§ Mr. Tom Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will indicate the average time taken by his Department to provide a substantive answer to letters from hon. or right hon. Members during the 12 month period to the latest available date.
§ Mr. TebbitThe full information which the hon. Gentleman requests is not available other than at disproportionate cost.
For the latest month for which full figures are available, however, letters addressed to the Secretary of State by hon. and right hon. Members, to which the Secretary of State replied personally, were replied to on average two weeks and two days from the date of the original letter.