§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if answers sent to hon. Members in reply to parliamentary questions by the head of executive agencies in her Department are(a) seen, (b) approved and (c) amended by her before they are sent; and if she will identify such letters to which amendments by her have been made in 1994–95. [7837]
§ Mr. SproatParliamentary questions are passed on to the head of an executive agency for reply when the matter is one delegated to him or her under the agency framework document. The relevant Minister may see a copy of the reply before it is sent, but would not normally intervene in operational matters. In 1994–95 no such replies were amended by Ministers.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what action heads of all her Department's executive agencies are taking to protect pre-retirement courses in the event of such agencies seeking to make economies; and if she will make a statement. [9135]
§ Mr. SproatNeither the Historic Royal Palaces agency nor the Royal Parks agency has any plans to make economies by cutting the provision of pre-retirement training, which we consider to be an important step in preparing our staff for leaving full-time employment.