§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many answers to parliamentary questions by138W Ministers in his Department in the last 12 months have exceeded the advisory cost limit; and if he will make a statement. [19339]
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 10 March 1997]: Where the cost of answering a particular parliamentary question is estimated to exceed £450, it is the general practice for Departments to make clear that the question could be answered only by incurring disproportionate cost. Given the large number of questions tabled, it would be unreasonable for the Scottish Office to systematically calculate the exact cost of answering every single parliamentary question.