HC Deb 04 November 1997 vol 300 c171W
Mr. Laurence Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the average time taken by his Department to give full answers to letters received from hon. Members. [13950]

Mr. Tony Lloyd

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) on 3 November,Official Report, column 5.

In 1996 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers replied to 10,674 letters from hon. Members, of which 94 per cent. were replied to within the target of 10 working days.