§ Ms. MowlamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, as part of his quality service objectives, he will require the publication of the responses of all bodies consulted in the preparation of the contributors charter and the employers charter.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe responses received from organisations during consultations with service users in282W the course of production of the contributor's and employer's charters is a matter for Miss Ann Chant, the chief executive of the Contributions Agency. She will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Miss A. Chant to Ms. Marjorie Mowlam, dated 4 November 1992.
As Chief Executive of the Contributions Agency, Miss Ann Chant is responsible for answering questions about relevant operational matters. However, in her absence I, as Deputy Chief Executive, have been asked to reply to the points raised in your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State about the publication of responses from service users following consultations undertaken during the course of preparation of the Charters.
You will recall from the answer to your previous question on our consultations about the proposed Contributor's Charter and Employer's Charter that we approached 36 organisations with whom we are in regular contact for their comments, advice and assistance. Nineteen of them replied some in writing.
They were very helpful and constructive in their responses, but it had never been suggested to them that our exchanges would be publicised. I think it would be quite inappropriate for me to do so now.
I do not see any connection between publicising all the details of this consultation exercise and quality service objectives. But if you have any specific concern in mind, or would like to know the gist of some of the suggestions that were made, please let me know and I will be pleased to try and help.