§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the contents of the letter dated 7 June sent by Mrs. P. Henry of the class 4 group of the social security central office at Newcasle-upon-Tyne, relating to correspondence with people in Wales, represents his Department's policy on such matters.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardThe Department's policy is that local offices in Wales will reply in Welsh to any letters received in that language. However some social security matters are administered centrally from outside Wales. When correspondence from Wales, in Welsh, is received by any of these central offices it is normally answered in Welsh, provided the reply is one of substance and not, for example, a routine acknowledgment. Following the hon. Member's question, staff at Newcastle central office have been reminded to comply with this policy.
§ Mr. PawseyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of letters from hon. Members to his Department received a reply(a) in under four weeks, (b) within four to six weeks, (c) within six to eight weeks and (d) over eight weeks, in each of the last three years.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardNo information is available on the time taken to reply to correspondence before November 1988. Since then, 41 per cent. of letters from hon. and right hon. Members have received a reply within four weeks.