§ Mr. Mike Thomasasked the Prime Minister how many Questions he transferred to other Ministers in each Session of Parliament during his premiership from 1964 onwards; and what proportion of the total number of Questions tabled to him in each Session this represented.
§ The Prime MinisterThe following is the information:
Session Total number of questions tabled (excluding those subsequently withdrawn) Number of questions transferred Percentage of questions transferred 1964–65 1,258 266 21.1 1965–66 508 73 14.4 1966–67 2,557 682 26.7 1967–68 1,428 370 25.9 1968–69 1,319 281 21.3 1969–70 913 167 18.3 1974 760 93 12.2 1974–75 + 2,420 202 8.3 1975–76 (to 2nd March 1976) 932 62 6.6
§ Mr. Mike Thomasasked the Prime Minister what was his practice with regard to the transfer to other Ministers of Questions addressed to him when he first took office in 1964; whether he has introduced any changes of practice since 1964; at what dates these took place: and what they were.
§ The Prime MinisterI have introduced no changes in the practice relating to the transfer of Questions. The principle which I follow, and which has been followed by my predecessors in successive administrations, is that Ministers who are responsible for a particular aspect of public policy should answer Questions on it.