§ Mr. WinnickTo ask the Prime Minister what guidance is given to Ministers regarding the time involved in reply to letters from hon. Members; what is the average time currently taken; and what is the policy regarding such replies being signed by a Minister. [13201]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 30 October 1997]: Individual Ministers are responsible for determining how their departments' correspondence is handled, and for setting departmental targets in reply to letters from hon. Members. It has been customary for the Government to publish annual statistics showing departments' and agencies' performance against their targets for reply to ministerial correspondence. The 1996 figures were published on 17 June 1997, Official Report, columns 107–112.