§ Dr. IddonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether consultation documents published by her Department in 2001 carried the consultation criteria as recommended in the Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Written Consultations. [70991]
§ Ms HewittConsultation documents published by the Department are required to comply with the Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Written Consultations. Internal DTI guidance also enforces the compliance requirements in the code.
§ Dr. IddonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints her Department has received about its 2001 consultations in electronic or printed form. [70994]
§ Ms HewittThe Department received 11 complaints in 2001 regarding its compliance with the Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Written Consultations.
Other complaints regarding consultation exercises are not held centrally.
§ Dr. IddonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how long her Department allowed for consultation on each consultation document it published in 2001 in(a) electronic and (b) printed form. [70990]
§ Ms HewittCriterion 5 of the Cabinet Office Code of Practice on Written Consultation requires that 12 weeks should be the standard minimum period for a consultation. If the period is less than 12 weeks, the document should state Ministers' reasons for departing from the code, and what special measures—for example advance notice of at least the broad issues covered—have been taken to ensure that consultation is nevertheless as effective as possible.
The Department is committed to the code and makes every effort possible to ensure that its consultation exercises comply with criterion 5. Data on the Department's performance in complying with the code is 951W currently being compiled. I will write to the hon. Member with the requested information as soon as possible and place a copy in the Library of the House.