§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she intends to take to ensure that questions tabled for a named day response are answered on the specified day. [167789]
§ Alun MichaelI have explained to officials at DEFRA the importance attached by parliamentarians to receiving a full and prompt reply to formal questions. I have asked for further steps to be taken to make sure that this is fully understood in every part of the Department. It must be understood that there is a cost to providing answers, both in financial terms and in the time of officials that has to be diverted to providing answers or to meeting a deadline in the case of "named day" questions and that some information is simply not available in the form requested. I and my Ministerial colleagues are always willing to discuss the needs of Members.