HC Deb 25 March 1996 vol 274 cc433-4W
Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many questions were tabled to her Department in each Session since 1987–88; how many were not answered on the grounds of disproportionate cost; what percentage of the total number of questions this represented; how many were not answered on the grounds that the information was not centrally available; and what percentage of the total number of questions this represented. [21152]

Mr. Robin Squire

The number of questions tabled for the Department since 1987 are shown in the following table. The reminder of the information sought could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Department of Employment Department for Education and Science
Year Written Oral Written Oral
1987–88 3,145 390 2,342 461
1988–89 2,984 362 2,029 318
1989–90 2,620 321 2,281 266
1990–91 1,496 312 1,670 274
1991–92 730 143 776 127
1992–93 2,342 403 12,289 1372
1993–94 1,636 273 11,550 1278
1994–95 1,528 218 11,506 1239
1995–96 2962 2137
1 Department of Employment.
2 Department for Education and Employment.

Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the average cost of answering an(a) oral and (b) written parliamentary questions from (i) Opposition and (ii) Conservative hon. Members in each Session since 1989–90. [21792]

Mr. Squire

This Department does not collect the information in the form requested.