Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1997-98
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The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Wednesday 14 January 1998

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 14 January of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

For other Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 14 January, of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order of Business.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer from Thursday 15 January, see Part 2 of this Paper.

Notes:
* Indicates a Question for Oral Answer.
+ Indicates a Question not included in the random selection process but accepted because the quota for that day had not been filled.
[N] Indicates a Question for Written Answer on a named day, i.e. the Member has indicated under S.O. No. 22(4) the day on which he wishes the Question to be answered.
[R] Indicates that a relevant interest has been declared.

WEDNESDAY 14th JANUARY

1
   Mrs Teresa Gorman (Billericay):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what was the total research funding to SEAC from (a) United Kingdom Government sources and (b) European Union Sources in (i) 1994, (ii) 1995, (iii) 1996 and (iv) 1997.

(23186)

2
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he plans to use the plastic secondary tag on cattle as a means of electronic identification.

(23038)

3
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what consultations he has had, and with whom, concerning the adoption of a secondary button tag on cattle; and what decision he has made.

(22988)

4
   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Leicester East of 22nd December, Official Report, columns 410-13 on public appointments, if he will list the region or nation of home residence for each of the appointees.

(23009)

5
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what campaigns he is involved in to bring major sporting championships to the United Kingdom in addition to the World Cup 2006.

(23097)

6
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will compile a register of historic military airfields; and if he will take steps to ensure their preservation.

(23001)

7
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list the historic battlefields which have been lost since 1967 through development or whose setting has been damaged.

(22999)

8
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will provide a breakdown of arms sales to the Philippines in each of the last five years.

(22995)

9
   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what expenditure, in which financial years, was committed by the recent signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the European Fighter Aircraft project; what proportion of the total estimated expenditure on EFA this represents; whether such expenditures will be subject to exchange rate variations; and what is the present estimated unit cost of each of the 232 EFAs.

(22983)

10
   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of (a) the stockpiles of and (b) the availability of production facilities for (i) chemical agent VX, (ii) ricin and (iii) anthrax in Iraq.

(22973)

11
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which contracts to train Indonesian military personnel remain outstanding.

(22907)

12
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the projected maximum (a) offensive payload, (b) range and (c) cost of (i) the Joint Strike Fighter and (ii) the Sea Harrier.

(22895)

13
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the Government's proposals in respect of the Army Base Storage and Distribution Agency at Old Dalby, Leicestershire; what representations he has received in respect of these proposals; what is the cost to the Exchequer of keeping the ABSDA open; and what assessment he has made on the potential impact of the closure of the ABSDA, for firms based in Leicester.

(23183)

14
N   Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):    To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd December, if any of the Admiralty House apartments available for Ministers have previously been allocated on the basis of security requirements.

(22689)

15
N   Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):    To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will list the Ministers for whom accommodation in Admiralty House has been made available since 1968.

(22690)

16
   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will estimate the distribution of households in each region of England between the income bands he recommends for the assessment of future tuition fees; and if he will estimate the marginal fee contribution increase rate against household income increase in the income band where a fee contribution short of the total amount is required.

(22975)

17
   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what will be his Department's budget in cash and constant 1996-97 prices for (i) further and (ii) higher education in England (a) in 1996-97, (b) 1997-98 and (c) planned for 1998-99; and what sums these figures represent for each WTE Student in each of those years.

(22976)

18
   Mr Stephen Dorrell (Charnwood):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list those new capital schemes for school developments which have been approved under the PFI since 2nd May 1997.

(23106)

19
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment he has made of the value for money of the work of OFSTED in seeking to raise secondary pupils' standards of educational achievement since September 1993.

(22849)

20
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the absolute point increase in the average total GCSE point score per pupil per maintained school with 15 year olds between 1993 and 1997; and what assessment his Department has made of the relationship between these figures and the amount of time between 30th June 1997 and the date of first being inspected by OFSTED after 1st September 1993 for each such school.

(22850)

21
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what estimate his Department has made of (a) the total cost, (b) the average total cost per maintained secondary pupil and (c) the average total cost per secondary school of the first four year cycle of OFSTED secondary school inspections (i) excluding and (ii) including private training costs to inspectors.

(22851)

22
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what estimate his Department has made of (a) the total cost, (b) the average total cost per maintained primary pupil and (c) the average total cost per secondary school, of the first three year cycle of OFSTED primary school inspections (i) excluding and (ii) including private training costs to inspectors.

(22852)

23
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what estimate his Department has made of (a) the total projected cost per annum, (b) the projected average cost per pupil per annum and (c) the average total cost per LEA of OFSTED's inspections, (i) excluding and (ii) including private training costs to inspectors.

(22853)

24
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what independent assessment his Department has made of OFSTED's effectiveness in improving the standards of GCSE achievement by 15 year old maintained pupils' nationally between September 1993 and 1997; and by what criteria in terms of pupils' educational achievements and welfare his Department assesses OFSTED's performance.

(22854)

25
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, for all those maintained schools with 15 year old pupils first inspected in school years (a) 1993-94, (b) 1994-95, (c) 1995-96 and (d) 1996-97, what were the average total GCSE point scores per pupil of each of these groups of schools in each year from 1992 to 1997; and what were the numbers of schools and 15 year old pupils in each group.

(22855)

26
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, for all those maintained schools with 15 year old pupils that had not been inspected for the first time since 1st September 1993 by the end of the school years (a) 1993-94, (b) 1994-95, (c) 1995-96 and (d) 1996-97, what were the average total GCSE point scores per pupil of each of these groups of schools in each year from 1992 to 1997; and what were the numbers of schools and 15 year old pupils in each group.

(22856)

27
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what were (a) the annual point increase in the average total GCSE point score per pupil per maintained school with 15 year olds in each July to July school year in (i) 1993-94, (ii) 1994-95, (iii) 1995-96 and (iv) 1996-97 and (b) the amount of time measured in school days between the date of being inspected by OFSTED and 30th June in each of these years for each such school that was first inspected after 1st September 1993 in that year; and what assessment his Department has made of the degree of correlation between the two.

(22857)

28
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what percentage of 15 year old pupils, excluding those in special schools, gained (a) at least five GCSEs at grades A* to C, (b) at least five GCSEs and (c) at least one GCSE in 1997.

(22858)

29
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will take steps to improve the access of students from developing countries to British universities.

(23185)

30
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in respect of the charging of university fees to students from developing countries.

(23184)

31
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many children are currently being taught in (a) grant maintained and (b) grammar schools; and how many in each category have statements of special education needs.

(22869)

32
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when the sale of the existing tranche of the Student Loan portfolio will be completed; and what level of subsidy to the private sector has been agreed.

(22867)

33
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what would be the maximum a student studying for a B.Ed honours degree paying full tuition fees on the grounds of parental income could borrow under the Student Loan Scheme; how much of the loan the student would be expected to repay in the first year of a teaching career; and how many years are permitted for the repayment of the whole of the loan.

(22866)

34
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many children are currently being taught in mainstream (a) primary and (b) secondary schools; and how many children in each category have statements of special education needs.

(22870)

35
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, who has the ultimate responsibility for agreeing the merger of higher and further education institutions; and what is his Department's policy on such mergers.

(22868)

36
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what are his functions in relation to the Coroner's Service.

(23180)

37
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list for each month for the last 12 months the dates and times that the Air Traffic Control centre at West Drayton failed, together with the length of the system failure, the estimated number of aircraft involved and the reason for the failure.

(23197)

38
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to review the funding for the Coastguards Agency.

(22871)

39
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the effect of the abolition of duty-free on the cost of air travel and ferry travel.

(23200)

40
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will place in the Library a copy of the report into the evacuation exercise carried out recently in the Channel Tunnel.

(23207)

41
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the number of accidents involving staff and contractors working on the West Coast Main Line for each of the last five years.

(23205)

42
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will place in the Library a copy of the recommendations made by the Gatwick Airport Close Parallel Runway Study Group.

(23202)

43
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list for each of the last five years (a) the number of penalty fares issued by London Underground Limited and (b) the income generated by penalty fares issued by London Underground Limited.

(23217)

44
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what work his Department is currently undertaking in relation to the possibility of a close parallel runway at Gatwick Airport.

(23201)

45
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list by train operating company the punctuality and reliability figures compiled by OPRAF for each of the last 12 months.

(23204)

46
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list for each month for the last 12 months the number of aircraft delayed in (a) taking off and (b) landing as a result of air traffic control delays at (i) Heathrow Airport and (ii) Gatwick Airport.

(23198)

47
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions his Department has had with (a) The European Commission and (b) the Treasury regarding the introduction of taxation on Kerosene.

(23199)

48
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many appeals against penalty fares issued by London Underground Limited were made in each of the last five years; and what proportion of these were successful in each of those years.

(23218)

49
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, whether he intends to seek the renegotiation of Clause 33.3 of the Channel Tunnel Treaty which prevents the publication of safety information relating to the tunnel.

(23206)

50
   Mr Bill Etherington (Sunderland North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what progress has been made to assess the impact of increasing raptor numbers on game bird and racing pigeon interests; and what future projects his Department plans.

(23101)

51
   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what meetings he or ministers in his Department had with representatives of the House-builders Federation to discuss matters relevant to the West Sussex structure plan between 2nd May and 3rd December 1997.

(22897)

52
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how much untreated sewage was disposed of on or in agricultural land in each year since 1991; and what assessment he has made of the impact of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 on these figures.

(22865)

53
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 18th December, Official Report, column 267, if he will set up a motorcycle strategy group to consider the issues raised at the special motorcycling seminar held at his Department on 25th November 1997.

(23039)

54
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many local authorities are expected to be brought into liability for VAT by exceeding the 5 per cent. de minimis partial exemption limit; and how he intends that the additional cost to such authorities will be funded.

(22992)

55
N   Dr John Marek (Wrexham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what action he is taking to ensure that street lights (a) are properly maintained and (b) do not present a safety risk to the public.

(22816)

56
   Sir Robert Smith (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the special advisers in his Department, the Minister to whom each is responsible and the subjects on which they advise.

(23193)

57
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what guidelines exist for the provision of a lost property service in railway stations.

(23195)

58
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what guidelines exist for local authorities for the gritting of roads in the event of sub-zero temperatures.

(23194)

59
   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many written representations his Department has received from (a) organisations and (b) members of the public about the Polegate Bypass in the last three months.

(22996)

60
   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what level of grant support is envisaged for the Staying Put scheme; and if he will make a statement.

(23100)

61
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is his estimate of (a) alcohol-related deaths, (b) tobacco-related deaths and (c) cannabis-related deaths in each of the last three years.

(23182)

62
   Mr Tony Colman (Putney):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, in what circumstances the powers to change the rate of stamp duty reserve tax applied to intermediaries and stock lending transactions contained in section 88B(5) and section 89AA(7) of the Finance Act 1986 may be exercised.

(22898)

63
   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many employees face marginal withdrawal rates tax and benefits of (a) 0 per cent. or gains, (b) less than 10 per cent., (c) less than 20 per cent., (d) less than 30 per cent., (e) less than 40 per cent. and (f) less than 50 per cent. if they were (i) to work an hour a week less and (ii) to earn £10 a week less before tax.

(22979)

64
   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if lone parents will be allowed to hold ISAs in excess of £50,000 in the event of transfer of savings or resources from an absent parent as part of a divorce or separation settlement.

(22972)

65
   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the distribution of (a) households and (b) taxpayers in each quartile of income in the United Kingdom and in each of the regions and nations of the United Kingdom.

(22978)

66
   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assumptions about equity asset growth and future increases in ISA contribution or asset-value ceilings underlie his Answer to the honourable Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton of 22nd December, Official Report, column 472; and which major provider of PEP mortgages is the source of his estimates.

(23034)

67
   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will instruct the Personal Investment Authority to re-imburse independent financial advisers who were fined for relying on computer-based records in the period up to the decision of the Personal Investment Authority to accept computer records as evidence of work done; and if he will make a statement.

(22887)

68
   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what was the basis for the Financial Secretary's estimate, in HTV News on 4th December 1997, that tobacco smuggling amounts to a maximum of two and a half per cent of all tobacco products sold.

(22888)

69
   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many companies have submitted clearance applications under section 707 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 with regard to transactions involving the purchase of own shares between (a) 2nd July and 31st December 1997, (b) 2nd July and 31st December 1996 and (c) 2nd July and 31st December 1995.

(22891)

70
   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department made of the likely changes to the capital structure of companies arising as a result of the abolition of repayable tax credits on dividends received by pension funds and from the abolition of advance corporation tax prior to these changes being introduced.

(22893)

71
   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is his Department's estimate of the corporation tax revenue consequences arising from the change to the capital structure of companies resulting from the abolition of repayable tax credits on dividends received by pension funds and from the abolition of advance corporation tax.

(22889)

72
   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many public limited companies bought back their own shares between (a) 1st July and 31st December 1997, (b) 1st July and 31st December 1996 and (c) 1st July and 31st December 1995.

(22892)

73
   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department made of the corporation tax revenue consequences arising from the change to the capital structure of companies resulting from the abolition of repayable tax credits on dividends received by pension funds and from the abolition of advance corporation tax at the time of making these changes.

(22890)

74
   Mr David Heath (Somerton and Frome):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people are currently employed in the United Kingdom by foreign owned companies, broken down by country of ownership.

(22894)

75
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 19th December, Official Report, column 335, concerning VAT on church and cathedral maintenance, what criteria the Financial Secretary used to arrive at the response given; when the decision was discussed; and who the decision was discussed with.

(23203)

76
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the Government's proposals to reform general taxation on charities.

(23098)

77
   Mr Robert McCartney (North Down):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what are the rates of unemployment of (a) (i) Catholics and (ii) Protestants in Northern Ireland and (b) (1) Afro-Caribbeans and (2) Asians in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

(23020)

78
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what would be the revenue from restricting the rate of tax relief on (a) employee pension contributions and (b) employer pension contributions to (i) the standard rate of income tax and (ii) to 20 per cent.

(23109)

79
   Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the voting arrangement for admitting opt-out Schengen states applying to join Schengen were discussed at any point during the treaty negotiations at Amsterdam in the presence of United Kingdom delegates after the private meeting had taken place between the Dutch Presidency and the Spanish delegation.

(23223)

80
   Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, at what hour (a) the Protocol integrating the Schengen Acquis into the framework of the European Union (b) the protocol on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland pertaining to Schengen and (c) Declaration 45 on Article 4 of the Protocol integrating the Schengen Acquis into the framework of the European Union, were noted as agreed during the course of the Amsterdam negotiations by the Presidency.

(23224)

81
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of (a) the total amount received by Iraq under oil-sale related agreements and (b) the amount taken as reparations.

(23042)

82
   Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster and Wyre):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many exceptions to the arms embargo on Argentina have been granted since 2nd May.

(23144)

83
   Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster and Wyre):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the United Kingdom will apply the EU arms embargo against China to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

(23019)

84
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many private sector clinic registrations were cancelled by health authorities, because national and local standards were not being met in each of the last five years.

(23007)

85
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement about the Adverse Incident Centre.

(23012)

86
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cosmetic surgery operations performed on the NHS were to rectify damage resulting from cosmetic surgery procedures performed by the private sector in the last year for which figures are available.

(23006)

87
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to introduce a register of women injured by radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer.

(23013)

88
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many women have received silicone breast implants in each of the last five years on the NHS; and if he will estimate the number of women who have received such implants privately.

(23010)

89
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received concerning the private sector cosmetic surgery industry.

(23005)

90
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of health authorities' inspections of private sector clinics and hospitals.

(23008)

91
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the advantages of awarding ex-gratia payments to women injured following radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer.

(23014)

92
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many women have had their silicone breast implants removed on the NHS due to rupturing in each of the past five years; and if he will estimate the equivalent figure for private health care.

(23011)

93
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what cost benefit analysis has been conducted into the privatisation of travel vaccinations for infectious diseases.

(22906)

94
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 12th December, Official Report, column 735, if the provision of Students' Union facilities were part of the contract specification for pre-registration nursing and midwifery education; what were the minimum standard set; and how they are to be met by the new contract.

(22909)

95
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 12th December, Official Report, column 735, what Students' Union facilities will be made available in Portsmouth to students on courses administered by Southampton and Bournemouth universities under the new contract.

(22908)

96
   Helen Jackson (Sheffield, Hillsborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what training general practice fundholders receive on how to handle personnel matters; and what plans his Department has to improve such training.

(23044)

97
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, from what budget the £9 million initiative for National Health Service dentistry is being funded.

(22993)

98
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what has been (a) the budget for general dental services and (b) its outturn for England for each year since April 1992.

(22990)

99
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the average time take for a telephone enquiry to be dealt with in respect of locating a patient (a) for all hospitals in the UK and (b) at Leicester Royal Infirmary; and what steps he proposes to decrease this time.

(23192)

100
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many telephone receptionists there are at Leicester Royal Infirmary; how many receptionists were on duty at Leicester Royal Infirmary on the morning of 6th January; and what computer problems were experienced at Leicester Royal Infirmary on the morning of 6th January.

(23189)

101
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidelines exist for dealing with telephone enquiries at (a) all major hospitals and (b) Leicester Royal Infirmary in respect of the locating of patients within hospitals.

(23190)

102
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he proposes for the modernisation of computer technology to deal with telephone enquiries at Leicester Royal Infirmary in respect of the location of patients.

(23191)

103
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the reviews being undertaken by his Department, the dates on which they were announced and, in the case of those which have been completed, the date of their completion.

(23196)

104
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the report by the Home Office Police Research Group into deaths in police custody will be published.

(23041)

105
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, at what time CS spray was used on Peter San Pedro of London; at what time Mr San Pedro was released; at what time Mr San Pedro died in a road accident; and if he will make a statement.

(23107)

106
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will seek to simplify responsibilty for the Coroner's Service and assess the advantages of establishing a Coroner's Agency for this purpose; and if he will make a statement.

(23181)

107
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) coroners, (b) deputy coroners and (c) assistant deputy coroners there are; and how many in each group are (i) full-time, (ii) part-time, (iii) women and (iv) from ethnic minority communities.

(23103)

108
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many coroners have (a) previous judicial experience and (b) medical experience.

(23104)

109
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what are his functions in relation to the Coroners Service; how many civil servants in his Department have specific responsibility for it; and what other functions those civil servants have responsibility for.

(23002)

110
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons the police installed road blocks around the headquarters of the Flying Squad in Walthamstow during the weekend of 20th and 21st December.

(23043)

111
   Mr Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many dogs have been (a) seized and (b) destroyed under the provisions of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to date.

(23018)

112
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what licences for animal breeding are currently held by Hillgrove Farm, Witney, Oxfordshire; when the provision of these licences was last reviewed; and what assessment he has made of the justification for their issue.

(22863)

113
   Mr Ken Maginnis (Fermanagh and South Tyrone):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in which high security prisons stainless steel cutlery is routinely supplied for the use of prisoners.

(22912)

114
N   Dr John Marek (Wrexham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what evidence he has evaluated on the role of street lighting in deterring criminal activity.

(22815)

115
N   Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 8th December, Official Report, column 433, if he will list (a) the locations in which staff of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate are based in the United Kingdom other than Croydon and (b) the number of staff based in each such location.

(22079)

116
N   Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 4th December, Official Report, column 296, what were the costs in the last year for which figures are available of running Lunar House, Croydon, specifying staff costs separately.

(22080)

117
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what dates officers from the Metropolitan Police travelled to Paris to interview staff at the Ritz in connection with the alleged perjury of Mr Jonathan Aitken.

(23112)

118
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 18th December, Official Report, column 255, in respect of each of the licences granted for research into the medical use of cannabis, if he will list the publications containing the results indicating the date of publication.

(23219)

119
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 18th December Official Report column 255, what are the rules which determine when a licence to research and trial the medical use of cannabis will lapse.

(23149)

120
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 18th December, Official Report, column 255, where the researchers examining the medical use of cannabis obtain their cannabis.

(23221)

121
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 18th December, Official Report, column 255, if he will list the licences granted for research, other than medical research, into cannabis, indicating in each case the purpose of the research, the result and if the licence is still valid.

(23220)

122
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 18th December, Official Report, column 255, if all the doctors researching the medical use of cannabis are qualified in pharmacology.

(23222)

123
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made about the levels of poverty in the former Eastern bloc states with particular reference to Bulgaria.

(23015)

124
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the Bulgarian state orphanage system.

(23017)

125
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement about British assistance towards development projects in Eastern Europe, with particular reference to Bulgaria.

(23016)

126
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what proposals he has made to eliminate discrimination in the selection of judges.

(23178)

127
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will place a copy of the Lord Chancellor's speech of November 1997 to the Minority Lawyers' Conference in the Library; and if the speech represents Government policy.

(23179)

128
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what are the Lord Chancellor's functions in relation to the Coroner's Service.

(23105)

129
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what data the Lord Chancellor has collated about judges who are freemasons; what assessment he has made of the influence of freemasonry on the appointment of new judges; and if he will make a statement.

(23177)

130
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when the Government plans to bring into force sections 23 to 28 of the Administration of Justice Act 1982.

(22991)

131
   Ms Linda Perham (Ilford North):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will review the regulations governing the appointment by solicitors as executors for an estate of their own firm to carry out the administration.

(22986)

132
   Ms Linda Perham (Ilford North):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans he has to review the legislation concerning solicitors' fees; and if he will make a statement.

(22987)

133
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd December, Official Report, column 397, if he will take steps to recover from Jonathan Aitken the full costs of laying on the trial arising from the libel action he brought against the Guardian newspaper; and if he will make a statement.

(23036)

134
   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, if he will answer questions relating to the strategic implementation of government policiy.

(23233)

135
   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, if he will make a statement on the circumstances surrounding the resignation of the Creative Director of the New Millennium Exhibition Company.

(23228)

136
   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, if he will make a statement on his meeting with the Chief Executive of RJB Mining on 9th January.

(23230)

137
   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, if he plans to advertise for a replacement to the position of Creative Director of the New Millennium Exhibition Company.

(23227)

138
   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, when he plans to give a substantive response to the Second Report of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee (House of Commons Paper No. 340) 11th December 1997.

(23216)

139
   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, if he will make a statement on the role that Christianity will play in the Millennium Experience.

(23229)

140
   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, if he will make a statement on the current state of plans to use the centre of the Millennium Experience Dome as a space for theatrical performances.

(23231)

141
   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, if he will make a statement on his visit to Walt Disney World earlier in January.

(23226)

142
   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, what is the date of the official launch of the New Millennium Exhibition Company.

(23225)

143
   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, if he will answer questions relating to his role with the Social Exclusion Unit.

(23232)

144
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, if he will list the names of the public appointments he has made since 1st May 1997; and which of those appointees receive remuneration.

(23208)

145
   Mr Robert McCartney (North Down):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what weapons and explosives have been dealt with to date, by the Decommissioning Body.

(22900)

146
   Mr Robert McCartney (North Down):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what representations she has made to the Irish Government about the origin of the bomb planted in Newry Street, Banbridge on 6th January.

(22902)

147
   Mr Robert McCartney (North Down):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will make it her policy to hold the Irish Republic Government financially responsible for the costs of compensation where explosions in Northern Ireland result from bombs manufactured there.

(22903)

148
   Mr Robert McCartney (North Down):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many of the new members appointed on 1st December 1997 to the Probation Board for Northern Ireland have been Alliance Party candidates; how many of the new members responded to press advertising for appointees; and what level of fees and expenses will be available to members of the Board.

(22899)

149
   Mr Robert McCartney (North Down):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will make a statement on the impact on pig prices of the importation of pigmeat from countries where (a) meat and bone meal is not banned as pig food and (b) sow stalls and tethers will be legal after 1st January 1999.

(22904)

150
   Mr Robert McCartney (North Down):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what percentage of the new members of the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights have been (a) SDLP members and (b) members of a Unionist party in the last five years; and if she will make a statement about the political balance of the Commission.

(22905)

151
   Mr Robert McCartney (North Down):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will make a statement about the use by the Irish Government of Government House at Hillsborough for meetings with Northern Ireland political parties.

(22901)

152
   Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when she plans to introduce amendments to the General Development (NI) 1993 Order in respect of the planning regulations for the erection of mobile telecommunications masts.

(22989)

153
   Mr Ken Maginnis (Fermanagh and South Tyrone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, who are the members of the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights; what is the perceived religious affiliation of each; which members have been identified as having, or having had, an association with a political party; and what other paid public appointments each holds.

(22910)

154
   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Prime Minister, what plans he has to modify the code of conduct and guidance for Ministers.

(23035)

155
   Mr Robert McCartney (North Down):    To ask the Prime Minister, what is his policy with respect to making appointments to quangos and other public bodies of those who do not support (a) current Government policy and (b) that of the body concerned.

(23023)

156
   Mr Ken Maginnis (Fermanagh and South Tyrone):    To ask the Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the source, route in and component elements of the car-bomb defused in Banbridge on 6th January; and if he will make a statement.

(22911)

157
   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what powers she has after April 1998 to make supplementary payments of premiums to lone parents presently with maintenance from absent parents where variations or cessations of such maintenance cause the income of the lone parent with care to fall below income support entitlement levels.

(22982)

158
   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will estimate for each non means tested benefit the age-distribution of present claimants; what are the age-related eligibility criteria for new claimants of each benefit; and if she will estimate the distribution of present claimants (a) individually and (b) by their household within the national income range for all households and individuals.

(22974)

159
   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will list the number of claimants and the number of new claims of (a) disability living allowance care, (b) disability living allowance mobility, (c) attendance allowance and (d) long-term incapacity benefit in each year since 1992 in the Newcastle Benefits Agency District; and if she will estimate the age-distribution of claimants of these benefits in this district in the age bands (i) up to 30, (ii) 31 to 40, (iii) 41 to 50, (iv) 51 to 60 and (vi) over 60 years.

(22985)

160
   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to her Answer to the honourable Member for Bradford North of 22nd December Official Report, columns 459-61; if she will estimate the (a) regional distribution and (b) distribution between household income bands based on quartiles of the income range of claimants of disability living allowance care, disability living allowance mobility and attendance allowance in each year from 1992-93.

(22994)

161
   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Answer to the honorable Member for Chorley of 22nd December, Official Report, column 458, when she expects (a) the range of options for those with long-term health problems or disability to move into work to be (a) fully tested and (a) the comprehensive spending review of such benefits to be complete; and if her departmental spending plans for 1998-99 and succeeding years require her to make savings in such benefits before the range of options financed by the wind fall tax have been fully tested.

(22998)

162
   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will list the number of claimants and the number of new claims of (a) lone parent benefit and (b) lone parent premium in the Newcastle Benefits Agency district in each year since 1992.

(22984)

163
   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will estimate (i) in total, (ii) for men and women separately and (ii) for each region and nation the number of claimants of disability living allowance (a) care and (b) mobility components who are also claiming jobseekers allowance; and what is this figure as a percentage of the total of such claims.

(22977)

164
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what have been the costs to her Department in each of the last five years in respect of appeals against (a) Benefits Agency benefit determinations, (b) War Pension Agency determinations and (c) Child Support Agency determinations; and what elements are taken into account in those figures.

(22864)

165
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is the cost, as a percentage of the money disbursed, in administering (a) income support, (b) incapacity benefit, (c) disability living allowance, (d) attendance allowances, (e) social fund loans, (f) Social Fund grants, (g) child benefit, (h) state retirement pension, (i) SERPS and (j) maternity benefit.

(22997)

166
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what has been the success rate at social security tribunals of appellants against withdrawal of benefits through failure to pass the all work test (a) before December 1996 and (b) since January 1997.

(23148)

167
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans she has to change the all work test.

(23145)

168
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, when she intends to introduce a disregard of child maintenance payments when assessing a parent with carers income support entitlement.

(23147)

169
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what research she has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effectiveness of the current all work test in making decisions to meet individual needs; and if she will make a statement.

(23146)

170
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how much would be saved in each of the next 10 financial years by ending the accrual of rights to state earnings-related pensions in respect of years of employment after 1998-99.

(23111)

171
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate of the number of higher rate tax paying (a) mothers and (b) fathers is provided by her Department's Family Resources Survey.

(23108)

172
   Mr Tony Baldry (Banbury):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what evidence the Government has submitted to the Low Pay Commission; and if it will make such evidence public.

(23045)

173
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her Answer of 11th December, Official Report, column 671, what equipment (a) the one arms export licence to Turkey refused and (b) the 71 licences granted, covered.

(23047)

174
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how many arms export licences for Kenya have been (a) applied for, (b) granted and (c) rejected since 1992, in each case listing the categories of equipment they cover.

(23004)

175
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will list the number of arms export licences for Turkey which were (a) applied for, (b) accepted and (c) rejected since 1992 by category of equipment covered.

(23046)

176
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will list the number of arms export licences for Indonesia which were (a) applied for, (b) accepted and (c) rejected since 1992 by category of equipment covered.

(23037)

177
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how many arms export licences for Saudi Arabia have been (a) applied for, (b) granted and (c) rejected since 1992, in each case listing the categories of equipment they cover.

(23003)

178
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if the delivery of Hawk jets to Indonesia has been made; how much the Export Credit Guarantee Scheme has contributed to the sale; and, following the economic problems in Indonesia, what assessment he has made of the likelihood of full payment being received at the expected time.

(23102)

179
   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will list the projects on which launch aid had been granted before, and on which payment was outstanding on, 1st May 1997, the total sum granted in each case and the payments (i) received in (a) 1995-96 and (b) 1996-97 and (ii) projected for 1997-98.

(22980)

180
   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will list the projects which have been granted launch aid since 1st May 1997, the sum granted and the number of jobs secured.

(22981)

181
   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, when she received a request for launch aid in respect of the A340 500/600 Airbus project; what decision has been made and on what grounds; and if the matter remains under review.

(23040)

182
   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will make it an offence to transmit unsolicited commercial communications through facsimile machines.

(22896)

183
   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what progress has been made in discussions with industry and commerce on ethical trading and the labelling of goods to give information on the ethics of their production.

(22872)

184
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what factors lay behind his decision to impose restrictions on the new Pronto lottery game; and what representations he has received in respect of his decision to impose these restrictions.

[Transferred] (23187)

185
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what financial assistance the Government provides for church building repairs; and what total funds it provided in each of the last five years.

[Transferred] (23099)

186
   Mr Robert McCartney (North Down):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the average number of electors per constituency in the UK; and what effect the application of that United Kingdom population average would have on the numbers of honourable Members in (a) Great Britain, (b) England, (c) Scotland, (d) Wales and (e) Northern Ireland.

[Transferred] (23022)

187
   Mr Robert McCartney (North Down):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to withdraw enhancement benefits for early or medical retirement from members of public sector superannuation schemes later found guilty of, or responsible for, improper activities that involved costs to the relevant employer.

[Transferred] (23021)

188
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make it his policy that individuals reported to have assaulted their wives or partners should be automatically referred to the Police for investigation and possible prosecution.

[Transferred] (23000)

189
   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to review the standard of services provided to children leaving care.

[Transferred] (23110)