HC Deb 26 November 1963 vol 685 cc69-70
Q1. Mr. Hale

asked the Prime Minister whether he will move for the appointment of a Select Committee of the House of Commons to consider the increasing delay in Ministerial correspondence with hon. Members and to report.

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. R. A. Butler)

I have been asked to reply.

No, Sir, My right hon. Friend is not aware of any increasing delay of this kind, but if the hon. Member will let him know of any instance of unreasonable delay, he will look into that.

Mr. Hale

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, in the circumstances, his right hon. Friend may well be unaware? Is he further aware that, from 31st July each year, Ministerial correspondence with Members, which is frequently tardy, florid, verbose, uninformative and inaccurate, seems to have been declared by his right hon. Friend to be a one-way street and that I have had to spend ten or twelve weeks trying to get replies about constituency matters?

Mr. Butler

I am sure that the clarity and lucidity of the hon. Member's questions and letters to the Prime Minister and other Government Departments will be answered immediately. If the hon. Member will draw attention to any irregularity in this respect, we will deal with it immediately.

Sir T. Moore

Is my right hon. Friend aware that we as Members of this House are most grateful for the punctual way in which we receive replies?