HC Deb 03 July 1991 vol 194 cc139-40W
Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons Ministers in his Department have not complied with the prime ministerial guideline that all Ministers should accompany their replies to Members' letters with a copy of that reply.

Mr. McLoughlin

It is, and always has been, the practice of the ministerial correspondence unit in the Department of Transport, to enclose a copy of letters from Ministers to Members, along with the original—and any enclosures, for example, press notices—of any replies dealing with constituents' correspondence.

If, however, a subject has been raised by a Member, and no specific constituent is involved, only the original of the reply is sent.

The ministerial correspondence unit is particularly aware of the importance of enclosing a copy of replies involving constituents during recesses, when Members are dealing with correspondence from their homes.