§ Mr. WeirTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (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. Member's correspondence, (b) correspondence from members of the public and (c) written parliamentary questions in the (i) House of Commons and (ii) House of Lords; [7049]
(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. [7050]
§ Ms HewittI received almost 13,000 items of post in the last year. My Department aims to respond to all letters received within 10 working days.
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.
My Department aims to answer all ordinary written parliamentary questions within five working days, and named day written parliamentary questions on the day named.
I have answered 378 written parliamentary questions this session, providing substantive answers for 76 per cent. of them on time.