asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe will be receiving a reply to his letter of 25 April, sent under urgent cover, about charging people on supplementary benefit for their home helps in the county of Essex, and about which a reminder was sent on 3 June.

I wrote to the right hon. Member today. am very sorry that my reply was so delayed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will indicate the average time taken by his Department to provide a substantive answer to letters from hon. or right hon. Members during the 12 months period to the latest available date.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.