Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, on how many occasions his Department has answered that it will not be possible to answer a parliamentary written question within the usual time period in the 2017-19 session.

During the current parliamentary session the department issued 76 holding replies to Named Day written questions from Members of Parliament. When it is not possible to provide a substantive reply to a Named Day written question on the date chosen by the Member, a holding reply is provided to the Member pending a substantive response.

The department endeavours to respond to all Named Day written questions on the date chosen by the Member but this is not always possible in the timescale available, especially when a question is of a complex nature and requires careful consideration or, in the case of the Grenfell Tower fire, where the situation is evolving at pace, and it is essential we provide accurate information.