§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the written questions asked of him between(a) 1 to 30 June 2001, (b) 1 to 31 July 2001, (c) 1 to 30 September 2001, (d) 1 to 31 October 2001, (e) 1 to 30 November 2001, (f) 1 to 31 December 2001, (g) I to 31 January 2002, (h) 1 to 28 February 2002, (i) 1 to 31 March 2002 and (j) 1 to 30 April 2002 that had not received a substantive answer by 30 April; and if he will state (i) the name of the hon. Member asking the question and (ii) the reasons the question had not received a substantive answer. [54083]
§ Dr. WhiteheadI refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the President of the Council.
Since this Department was formed on 8 June 2001, Ministers have answered over 6,600 written questions. At 30 April 2002, 72 written questions had not received a substantive answer. By convention ordinary written questions are answered within a week of tabling and 60 of the 72 questions were tabled after 24 April. Of the remaining 12 questions, one named day question was given a holding reply on 18 March and a substantive answer was given on 2 May; seven other named day questions were given a holding reply on various dates in April and they have now been given substantive answers; and four ordinary written questions which were due for answer in the period 12 to 24 April were answered on 1 May.