HC Deb 12 March 1997 vol 292 cc220-1W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many answers to parliamentary questions by Ministers in her Department in the last 12 months have exceeded the advisory cost limit; and if she will make a statement. [19341]

Mr. Sproat

[holding answer 10 March 1997]: Where the cost of answering a particular parliamentary question is estimated to exceed £450, it is the general practice for Departments to make clear that the question could be answered only by incurring disproportionate cost. Given the large numbers of questions tabled, it would be unreasonable for my Department to systematically calculate the exact cost of answering every single parliamentary question.