Data on responses to correspondence from MPs and Peers in 2023 (HTML)
Updated 23 May 2024
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Data on responses to correspondence from MPs and Peers Members’ Correspondence in 2023
The Government attaches great importance to the effective and timely handling of correspondence. The Cabinet Office is publishing this correspondence data to enable transparency and to demonstrate the total volume of correspondence received by Government Departments and Agencies from Members of Parliament and Peers in the calendar year 2023.
The deadlines set by Government Departments and Agencies for responding to correspondence from Members of Parliament and Peers should not exceed 20 working days, and Departments and Agencies are advised to consider setting more challenging deadlines than 20 working days to ensure a better minimum service level.
In the year 2023, the Government received a total of 206,515 pieces of correspondence, a 80,145 decrease in comparison to 2022. Of this, 163,522 cases were responded to on time, at a performance rate of 79% against the 20 working day target outlined in the Guide to Handling Correspondence.
| Department or Agency | Target Response time (Working Days) | Total Number of MP correspondence received | % of response achieved within target response time | % of cases responded to within 20 working days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | - | 206,515 | 77% | 79% |
| Q1 | - | 57,916 | 73% | 76% |
| Q2 | - | 52,221 | 78% | 81% |
| Q3 | - | 50,670 | 79% | 81% |
| Q4 | - | 45,708 | 76% | 79% |
| Attorney General’s Office | 20 Days | 177 | 85% | 85% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 52 | 83% | 83% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 37 | 95% | 95% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 48 | 81% | 81% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 40 | 90% | 90% |
| Serious Fraud Office | 20 Days | 14 | 85% | 85% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 1 | 100% | 100% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 5 | 80% | 80% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 3 | 100% | 100% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 5 | 80% | 80% |
| Cabinet Office | 20 Days | 1,536 | 84% | 84% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 488 | 80% | 80% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 384 | 89% | 89% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 310 | 85% | 85% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 354 | 83% | 83% |
| Equality Hub | 20 Days | 567 | 76% | 76% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 170 | 78% | 78% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 118 | 80% | 80% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 147 | 73% | 73% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 132 | 73% | 73% |
| UKSA / ONS | 10 Days | 79 | 74% | 96% |
| Q1 | 10 Days | 25 | 76% | 100% |
| Q2 | 10 Days | 18 | 56% | 89% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q3 | 10 Days | 20 | 70% | 95% |
| Q4 | 10 Days | 16 | 94% | 100% |
| Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy[footnote 1] | 15 Days | 6,781 | 50% | 61% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 4,279 | 39% | 52% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 2,502 | 68% | 77% |
| Q3 | - | - | - | - |
| Q4 | - | - | - | - |
| Department for Business & Trade[footnote 2] | 15 Days | 1,621 | 71% | 80% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 109 | 69% | 73% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 312 | 67% | 77% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 598 | 62% | 74% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 602 | 82% | 88% |
| Competition and Markets Authority | 15 Days | 124 | 75% | 92% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 40 | 73% | 90% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 33 | 82% | 91% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 29 | 76% | 94% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 22 | 64% | 91% |
| Department for Energy Security & Net Zero[footnote 3] | 15 Days | 7,658 | 66% | 77% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 2,078 | 51% | 68% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 2,166 | 72% | 81% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 1,991 | 69% | 78% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 1423 | 75% | 85% |
| OFGEM | 15 Days | 721 | 75% | 88% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 242 | 94% | 98% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 148 | 62% | 88% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 158 | 65% | 84% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 173 | 71% | 84% |
| Department for Culture, Media & Sport[footnote 4] | 20 Days | 2,464 | 62% | 62% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 836 | 63% | 63% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 698 | 60% | 60% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 502 | 60% | 60% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 428 | 64% | 64% |
| The Charity Commission | 20 Days | 201 | 98% | 98% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 45 | 96% | 96% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 47 | 100% | 100% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 49 | 99% | 99% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 60 | 99% | 99% |
| The National Archives | 20 Days | 23 | 83% | 83% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 3 | 100% | 100% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 4 | 75% | 75% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 6 | 67% | 67% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 10 | 90% | 90% |
| Department for Education | 18 Days | 7,089 | 73% | 76% |
| Q1 | 18 Days | 2,143 | 74% | 75% |
| Q2 | 18 Days | 1,889 | 67% | 69% |
| Q3 | 18 Days | 1,691 | 74% | 77% |
| Q4 | 18 Days | 1,366 | 79% | 83% |
| Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (OFSTED) | 15 Days | 194 | 69% | 84% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 56 | 64% | 84% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 48 | 40% | 58% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 55 | 91% | 98% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 35 | 83% | 97% |
| The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (OFQUAL) | 20 Days | 25 | 96% | 96% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 2 | 100% | 100% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 8 | 88% | 88%% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 6 | 100% | 100% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 9 | 100% | 100% |
| Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs | 20 Days | 10,397 | 48% | 48% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 2,857 | 47% | 47% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 2,959 | 48% | 48% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 2,236 | 56% | 56% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 2,345 | 43% | 43% |
| Food Standards Agency | 20 Days | 55 | 100% | 100% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 13 | 100% | 100% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 20 | 100% | 100% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 9 | 100% | 100% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 13 | 100% | 100% |
| Water Services Regulation Authority (OFWAT) | 15 Days | 120 | 43% | 54% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 41 | 67% | 75% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 22 | 27% | 36% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 32 | 31% | 47% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 25 | 44% | 56% |
| Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities | 20 Days | 8,625 | 50% | 50% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 2,312 | 34% | 34% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 2,514 | 53% | 53% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 2,238 | 65% | 65% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 1,561 | 46% | 46% |
| HM Land Registry | 15 Days | 697 | 95% | 99% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 175 | 93% | 100% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 166 | 95% | 99% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 178 | 96% | 100% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 178 | 97% | 99% |
| Department for Science, Innovation & Technology[footnote 5] | 20 Days | 599 | 7% | 7% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | - | - | - |
| Q2 | 20 Days | - | - | - |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 237 | 1% | 1% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 362 | 11% | 11% |
| Building Digital UK[footnote 6] | 20 Days | 148 | 61% | 61% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 43 | 88% | 88% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 43 | 86% | 86% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 33 | 48% | 48% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 29 | 7% | 7% |
| Department for Transport[footnote 7] | 7 Days | 6,227 | 57% | 77% |
| Q1 | 7 Days | 1,565 | 48% | 82% |
| Q2 | 10 Days | 1,403 | 70% | 100% |
| Q3 | 10 Days | 1,769 | 62% | 81% |
| Q4 | 10 Days | 1,490 | 38% | 62% |
| Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency | 8 Days | 4,577 | 77% | 100% |
| Q1 | 8 Days | 1,303 | 80% | 100% |
| Q2 | 8 Days | 1,192 | 83% | 100% |
| Q3 | 8 Days | 1,085 | 83% | 100% |
| Q4 | 8 Days | 997 | 61% | 100% |
| Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency | 10 Days | 573 | 100% | 100% |
| Q1 | 10 Days | 137 | 100% | 100% |
| Q2 | 10 Days | 151 | 100% | 100% |
| Q3 | 10 Days | 172 | 100% | 100% |
| Q4 | 10 Days | 113 | 100% | 100% |
| Maritime and Coastguard Agency | 10 Days | 19 | 68% | 32% |
| Q1 | 10 Days | 1 | 100% | 100% |
| Q2 | 10 Days | 2 | 100% | 100% |
| Q3 | 10 Days | 5 | 40% | 60% |
| Q4 | 10 Days | 11 | 27% | 83% |
| Department for Work & Pensions | 20 Days | 6,600 | 75% | 75% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 1,662 | 72% | 72% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 1,287 | 76% | 76% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 1,668 | 77% | 77% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 2,043 | 75% | 75% |
| DWP HR | 15 Days | 88 | 100% | 100% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 17 | 100% | 100% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 23 | 100% | 100% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 28 | 100% | 100% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 20 | 100% | 100% |
| Health and Safety Executive | 10 Days | 140 | 70% | 93% |
| Q1 | 10 Days | 35 | 80% | 97% |
| Q2 | 10 Days | 44 | 84% | 100% |
| Q3 | 10 Days | 35 | 62% | 80% |
| Q4 | 10 Days | 26 | 55% | 93% |
| Department of Health & Social Care | 20 Days | 15,627 | 43% | 43% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 4,483 | 45% | 45% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 3,768 | 53% | 53% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 3,579 | 39% | 39% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 3,797 | 34% | 34% |
| UK Health Security Agency | 20 Days | 80 | 86% | 86% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 21 | 86% | 86% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 27 | 78% | 78% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 12 | 92% | 92% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 20 | 5% | 5% |
| Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency | 18 Days | 122 | 9% | 11% |
| Q1 | 18 Days | 30 | 17% | 20% |
| Q2 | 18 Days | 28 | 11% | 14% |
| Q3 | 18 Days | 37 | 3% | 3% |
| Q4 | 18 Days | 27 | 7% | 7% |
| Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office | 20 Days | 6,778 | 83% | 83% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 1,571 | 83% | 83% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 1,626 | 82% | 82% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 1,431 | 79% | 79% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 2,150 | 85% | 85% |
| HM Revenue & Customs | 15 Days | 8,143 | 42% | 52% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 2,217 | 53% | 64% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 2,266 | 26% | 34% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 2,089 | 33% | 41% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 1,571 | 64% | 77% |
| HM Treasury | 20 Days | 6,891 | 64% | 64% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 2,279 | 45% | 45% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 1,429 | 77% | 77% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 1,562 | 83% | 83% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 1,621 | 62% | 62% |
| HMRC Policy[footnote 8] | 20 Days | 518 | 65% | 65% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 102 | 51% | 51% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 141 | 57% | 57% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 178 | 72% | 72% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 97 | 80% | 80% |
| Home Office | 20 Days | 5,826 | 76% | 76% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 1,809 | 80% | 80% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 1,473 | 81% | 81% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 1,097 | 77% | 78% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 1447 | 63% | 63% |
| UK Visas and Immigration/Immigration Enforcement/Border Force | 20 Days | 85,866 | 98% | 98% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 22,300 | 97% | 97% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 21,144 | 98% | 98% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 23,300 | 97% | 97% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 19,122 | 98% | 98% |
| Ministry of Defence | 20 Days | 2,829 | 79% | 79% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 794 | 91% | 91% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 659 | 79% | 79% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 702 | 75% | 75% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 678 | 68% | 68% |
| Ministry of Justice | 15 Days | 1,792 | 68% | 80% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 480 | 76% | 88% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 490 | 74% | 90% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 446 | 66% | 75% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 376 | 59% | 69% |
| MoJ (ADR)[footnote 9] | 20 Days | 344 | 68% | 68% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 97 | 65% | 65% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 96 | 65% | 65% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 104 | 72% | 72% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 47 | 75% | 75% |
| HM Courts and Tribunals Service | 15 Days | 1,622 | 76% | 89% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 415 | 74% | 91% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 380 | 70% | 92% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 416 | 76% | 85% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 411 | 83% | 91% |
| HM Prison and Probation Services | 20 Days | 932 | 74% | 86% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 259 | 84% | 90% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 200 | 80% | 95% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 229 | 72% | 86% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 244 | 61% | 75% |
| Office of the Public Guardian | 15 Days | 96 | 67% | 83% |
| Q1 | 10 Days | 33 | 66% | 79% |
| Q2 | 10 Days | 30 | 63% | 97% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 17 | 71% | 76% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 16 | 88% | 95% |
| Crown Prosecution Service | 20 Days | 332 | 86% | 86% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 87 | 78% | 78% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 75 | 76% | 76% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 73 | 89% | 89% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 97 | 87% | 87% |
| National Crime Agency | 10 Days | 22 | 51% | 72% |
| Q1 | 10 Days | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| Q2 | 10 Days | 4 | 100% | 100% |
| Q3 | 10 Days | 10 | 60% | 100% |
| Q4 | 10 Days | 7 | 43% | 86% |
| Northern Ireland Office | 20 Days | 294 | 79% | 79% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 82 | 88% | 88% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 86 | 91% | 91% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 68 | 85% | 85% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 58 | 44% | 44% |
| Office of the Leader of the House of Commons | 15 Days | 86 | 82% | 92% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 16 | 63% | 75% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 24 | 89% | 100% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 28 | 75% | 93% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 18 | 100% | 100% |
| Office of the Leader of the House of Lords | 10 Days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Q1 | 10 Days | - | - | - |
| Q2 | 10 Days | - | - | - |
| Q3 | 10 Days | - | - | - |
| Q4 | 10 Days | - | - | - |
| Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland | 20 Days | 145 | 97% | 97% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 103 | 98% | 98% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 17 | 94% | 94% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 14 | 100% | 100% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 11 | 91% | 91% |
| Office of the Secretary of State for Wales | 15 Days | 29 | 86% | 90% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 7 | 71% | 71% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 15 | 73% | 87% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 2 | 100% | 100% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 5 | 100% | 100% |
-
On 7 February 2023, the Prime Minister announced Machinery of Government (MoG) changes to create three new government departments: the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT); as well as a refocused Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Due to the transition time from BEIS to DBT, DESNZ and DSIT, data for BEIS has been reported for Q1 and Q2. ↩
-
Contains data for the Department for International Trade (DIT), before the creation of the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) on 7 February. Cases which previously fell within the remit of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), were not processed by DBT until June 2023. ↩
-
On 7 February 2023, the Prime Minister announced a Machinery of Government (MOG) change and split the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) into three new Government departments: The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). ↩
-
While DSIT was created on 7 February 2023 as part of the Machinery of Government changes, DCMS continued to process DSIT correspondence until the end of Q2. Therefore, the figures above include DSIT cases until the end of Q2. ↩
-
On 7 February 2023, the Prime Minister announced Machinery of Government (MoG) changes to create three new government departments: the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT); as well as a refocused Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The DSIT correspondence team was formed in Q3 2023, so data has only been reported for Q3 and Q4 2023. ↩
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As part of Machinery of Government changes, administration of BDUK correspondence was transferred from DCMS to DSIT in August 2023. ↩
-
The DfT target was extended from 7 to 10 days at the start of Q2 following required changes to internal processes. ↩
-
These are cases drafted by HMRC policy and signed by HM Treasury Ministers. ↩
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From 2023 the Ministry of Justice has included in their return response rates for their Advice and Draft Reply (ADR) correspondence type. ↩