§ Ms ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many parliamentary questions he has referred for answer to the chief executives of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise; how many of these questions have then been passed on to individual local enterprise companies; how many questions in each category have subsequently received replies; how long those replies have taken; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. StewartIt is not my right hon. Friend's practice to refer parliamentary questions to the chief executives of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. It is the intention that all questions are answered by the chairmen, although in one instance a question was passed on by Scottish Enterprise to an individual local enterprise company. Since the responsibility for ensuring that questions are answered rests with the enterprise bodies I have asked the chairmen to respond to the hon. Member on the relevant aspects of her question.