§ Q5. Mr. William Priceasked the Prime Minister how many Questions he has answered from hon. Members requesting information about the number of letters he has received on specific subjects.
§ The Prime MinisterSeventy-seven since the General Election. The total number of such Questions answered by the then Prime Minister during the 1968–69 and 1969–70 Sessions of Parliament together was eight.
§ Mr. PriceWill the Prime Minister tell us why lie now refuses to answer Questions about letters received on different subjects when this information has been readily available in the past both from him and from his predecessor? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that some hon. Members on this side of the House regard his determination to answer no Question if it can be avoided as a gross abuse of the House? What he is trying to do is to cover up the deception that he used to win the election and the total incompetence that he has shown since.
§ The Prime MinisterThe hon. Gentleman is wrong. In the last Session I answered more Questions than any Prime Minister before me.
§ Mr. OnslowAre not Questions like that of the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. William Price) a gross abuse of Question Time?
§ Mr. LiptonIs the Prime Minister aware that I have written to him one letter in the past few months to which I have not yet had a reply? Forget about all these other letters. Answer mine.
§ The Prime MinisterI am prepared to inquire into the particular case of the hon. Gentleman. However, I recall one letter that he wrote to me to which he received a reply by return and for which he afterwards thanked me.
§ Mr. LiptonThat was two years ago.