215 Mr. V. Brady asked the Minister for Health if he will give details of the number of parliamentary questions tabled to him for the year 1991 and the total cost involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The number of Parliamentary Questions tabled to the Minister for Health for the year 1991 was 1,441.

It was not possible in the short period between the tabling of the Deputy's question and today to calculate the total cost involved in processing the questions. However, an extensive survey of Government Departments in 1982 revealed that at that time the average cost of answering a Parliamentary Question was about £40. Allowing for inflation since 1982 the equivalent cost in 1992 terms would be approximately £64.