Parliamentary Questions (Hansard, 10 March 1997)

HC Deb 10 March 1997 vol 292 c110W 110W

§ Mr. Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many answers to parliamentary questions by Ministers in his Department in the last 12 months have exceeded the advisory cost limit; and if he will make a statement. [19343]

§ Mr. Horam
Where the cost of answering a particular parliamentary question is estimated to exceed £450, it is the general practice for Departments to make it clear that the question could be answered only by incurring disproportionate cost. Given the large numbers of questions tabled, it would be unreasonable for the Department systematically to calculate the exact cost of answering every single parliamentary question.