HC Deb 04 July 1995 vol 263 cc189-90W
Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes he is considering in the organisation and pattern of replies he expects to make in respect of specific individual cases brought to his attention by hon. Members. [31943]

Mr. Hague

Hon. Members continue to receive individual replies to queries raised on behalf of their constituents. A pilot correspondence unit was set up in April to test whether centralising the management of staff dealing with departmental correspondence would help provide a better service to Ministers, hon. Members and the public.

The pilot project will last until the autumn. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will then consider the results of the exercise, with regard to quality of replies and efficiency of the service provided.

Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to extend the central correspondence section pilot scheme; what representations he has received concerned the pilot; and what means of consultation will be carried out with hon. Members before any further extension of the scheme is made. [31925]

Mr. Hague

The pilot correspondence unit was set up in April to test whether centralising the management of staff dealing with Departmental correspondence would provide a better service to Ministers, hon. Members and the public.

The pilot project will last until the autumn. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will then consider the results of the exercise, with regard to quality of replies and efficiency of the service provided. In the first three months of operations the unit has replied more than 2,000 inquiries from hon. member. There have been no complaints about the quality of the replies received.

We have received several letters from hon. Members in response to the letter sent by Mr. Sheldon of the National Union of Civil and Public Servants.

Mr. McAllion

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps his Department is taking to pilot a project to standardise replies to inquiries from hon. members; and if he will make a statement. [31665]

Mr. Hague

None. The Department's pilot project aims to provide hon. Members with replies which answer their specific concerns. Ministers personally approve and sign all replies to hon. Members on policy issues.

The arrangements whereby agency chief executives reply to hon. Members about cases involving their constituents are not altered.