§ Mr. Alan WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many parliamentary questions to his Department have waited more than four sitting weeks for a reply in Session 2002–03. [140792]
§ Mr. HoonThe information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, as a guide, officials have calculated a figure based on the number of parliamentary questions tabled between 8 September to 18 September 2003 and 7 October to 20 November 2003. According to our records, 898 parliamentary questions were tabled during this period and of this number, 34 questions were answered more than four sitting weeks later.
Defence Ministers aim to answer named day written questions on the day named and ordinary written questions within five sitting days.