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Members' and Peers' Correspondence

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Tom Watson) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I am today publishing a report on departments' and agencies' performance on handling Members' and Peers' correspondence during 2008. Details are set out in the table below. 2007 correspondence statistics can be found in the Official Report, 20 March 2008, col. 71WS. Departmental figures are based on substantive replies unless otherwise indicated. The footnotes to the table provide general background information on how the figures have been compiled.

"i Departments and agencies which received 10 MPs/Peers letters or fewer are not shown in this table. Holding or interim replies are not included unless otherwise indicated. The report does not include correspondence considered as Freedom of Information requests.""ii Implementation of new correspondence handling system led to delays in first half of the year. Issues have been resolved and led to significant improvement in performance in second half of the year.""iii Communities and Local Government's performance improved in 2008 and it continues to take measures to improve further.""iv During 2008 DCMS underwent a department-wide transformation programme, including significant changes to the central correspondence unit. This resulted in a drop in performance and efforts are being made to resolve outstanding issues as quickly as possible.""v Defra/BERR currently handle DECC correspondence. The setting up of a new department led to delays in responding to correspondence. Measures being put in place to improve correspondence performance as a matter of high priority.""vi Creation of DECC led to a significant increase in correspondence which was initially handled by Defra. Prior to this 75 per cent of correspondence was responded to within target.""vii GEO, a new department, began handling its own Ministerial correspondence in May 2008. It is making changes to improve performance of internal handling of correspondence. New internal guidance has been implemented as well as staff training.""viii The FSA and DH are working together to minimise delays in the processing of correspondence.""ix DfID is introducing changes to their correspondence handling system and will be introducing a new correspondence database in June to improve performance. The correspondence unit has been restructured and reinforced with additional staff and targets have been steadily improving since July 2008.""x Includes HM Prison Service." "ii Implementation of new correspondence handling system led to delays in first half of the year. Issues have been resolved and led to significant improvement in performance in second half of the year.""iii Communities and Local Government's performance improved in 2008 and it continues to take measures to improve further.""iv During 2008 DCMS underwent a department-wide transformation programme, including significant changes to the central correspondence unit. This resulted in a drop in performance and efforts are being made to resolve outstanding issues as quickly as possible.""v Defra/BERR currently handle DECC correspondence. The setting up of a new department led to delays in responding to correspondence. Measures being put in place to improve correspondence performance as a matter of high priority.""vi Creation of DECC led to a significant increase in correspondence which was initially handled by Defra. Prior to this 75 per cent of correspondence was responded to within target.""vii GEO, a new department, began handling its own Ministerial correspondence in May 2008. It is making changes to improve performance of internal handling of correspondence. New internal guidance has been implemented as well as staff training.""viii The FSA and DH are working together to minimise delays in the processing of correspondence.""ix DfID is introducing changes to their correspondence handling system and will be introducing a new correspondence database in June to improve performance. The correspondence unit has been restructured and reinforced with additional staff and targets have been steadily improving since July 2008.""x Includes HM Prison Service." "iii Communities and Local Government's performance improved in 2008 and it continues to take measures to improve further.""iv During 2008 DCMS underwent a department-wide transformation programme, including significant changes to the central correspondence unit. This resulted in a drop in performance and efforts are being made to resolve outstanding issues as quickly as possible.""v Defra/BERR currently handle DECC correspondence. The setting up of a new department led to delays in responding to correspondence. Measures being put in place to improve correspondence performance as a matter of high priority.""vi Creation of DECC led to a significant increase in correspondence which was initially handled by Defra. Prior to this 75 per cent of correspondence was responded to within target.""vii GEO, a new department, began handling its own Ministerial correspondence in May 2008. It is making changes to improve performance of internal handling of correspondence. New internal guidance has been implemented as well as staff training.""viii The FSA and DH are working together to minimise delays in the processing of correspondence.""ix DfID is introducing changes to their correspondence handling system and will be introducing a new correspondence database in June to improve performance. The correspondence unit has been restructured and reinforced with additional staff and targets have been steadily improving since July 2008.""x Includes HM Prison Service." "iv During 2008 DCMS underwent a department-wide transformation programme, including significant changes to the central correspondence unit. This resulted in a drop in performance and efforts are being made to resolve outstanding issues as quickly as possible.""v Defra/BERR currently handle DECC correspondence. The setting up of a new department led to delays in responding to correspondence. Measures being put in place to improve correspondence performance as a matter of high priority.""vi Creation of DECC led to a significant increase in correspondence which was initially handled by Defra. Prior to this 75 per cent of correspondence was responded to within target.""vii GEO, a new department, began handling its own Ministerial correspondence in May 2008. It is making changes to improve performance of internal handling of correspondence. New internal guidance has been implemented as well as staff training.""viii The FSA and DH are working together to minimise delays in the processing of correspondence.""ix DfID is introducing changes to their correspondence handling system and will be introducing a new correspondence database in June to improve performance. The correspondence unit has been restructured and reinforced with additional staff and targets have been steadily improving since July 2008.""x Includes HM Prison Service." "v Defra/BERR currently handle DECC correspondence. The setting up of a new department led to delays in responding to correspondence. Measures being put in place to improve correspondence performance as a matter of high priority.""vi Creation of DECC led to a significant increase in correspondence which was initially handled by Defra. Prior to this 75 per cent of correspondence was responded to within target.""vii GEO, a new department, began handling its own Ministerial correspondence in May 2008. It is making changes to improve performance of internal handling of correspondence. New internal guidance has been implemented as well as staff training.""viii The FSA and DH are working together to minimise delays in the processing of correspondence.""ix DfID is introducing changes to their correspondence handling system and will be introducing a new correspondence database in June to improve performance. The correspondence unit has been restructured and reinforced with additional staff and targets have been steadily improving since July 2008.""x Includes HM Prison Service." "vi Creation of DECC led to a significant increase in correspondence which was initially handled by Defra. Prior to this 75 per cent of correspondence was responded to within target.""vii GEO, a new department, began handling its own Ministerial correspondence in May 2008. It is making changes to improve performance of internal handling of correspondence. New internal guidance has been implemented as well as staff training.""viii The FSA and DH are working together to minimise delays in the processing of correspondence.""ix DfID is introducing changes to their correspondence handling system and will be introducing a new correspondence database in June to improve performance. The correspondence unit has been restructured and reinforced with additional staff and targets have been steadily improving since July 2008.""x Includes HM Prison Service." "vii GEO, a new department, began handling its own Ministerial correspondence in May 2008. It is making changes to improve performance of internal handling of correspondence. New internal guidance has been implemented as well as staff training.""viii The FSA and DH are working together to minimise delays in the processing of correspondence.""ix DfID is introducing changes to their correspondence handling system and will be introducing a new correspondence database in June to improve performance. The correspondence unit has been restructured and reinforced with additional staff and targets have been steadily improving since July 2008.""x Includes HM Prison Service." "viii The FSA and DH are working together to minimise delays in the processing of correspondence.""ix DfID is introducing changes to their correspondence handling system and will be introducing a new correspondence database in June to improve performance. The correspondence unit has been restructured and reinforced with additional staff and targets have been steadily improving since July 2008.""x Includes HM Prison Service." "ix DfID is introducing changes to their correspondence handling system and will be introducing a new correspondence database in June to improve performance. The correspondence unit has been restructured and reinforced with additional staff and targets have been steadily improving since July 2008.""x Includes HM Prison Service." "x Includes HM Prison Service."