MPs a slot 'at the earliest possible opportunity'. None of this gives the timescale for the Devon meeting the question asks for, so the answer is incomplete and vague on the specific point. |