HC Deb 03 December 1956 vol 561 cc862-3
14. Mr. F. Noel-Baker

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance on what date he received from the hon. Member for Swindon a second communication from the Swindon Old People's Welfare Committee; and on what date he replied.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

A long memorandum, signed by the Town Clerk of Swindon, dated 30th August, was forwarded to me by the hon. Gentleman's private secretary with a letter dated 8th October, and was received in my Department on 10th October. It was acknowledged the same day, and I sent a full reply to the hon. Gentleman on 2nd November.

Mr. Noel-Baker

Is the Minister aware that the question of how I look after my constituents' correspondence is a matter with which my constituents themselves will deal, in the same way as anyone else? Is it really a fact that on a question of great public interest, to which he should be paying close attention the whole of the time, he has to take three weeks before giving a reply?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I am quite prepared to justify, when dealing with a long and detailed—as the hon. Member himself described it—memorandum, which called for a certain amount of research, taking three weeks to complete the answer. But, as I have already intimated to him, what I objected to was his insinuation that the period of nine weeks since the signature of that letter was my responsibility when, in truth and in fact, only one-third of the period was my concern.

15. Mr. F. Noel-Baker

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how long he normally takes to reply to letters from honourable Members.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Letters which I receive from hon. Members are acknowledged at once. The time taken for a further reply, or replies, depends on the amount of work required to obtain any information requested, or to give proper consideration to representations made.

Mr. Noel-Baker

May I ask the Minister if it is not time he stopped being run by his civil servants and showed a little humanity and understanding towards the problems of our old people?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I do not know whether, by that, the hon. Gentleman means that I should not have given careful consideration to the memorandum put forward by that Committee.