§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date he received the letter dated 4 July 1991 from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington, concerning Mr. A. P. Faulkner; on what date he sent a substantive reply; and what factors determined the length of time it took to provide the substantive reply.
§ Mrs. RumboldThe hon. Member's letter was received on 5 July and a reply was sent on 28 November. I very much regret the delay in replying. This arose from several factors including the need to involve three prison service headquarters units based in London and Birmingham, and a backlog of casework in the prison service's medical directorate. It also proved difficult to obtain a medical report on Mr. Faulkner because it was necessary to transfer him, and his medical records, three times during this period.