§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will give the average time taken by his Department to send formal acknowledgments of receipts and replies to letters sent to him generally and by Members of Parliament in particular; how these times compare with a stated period as long ago as may be conveniently recorded; and what 278W action he has taken or intends taking to expedite these replies to the taxpayers and their elected representatives.
§ Mr. MillanThe normal practice is that letters to me from the public and from Members of Parliament are acknowledged upon receipt, and my officials are aware of my concern that all correspondents should receive prompt and accurate replies. Many letters from Members require detailed consultation, frequently with outside bodies; but an analysis of almost 600 letters sent to me and my ministerial colleagues at the Scottish Office during a recent five week period shows that over two-thirds of these received a final reply within three weeks of receipt. Comparable figures for another period or for non-ministerial correspondence are not available.