§ Mr. EvansTo ask the President of the Council what the average response time was for responding to departmental correspondence; what percentage of letters took longer than one month for a response; and what percentage took longer than three months for a response in each of the last five years. [37451]
§ Mr. Robin CookThe service standard deadline' in my department for replying to correspondence from hon. Members is 15 working days.
Information for the period 1999 and 2000 could not be provided in the form requested. However, set against this deadline, the information is as follows:2
1999 2000 Number of letters received 151 271 Percentage of replies within target 81 94 The average response time for 2001 was 11 days. Of the total number of correspondence received, 3 per cent. took longer than one month and 0 per cent. longer than three months.
Data for 1997 and 1998 could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
1 Information on the performance of other Government Departments is currently available on the Cabinet Office website http://www.servicefirst.gov.uk/2000/introduc/six.htm.2 Written reply from the Minister for the Cabinet Office, 6 April 2001, Official Report, column 325W.