Question NW3739 to the Minister of Human Settlements
15 December 2017 - NW3739
Mokause, Ms MO to ask the Minister of Human Settlements
(1)Whether (a) her department and/or (b) entities reporting to her procured services from a certain company (name furnished); if so, (i) what services were procured in each case and (ii) what is the total amount that was paid to the specified company in each case; (2) whether the specified company provided services related to international travel to (a) her department and/or (b) entities reporting to her; if so, (i) what is the name of each person who travelled, (ii) what was the travel route and (iii) what is the total amount that was paid for each person?
Reply:
(1) (a) & (b) Yes
The Honourable Member did not specify the period for which the information is required.
(2) Furthermore, in accordance with the established practise applicable to parliamentary questions contained in the document titled, “Guide to Parliamentary Questions in the National Assembly”, I will not be able to provide names of persons as requested in the question. The document referred to prohibits Members of Parliament, including the Executive, from divulging names of persons, bodies when asking or responding to parliamentary questions. It specifically states the following:
“Questions are to be framed as concisely as possible. All unnecessary adjectives, references and quotations are omitted. Names of persons, bodies and, for example, newspapers are only used in questions if the facts surrounding the case have been proven. As the mere mention of such names could be construed as publicity for or against them, it should be clear that this practice is highly undesirable. If a question will be unintelligible without mentioning such names, the Departments concerned are notified of the name (-s) and this phrase is used: ".......a certain person (name furnished)”