Speaker John Bercow has been "greatly concerned" by the government announcing measures contained in tomorrow's Autumn Statement to the press instead of parliament MPs said today.
In response to a point of order made by shadow leader the house Angela Eagle about the flurry of government announcements on housing, infrastructure projects and youth unemployment that have been brought out recently, Bercow told MPs that he had rebuked ministers over the matter.
"I have had conversations with senior members of the government on the subject."
Eagle had complained about the "deliberate and selective leaking" from the government: “So far we have been treated to government announcements on youth unemployment, housing, credit easing, infrastructure spending, schools spending, an energy package and on the government's ferocious squeeze on rail commuters," she said.
Bercow warned other backbench MPs expressing their concern that there was "more than a grain of truth" in the scenario that instead of announcing their plans to parliament, ministers would instead stand up at the despatch box and refer MPs to recent press releases.