To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many (a) letters and (b) e-mails received by his Department had not been responded to as at 15 December 2008. (244708)

The information requested is as follows:

(a) The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the performance of departments in replying to Members/Peers correspondence. Information relating to 2008 will be published as soon as it has been collated. The report for 2007 was published on 20 March 2008, Official Report, columns 71-74WS. Reports for earlier years are available in the Library of the House. When responding to all correspondence the Department abides by the guidance as set out in 'Handling correspondence from MPs, Lords, MEPs and Members of Devolved Assemblies' which was published by the Cabinet office in July 2005.

(b) To retrieve the information relating to emails can only be achieved at a disproportional cost.