HC Deb 14 June 2004 vol 422 cc705-6W
John Thurso

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how many(a) ordinary written and (b) named day questions his Department received in (i) 2002–03 and (ii) this parliamentary session, broken down by month; [171174]

(2) what proportion of (a) ordinary written questions to his Department were answered within five sitting days of tabling, and (b) questions for written answer on a named day received a substantive answer on that day in (a) the 2002–03 parliamentary session and (b) this parliamentary session, broken down by month. [171175]

Mr. Alexander

The information requested is shown in the table.

We endeavour to answer all parliamentary questions within the parliamentary deadlines whenever possible. In addition I refer the hon. Gentleman to a reply given by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House on 3 March 2004, Official Report, column 907W.

Month Number due

for answer

 Number

answered on

day named

 Percentage

answered on

day named
Named day parliamentary questions
Session 2002–03
November 2002 11 11 100
December 2002 7 7 100
January 2003 21 14 67
February 2003 5 4 80
March 2003 9 7 78
April 2003 1 1 100
May 2003 2 1 50
Month Number due

for answer

 Number

answered on

day named

 Percentage

answered on

day named
June 2003 7 7 100
July 2003 5 5 100
September 2003 — — —
October 2003 4 4 100
November 2003 2 1 50
Total 74 62 84
Session 2003–04
December 2003 3 1 33
January 2004 9 3 33
February 2004 6 6 100
March 2004 12 11 92
April2004 4 4 100
Total 34 25 74
Month Number due

for answer

 Number

answered

within five

working days

 Percentage

answered

within five

working days
Ordinary written parliamentary questions
Session 2002–03
November 2002 6 6 100
December 2002 30 24 80
January 2003 54 29 54
February 2003 26 14 54
March 2003 50 31 62
April 2003 41 18 44
May 2003 37 9 24
June 2003 31 17 55
July 2003 25 9 36
September 2003 19 13 68
October 2003 19 12 63
November 2003 17 13 76
Total 355 195 55
Session 2003–04
December 2003 15 11 73
January 2004 43 23 53
February 2004 25 21 84
March 2004 117 90 77
April2004 31 9 29
Total 231 154 67