§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many letters he has received, since 4 January 1990, from Members of the European Parliament concerning local or national matters; and if he will make it his practice, where the former are concerned, to provide the hon. Member for the local constituency with copies of any such correspondence for his or her information.
§ Mr. SainsburyDTI Ministers have received 78 communications from Members of the European Parliament since 4 January 1990. Where Members of the European Parliament raise matters in correspondence which are exclusively of local interest, the practice is to reply suggesting that the MEP should refer the matter to the hon. Member for the constituency concerned. As with other correspondence, replies to such communications would normally be copied to the hon. Member concerned only if the MEP had himself copied his letter in this way.