To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make it her policy that replies sent from the UK Border Agency to letters from hon. Members are issued by the Chief Executive of the Agency. (251292)

[holding answer 26 January 2009]: The UK Border Agency receives approximately 50,000 letters from hon. Members each year. As such, it is not possible for the Chief Executive to reply to each letter individually.

Where a hon. Member has written to Ministers about the day to day operations of the UK Border Agency the Chief Executive or Deputy Chief Executive will reply. Where hon. Members have written to the Chief Executive, because of the volumes involved, a local manager may reply.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the UK Border Agency plans to reply to the letter of 6 November 2008 (Special Delivery reference ZC982623786GB), the email of 2 December 2008 and letter of 19 January 2009 from the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, sent on behalf of Satnam Kaur Thomas (Home Office reference number J1055280). (261681)

The UK Border Agency wrote to the right hon. Member on 5 March 2009.