How we love Prorogation as an excuse!

Every now and again you get a sequence of questions in hansard that garner some great information and then hit a brick wall at the end that makes you think "hmmm how very convenient". Take for example:

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many legal proceedings naming his Department as a defending party are ongoing or unresolved; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The number of legal proceedings where the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has been named as a defending party which are ongoing or unresolved is 81.

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many legal proceedings naming his Department as a defending party are under appeal.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The number of legal proceedings under appeal in which the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has been named as the defending party is three.

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what provision his Department has made in its budget for 2008-09 for potential civil liabilities stemming from legal proceedings.

Huw Irranca-Davies: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Not time to find the figure in the budget that relates directly to the previous two questions? I look forward to seeing the answer when Parliament reopens but I won't hold my breath.