HC Deb 25 March 2002 vol 382 cc545-6W
Angus Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (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; [7029]

(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. [7028]

Dr. Moonie

The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

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 Ministry of Defence aims to answer all ordinary written parliamentary questions within five working days, and named day written parliamentary questions on the day named.

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