§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, answers sent to hon. Members in reply to parliamentary questions by the head of executive agencies in his Department are(a) seen, (b) approved and (c) amended by him before they are sent; and if he will identify such letters to which amendments by him have been made in 1994–95. [7830]
§ Mr. HowardParliamentary questions are passed to the head of an executive agency when the matter is one delegated to him or her under the agency framework document. It is the usual practice in the Home Office for Ministers to see the proposed replies to such parliamentary questions before they appear in theOfficial Report, but they would not normally intervene in 484W operational matters. No central record is kept of replies amended at the request of Ministers and this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.