Labor has pursued Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce in question time after the Nationals MP was caught out correcting an answer he gave to Parliament that exaggerated the number of farmers receiving drought assistance.

The opposition tried to suspend regular proceedings to censure the minister for trying to "improperly alter" Hansard and "misleading the house". But Labor's attempt to admonish Mr Joyce failed when the government used its numbers to shut down Labor's motion.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce in discussion. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

But ultimately Mr Joyce sought to undo the changes and blamed a staff member for the "minor edits".

While minor amendments to Hansard that don't affect the substance of what was said are usual, substantive changes without a formal correction of the record are considered a no-no by MPs as Hansard is meant to show the true record of what is said in the Chamber.