§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what was, for each year since 1995, the total number of(a) letters from hon. Members, (b) letters from members of the public and (c) parliamentary questions from (i) hon. Members and (ii) Lords dealt with by his Department; what percentage took (A) more than one month and (B) more than three months to provide a substantive answer; and if he will make a statement; [7035]
(2) what was, for each year since 1995, the average response time for providing a substantive answer to (a) hon. Members' correspondence, (b) correspondence from members of the public and (c) written parliamentary questions in the (i) Commons and (ii) Lords. [7034]
§ Mr. StrawThe effective handling of correspondence and PQs is a issue to which I, and ministerial colleagues, attach great importance.
General information on the volumes of correspondence received across Whitehall and on overall performance is published by the Cabinet Office. Figures for 2000 were published on 6 April 2001, Official Report, columns 324–28W and on 19 July 2001, Official Report, columns 454–56W.
975WOn Parliamentary Questions, I refer to the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by the then Foreign Secretary my right hon. Friend the Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) on 29 March 2001, Official Report, column 743W.