The information requested is in the following table:
2009 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Sept Oct Nov Dec Number answered on or before the named day 20 21 19 9 6 29 34 17 17 14 18 Number answered after the named day 62 83 91 29 47 65 43 44 53 35 34 Total number 82 104 110 38 53 94 77 61 70 49 52
The Department answered 829 named day questions in session 2008-09, of which 252 (30.4 per cent.) received a substantive reply on the named day.
In the 12 months to 31 January 2010 the average time taken by the Department to answer (a) ordinary written questions was 14.0 sitting days and (b) named day questions was 8.9 sitting days.
With effect from the current Session of Parliament, each Department will provide the Procedure Committee with sessional statistics on the time taken to answer written questions. This implements recommendation 24 of the 3rd report from the Procedure Committee, Session 2008-09