To ask the Secretary of State for Health what categories are used by his Department to classify (a) ministerial and (b) other correspondence it receives; and how many letters were received in each category in the last 12 months. (221007)

Ministerial correspondence is categorised as (a) letters and emails received from MPs and significant public figures; (b) letters and e-mails received from other members of the public and addressed to Ministers. Other correspondence consists of letters and e-mails addressed directly to officials. Between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2008 we received 95,112 letters and e-mails categorised as ministerial correspondence. We do not collect centrally the amount of correspondence in the second category.