§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what measures are taken to monitor the time taken by agencies with special reference to the School Curriculum Assessment Authority, the Funding Agency for Schools and the Office for Standards218W in Education, to answer parliamentary questions; and if she will make a statement. [13963]
§ Mr. Robin SquireThe Department keeps a record of all instances when chairmen of non-executive agencies of non-departmental public bodies such as SCAA, the FAS and Ofsted are asked to reply on a Minister's behalf. These records are updated and monitored to ensure that a reply is sent in answer to such a question, usually within one week of the matter being referred to the relevant agency.
Executive agencies reply to questions referred to them within the usual parliamentary timetable for answering written questions.