Questions for Written Answer

HL Deb 14 January 2002 vol 630 c143WA

Lord Jopling

asked the Leader of the House:

Whether in future he will ensure that, in the Minutes of Proceedings, the name of the government department from whom a reply is awaited appears alongside those Questions for Written Answer which have remained unanswered after 21 days, together with, at the end of each calendar year, a list of the number of times each department has been thus named, with the total number of days exceeding 21 which the department has caused questions to remain unanswered. [HL2026]

The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Williams of Mostyn)

In my Answer of 19 December(Official Report, col WA 69), I explained that my office had commissioned a new computer database to help track and monitor performance on Answers to Written Questions tabled by noble Lords. The database should be operational shortly. In addition, Ministers and civil servants have been reminded of the need for timely and helpful answers to Parliamentary Questions. Before embarking down the route proposed by the noble Lord, I would prefer to wait and see if these initiatives bring about an improvement in performance.