Parliamentary Questions (Hansard, 3 June 1985)

§ Mr. Peter Bruinvels
asked the Lord Privy Seal how many and what percentage of the questions set down on 60W the Order Paper for priority written answer by him in (a) Session 1983–84 and (b) the current Session to date have initially received a holding reply.

Mr. Biff en
The information requested is as followsSession 1983–84: 4 (approximately 4 per cent.) Current Session (to date): 3 (approximately 3 per cent.)

§ Mr. Peter Bruinvels
asked the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, how many and what percentage of the questions set down on the Order Paper for priority written answer by him in (a) Session 1983–84 and (b) the current Session to date have initially received a holding reply.

§ Mr. Beith
The information requested is as follows:

1983–84: None

1984–85 (to date): 1

§ Mr. Peter Bruinvels
asked the Lord Privy Seal how many parliamentary questions have been answered by him in each of the last three complete Sessions, and the current Session to date; if he will break these figures down into questions tabled as oral questions, priority written questions and ordinary written questions, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Biffen
The information requested is as follows:

Oral Priority Written Written

1981–82^* 36 40 54

1982–83^* 27 22 42

1983–84 50 70 86

1984–85 (to date) 31 96 42

^*for the Sessions marked thus, the incumbent of my job was the Lord President of the Council, as opposed to the Lord Privy Seal.

Source: Departmental Statistics. It should be noted that the count produced by the POLIS system in the House Library will differ from the above figures, in that on POLIS:

(a) the oral count includes only those oral questions actually reached, plus supplementaries counted as separate questions, and

(b) the written count includes, orals not reached, writtens, priority writtens and holding replies all counted as separate questions.

The overall POLIS count will therefore exceed the departmental count.

§ Mr. Peter Bruinvels
asked the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, how many parliamentary questions have been answered by him in each of the last three complete Sessions, and the current Session to date; if he will break down these figures into questions tabled as oral questions, priority written questions and ordinary written questions, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Beith
The information requested is as follows:

Oral Priority Written Written

1981–82 6 7 18

1982–83 4 1 8

1983–84 7 10 22

1984–85 (to date) 1 13 9

	Oral	Priority Written	Written
1981–82^*	36	40	54
1982–83^*	27	22	42
1983–84	50	70	86
1984–85 (to date)	31	96	42
^*for the Sessions marked thus, the incumbent of my job was the Lord President of the Council, as opposed to the Lord Privy Seal.