§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average time taken by her Department to send a substantive reply to letters sent to her by Members of Parliament; how this average time compares with the time taken to send replies to the communications sent to her by the hon. Member for West Ham, North; and what action she has taken or intends taking to expedite replies.
§ Mrs. ThatcherStatistics of this kind are not readily available, but substantive replies are and will continue to be given as quickly as possible to all letters from hon. Members without discrimination between them.