Handling Members' Correspondence - 13th May 2013

The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General (Mr Francis Maude)

Correspondence from MP/Peers to Ministers and Agency Chief Executives 2012 Correspondence from MPs/Peers to Ministers and Agency Chief Executives 1 2012 Department or Agency Target set for reply (working days) Number of letter received % of replies within target Attorney-General’s Office 20 525 97 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 15 10,274 84 - Companies House 10 111 99 - Insolvency Service 15 73 99 - Land Registry 15 65 80 - Met Office 10 19 74 - Ordnance Survey 10 15 87 - Skills Funding Agency 10 131 95 Cabinet Office 15 3,681 77 Charity Commission 15 309 96 Department for Communities and Local Government 10 8,819 67 - Planning Inspectorate 10 2 260 97 Crown Prosecution Service 20 427 98 Department for Culture, Media and Sport3 20 5,100 88 Ministry of Defence 20 4 5,160 88 Department for Education 15 16,413 55 Department of Energy and Climate Change 15 6,837 68 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 15 10,968 75 - Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency 15 191 90 - Rural Payments Agency 15 240 92 Food Standards Agency DH Ministers replies 20 212 85 FSA Chair/CE replies 20 98 87 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 20 9,635 91 Department of Health 18 17,279 98 - Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency 20 241 95 Home Office 3 15 10,318 75 - Criminal Records Bureau 15 320 98 - Identity and Passport Service 15 5 1,222 87 - UK Border Agency 20 53,395 81 Department for International Development 15 3,527 96 Ministry of Justice 15 4,887 70 - HM Courts Service and Tribunals Service 15 1,245 65 - National Archive 10 * 8 75 15 ** 12 83 - National Offender Management Service 15 * 896 68 - Office of the Public Guardian 15 163 94 20 ** 265 92 - Official Solicitor and Public Trustee 15 27 89 * Where Ministers replied ** Where CEO replied Northern Ireland Office 15 534 71 Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Schools 15 247 91 Office of Fair Trading 15 610 66 Office of Gas and Electricity Markets 15 289 83 Office of the Leader of the House of Commons 15 165 97 Office of the Leader of the House of Lords 15 124 98 Office of Rail Regulation 20 38 59 OFWAT (Water Services Regulation Authority) 10 108 39 Scotland Office 15 208 91 Serious Fraud Office 20 25 80 Department for Transport 15( 01/01/2012-31/08/2012 ) 7,148 73 20( 01/09/2012 -31/12/2012 ) 3,442 97 - Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency 7 1,804 99 - Driving Standards Agency 10 126 99 - Highways Agency 15 392 92 - Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 10 90 91 HM Treasury 15 16,539 53 - H M Revenue and Customs 15 2,693 57 - HMRC CEO * 15 8,939 60 * Cases where the HMRC’s Chief Executive has replied directly, rather than Ministers Treasury Solicitor’s Department 10 16 100 Wales Office 15 132 81 Department for Work and Pensions 20 20,613 94 - Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission 6* 15 1,956 100 - Health and Safety Executive * 15 142 97 - DWP Operations 7* 15 3,775 97 * Letters sent direct to Chief Executive/Officials 1 Departments and agencies which received 10 MPs/Peers letters or fewer are not shown in this table. Holding or interim replies are not included unless otherwise indicated. The report does not include correspondence considered as Freedom of Information requests. 2 Target from 19/03/2012, previously seven days. 3 Government Equalities Office was part of Home Office from January-August and then part of DCMS from September-December. During the year the GEO’s performance was 74%. 4 Target from March 2012, previously 15 days. 5 Target previously 10 working days up to April 2012. 6 The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission was abolished on 30 July 2012. From 1 August 2012, operational correspondence from MPs and Peers relating to child maintenance became the responsibility of the Child Support Agency within DWP. 7 With effect from 1 October 2011, correspondence activity relating to Jobcentre Plus and the Pensions, Disability and Carers Service was merged under the organisation of the Chief Operating Officer within DWP.

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