§ Mrs. Angela KnightTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish the latest figures showing the volume of correspondence from hon. Members to Ministers and agency chief executives, the targets set for reply and the percentage of replies sent within target.
§ Mr. David DavisThe 1993 figures are set out in the table. The table also sets out figures showing ministerial correspondence in 1992 first published on 23 March 1993,Official Report, columns 550–54.
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Correspondence from Members of Parliament to Ministers and Agency Chief Executives 1992 1993 Department or Agency Target set for reply (working days) Number of letters received Percentage of replies within target Target set for reply (working days) Number of letters received Percentage of replies within target Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 15 11,001 81 15 11,150 69 Cabinet Office (OPSS) 15 492 57 15 911 59 Central Statistical Office 18 26 85 110 63 77 Crown Prosecution Service 15 102 67 15 229 66 Customs and Excise 18 2682 90 18 36,457 55 Ministry of Defence 15 5,189 74 15 6,374 75 Defence Research Agency — — — 15 53 66 Department for Education 20 15,192 72 20 317,049 84 Teacher's Pensions Agency 10 115 93 10 98 92 Department of Employment 17 43,797 96 15 7,604 85 Employment Service 15 248 94 15 313 92 Department of the Environment 15 18,103 56 15 21,057 54 Planning Inspectorate Agency 8 430 81 8 5555 80 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 10 7,921 76 10 9,641 83 Department of Health 20 16,353 72 20 19,822 72 Medicines Control Agency — — — 15 13 90 NHS Pensions Agency — — — 20 14 100 Her Majesty's Stationery Office — — — 5 11 100 Home Office 15 2,221 22 615 15,950 25 25 3,171 61 625 11,318 52 HM Prison Service7 — — — 725 348 54 United Kingdom Passport Agency 10 51 29 15 40 83 Inland Revenue 18 2680 27 818 34,202 45 23 2202 12 923 3805 39 Valuation Office — — — 23 474 45 Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers 15 729 82 15 10675 77 Lord Chancellor's Department 20 5,417 84 20 6,716 84 Land Registry — — — 20 40 100 Department of National Heritage 18 2,007 55 18 111,145 83 Northern Ireland Office (inc. Northern Ireland Departments) 10 3,194 57 1210 33,814 66 15 3,061 77 1315 32,057 73 Child Support Agency (NI) — — — 10 27 96 Compensation Agency (NI) 7 34 79 7 80 85 Rate Collection Agency (NI) 7 12 75 5 13 100 Social Security Agency (NI) 20 43 91 10 28 82 Overseas Development Administration 15 5,500 63 15 4,218 87 The Scottish Office 17 3,393 57 17 6,860 52 Department of Social Security 20 14,222 63 20 23,518 76 Benefits Agency 20 20,822 64 20 1428,242 84 Child Support Agency15 — — — 20 2,222 13 Contributions Agency 20 340 63 20 264 70 Department of Trade and Industry 10 28,129 63 10 325,988 66 Companies House 10 79 42 10 159 46 Insolvency Service 10 60 91 10 30 97 Radiocommunications Agency 10 25 96 10 43 100 Department of Transport 15 16,987 74 15 324,754 71 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency 10 891 98 10 345 95 Driving Standards Agency 15 123 91 10 91 96 Vehicle Inspectorate 10 61 72 15 15 93 Her Majesty's Treasury 15 21,241 58 15 311,396 58
1992 1993 Department or Agency Target set for reply (working days) Number of letters received Percentage of replies within target Target set for reply (working days) Number of letters received Percentage of replies within target Welsh Office 12 3,022 61 12 3,468 81 CADW (Welsh Historic Monuments) 12 21 90 12 31 91 Notes on 1993 figures16
1Represents target set for Central Statistical Office (CSO) to submit replies to HM Treasury. In addition, the chief executive received three letters directly from Members of Parliament, all of which were answered within the 10-working day target.
2Figures cover November and December 1992 only.
3Includes all ministerial replies, not only letters from Members of Parliament.
4Figures cover 1 January to 31 August 1992. On 1 September new 15 working day target was set. From 1 September to 31 December 1992, 91 per cent. of 2,205 letters received were replied to within target.
5Figure includes 29 cases relating to Wales—with effect from 1 April 1993.
6Targets within the Home Office are actually expressed in calendar days, because of bank holidays therefore, performance will occasionally be measured against fewer than the 15—or 25—working day target. 25 working day target is for replies to Immigration and nationality department, Prison Service and United Kingdom Passport Agency subjects, 15 working day target is for all other subjects. Members of Parliament are encouraged to write direct to the immigration and nationality department board. These letters are included in the totals shown. New Home Office targets were adopted on 1 October 1992 and some 20,000 cases in 1992–93 were not included in the main chart.
7HM Prison Service established as an agency on 1 April 1993. Targets within the Prison Service are actually expressed in calendar days, because of bank holidays therefore, performance will occasionally to measured against fewer than the 25 working day target.
8Head office figures.
9Local office figures.
10Figure excludes letters received by the legal secretariat to the Law Officers which were subsequently replied to by either the Director of Public Prosecutions or the Director of the Serious Fraud Office.
11Represents correspondence received since 1 April 1993 when new computer recording system was introduced.
12Replies signed by Minister.
13Replies signed by Private Secretary to Minister.
14Includes correspondence from Members of Parliament sent directly to local operational units.
15Child Support Agency was launched on 5 April 1993.
16The 1992 figures were taken from the Official Report, 23 March 1993, columns 550–54. Please also refer to notes given with that reply.
In addition, the following Departments/agencies received at least one but less than 10 letters from Members of Parliament in 1993 and are not shown in the table:
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food - Intervention Board, ADAS, Veterinary Medicines Directorate.
Cabinet Office - Central Office of Information, Occupational Health Service, Recruitment and Assessment Services.
Ministry of Defence - Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Defence Accounts Agency, Defence Analytical Services Agency, Defence Animal Centre, Defence Postal and Courier Services, Queen Victoria School, RAF Maintenance.
Department of the Environment - Building Research Establishment, Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, The Buying Agency, The Security Facilities Executive.
Export Credits Guarantee Department.
Attorney General - Government Property Lawyers Agency.
Northern Ireland Office (including Northern Ireland Departments) - Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (NI), Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency (NI), Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland, Training and Employment Agency (NI), Valuation and Lands Agency (NI).
Overseas Development Administration - Natural Resources Institute.
Ordnance Survey.
Scottish Office - Historic Scotland, Scottish Prison Service.
Serious Fraud Office.
Department of Social Security - Information Technology Services Agency, Resettlement Agency.
Department of Trade and Industry - Accounts Services Agency National Physical Laboratory, Patent Office.
Department of Transport - Vehicle Certification Agency, Transport Research Laboratory.