Data on responses to correspondence from MPs and Peers in 2024 (HTML)
Published 24 April 2025
© Crown copyright 2025
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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 2024.
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. This is outlined in the Guide to Handling Correspondence.
In the year 2024, the Government received a total of 139,090 pieces of correspondence, a 67,425 decrease in comparison to 2023. Of this, 109,776 cases were responded to on time, at a performance rate of 79% against the 20 working day target.
To note, on 22 May 2024, the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP announced that a General Election would be held on 4 July 2024. On 25 May 2024, the pre-election period began, which affected the information that Civil Servants could communicate through correspondence during this time. On 30 May 2024, Parliament was dissolved and MPs ceased to represent constituents. The Government received a lower volume of correspondence during this period as a result, and this continued through the following months as newly elected MPs became familiar with correspondence processes and established their offices. On 9 July 2024, the new Parliament began, and the State Opening of Parliament, including The King’s Speech, took place on 17 July 2024. During the first months of the new Government, many departments’ correspondence performance fell temporarily while new policies and processes were established. The Cabinet Office is currently conducting a cross-Government review of correspondence processes to look at ways to improve this service.
| Department or Agency | Target Response time (Working Days) | Total Number of MP correspondence due | % of response achieved within target response time | % of cases responded to within 20 working days |
| Total | - | 139,090 | 78% | 79% |
| Q1 | - | 43,866 | 80% | 82% |
| Q2 | - | 38,103 | 85% | 86% |
| Q3 | - | 18,857 | 69% | 71% |
| Q4 | - | 39,025 | 72% | 73% |
| Attorney General’s Office | 20 Days | 143 | 81% | 81% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 50 | 88% | 88% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 44 | 86% | 86% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 11 | 45% | 45% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 38 | 76% | 76% |
| Serious Fraud Office | 20 Days | 9 | 100% | 100% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 1 | 100% | 100% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 3 | 100% | 100% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 1 | 100% | 100% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 4 | 100% | 100% |
| Office of the Advocate General for Scotland | 20 Days | 0 | N/A | N/A |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 0 | N/A | N/A |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 0 | N/A | N/A |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 0 | N/A | N/A |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 0 | N/A | N/A |
| Cabinet Office | 20 Days | 1,048 | 70% | 70% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 318 | 85% | 85% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 217 | 73% | 73% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 131 | 44% | 44% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 382 | 64% | 64% |
| Office for Equality Opportunity | 20 Days | 314 | 52% | 52% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 109 | 68% | 68% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 82 | 61% | 61% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 58 | 19% | 19% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 79 | 47% | 47% |
| UKSA / ONS | 10 Days | 67 | 88% | 97% |
| Q1 | 10 Days | 26 | 88% | 96% |
| Q2 | 10 Days | 14 | 93% | 100% |
| Q3 | 10 Days | 5 | 100% | 100% |
| Q4 | 10 Days | 22 | 82% | 95% |
| Department for Business & Trade | 15 Days | 2,054 | 65% | 73% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 962 | 73% | 79% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 449 | 84% | 90% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 171 | 49% | 70% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 472 | 39% | 45% |
| Competition and Markets Authority | 15 Days | 93 | 68% | 87% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 22 | 82% | 87% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 31 | 75% | 97% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 18 | 67% | 84% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 22 | 46% | 73% |
| Department for Culture, Media & Sport | 20 Days | 1,414 | 69% | 69% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 414 | 80% | 80% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 423 | 85% | 85% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 110 | 53% | 53% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 467 | 47% | 47% |
| The Charity Commission | 20 Days | 179 | 97% | 97% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 65 | 96% | 96% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 33 | 100% | 100% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 29 | 97% | 97% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 52 | 95% | 95% |
| The National Archives | 20 Days | 33 | 100% | 100% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 15 | 100% | 100% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 6 | 100% | 100% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 5 | 100% | 100% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 7 | 100% | 100% |
| Department for Education | 18 Days | 5,665 | 85% | 90% |
| Q1 | 18 Days | 1,414 | 85% | 89% |
| Q2 | 18 Days | 1,560 | 88% | 91% |
| Q3 | 18 Days | 896 | 78% | 85% |
| Q4 | 18 Days | 1,795 | 85% | 91% |
| Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (OFSTED) | 15 Days | 172 | 91% | 95% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 51 | 88% | 94% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 53 | 91% | 96% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 20 | 95% | 95% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 48 | 94% | 96% |
| The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (OFQUAL) | 20 Days | 25 | 100% | 100% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 8 | 100% | 100% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 7 | 100% | 100% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 4 | 100% | 100% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 6 | 100% | 100% |
| Department for Energy Security & Net Zero | 15 Days | 3,348 | 56% | 64% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 1,388 | 81% | 90% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 722 | 87% | 95% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 383 | 16% | 26% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 855 | 6% | 13% |
| Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs | 20 Days | 4,385 | 49% | 49% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 1,588 | 45% | 45% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 1,048 | 71% | 71% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 547 | 30% | 30% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 1,202 | 43% | 43% |
| Food Standards Agency | 20 Days | 50 | 100% | 100% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 19 | 100% | 100% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 15 | 100% | 100% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 2 | 100% | 100% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 14 | 100% | 100% |
| Department for Science, Innovation & Technology | 20 Days | 1,771 | 44% | 44% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 309 | 17% | 17% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 569 | 39% | 39% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 418 | 63% | 63% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 475 | 52% | 52% |
| Department for Transport[footnote 1] | 10 Days | 3,448 | 52% | 64% |
| Q1 | 10 Days | 1,262 | 37% | 59% |
| Q2 | 10 Days | 799 | 59% | 72% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 613 | 58% | 72% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 1,158 | 60% | 71% |
| Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency[footnote 2] | 8 Days (Q1) 10 Days (Q2-4) |
3,351 | 91% | 100% |
| Q1 | 8 Days | 1,173 | 81% | 100% |
| Q2 | 10 Days | 942 | 92% | 100% |
| Q3 | 10 Days | 508 | 99% | 100% |
| Q4 | 10 Days | 728 | 99% | 100% |
| Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency | 10 Days | 469 | 100% | 100% |
| Q1 | 10 Days | 83 | 100% | 100% |
| Q2 | 10 Days | 92 | 100% | 100% |
| Q3 | 10 Days | 114 | 100% | 100% |
| Q4 | 10 Days | 180 | 100% | 100% |
| Maritime and Coastguard Agency | 10 Days | 5 | 40% | 100% |
| Q1 | 10 Days | 4 | 50% | 100% |
| Q2 | 10 Days | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| Q3 | 10 Days | 0 | N/A | N/A |
| Q4 | 10 Days | 0 | N/A | N/A |
| Department for Work & Pensions | 20 Days | 5,449 | 63% | 63% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 1,310 | 61% | 61% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 1,646 | 89% | 89% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 720 | 54% | 54% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 1,773 | 43% | 43% |
| DWP HR | 15 Days | 71 | 100% | 100% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 20 | 100% | 100% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 21 | 100% | 100% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 9 | 100% | 100% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 21 | 100% | 100% |
| Health and Safety Executive | 10 Days | 132 | 63% | 90% |
| Q1 | 10 Days | 40 | 71% | 87% |
| Q2 | 10 Days | 27 | 53% | 98% |
| Q3 | 10 Days | 30 | 61% | 88% |
| Q4 | 10 Days | 35 | 67% | 86% |
| Department of Health & Social Care | 20 Days | 11,509 | 53% | 53% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 3,944 | 53% | 53% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 2,784 | 69% | 69% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 1,503 | 17% | 17% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 3,278 | 52% | 52% |
| UK Health Security Agency | 20 Days | 37 | 95% | 95% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 8 | 88% | 88% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 11 | 100% | 100% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 5 | 100% | 100% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 13 | 92% | 92% |
| Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency | 18 Days | 90 | 50% | 60% |
| Q1 | 18 Days | 21 | 33% | 33% |
| Q2 | 18 Days | 13 | 54% | 69% |
| Q3 | 18 Days | 24 | 42% | 63% |
| Q4 | 18 Days | 32 | 66% | 72% |
| Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office | 20 Days | 7,463 | 72% | 72% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 1,784 | 83% | 83% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 1,454 | 81% | 81% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 959 | 39% | 39% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 3,266 | 71% | 71% |
| HM Revenue & Customs | 15 Days | 5,000 | 79% | 86% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 1,649 | 80% | 87% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 1,832 | 77% | 85% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 512 | 77% | 85% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 1,007 | 80% | 87% |
| HM Treasury | 20 Days | 6,373 | 52% | 52% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 1,978 | 71% | 71% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 1,730 | 74% | 74% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 512 | 19% | 19% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 2,153 | 23% | 23% |
| HMRC Policy[footnote 3] | 20 Days | 508 | 49% | 49% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 182 | 63% | 63% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 185 | 66% | 66% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 43 | 0% | 0% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 98 | 13% | 13% |
| Home Office | 20 Days | 5,154 | 65% | 65% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 2,057 | 66% | 66% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 1,185 | 75% | 75% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 629 | 41% | 41% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 1,283 | 65% | 65% |
| UK Visas and Immigration/Immigration Enforcement/Border Force | 20 Days | 55,945 | 97% | 97% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 17,579 | 99% | 99% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 16,338 | 96% | 96% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 7,887 | 97% | 97% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 14,141 | 97% | 97% |
| Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government | 20 Days | 5,859 | 61% | 61% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 1,700 | 55% | 55% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 1,672 | 78% | 78% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 706 | 62% | 62% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 1,781 | 50% | 50% |
| HM Land Registry | 15 Days | 468 | 96% | 99% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 138 | 94% | 98% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 127 | 98% | 99% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 68 | 94% | 99% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 135 | 96% | 99% |
| Ministry of Defence | 20 Days | 2,724 | 65% | 65% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 888 | 68% | 68% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 764 | 63% | 63% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 310 | 49% | 49% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 762 | 69% | 69% |
| Ministry of Justice | 20 Days | 1,654 | 73% | 73% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 493 | 72% | 72% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 434 | 68% | 68% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 263 | 70% | 70% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 464 | 75% | 75% |
| HM Courts and Tribunals Service | 20 Days | 1,182 | 86% | 86% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 395 | 89% | 89% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 343 | 83% | 83% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 120 | 93% | 93% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 324 | 84% | 84% |
| HM Prison and Probation Services | 20 Days | 742 | 79% | 79% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 198 | 82% | 82% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 188 | 59% | 59% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 109 | 82% | 82% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 247 | 88% | 88% |
| Office of the Public Guardian | 20 Days | 52 | 96% | 96% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 20 | 95% | 95% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 21 | 100% | 100% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 4 | 75% | 75% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 7 | 100% | 100% |
| Crown Prosecution Service | 20 Days | 333 | 92% | 92% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 93 | 96% | 96% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 56 | 86% | 86% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 91 | 90% | 90% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 93 | 93% | 93% |
| National Crime Agency | 20 Days | 32 | 78% | 78% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 13 | 100% | 100% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 5 | 40% | 40% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 5 | 80% | 80% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 9 | 67% | 67% |
| Northern Ireland Office | 20 Days | 117 | 66% | 66% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 37 | 51% | 51% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 10 | 80% | 80% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 34 | 68% | 68% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 36 | 75% | 75% |
| Office of the Leader of the House of Commons | 15 Days | 73 | 93% | 100% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 21 | 90% | 100% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 15 | 93% | 100% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 16 | 94% | 100% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 21 | 95% | 100% |
| Office of the Leader of the House of Lords | 10 Days | 2 | 0% | 0% |
| Q1 | 10 Days | 0 | N/A | N/A |
| Q2 | 10 Days | 0 | N/A | N/A |
| Q3 | 10 Days | 0 | N/A | N/A |
| Q4 | 10 Days | 2 | 0% | 0% |
| Scotland Office | 20 Days | 67 | 76% | 76% |
| Q1 | 20 Days | 9 | 89% | 89% |
| Q2 | 20 Days | 12 | 92% | 92% |
| Q3 | 20 Days | 16 | 63% | 63% |
| Q4 | 20 Days | 30 | 73% | 73% |
| Wales Office | 15 Days | 23 | 95% | 95% |
| Q1 | 15 Days | 5 | 100% | 100% |
| Q2 | 15 Days | 1 | 100% | 100% |
| Q3 | 15 Days | 9 | 100% | 100% |
| Q4 | 15 Days | 8 | 88% | 88% |
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The Department for Transport’s internal target was extended from 10 to 15 days on 1 May, 2024, to allow for additional internal clearances. ↩
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The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s internal target was extended from 8 to 10 days on 1 April, 2024, to coincide with the new financial year. ↩
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These are cases drafted by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), as they relate to HMRC policy, and signed by His Majesty’s Treasury Ministers. ↩