The Government can refuse to answer questions in Parliament about the Christine Rankin affair, says Speaker Jonathan Hunt.
Prime Minister Helen Clark's decision not to comment because of a forthcoming Employment Court hearing was a decision "she was entitled to make," he said yesterday.
Mr Hunt said he understood MPs' concern to have information on the proposed merger of two important Government departments.
He said ministers should seek to answer questions put to them, but MPs were very rarely satisfied with the replies.
The Speaker's ruling followed Act MP Muriel Newman's tabling in Parliament on Wednesday of a letter from the Employment Court which she said cleared the way for the Government to answer questions about the Rankin affair.
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