§ Mr. NellistTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many parliamentary questions for written answer have been answered by his Department so far this Session, and in the comparable period for the last Session; and if he will publish a table of how many answers(a) do not give the information requested because of (i) disproportionate cost or (ii) other reasons, 754W (b) give an undertaking to write to the hon. Member who asked the question and (c) were referred for answer to the chief executive of each next steps agency.
§ Mr. HeseltineSo far in this Session my Department has answered 2,899 written parliamentary questions. The figure for the comparable period in the last Session is 4,156. The other information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.