§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. [7824]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonParliamentary questions are passed to the head of an executive agency for reply when the matter is one delegated to the chief executive under the terms of the agency framework document. My right hon. Friend may, on occasion, specifically ask to see a copy of the reply before it is sent, but would not normally intervene in operational matters. To date, my right hon. Friend has not asked to see before issue a copy of any of the answers given by chief executives.