§ Mr. SalmondTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) if she will place in the Library 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) House of Commons and (ii) House of Lords; [7013]
(2) if she will place in the Library 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 her Department; what percentage took (A) more than one month and (B) more than three months to provide a substantive answer; and if she will make a statement. [7014]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonThe effective handling of correspondence and PQs is an 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.
The time limits for answering written parliamentary questions vary considerably. The calculation of an average response time would not, therefore, provide a reliable indication of the timeliness of answers. The table shows the percentage of written parliamentary questions tabled to this Department, in both Houses, which were answered within the time limits set since the 1996–96 session.
Percentage Session PQs answered within target 1995–96 98 1996–97 95 1997–98 97 1999– 99 96 1999–2001 98 2000–01 97 2001–02 97 The total number of parliamentary questions, in both Houses, tabled to this Department since the Parliamentary session 1995–96 are set out in the table.
1027W
Session Number of PQs 1995–96 701 1996–97 350 1997–98 1,357
Session Number of PQs 1998–99 925 1999–2000 837 2000–01 402 2001–02 (to date) 154