Question

To ask the Leader of the House what was the average cost of responding to a Question for Written Answer tabled in the House of Lords in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Basildon - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal

The information requested is not held. The cost to the public purse of answering written parliamentary questions depends on numerous factors, including the size of parliamentary teams, volumes of parliamentary questions submitted, and the complexity of the question asked (and required policy work to answer it), amongst other factors.

The Cabinet Office’s Guide to Parliamentary Work (available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-parliamentary-work) sets out: “There is an advisory cost limit known as the disproportionate cost threshold which is the level above which departments can decide not to answer a written question. The current disproportionate cost threshold is £850.”

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of remarks by Tony Blair to The Times on 1 February regarding the potential use of digital identity to help solve immigration and other problems.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

Digital right to work and right to rent checks are already in place for migrants and British or Irish citizens. For British passport, and Irish passport or passport card holders, employers and landlords can already choose to use digital identity services which are independently certified against Government standards. This can reduce business costs and enable individuals to access work and housing much faster, and more easily.

Foreign nationals can also use their eVisa to evidence their status in the UK and for identification purposes.