§ 45. Mr.Albuasked the Prime Minister what instructions have been given to Departments as to the time to be taken in answering Questions for Written Answer.
§ The Lord Privy Seal (Mr. R. A. Butler)I have been asked to reply.
The present instructions to Departments, which are based on the Second Report of the Select Committee on Procedure, are that a Question for Written Answer should be answered as speedily as possible and certainly not later than seven days from the date for which the Answer is requested.
§ Mr. AlbuWould the right hon. Gentleman draw the attention of Departments to the fact that the longer they delay in answering Written Questions, the more likely are they to have Questions put down for Oral Answer?
§ Mr. ButlerYes we have already taken steps to notify Departments that that is the case. I hope that the hon. Member's Question and the Answer which I have given today on behalf of the Prime Minister will indicate my right hon. Friend's interest in seeing that these matters are dealt with expeditiously.
§ Dame Irene WardMy right hon. Friend will bear in mind, I am sure, that it is possible to put down a starred Question to a Minister on the wrong day and then, of course, get an Answer.
§ Mr. ButlerI am aware that the hon. Lady is fully cognisant of all the procedures in this House which expedite business and make it more satisfactory.
§ Mr. K. ThompsonIs my right hon. Friend aware that many hon. Members try to avoid overloading the Order Paper with both starred and unstarred Questions by indulging in correspondence with Departments, but that replies to letters to Departments very often take a month or longer?
§ Mr. ButlerIt is most important that correspondence between hon. Members and Departments should be answered as expeditiously as possible, and I will certainly bring that to the attention of my right hon. Friend.