§ 44. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why it took him until 28 May to send an interim reply to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West saying that he was unable to send an answer to the Member's letter of 25 March regarding the benefit position of a civil servant who is a constituent of the hon. Member; why this letter, PO (PS-SS) 2323/17, was signed by Mr. Tony Doole and not a Minister; and whether he will now take action to implement his declared policy of dealing expeditiously with his correspondence to hon. Members.
§ Mrs. ChalkerI wrote to the hon. Member on 5 June, but I am sorry that he was not sent an earlier final or interim reply. We try to reply to hon. Members as soon as possible, but in view of the increasing pressures of correspondence, sometimes errors are made. It is much regretted that this letter was not dealt with as expeditiously as it should have been. It would not be possible for Ministers to sign all interim replies personally and it has long been the practice for staff in Ministers' offices to sign letters of this nature in terms approved by Ministers.