HC Deb 14 November 1989 vol 160 c168W
Mr. Fisher

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many(a) oral and (b) written questions were asked of his Department in 1988–89;

(2) how many written parliamentary questions he refused to answer in the parliamentary Session 1988–89;

(3) how many written parliamentary questions to him in Session 1988–89 received answers that the information (a) was not available, (b) was not separately recorded, (c) was not centrally recorded, (d) was not recorded in Government statistics or (e) could be provided at disproportionate cost;

(4) what was the cost to his Department of answering parliamentary (a) oral and (b) written questions in the parliamentary Session 1988–89.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

Information on the cost of replying to questions tabled to this Department or on questions receiving answers that information was not available or held centrally, is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

In the 1988–89 Session up to 8 November 442 oral and 2,273 written questions have been tabled for reply by this Department. None has been refused an answer, but some have been transferred to other Departments for reply. Less than 2 per cent., 45 in total, have received answers that the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.