I propose to take Questions Nos. 199 and 200 together.
In 2014, the Department answered 3,693 parliamentary questions.
To ensure that parliamentary questions are answered fully and to a high standard, each question is initially sent to the appropriate policy or scheme area for response, where the most detailed information is at hand. This reply is then reviewed by senior management and finally cleared by top management (at Assistant Secretary level) to ensure a comprehensive response before being forwarded to my office or the Minister for State’s office (as appropriate) for final clearance.
I am satisfied that parliamentary questions are fully answered to the appropriate standard.