§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to raise the advisory cost limit of £400 for answering parliamentary questions; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. DorrellThe advisory cost limit was last increased in 1992—Official Report, 14 January 1992, column 546 —and is to be further increased to £450 from today. This increase has been rounded up to the nearest £50 for convenience of application.
The average cost of preparing answers to a parliamentary question—PQ—was last published in 1991 following a survey conducted by Treasury in that year—Official Report, 10 December 1991, column 369. These costs have been updated and are now assessed as £94 for a written PQ and £218 for an oral PQ. The 1991 comparative figures were £87 and £202 respectively.
The purpose and application of the advisory cost limit remain unchanged from 1992. It is intended to act as a threshold for disproportionate cost PQs. Any written PQ where the marginal cost of preparing the answer is considered likely to exceed the threshold may be referred to the appropriate Minister and an answer may be refused in whole or in part on the ground of disproportionate cost. Alternatively the Minister may decide that the PQ is to be answered irrespective of cost. There is no advisory limit for oral PQs.
The advisory limit continues to be around eight times the average marginal cost for written PQs, which is now £55.