Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring Government Departments to (a) provide similar information and (b) undertake a sample collection of data over a given period in the event that a Department does not hold the information requested by hon. Members in Parliamentary Questions.

Where departments do not hold the information requested, they are advised to state the reason in their response.

Departments will consider any additional questions about similar information or the collection of new information, bearing in mind the availability of that information and/or the proportionality and cost of collecting it.

There are no plans to change the way Departments respond to Parliamentary Questions.