asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will indicate the average time taken by his Department to provide a substantial answer to letters from right hon. and hon. Members during the 12 months period to the latest available date.

I regret that this information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However a sample of all letters from right hon. and hon. Members answered by Treasury Ministers in June 1985 suggests that the average time taken to provide a substantive answer is a little over a month.