§ Mr. LuffTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make it her policy to ensure that all letters sent by Ministers in her Department to hon. Members are signed by the Minister replying or by one of his or her private secretaries and that the use of facsimile signatures inserted by computer is abandoned. [13259]
§ Ms HewittI can confirm that I have asked that all letters sent by Ministers in my Department to hon. Members, other than letters which are going to all or a large number of MPs and communications sent by e-mail. are approved and signed in person by the Minister, or approved by the Minister and signed by their private secretary.
§ Mr. SalmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will reply to the letters dated 21 July and 25 September from the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan regarding Whitelink Seafoods, Fraserburgh. [9983]
§ Ms Hewitt[holding answer 25 October 2001]: I understand that my right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade replied to the hon. Gentleman's letters of 21 July and 25 September on 7 November.
She will write further to explain why there was such an exceptional delay in this correspondence.