§ Lord McIntosh of Haringeyasked Her Majesty's Government:
In the period from October 1994 to January 1995 (the period referred to in paragraph 3.83 of the Learmont Report), how many documents passed from the Home Office to Prison Service Headquarters; and how many of these related to parliamentary Questions; and
In the period between October 1994 and January 1995, how many of the documents submitted by Prison Service Headquarters to the Home Office related to parliamentary Questions; and
When parliamentary Questions are passed by the Home Office to the Director General of the Prison Service for answer, in what proportion of cases are draft answers seen by Home Office officials before the Answer is sent to the Member or Lord concerned; and
When parliamentary Questions are passed by the Home Office to the Director General of the Prison Service for answer, in what proportion of cases are draft answers seen by Home Office Ministers before the Answer is sent to the Member or Lord concerned.
9WA
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Blatch):Paragraph 3.83 of the Learmont report says that the Prison Service submitted just over 1,000 documents to Ministers from October 1994 to January 1995. One hundred and five of those documents related to parliamentary Questions. All draft replies to Home Office parliamentary Questions, including those passed to the Director General of the Prison Service and other agency chief executives for reply, are seen by Ministers before the reply is sent to the Member or noble Lord concerned. Information about the number of documents passed to the Prison Service from other parts of the Home Office, and about the number of draft replies to parliamentary Questions which are seen by Home Office Officials (other than Ministers' private offices), is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.