§ Dr. Richard TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 9 November 2001,Official Report, columns 476–77W, on consultation documents, how many of the consultation documents issued by his Department in 2000 defined a preferred option; and in how many of these the preferred option was adopted. [33536]
§ Jacqui SmithI apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002,Official Report, column 192W.
Of the 31 consultation exercises that the Department conducted during 2000, six defined a preferred option and in five cases the preferred option was adopted.