HC Deb 04 February 2000 vol 343 cc765-6W
Mr. Oaten

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many questions to his Department tabled for ordinary written answer during Session 1998–99 were answered(a) within two weeks of tabling, (b) within one month of tabling, (c) within three months of tabling and (d) after three months of tabling. [106492]

Mr. Byers

The information is as follows:

Answered Number
Within 2 weeks 1,302
Within 1 month 53
Within 3 months 1
After 3 months 0
Total 1,356

Mr. Oaten

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many questions to his Department were tabled for written answer during session 1998–99; and how many of these he replied to (a) by means of a letter placed in the Library rather than by substantive answer in the Official Report, (b) by stating that a substantive answer could not be given due to information not being held centrally and (c) by stating that a substantive answer could not be given due to disproportionate cost. [106487]

Mr. Byers

The information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Oaten

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many questions to his Department tabled for written answer on a named day during Session 1998–99 were answered(a) on or before a named day, (b) within one week of a named day, (c) within one month of a named day, (d) within three months of a named day and (e) after three months of a named day. [106481]

Mr. Byers

The information is as follows:

Answered Number
On day 409
Within 1 week 483
Within 1 month 122
Within 3 months 9
After 3 months 0
Total 1,023