§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for Wales 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. Nicholas EdwardsIn the Parliamentary Sessions 1983-84 and 1984-85 to date the number and percentage of priority written questions receiving a holding reply are 13 (1.5 per cent.) and three (0.6 per cent.) respectively.
§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for Wales 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 down these figures into questions tabled as oral questions, priority written questions and ordinary written questions, respectively; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThe information requested is as follows:
Session Oral Priority written Ordinary written Total 1981–82 122 361 498 981 1982–83 77 300 399 776 1983–84 296 851 724 1,871 1984–85* 166 465 237 868 * To 24 May 1985. Source:Departmental statistics. It should be noted that the count produced by the POLIS system in the House Library will differ from the above figures, in that on POLIS:
- (a) the oral count includes only those oral questions actually reached, plus supplementaries counted as separate questions, and
- (b) the written count includes Orals not reached, Writtens, Priority Writtens and holding replies all counted as separate Questions.
The overall POLIS count will therefore exceed the departmental count.