I want to assure the hon Deputy President that there are a number of examples that we could give him of Ministers who have not replied to questions or who have replied inadequately. If he would be interested I certainly would be prepared to provide him with those examples.
Can I just say, hon Deputy President, that even now, since the election up until the present time, there are in fact 209 questions, in general, outstanding in terms of the Rules of Parliament.
You talk, sir, about the fact that we can transfer questions from written to oral. I would like to say, Mr Speaker, that that is not always the solution because of the quotas that are applied to members. May I ask the hon Deputy President one question as to the possibility of encouraging Ministers to reply in the future? In the provincial legislature of Gauteng, for example, if a Minister has not replied to an oral question, or a question, within the specified time, that Minister has to stand up and explain to the legislature at the next question day why that has not happened. Would the Deputy President be prepared to consider such a mechanism in this House? Thank you.