HL Deb 15 May 2002 vol 635 cc291-2

3.6 p.m.

Lord Peyton of Yeovil

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Leader of the House this Question. Will he take action to reduce the inordinate length of time during which Questions for Written Answer languish on the Order Paper without response? There are some 500 or so at the present time. Will he suggest to the Procedure Committee that noble Lords wishing to put down such Questions should in doing so specify the department which they believe to be responsible for the matter raised?

Lord Williams of Mostyn

My Lords, the noble Lord, with his usual courtesy, gave me notice of this matter. I know that it is a matter which has concerned in particular the noble Lord, Lord Jopling, because we have been in correspondence about it.

The complaint made by the noble Lord, Lord Peyton, is well justified. It is a long-standing problem. I shall just outline to your Lordships what I am trying to do by way of dealing with it. Last June I realised that it was long-standing and I decided to take on responsibility for overseeing the process. At the moment at every Front Bench meeting I vigorously complain to my erring colleagues. Sir Richard Wilson has written to all departments reminding them of the need for timely and helpful Answers to parliamentary Questions in both Houses. One of the problems which is correctly identified by the noble Lord concerns departmental turf disputes about whose responsibility a Question is. To deal with that we have established a computer database in my office. This will make the allocation process clearer and more prompt. I think that the changes are starting to work.

In response to the representations of the noble Lords, Lord Jopling and Lord Peyton, I have asked the House authorities to look into the feasibility of the suggestion that has been made. The Clerk of the Parliaments is helpfully preparing a paper for the Procedure Committee. I wish to give a further word or two of background. There is a large number of Questions. At the moment 45 Questions are over the 21-day period and 53 are over the 14-day period—that is not acceptable. However, 4,376 Questions have been tabled. I think that we are improving but there is a good way to go. I hope that the noble Lord finds my Answer helpful.

Lord Peyton of Yeovil

My Lords, the noble and learned Lord leaves me nothing at all to say except to thank him for his courtesy and to say how much I appreciate the attention that he has given to the matter.