§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Leader of the House if he will make it Government policy to ensure that(a) all petitions presented in the House are responded to by Government departments within five days and (b) where the petition requires a response from another body, it is responded to within 10 days. [162910]
§ Mr. WoolasNo. I believe that five days would be an unrealistic deadline for Government Departments to respond to petitions, and, if imposed, would lead to less helpful observations. In some cases, it may not be appropriate for the Government to respond to a petition at all. However, the Modernisation Committee is examining the handling of petitions as part of its inquiry into Connecting with the Public and my right hon. Friend is willing to contemplate change.