Questions for Written Answer: Cost (Hansard, 12 March 1991)

§ The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Waddington)
My Lords, the average cost of answering a Written Question is now £64.

§ Lady Saltoun of Abernethy
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for that reply. I had no idea that the cost involved was so high. However, can he say whether he has observed that some noble Lords appear to ask a great many Questions which require a Written Answer? Further, have the Government any plans to limit the number of Questions which may be tabled at any particular time?

§ Lord Waddington
My Lords, perhaps I may remind the noble Lady that at present no noble Lord may have more than two Starred Questions on the Order Paper at any one time. However, there is no limit to the number of Questions which a noble Lord may table for a Written Answer. Nevertheless, noble Lords are expected not to table more than six Questions on any one day. Therefore, there is already a safeguard in place in this respect.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, how many Questions tabled in the House since the gracious Speech have not been answered due to the disproportionate cost of doing so? What guidelines do the Government use when making such a decision? The noble Lord will be well aware in view of his recent experience of the custom of priority on Written Questions operated in another place. Does that custom operate here with regard to parliamentary Questions of a special importance?

§ Lord Waddington
My Lords, at present disproportionate costs can be used as a reason for not answering a Question if answering would cost more than £250. That sum is at present under review and I understand may be increased to £300 as a result of the increase in costs overall.

Lord Bruce of Donington
My Lords, I put down Questions for Written Answer comparatively rarely; but is the noble Lord aware that the Answers provided by Her Majesty's Government—on a value-for-money basis—often fall short of that degree of frankness, honesty and truth which one expects from Her Majesty's Government?

Noble Lords
Oh!

§ Lord Waddington
My Lords, I do not for one moment accept what the noble Lord has said. If he has any complaint about the contents of any Answer given to him, he has only to take up the matter with the department and I am sure that it will give him all the help it possibly can.

§ Baroness Seear
My Lords, would it he cheaper or more expensive if the noble Lord, Lord Bruce of Donington, were to put down more Written Questions and fewer Oral Questions?

§ Lord Waddington
My Lords, I cannot comment on that question.

§ Baroness Masham of Ilton
My Lords, if some Ministers answered letters more quickly might there not be less need to put down Written Questions?

§ Lord Waddington
My Lords, I am sure that my noble friend will agree that that question goes far wider than the Question on the Order Paper. Obviously we all try to answer letters addressed to us as quickly as possible.

§ Baroness Phillips
My Lords, bearing in mind that I have been here for 25 years and have never put down a Written Question, is there any opportunity for me to benefit from all the millions of Questions that I decided not to put?

§ Lord Waddington
My Lords, I wish to give the noble Baroness no encouragement whatever, and the same goes for every other noble Lord.

§ Lord Mancroft
My Lords, does my noble friend the Leader of the House agree that £64 for a Written Answer is good value for money, especially bearing in mind the price of obtaining a similar standard of advice from one's lawyer or accountant?

§ Lord Waddington
My Lords, I agree with my noble friend. I think the replies are jolly good.

§ Lord Stoddart of Swindon
My Lords, arising from the supplementary question asked by the noble Lady, Lady Saltoun, will the noble Lord the Leader of the House confirm that it is not for the Government but for the House to say how many Questions we should ask and whether we should ask Questions of the Government?

§ Lord Waddington
My Lords, I have made it abundantly plain that I am not giving advice to anyone. All I am doing is drawing noble Lords' attention to the contents of the Companion to the Standing Orders. There it is plainly said that noble Lords are expected to table not more than six Questions on any one day. If the House wishes to alter that advice in any way it is a matter for the House.

§ Lord Dormand of Easington
My Lords, how is the cost of a Written Answer calculated?

§ Lord Waddington
My Lords, in 1972 a study was carried out, and the basis for calculating the cost has remained the same since. The Treasury is carrying out a pilot exercise to recalculate the present costs of parliamentary Questions. If that demonstrates a need substantially to alter average costs, a wider interdepartmental recosting exercise will be undertaken. At present the cost is based on staff time, using average rates of pay, and associated costs for the grades concerned, plus a share of the cost of the parliamentary section of the department concerned and any substantial non-staff costs such as computer usage. No sum for accommodation is included.

§ Lord Williams of Elvel
My Lords, what has been the cost of answering the Starred Question asked by the noble Lady today? Will the noble Lord say whether it has been worth it?

§ Lord Waddington
My Lords, the average cost of answering an Oral Question is £106; but of course we have only four Oral Questions a day. We are dealing with the average cost of answering Questions in Parliament as a whole, in the other place as well as here.