DFID has a duty to report details of our financial Estimates, launch of Annual Departmental/Performance Report to Parliament. We do this through the issue of a Written Ministerial Statement. Written Statements can also be used proactively to inform Parliament of changes in Policy or funding, contentious issues or to increase knowledge in an area of DFID work. Any associated press events should not take place before issue of the statement to Parliament. Statements cannot usually be issued on a Friday - check with MST for guidance on timing.
1. Alert MST to the possibility of a statement being made in good time, and keep them fully copied in to all correspondence. Consult MST over the date on which the statement is to be made. Once a date has been decided, MST must be certain that it is set in stone, as they will need to notify Parliament one working day before at the very latest (two working days before if the statement is to be made on a Monday).
2. TMG's insight pages provide a template which sets the correct style
3. Statements should be clear, concise and free of jargon. There is no formal word limit, although they should ideally be no more than two pages long. All acronyms must be spelt out the first time they are used.
4. The final text of the statement must be cleared through Ministers (in the name of the Secretary of State). Preferably statements should be cleared by no later than the day before it is to be issued (rather than in the box the previous night). Written statements are issued early in the morning of the day (usually in order to reach Parliament by 9.30am)
Parliamentary Unit will ensure that the statement is repeated in the House of Lords
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