Comments on: The dying art of answering questions - and Ruth Kelly’s train travel http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2007/01/25/the-dying-art-of-answering-questions-and-ruth-kellys-train-travel/ Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Wokingham Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:47:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Tony http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2007/01/25/the-dying-art-of-answering-questions-and-ruth-kellys-train-travel/#comment-327 Tony Fri, 26 Jan 2007 21:32:02 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=68#comment-327 Unsurprisingly, Michael Gove often receives identically worded responses to requests about government funding of the Muslim Council of Britain. I am sure other honourable members experience the same thing from this obsessively secretive and unaccountable sham of a Government. Surely John, it is time to work smarter to make life uncomfortable for these departments that try to evade proper scrutiny for fear it would embarrass them or reveal double standards. I discuss this very issue on the <a href="http://tonysharp.blogspot.com/2007/01/catch-all-way-to-avoid-scrutiny.html" rel="nofollow">Waendel Journal</a>. It would be interesting to know if using such a tactic will wrongfoot the information officers sufficiently to free up information we should be entitled to examine. Unsurprisingly, Michael Gove often receives identically worded responses to requests about government funding of the Muslim Council of Britain. I am sure other honourable members experience the same thing from this obsessively secretive and unaccountable sham of a Government.

Surely John, it is time to work smarter to make life uncomfortable for these departments that try to evade proper scrutiny for fear it would embarrass them or reveal double standards. I discuss this very issue on the Waendel Journal. It would be interesting to know if using such a tactic will wrongfoot the information officers sufficiently to free up information we should be entitled to examine.

]]> By: Neil Craig http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2007/01/25/the-dying-art-of-answering-questions-and-ruth-kellys-train-travel/#comment-295 Neil Craig Thu, 25 Jan 2007 18:10:53 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=68#comment-295 I suspect you are right that she isn't travelling by train to stop global warming. She is quite right not to since the whole GW & trains are more ecological stuff is rubbish but obviously to answer would shop she doesn't believe this any more than Cameron believes he is saving the world by bicycling & letting his briefcase travel in style. I doubt if passing it on to the unfortunate Angela was disrespect to you - had Kelly answered it (or more likely signed Angela's answer) while claiming jogging her memory would be expensive. I suspect you are right that she isn’t travelling by train to stop global warming. She is quite right not to since the whole GW & trains are more ecological stuff is rubbish but obviously to answer would shop she doesn’t believe this any more than Cameron believes he is saving the world by bicycling & letting his briefcase travel in style.

I doubt if passing it on to the unfortunate Angela was disrespect to you - had Kelly answered it (or more likely signed Angela’s answer) while claiming jogging her memory would be expensive.

]]> By: Alan Eaves http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2007/01/25/the-dying-art-of-answering-questions-and-ruth-kellys-train-travel/#comment-291 Alan Eaves Thu, 25 Jan 2007 15:30:53 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=68#comment-291 My avowed ambition is to live long enough to actually hear any politician answer a question with a straight answer as opposed to reciting a pre-rehearsed response - I live in hope ! Alan Eaves My avowed ambition is to live long enough to actually hear any politician answer a question with a straight answer as opposed to reciting a pre-rehearsed response - I live in hope !

Alan Eaves

]]> By: Ed http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/2007/01/25/the-dying-art-of-answering-questions-and-ruth-kellys-train-travel/#comment-289 Ed Thu, 25 Jan 2007 12:13:41 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=68#comment-289 Greg Hands asked a similar question to Mr Blair when making a point about how overcrowded the Underground is. I recall that his "answer" was almost identical to the one you received. The truth is presumably that the Govt is embarrassed to admit that hardly any use of public transport is made by Ministers. Greg Hands asked a similar question to Mr Blair when making a point about how overcrowded the Underground is. I recall that his “answer” was almost identical to the one you received. The truth is presumably that the Govt is embarrassed to admit that hardly any use of public transport is made by Ministers.

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