HC Deb 03 March 2003 vol 400 cc792-3W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many named day written questions were tabled to the Department between 15 October 2002 and 24 February 2003; how many that received a holding answer were given a substantive answer(a) within three days, (b) within seven days, (c) within 14 days, (d) within 28 days and (e) over 28 days later; and what procedures the Department has in place to monitor performance on answering (i) parliamentary questions and (ii) ministerial letters. [99427]

Mr. Jamieson

In the period 15 October 2002 to 24 February 2003, 318 named day written questions were tabled to my Department, of which 77 (24 per cent.) received a holding answer.

Of the 77 that received a holding answer, 65 (84 per cent.) received a substantive answer within three days; 10 (13 per cent.) received a substantive answer between four and seven days; and two (3 per cent.) received a substantive answer between eight and 14 days.

The effective handling of parliamentary questions and ministerial correspondence is an issue to which I, and ministerial colleagues, attach great importance. The Department has a Service Delivery Agreement Target of responding to 76 per cent. of ministerial correspondence within 15 days and 90 per cent. within 20 days. My Department operates an electronic tracking system to monitor ministerial correspondence and parliamentary question performance. The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on performance of Departments in replying to ministerial correspondence.