Parliamentary Questions (Hansard, 3 June 1985)

§ Mr. Peter Bruinvels
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of the questions set down on the Order Paper for priority written answer by him in (a) Session 1983–84 and (b) the current Session to date have initially received a holding reply.

§ Mr. Peter Bottomley
The available information from Departmental records is as follows:

^*1983–84 (from 14 May 1984) 1984–85 (to-date)

Total number of priority written

questions 364 702

Number of holding replies given to

priority written questions 45 75

Holding replies as percentage of

total 12 11

^*Information for the whole of the 1983–84 Session is not available except at disproportionate cost.

§ Mr. Peter Bruinvels
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many parliamentary questions have been answered by Ministers in his Department in each of the last three complete Sessions, and the current Session to date; if he will break these figures down into questions tabled as oral questions, priority written questions and ordinary written questions, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Peter Bottomley
The available information from Departmental statistics is as follows:

^*1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 (to date)

Oral 372 357 716 452

Priority Written 2,007 711 1,328 702

Ordinary Written 502 1,281 667

Total 2,379 1,570 3,325 1,821

^*Information for the 1981–82 Session comes from statistics held by the House of Commons Library, which are on a slightly different basis. They do not distinguish between priority and ordinary written questions, and for oral questions include only those actually reached orally plus supplementaries, rather than all those tabled for oral reply.

56W

	^*1983–84 (from 14 May 1984)	1984–85 (to-date)
Total number of priority written
questions	364	702
Number of holding replies given to
priority written questions	45	75
Holding replies as percentage of
total	12	11
^*Information for the whole of the 1983–84 Session is not available except at disproportionate cost.

	^*1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85 (to date)
Oral	372	357	716	452
Priority Written	2,007	711	1,328	702
Ordinary Written	502	1,281	667
Total	2,379	1,570	3,325	1,821
^*Information for the 1981–82 Session comes from statistics held by the House of Commons Library, which are on a slightly different basis. They do not distinguish between priority and ordinary written questions, and for oral questions include only those actually reached orally plus supplementaries, rather than all those tabled for oral reply.