HC Deb 12 March 1996 vol 273 cc569-70W
Mr. Cummings

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions in each of the past five years Ministers in his Department have passed(a) hon. Members' letters and (b) hon. Members' questions to agencies for response; and what this figure is as a percentage of the total number of letters and questions received. [19424]

Mr. Norris

Between January 1994 to date—the only period for which figures are available—1,707 letters from hon. Members have been referred to agencies for response. This represents approximately 3 per cent. of the total.

With regard to point (b), I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 12 February 1996, Official Report, column 421.