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Cabinet Office

Answer

Mr. Watts: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will publish the latest figures showing the volume of correspondence received by Ministers and agency chief executives from hon. Members in 2000, indicating the target times set for replies and the replies sent within those target times. [157532] Marjorie Mowlam: The following table sets out Departments' and Agencies' performance in handling hon. Members' correspondence during the 2000 calendar year. It also sets out comparative figures for 1999 (first published on 17 April 2000, Official Report, columns 386-89W). I am pleased to report that the table shows a steady improvement in overall performance. Hon. Members' attention is drawn to the footnotes which accompany the table and which provide general background information on how the figures are compiled. Correspondence from MPs to Ministers and Agency chief executives _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1999 2000 Department or Agency Target set for Number of Percentage of Target set for Number of Percentage of reply (working letters received replies within reply (working letters received replies within days) target days) target Ministry of Agriculture, 15 7,021 60 15 {1}6,137 30 Fisheries and Food Cabinet Office 15 552 85 15 902 88 Crown Prosecution 15 30 93 15 {2}18 100 Service Department for Culture, 18 5,502 90 18 3,240 82 Media and Sport HM Customs and Excise 18 3,009 38 18 {3}2,977 68 Ministry of Defence 15 5,488 66 15 {4}4,592 78 Army Personnel Centre 15 42 84 15 38 95 DERA 15 35 89 15 21 91 Meteorological Office 15 12 83 15 16 94 Pay and Personnel Agency -- -- -- 10 31 43 Department for 15 2,750 93 15 {5}1,769 82 International Development Department for Education 15 21,196 75 15 22,318 72 and Employment Employment Service 15 635 98 15 592 98 Department of the 15 15,768 45 15 19,636 69 Environment, Transport and the Regions Driving Standards Agency 15 124 68 15 91 99 DVLA 7 855 98 10 1,136 99 Highways Agency 15 357 79 15 314 78 Maritime and Coastguard 15 22 91 15 19 100 Agency Planning Inspectorate 8 204 92 8 {6}310 90 Vehicle Inspectorate 15 18 94 15 13 100 Foreign and Commonwealth 20 11,921 75 {7}20 9,020 78 Office 15 9,482 37 {8}15 8,121 50 Department of Health 20 18,346 47 20 {9}18,621 50 NHS Pensions Agency 15 51 84 15 54 85 Medicines Control Agency 10 70 68 15 25 68 Home Office 15 16,826 45 15 {10}18,748 {11}41 20 877 79 20 {12}1,289 79 HM Prison Service 20 2,514 73 20 2,306 75 UK Passport Agency 10 703 35 100 188 100 Inland Revenue 18 5,872 49 18 {3}5,770 72 23 368 60 23 {13}533 53 Valuation Office 23 24 81 23 240 92 Legal Secretariat to the 15 223 95 15 204 93 Law Officers Lord Chancellor's 20 2,038 82 20 {14}1,844 74 Department Court Service 20 898 79 {15}20 {16}845 66 HM Land Registry 20 53 91 20 {16}41 93 Public Records Office -- -- -- 20 {16}26 100 Public Trust Office 15 42 95 15 {16}124 88 Northern Ireland Office 10 1,897 78 10 594 71 Compensation Agency for 7 23 100 7 16 100 NI Northern Ireland Prison 10 37 92 10 37 70 Service Office for National -- -- -- 10 {16}154 86 Savings Office for National 10 275 98 10 {17}167 79 Statistics President of the 15 151 81 15 271 94 Council's Office The Scotland Office 15 105 72 15 125 64 Department of Social 20 16,555 66 20 16,283 75 Security Benefits Agency 20 2,033 70 20 2,642 {18}45 Child Support Agency 18 5,661 98 18 5,806 97 War Pensions Agency 20 477 100 20 395 99 Department of Trade and 10 20,889 50 10 {3}18,858 60 Industry Companies House 10 19 100 10 44 100 Employment Tribunals -- -- -- 10 {19}30 97 Service Insolvency Service 10 22 86 10 {20}334 87 Patent Office 10 308 88 10 {21}311 99 Radiocommunications 15 39 97 15 20 100 Agency HM Treasury 15 5,322 44 15 {3}4,061 60 Treasury Solicitor's 10 40 100 10 {22}35 100 Department Wales Office 15 61 64 15 {23}344 42 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Includes correspondence on the Intervention Board {2} Letter addressed to the Law Officers but subsequently replied to by the Director of Public Prosecutions. In addition, the CPS received 490 letters direct from MPs between 1 January and 31 December 2000, of which 96 per cent. were replied to within 15 workings days {3} Includes all ministerial replies, not only replies to letters from MPs {4} Includes letters from MPs, MDLs, MEPs and Peers. Also includes 293 letters where Agency chief executives replied on Ministers' behalf {5} 90 per cent. of letters from MPs replied to within 20 working days {6} Include 139 cases relating to Wales {7} Excluding correspondence on migration and visa matters {8} Correspondence on migration and visa matters only {9} In addition, the chief executive of the Food Standards Agency replied to 537 letters from MPs on behalf of Health Ministers {10} Excluding correspondence on Prison Service matters {11} Excluding correspondence on Immigration and Nationality matters, the Home Office replied to 76 per cent. of letters from MPs within 15 working days {12} Correspondence on Prison Service matters. The 20 working day target takes account of particular geographical circumstances. The target is the same whether replies are sent by Ministers or by the Director General {13} Local office and "delegated" figures (where local officials have replied direct to MPs) {14} Excludes letters from MPs to Ministers where Agency chief executives have replied on Ministers' behalf {15} Target reduced from 20 to 15 workings days on 1 April 2000 {16} Includes letters where the chief executive has replied on Ministers' behalf {17} Includes 113 letters where the chief executive replied on Ministers' behalf {18} Performance has improved under the new chief executive. Since September 2000, between 85 per cent. and 95 per cent. of all correspondence from MPs has been replied to within the 20 working day target {19} Includes 18 letters where the chief executive replied on Ministers' behalf {20} Includes 313 letters where the chief executive replied on Ministers' behalf {21} Includes 309 letters where the chief executive replied on Ministers' behalf {22} Includes eight letters where the chief executive replied on Ministers' behalf {23} These figures cover the Wales Office's first year of existence and first full parliamentary session. This has been a difficult period. However, the Office has now reviewed its procedures and has introduced a new system for handling MPs' correspondence Notes on 2000 figures: The 1999 figures are taken from 17 April 2000, Official Report, columns 386-87W. Please also refer to the notes given with that reply. Departments and Agencies which received a total of between one and 10 letters from MPs during 2000 are not shown in this table

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

157532; 366 c324-6W;366 c324-7W

Session

2000-01

Subjects

Executive agencies Correspondence Members Managers Ministers Standards

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk