To ask the Prime Minister if he will take steps to investigate the reasons why (a) the Home Department and (b) the Ministry of Defence have been unable to provide answers to parliamentary questions, save at disproportionate cost, on redundancies and related costs arising from the conclusions of the Gershon review; and if he will take steps to bring the practice of these Departments on answering such questions into line with the other Departments. (189419)

Practice and procedures are set out in the February 2005 Cabinet Office guidance to Departments entitled Guidance to Officials on Drafting Answers to Parliamentary Questions. Copies of the guidance are available in the Libraries of the House.