HC Deb 23 March 1993 vol 221 cc550-3W
Mr. Ancram

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish the latest figures showing the volume of correspondence from hon. Members to Ministers and agency chief executives, the targets set for reply and the percentage of replies sent within target.

Mr. Robert Jackson

The 1992 figures are set out in the table. Although there have been a large number of changes to the basis on which figures are collected, the table also sets out figures showing ministerial correspondence in 1991 first published on 3 July 1992,Official Report, columns 711–12

1991 1992
Department/Agency Target set for reply (working days) Number of letters received Percentage of replies within target Target set for reply (working days) Number of letters received Percentage of replies within targets
Department of Health 20 15,359 60 20 16,353 72
Home Office — 21,939 — 715 2,221 22
725 3,171 61
United Kingdom Passport Agency — — — 10 51 29
Inland Revenue17 13 2,345 78 818 680 27
18 514 33 923 202 12
Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers 15 662 75 15 729 82
Lord Chancellor's Department 20 4,130 82 1020 5,417 84
Department of National Heritage (formerly OAL) 10 462 69 1118 2,007 55
Northern Ireland Office17 (inc. Northern Ireland Depts.) 7 719 46 1210 43,194 57
15 588 66 1315 43,061 77
Social Security Agency (NI) — — — 20 43 91
Compensation Agency (NI) — — — 7 1434 79
Rate Collection Agency (NI) — — — 7 12 75
Overseas Development Administration 15 4,001 83 15 5,500 83
Department of Social Security17 20 13,699 68 20 14,222 63
Benefits Agency — — — 20 1520,822 64
Contributions Agency — — — 20 340 63
Resettlement Agency — — — 20 32 100
The Scottish Office17 10 9,605 24 1617 3,393 57
Historic Scotland — — — 1617 15 80
Department of Trade and Industry17 10 16,180 92 10 428,129 63
Companies House — — — 10 79 42
Insolvency Service — — — 10 60 91
Radiocommunications Agency — — — 10 25 96
Department of Transport17 15 1,398 26 15 16,987 74
Driving Vehicle and Licensing Agency — — — 10 891 98
Driving Standards Agency — — — 15 123 91
Vehicle Inspectorate — — — 10 61 72
Her Majesty's Treasury17 10 2,268 64 215 1,241 58
Welsh Office17 10 8,018 89 12 3,022 61
Cadw (Welsh Historic Monuments) — — — 12 21 90

Notes on 1992 figures only18

1OPSS established April 1992. Figures cover April–December 1992.

2New targets introduced in November 1992. Figures cover November–December 1992 only.

3Figures cover 1 December 1991 to 30 November 1992.

4Includes all ministerial replies, not only letters from Members of Parliament.

5Figures cover 1 January to 31 August. On 1 September new 15 working day target was set. From 1 September to 31 December 91 per cent. of 2,205 letters received were replied to within target.

6Figures relate to English cases only. Those for Wales were answered by the Secretary of State for Wales.

7New targets adopted on 1 October: 25 working days for Immigration and Nationality Department and Prison Service subjects, and 15 working days for all other subjects. In addition, Home Office answered 20,487 letters during the period January–September.

8Head Office figures cover November–December only and are not thought to be representative of Department's performance over whole year

9Local Office figures cover November–December only and are not thought to be representative of Department's performance over whole year

10Target for officials to submit draft reply to Private Office.

11Figures from 10 April 1992, date on which DNH was established.

12Replies signed by Minister.

13Replies signed by Private Secretary to Minister.

14Agency established on 1 April 1992.

15The Benefits Agency encourages Members of Parliament to write direct to local operational units. These letters are included in the totals shown.

16New targets introduced on 20 July. Figures cover 20 July to 31 December.

17As a result of changes of definition or other factors between 1991 and 1992 the performance figures are not directly comparable.

18The 1991 figures are taken from the Official Report, 3 July 1992, columns 711–12. Please refer to notes given with' that reply.

In addition the following Departments/Agencies received less than 10 letters from Members of Parliament in 1992 and are not shown in the table:

  • Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food/ADAS, Central Science Laboratory;
    • 552 553
  • Cabinet Office (OPSS)/Civil Service College, Central Office of Information, HMSO;
  • Ministry of Defence/Directorate General of Defence Accounts;
  • Department of the Environment/Building Research Establishment;
  • Department of Health/Medicines Control Agency, NHS Pensions Agency;
  • Inland Revenue/Valuation Office;
  • Attorney-General/Serious Fraud Office;
  • Department of National Heritage/Historic Royal Palaces Agency;
  • Northern Ireland Office (including Northern Ireland Departments)/Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency, Ordnance Survey Agency;
  • Scottish Office/Registers of Scotland;
  • Department of Trade and Industry/Export Credits Guarantee Department, National Weights and Measures Laboratory, Patent Office;
  • Department of Transport/Vehicle Certification Agency, Transport Research Laboratory;
  • Her Majesty's Treasury/Valuation Office.

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