 House of Commons |
Session 1997-98 Publications on the internet The Order Book |
| Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Thursday 15 January 1998
Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Thursday 15 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 Thursday 15 January, of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order of Business. For Written and Oral Questions for answer from Friday 16 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. |
| |
| 1 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties. |
| (22928) | |
| 2 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, from which pesticides he has withdrawn clearance for use since 1st May; and from which specific permitted uses of pesticides he has withdrawn clearance for use since 1st May. |
| (22945) | |
| 3 | Mrs Jackie Ballard (Taunton): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how he intends to monitor the removal of SRMs from de-boned imported beef. |
| (23599) | |
| 4 | Mrs Jackie Ballard (Taunton): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to make spot checks on consignments of imported beef to ensure that SRM removal has been carried out to United Kingdom standards. |
| (23598) | |
| 5 | Mrs Jackie Ballard (Taunton): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the mechanisms by which the Government intends to enforce the restrictions on beef imports. |
| (23597) | |
| 6 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what representations he has received from (a) consumers, (b) retailers, (c) manufacturers, (d) experts on nutrition and (e) Right honourable and honourable Members about his proposals to restrict the retail sale of vitamin B6 supplements; how many and what percentage of those representations have opposed his proposals; what response he has made to those representations; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23514) | |
| 7 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the main findings of the compliance cost assessment recently undertaken in connection with the proposed statutory instrument relating to new restrictions on the retail sale of vitamin B6 supplements; and what estimate was made of the cost to the National Health Service of consumers being required to obtain higher dose vitamin B6 supplements from a medical practitioner. |
| (23513) | |
| 8 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what is the period for consulting with interested parties on the forthcoming draft statutory instrument on the retail sale of vitamin B6; and if he will make a statement specifying the criteria by which he will assess the responses to that consultation exercise. |
| (23516) | |
| 9 | Mr Denzil Davies (Llanelli): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the names of the persons who are entitled to receive compensation from Her Majesty's Government as a result of the Factortame judgement, with the amounts of the entitlement in each case and the likely date of payment. |
| (23603) | |
| 10 | Mr Denzil Davies (Llanelli): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many meetings of the Council of Agriculture Ministers of the European Union he has attended. |
| (23605) | |
| 11 N | Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster and Wyre): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the risks to nearby communities from the burning of tallow to power animal rendemic processes. |
| (23164) | |
| 12 N | Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster and Wyre): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on his Department's preferred option for the disposal of animals culled under the over 30 months scheme. |
| (23167) | |
| 13 N | Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster and Wyre): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the risks to nearby communities from the incineration of (a) meat and bone meal and (b) carcasses from animals culled under the over 30 months scheme. |
| (23170) | |
| 14 N | Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his Answer of 17th December, Official Report, column 231, what plans he has to ask the Kennedy Committee to assess possible risks from the vertical transmission of rabies virus. |
| (23188) | |
| 15 | Mr Chris Pond (Gravesham): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will carry out an assessment of the impact of his Department's current policies on the (a) income, (b) employment opportunities and (c) living standards, of the poorest 30 per cent. of the population. |
| (23341) | |
| 16 N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to introduce spot checks on beef imported to the United Kingdom to ensure it meets the same standards as United Kingdom produced beef. |
| (23272) | |
| 17 N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what resources he plans to make available to inspect imported off the bone beef to ensure it meets the same standards as domestically produced meat; and how many people will be employed in this work. |
| (23271) | |
| 18 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list all overseas visits made since 1st May 1997 on which he or any other Minister in his Department has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating (a) who accompanied him (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. |
| (23263) | |
| 19 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask Mr Attorney General, on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties. |
| (22930) | |
| 20 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask Mr Attorney General, if he will list all overseas visits made since 1st May 1997 on which he has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating (a) who accompanied him (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. |
| (23262) | |
| 21 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the Church Commissioners, what account he takes of scripture in making investment decisions. |
| (22940) | |
| 22 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties. |
| (22938) | |
| 23 | Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the decision of the Heritage Lottery Board to reject the application from Southport Pier Trust for funding of the renovation. |
| (23376) | |
| 24 | Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what percentage of heritage lottery applications have been turned down (a) in 1996 and (b) since the recent decision to establish health and education funds to be supported by the lottery, in respect of (i) the North West Region and (ii) the United Kingdom. |
| (23366) | |
| 25 | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the current state of rugby league in the light of the recent changes to the senior management of the Super League; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23498) | |
| 26 | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what is his assessment of the effect on amateur and junior rugby league of the recent changes to the management of the Super League. |
| (23499) | |
| 27 | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of participation levels in rugby league at all levels of the sport. |
| (23500) | |
| 28 | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the financial and participative future of First and Second division rugby league clubs. |
| (23501) | |
| 29 | Mr Christopher Leslie (Shipley): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what percentage of all the Lottery Capital Scheme awards value has been granted to (a) the London region and (b) the Yorkshire and Humber region. |
| (23378) | |
| 30 | Mr Christopher Leslie (Shipley): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list the value of Arts Council administered Lottery Capital Grant awarded to (a) the London region and (b) the Yorkshire and Humber region (i) in total and (ii) broken down (1) by national award, (2) by regional award, (3) by local project award and (4) head of population in each region. |
| (23379) | |
| 31 | Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proposals he has for increasing the proportion of lottery finance for the Arts which is made available for running costs, with particular reference to the performing arts. |
| (23524) | |
| 32 | Mr Chris Pond (Gravesham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will carry out an assessment of the impact of his Department's current policies on the (a) income, (b) employment opportunities and (c) living standards, of the poorest 30 per cent. of the population. |
| (23333) | |
| 33 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he expects digital television and digital radio to be available in North-East Lancashire. |
| (23374) | |
| 34 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list all overseas visits made since 1st May 1997 on which he or any other Minister in his Department has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating (a) who accompanied him (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. |
| (23261) | |
| 35 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the rolling programme of improvements relating to environmental remedial action in connection with Menwith Hill, referred to in the Answer of 10th June 1996, Official Report, column 46, has now been completed; and what recent environmental assessment of Menwith Hill Station has been carried out. |
| (21416) | |
| 36 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Health and Safety Executive last visited RAF Menwith Hill; and what was the outcome of that visit. |
| (21418) | |
| 37 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department has full access to US environmental compliance status surveys in respect of RAF Menwith Hill; and when the last such survey was carried out. |
| (21419) | |
| 38 | Mr Hugh Bayley (City of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many MoD (a) service and (b) civilian personnel were based in North Yorkshire at the latest date for which figures are available and in each of the previous 10 years; and if he will list those MoD units which were based in North Yorkshire 10 years ago, but have since been closed or moved elsewhere, indicating in each case the number of (i) service and (ii) civilian personnel employed 10 years ago. |
| (23325) | |
| 39 N | Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the future for the CI30J in the RAF's transport fleet; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23127) | |
| 40 N | Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on expenditure on the maintenance and building of nuclear bunkers in (a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom for each of the last 10 years. |
| (22919) | |
| 41 N | Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the use of nuclear bunkers sold by the Government. |
| (22920) | |
| 42 N | Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many nuclear bunkers in (a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom were maintained by Her Majesty's Government in each of the past 10 years. |
| (22917) | |
| 43 N | Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what use Her Majesty's Government currently makes of nuclear bunkers. |
| (22921) | |
| 44 N | Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many nuclear bunkers were located on (a) Government owned land and (b) his Department's land in each of the last 10 years. |
| (22918) | |
| 45 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations he has received from Portsmouth City Council requesting information concerning the dumping of (a) radioactive and (b) low-grade radioactive waste in the Portsmouth area. |
| (23332) | |
| 46 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what records his Department has collated in respect of the dumping of (a) radioactive and (b) low-grade radioactive waste in the Portsmouth City Council area; and if he will make the records available to the Council's Environmental Health Officer. |
| (23377) | |
| 47 | Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if any naval personnel were on the fishing vessel 'Gaul' on its final fishing trip; whether any had sailed on her on earlier trips in the 1970s; and whether any of his Department's equipment was installed on her. |
| (23529) | |
| 48 | Mr Chris Pond (Gravesham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will carry out an assessment of the impact of his Department's current policies on the (a) income, (b) employment opportunities and (c) living standards, of the poorest 30 per cent. of the population. |
| (23334) | |
| 49 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what use is currently being made of the surviving structures at RAF Marsden Moor. |
| (23381) | |
| 50 | Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what amount of Brazilian mahogany has been (a) acquired and (b) specified by his Department in (i) 1996 and (ii) 1997, and for what purpose |
| (.23519) | |
| 51 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list all overseas visits made since 1st May 1997 on which he or any other Minister in his Department has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating (a) who accompanied him (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. |
| (23260) | |
| 52 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties. |
| (22933) | |
| 53 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will list the models of cars which (a) Government Ministers can choose from and (b) are currently used by all Government Ministers. |
| (23581) | |
| 54 | Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will include in his proposed Freedom of Information Bill a provision to make available to public scrutiny all public access agreements to land and buildings issued since 1975 under the conditional exemption scheme. |
| (23517) | |
| 55 | Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many (a) Cabinet and (b) other Ministers have an e-mail address. |
| (23567) | |
| 56 | Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what percentage of civil servants have an e-mail address. |
| (23568) | |
| 57 | Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will make a statement on the Government's proposals to introduce on-line red boxes for ministerial use; when he expects them to come into use; and what measures will be taken to ensure the security and confidentiality of information held on on-line red boxes. |
| (23566) | |
| 58 | Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what assessment he has made of the accessibility of government Ministers and civil servants by e-mail. |
| (23570)) | |
| 59 | Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what steps he proposes to increase the proportion of Ministers and civil servants who are connected to the Internet. |
| (23569) | |
| 60 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will list all overseas visits made since 1st May 1997 on which he or any other Minister in his Department has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating (a) who accompanied him (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. |
| (23259) | |
| 61 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list for each education authority the number and percentage of (a) primary and (b) secondary pupils statemented as having special needs. |
| (23654) | |
| 62 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many pupils were permanently excluded from schools in England and Wales, on 1st December 1997. |
| (23286) | |
| 63 N | Mr Stephen Dorrell (Charnwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will publish his latest estimate of the revenue savings he expects to accrue as a result of the abolition of the assisted places scheme in the years (a) 1998-99, (b) 1999-2000, (c) 2000-01 and (d) 2001-02; and if he will list the assumptions underlying his estimates. |
| (23172) | |
| 64 | Mr Stephen Dorrell (Charnwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will publish the results of the latest Keystage Two tests in English, Maths and Science in a form which allows the performance of each school in a local education authority area to be assessed. |
| (23526) | |
| 65 | Mr Stephen Dorrell (Charnwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many employers have signed contractual agreements to provide places under the New Deal arrangements which became effective on 1st January. |
| (23534) | |
| 66 | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what were the percentage declines in the average annual percentage point rates of increase in each of the percentages of all 15 year old pupils, excluding only those in special schools, achieving at least (a) 5 GCSEs at grades A*-C, (b) 5 GCSEs and (c) 1 GCSE in the quinquennial period 1992 to 1997, compared with the corresponding average annual rates of increase in the quadrennial period 1988 to 1992. |
| (23653) | |
| 67 | Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what resources are available from central government to produce bilingual educational video materials for primary school children whose first language is Sign Language. |
| (23348) | |
| 68 | Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, by what means the Government intends to improve the literacy levels of deaf children of primary school age whose first language is Sign Language. |
| (23347) | |
| 69 N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list in respect of each local education authority area in England the number of (a) application forms received by his Department for certificates of eligibility for early years education for the current term, (b) certificates despatched to parents and (c) applications in respect of certificates which have not yet been despatched by his Department; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23269) | |
| 70 | Ms Linda Perham (Ilford North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how much Government money was spent on the Equal Opportunities Commission in (a) 1995-96 and (b) 1996-97; and what estimate he has made of the annual gross cost of enforcing the Sex Discrimination Acts in (i) 1995-96 and (ii) 1996-97. |
| (23472) | |
| 71 | Mr Chris Pond (Gravesham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will carry out an assessment of the impact of his Department's current policies on the (a) income, (b) employment opportunities and (c) living standards, of the poorest 30 per cent. of the population. |
| (23336) | |
| 72 | Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many schools (a) in the East Midlands, (b) in Leicestershire and (c) nationally currently participate in the literacy hour scheme. |
| (23564) | |
| 73 | Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many literacy schools (a) were in operation in summer 1997 and (b) are planned to be in operation in summer 1998 (i) nationally, (ii) in the East Midlands and (iii) in Leicestershire. |
| (23563) | |
| 74 | Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has to expand the literacy hour scheme (a) nationally and (b) in Leicestershire. |
| (23565) | |
| 75 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list all overseas visits made since 1st May 1997 on which he or any other Minister in his Department has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating (a) who accompanied him or her (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. |
| (23258) | |
| 76 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what (a) representations have been received from and (b) meetings have taken place with representatives of East Sussex Country Council since 2nd May in respect of (i) the proposal to reinstate the Lewes-Uckfield railway line, (ii) the A27 Lewes-Polegate trunk road and (iii) the proposed A27 Polegate bypass. |
| [R] (22944) | |
| 77 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on what date (a) he and (b) the Minister for Transport last used a train in the course of their official duties. |
| (22927) | |
| 78 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many air misses took place in the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years; and how many fatalities resulted from air traffic control errors in the last 10 years in the United Kingdom. |
| (23580) | |
| 79 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what was the percentage of failures in car driving tests in (a) 1996 and (b) 1997; and in what proportion a reason for failure was that driving was too slow. |
| (23508) | |
| 80 | Mr Tony Colman (Putney): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what action he is taking to simplify the rules governing the purchase of freeholds by leaseholders; and what plans he has to introduce a new commonhold form of tenure. |
| (23327) | |
| 81 | Mr Tony Colman (Putney): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what action he is taking to review the work of Leasehold Valuation Tribunals. |
| (23328) | |
| 82 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when the Government expects to bring forward a consultation paper on options for leasehold reform. |
| (23663) | |
| 83 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what funds remain available in the current financial year and until 1999 allocated to the Northern Uplands Programme; and if he will list the programme of expenditure for the current and succeeding financial years. |
| (23661) | |
| 84 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to review the Use Classes Order 1987. |
| (23681) | |
| 85 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the acreage of land and its current value that is owned by each of the London borough councils. |
| (23285) | |
| 86 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the present major road (a) developments and (b) improvements that are currently being implemented within the Greater London area. |
| (23290) | |
| 87 | 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 train operating companies serving Greater London (a) the number of penalty fares issued and (b) the income generated by penalty fares since the companies began operating. |
| (23656) | |
| 88 | 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 train operating companies serving Greater London the number of appeals against penalty fares and the proportion of these that were successful for each year since the companies began operating. |
| (23657) | |
| 89 | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he intends issuing guidance to local authorities on the implementation of the Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997. |
| (23367) | |
| 90 | Mr David Hanson (Delyn): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to review circular 52/75 regarding inspection of trees. |
| (23297) | |
| 91 | Mr David Hanson (Delyn): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many people have (a) died and (b) been injured as a result of falling roadside trees in each of the last five years. |
| (23296) | |
| 92 | Mr John Healey (Wentworth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many local authorities in all classes have been awarded a provisional SSA settlement for 1998-99 for the education block of less than a 5.7 per cent. increase; and if he will list these authorities with their respective figures. |
| (23293) | |
| 93 | Mr John Healey (Wentworth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many Metropolitan district authorities have been awarded a provisional SSA settlement for 1998-99 for the education block which is less than a 5.7 per cent. increase; and if he will list these authorities with their respective figures. |
| (23292) | |
| 94 N | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the number of heavy goods vehicles that have evaded excise duty in the last 12 months. |
| (21081) | |
| 95 | Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on those very exceptional circumstances referred to in Point 10, Annexe III, of EC Directive 91/439/EEC wherein insulin-dependent drivers might be granted licences to drive minibuses and transit vans. |
| (23355) | |
| 96 | Mr Christopher Leslie (Shipley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 16th June, Official Report, column 36, what progress has been made by the Drinking Water Inspectorate in considering prosecution in the alleged cryptosporidium incident at Bingley in June 1993; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23475) | |
| 97 | Mr Chris Pond (Gravesham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will carry out an assessment of the impact of his Department's current policies on the (a) income, (b) employment opportunities and (c) living standards, of the poorest 30 per cent. of the population. |
| (23338) | |
| 98 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what recent inspections have been conducted to establish the air worthiness of Concorde. |
| (23375) | |
| 99 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the impact on Colne of the increased traffic resulting from the completion of the M65-M6 link; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23373) | |
| 100 N | Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will encourage more major authorities in the United Kingdom to participate in the European Union Car Free Cities project as part of his policy to reduce urban congestion, pollution and environmentally damaging emissions. |
| (23125) | |
| 101 N | Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on how many occasions information has been withheld on the grounds of commercial confidentiality from reports placed on the public register on the effects of the release of genetically modified organisms. |
| (22877) | |
| 102 N | Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which advisory bodies are consulted in advance of a decision to withhold information from the public register of applications for consents to release genetically modified organisms on the grounds of national security. |
| (22882) | |
| 103 N | Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on how many occasions following consent to release new information has been made available under section 111 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 regarding risks of damage to the environment by the release of genetically modified organisms. |
| (22879) | |
| 104 N | Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on how many occasions information has been withheld from the public register for reasons of prevention to damage to the environment in respect of (a) commercial and (b) other applications for consent to release genetically modified organisms. |
| (22880) | |
| 105 N | Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many reports on the effects of release have been received in respect of consents to release genetically modified organisms. |
| (22876) | |
| 106 N | Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on how many occasions information has been withheld from the public register for reasons of national security in respect of (a) commercial and (b) other applications for consent to release genetically modified organisms. |
| (22883) | |
| 107 N | Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on how many occasions reports on the release of genetically modified organisms have revealed new risks of damage to the environment. |
| (22878) | |
| 108 N | Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the withholding of information from the public register of applications for consent to release genetically modified organisms on the grounds of prevention of damage to the environment. |
| (22881) | |
| 109 | Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to visit China. |
| (23561) | |
| 110 | Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds of the storms of early January. |
| (23560) | |
| 111 | Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will assess the advantages of introducing guidelines for safe ferry departures from port in inclement weather independently of the captains of the ships concerned. |
| (23321) | |
| 112 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list all overseas visits made since 1st May 1997 on which he or any other Minister in his Department has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating (a) who accompanied him or her (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. |
| (23257) | |
| 113 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties. |
| (22936) | |
| 114 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have died in the United Kingdom in each of the last 20 years for which figures are available from (a) tobacco-related illness, (b) alcohol-related illness, (c) road traffic accidents and (d) vitamin B6 overdoses; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23512) | |
| 115 | Mr Tony Colman (Putney): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the mandate of the Financial Services Authority will include those who have neither a current bank account nor one with a building society. |
| (23354) | |
| 116 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the numbers and percentage of the population (a) in general and (b) over 60 years old, who are (i) over 75, (ii) over 80 and (iii) over 85 years in each region of the United Kingdom. |
| (23670) | |
| 117 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate (i) the revenue foregone in the operation of (a) PEPs and (b) TESSAs in each full year of their existence, (ii) the take up of TESSAs and PEPs in (1) each decile of income and (2) each region and nation of the United Kingdom and (iii) the revenue foregone in respect of CGT separately. |
| (23659) | |
| 118 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the number of volunteering opportunities and jobs in uniform business rate exempt charity shops and the number of such properties; and if this relief is included in his review of charity taxation. |
| (23683) | |
| 119 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the number of void (a) PEPS and (b) TESSAs identified in each year of the last three years and the average number of years of tax liability recovered in respect of each void PEP or TESSA. |
| (23658) | |
| 120 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the distribution of (i) TESSA and (ii) PEP holders and the tax revenue foregone to those holders amongst the regions and nations of the United Kingdom. |
| (23660) | |
| 121 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the number and present value of holdings in PEPs (a) in total and (b) in bands of values of £10,000. |
| (23662) | |
| 122 N | Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received regarding compensatory payments to agriculture consequent upon the strength of sterling in relation to other EU currencies. |
| (21062) | |
| 123 | Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will alter the constituent elements of the RPI to reflect current spending on services and goods. |
| (23573) | |
| 124 | Mr Peter Lilley (Hitchin and Harpenden): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the relationship between the Orion Trust and the Robinson Family No. 1 Trust. |
| (23655) | |
| 125 | Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Inland Revenue has taken to ensure that pensioners are made aware of the need to return their self-assessment forms in time; and what proposals he has to allow an extension of time for such people. |
| (23458) | |
| 126 | Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list for each benefit paid by (a) central and (b) local government (i) whether it is taxable and for what reasons and (ii) his estimate of the amount of income tax raised in the last year for which figures are available. |
| (23456) | |
| 127 | Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to ensure that all publicly-financed bodies comply with accounting standards on off-balance sheet transactions. |
| (23459) | |
| 128 | Mr Chris Pond (Gravesham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will carry out an assessment of the impact of his Department's current policies on the (a) income, (b) employment opportunities and (c) living standards, of the poorest 30 per cent. of the population. |
| (23345) | |
| 129 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of United Kingdom citizens who circumvent United Kingdom tax laws concerning their country of domicile by commuting from the Channel Islands to the United Kingdom on a daily basis. |
| (23295) | |
| 130 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with his German counterpart about the implications for the introduction of the euro of the challenge in the German Constitutional Court concerning the alleged failure of Germany to meet the Maastricht criteria for entry into a single currency; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23294) | |
| 131 | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many employees would lose, through higher tax and National Insurance Contributions and lower benefits (a) 100 per cent. or above, (b) 90 per cent. or above, (c) 80 per cent. or above, (d) 70 per cent. or above, (e) 60 per cent. or above and (f) 50 per cent. or above of the increase in pre-tax income resulting from (i) an extra five hours work per week and (ii) a pay increase of £20 per week. |
| (23579) | |
| 132 | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what percentage of outstanding debts to the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise were recovered by his Department over the most recent period for which figures are available; what methods were employed; and in what percentage of cases litigation was pursued. |
| (23504) | |
| 133 | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is his estimate of the expenditure incurred by the Inland Revenue and by Customs and Excise in the recovery of debts for the most recent period for which figures are available; and what was the total amount recovered as a result. |
| (23503) | |
| 134 | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is his estimate of the total value of debts outstanding to the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise; what resources are being devoted by his Department to their recovery; and what is the average age of such debts. |
| (23502) | |
| 135 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list all overseas visits made since 1st May 1997 on which he or any other Minister in his Department has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating (a) who accompanied him or her (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. |
| (23249) | |
| 136 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties. |
| (22924) | |
| 137 | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what correspondence with (a) the Commission, (b) the General Secretariat of the European Council and (c) foreign ministries of European Union states, has occurred as a consequence of the matters leading to the letter of the Permanent Representative of The Netherlands to the United Kingdom Permanent Representative of 16th July;and if he will make a statement. |
| (23582) | |
| 138 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when Her Majesty's Government plans to incorporate the Ottawa Landmine Treaty into United Kingdom law; and what steps it is taking to pursuade other countries to ratify the treaty. |
| (23611) | |
| 139 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on how, at what level and when the human rights problem in Turkey is being raised with the Turkish government. |
| (23574) | |
| 140 | Mr Chris Mullin (Sunderland South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the Government intends to ratify the landmines treaty; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23298) | |
| 141 N | Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford and Southend East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the authorities in India about the position of Peter Bleach, facing a charge subject to the death penalty; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23211) | |
| 142 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received about the ill-treatment and torture of children in Kenya; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23464) | |
| 143 | Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards Algeria. |
| (23562) | |
| 144 N | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the role of (a) ethics and (b) morality in his Department's foreign policy. |
| (23130) | |
| 145 N | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the cost to public funds of the proposed overseas visits to be undertaken by Mrs Regan. |
| (23132) | |
| 146 N | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the duties and the role of Mrs Regan in the forthcoming visits of the Foreign Secretary to (a) the United States and (b) other overseas locations. |
| (23131) | |
| 147 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list all overseas visits made since 1st May 1997 on which he or any other Minister in his Department has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating (a) who accompanied him or her (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. |
| (23256) | |
| 148 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government's ethical foreign policy extends to a concern about how men treat women in other countries. |
| (23212) | |
| 149 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties. |
| (22935) | |
| 150 | Mrs Jackie Ballard (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the maximum waiting time for hip replacements in the Somerset Health Authority area. |
| (23527) | |
| 151 | Mrs Jackie Ballard (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the average maximum waiting time for hip replacements on the NHS in England and Wales. |
| (23528) | |
| 152 | Mr Harold Best (Leeds North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many powered indoor/outdoor wheelchairs have been provided since April 1996. |
| (23329) | |
| 153 | Mr Harold Best (Leeds North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding has been distributed to health authorities in respect of the powered indoor/outdoor wheelchair scheme since April 1996. |
| (23330) | |
| 154 N | Dr Peter Brand (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the number of staffed acute beds at the Norfolk and Norwich NHS Trust (a) at the latest available date, (b) proposed under the public sector route, as set out in the outline business case and (c) under the PFI proposals. |
| (23128) | |
| 155 | Mr Michael Colvin (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS and NHS Trust employees are members of the Territorial Army; and what percentage this is of the total number of employees. |
| (23326) | |
| 156 | Maria Eagle (Liverpool, Garston): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list those area health authorities which allow the prescribing of ProGest hormonal replacement therapy cream as a supplement instead of drug-based HRT. |
| (23322) | |
| 157 | Mr Stephen Hesford (Wirral West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to create mental health action zones; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23474) | |
| 158 | Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support his Department has provided for the ME Association; and what plans he has for future support. |
| (23494) | |
| 159 | Mr Chris Pond (Gravesham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will carry out an assessment of the impact of his Department's current policies on the (a) income, (b) employment opportunities and (c) living standards, of the poorest 30 per cent. of the population. |
| (23335) | |
| 160 | Mr Andrew Rowe (Faversham and Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the membership and outline the terms of reference of the Ministerial Taskforce to implement the Government's response to the Utting Report. |
| (23370) | |
| 161 | Mr Andrew Rowe (Faversham and Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the Government will publish their response to the Utting Report; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23371) | |
| 162 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to include voluntary sector providers of mental health services in the partnership managements described in section 6.7 of the White Paper on Health. |
| (23469) | |
| 163 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he intends to implement the Campbell Report on medical manpower. |
| (23365) | |
| 164 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has for reducing the time patients currently have to wait for psychotherapy services. |
| (23466) | |
| 165 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action he intends to take over the predicted shortfall of doctors in the NHS; and how this will be financed. |
| (23467) | |
| 166 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the means by which primary care groups are able to purchase appropriate mental health services, including counselling and psychotherapy for their patients. |
| (23465) | |
| 167 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has for the better utilization of married women doctors in the NHS, who may be unable to work full time. |
| (23468) | |
| 168 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what basis ministers intend to plan for future levels of mental health services with particular reference to (a) counselling and (b) psychotherapy. |
| (23470) | |
| 169 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has for screening women for breast cancer in (a) the 30 to 40 years and (b) over 50 years age groups. |
| (23520) | |
| 170 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list all overseas visits made since 1st May 1997 on which he or any other Minister in his Department has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating (a) who accompanied him or her (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. |
| (23254) | |
| 171 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers have been injured as a consequence of (a) using and (b) being exposed to CS gas. |
| (21417) | |
| 172 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties. |
| (22925) | |
| 173 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what has been the average length of time taken for firearms compensation under options A and B; and what is the expected time for claims submitted now under (a) options A and B and (b) option C. |
| (23583) | |
| 174 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the outcome of the review into the position of Gurkha wives seeking to join their husbands when stationed in the United Kingdom. |
| (23510) | |
| 175 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what has been the estimated cost to the Metropolitan Police of its work in combating terrorism in each of the last three years. |
| (23509) | |
| 176 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what initiatives the Government proposes to address domestic violence; and what central government funding will be available for local and voluntary projects in this field in 1998-99. |
| (23511) | |
| 177 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many uniformed police officers were on patrol and how many vehicles were in service in a 24 hour period in (a) London and (b) Twickenham at (i) the latest date for which figures are available and (ii) the same date in the previous year. |
| (23506) | |
| 178 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many fire-fighting appliances are currently on operational duty in London; and how many there were for each of the last five years. |
| (23507) | |
| 179 N | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the average determinate sentence of imprisonment or detention in a young offender institution received by offenders convicted of the supply, importation or production of Class A controlled drugs in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. |
| (23123) | |
| 180 N | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many probation orders with a requirement of treatment for drug dependency were (a) made and (b) subject to breach proceedings in each of the last 10 years. |
| (23121) | |
| 181 N | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects the cost of commissioning additional drug treatment and testing programmes as provisionally estimated in the Crime and Disorder Bill [Lords] to fall upon the Probation Service. |
| (23126) | |
| 182 N | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many local pilot projects for drug treatment and testing orders he intends to undertake; and how long he expects them to last. |
| (23122) | |
| 183 N | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what new initiatives Her Majesty's Government proposes to put forward to address the problem of illegal drugs during the UK presidency of the European Union. |
| (23117) | |
| 184 N | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many offenders convicted of offences related to the supply, importation or production of Class A controlled drugs received (a) a life sentence, (b) a determinate sentence of imprisonment and (c) a non-custodial sentence in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. |
| (23124) | |
| 185 N | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects the review of the treatment of victims and vulnerable witnesses by the criminal justice system which he announced on 13th June 1997 to be completed. |
| (23115) | |
| 186 N | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what arrangements are in place for notification of the UK authorities by other countries of sex offences committed by UK citizens within their jurisdiction. |
| (23113) | |
| 187 N | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will provide an analysis of his estimate of the cost of the local pilot projects for the Drug Treatment and Testing Order. |
| (23120) | |
| 188 N | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the letter of 22nd November 1997 from the Minister of State, the honourable Member for Cardiff South and Penarth to the honourable Member for Hertsmere, when and in what respects, he proposes to consider extension of firearms controls. |
| (23114) | |
| 189 N | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects drug treatment and testing orders to be available as sentences for courts throughout England and Wales. |
| (23119) | |
| 190 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to relax licencing controls in central city areas; and what consultation he has had with residents of such areas. |
| (23664) | |
| 191 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the current prison education budget for prisons in England and Wales; and what was the outturn figure for 1995-96. |
| (23289) | |
| 192 | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if files held by the Security Service showing the involvement of individuals with the Soviet International propaganda front network will be preserved for their historic value; and if the subsequent political careers of those individuals will be a factor in assessing the historic value of their files. |
| (23673) | |
| 193 | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if Security Service files on (a) the 1926 General Strike and (b) the 1984-85 miners' strike are to be preserved for their historic value. |
| (23622) | |
| 194 | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if files compiled by the Security Service and setting out the extent to which individuals co-operated with domestic or foreign fascist or communist organisations or regimes are to be preserved for their historic value. |
| (23674) | |
| 195 | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his letter of 8th December on Security Service files, what steps he will take to ensure that (a) no files are destroyed by the Security Service except after proper review and (b) files which are destroyed are those which are either no longer required by the service to carry out its statutory functions or are judged not to be of historical importance or both. |
| (23675) | |
| 196 | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish the criteria which were adopted by the Security Service at the end of the Second World War for the preservation or destruction of files relating to sympathisers with the defeated adversary. |
| (23620) | |
| 197 | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many representations he has received in favour of the destruction of Security Service files from (a) Labour honourable Members, (b) Labour Peers, (c) Ministers, (d) trade union officers and (e) journalists. |
| (23672) | |
| 198 | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if Security Service files on the activities in the United Kingdom of (a) the World Peace Council, (b) the World Federation of Trade Unions, (c) the World Federation of Scientific Workers, (d) the World Federation of Democratic Youth, (e) the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, (f) the International Organisation of Journalists, (g) the International Union of Students and (h) the Women's International Democratic Federation are to be destroyed. |
| (23677) | |
| 199 | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Security Service files which are planned to be destroyed will be individually evaluated for their historical significance. |
| (23679) | |
| 200 | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what are the criteria for deciding that a Security Service file is of no historical value and should be destroyed. |
| (23680) | |
| 201 | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received from the Minister without Portfolio for his MI5 file to be destroyed; and if it is to be destroyed. |
| (23621) | |
| 202 | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the possible re-emergence of anti-democratic regimes abroad has been assessed as a factor in determining the policy towards destroying Security Service files on previous British supporters of such regimes. |
| (23678) | |
| 203 | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if Security Service files on the activities of (a) the British Union of Fascists, (b) the Communist Party of Great Britain, (c) the Union Movement, (d) the Communist Party of Britain, (e) the Revolutionary Socialist League/Militant Tendency, (f) the British Peace Assembly, (g) the British-Soviet Friendship Society, (h) the British Peace Committee, (i) the Workers' Revolutionary Party, (j) Class War and (k) the Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist) will be preserved for their historic value. |
| (23676) | |
| 204 | Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the amount of charges (a) levied and (b) recovered, under the Immigration (Carriers Liability) Act 1987 on (i) Biman, (ii) British Airways, (iii) PIA, (iv) Air Lanka, (v) Nigeria Airways and (vi) Ghana Airways for each year since 1987 for which figures are available. |
| (23350) | |
| 205 | Mr Francis Maude (Horsham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to ensure that on-line service and access providers, including telecommunications companies, take legal and administrative responsibility for ensuring that material which is transmitted or delivered by them does not include obscene material. |
| (23578) | |
| 206 | Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proposals he has for ensuring that crime statistics are collected on a common basis by all police forces. |
| (23457) | |
| 207 | Mr Chris Mullin (Sunderland South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to regulate the activities of wheel-clamping firms; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23299) | |
| 208 | Ms Linda Perham (Ilford North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much Government money was spent on the Commission for Racial Equality in (a) 1995-96 and (b) 1996-97 and what estimate he has made of the annual gross costs of enforcing the Race Relations Act 1976 in (i) 1995-96 and (ii) 1996-97. |
| (23473) | |
| 209 | Mr Chris Pond (Gravesham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will carry out an assessment of the impact of his Department's current policies on the (a) income, (b) employment opportunities and (c) living standards, of the poorest 30 per cent. of the population. |
| (23337) | |
| 210 | Mr Andrew Rowe (Faversham and Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the recommendations of the Advisory Group on Video Evidence (The Pigot Report, 1989) will be implemented in full. |
| (23372) | |
| 211 | Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will publish his response to the report by Board of visitors to the young offenders institution at the Military Corrective Training Centre at Colchester. |
| (23302) | |
| 212 | Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he proposes to make a decision on the possible establishment of a prison at Colchester; and if he will name the site which has been under investigation. |
| (23300) | |
| 213 | Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the future of the young offenders institution at the Military Corrective Training Centre at Colchester. |
| (23301) | |
| 214 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of complaints against the police have been (i) upheld, (ii) dismissed and (iii) dropped by the complainant during the last year for which figures are available. |
| (23536) | |
| 215 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to introduce an independent body to investigate complaints against the Police. |
| (23492) | |
| 216 | Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to reform the Sunday Observance Act 1780; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23471) | |
| 217 N | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what changes he proposes to the policy governing the use of imprisonment for asylum seekers. |
| (21296) | |
| 218 N | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisons (a) he and (b) the Minister with responsibility for prisons will be visiting in the course of the Christmas adjournment. |
| (21297) | |
| 219 N | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proposals he has for improving the conditions of women prisoners. |
| (21298) | |
| 220 N | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement about the use of a former holiday camp at Heysham as a future prison. |
| (21299) | |
| 221 N | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the future of HMP Weare. |
| (21300) | |
| 222 N | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what changes he proposes to the powers of the Prison Officers Association. |
| (21301) | |
| 223 N | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement about the future of the High Intensity Training re«gimes at Colchester and Thorn Cross Young Offender Institutions. |
| (21302) | |
| 224 N | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he visited or plans to visit (a) Thorn Cross Young Offenders Institution and (b) Colchester Young Offenders Institution. |
| (21303) | |
| 225 N | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Young Offender Institutions he has visited since 1st May. |
| (21304) | |
| 226 N | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement about education spending in prisons. |
| (21305) | |
| 227 N | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what changes he proposes to the guidance governing searching of visitors to Her Majesty's Prisons. |
| (21306) | |
| 228 N | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what initiatives have been introduced since 1st May to combat the use of drugs in Her Majesty's Prisons. |
| (21262) | |
| 229 N | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 27th October, Official Report, column 741, what progress has been made in formulating policy with respect to in-cell television for prisoners. |
| (21261) | |
| 230 | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will repeal those sections of the Local Government Act 1992 which prevent the publication of internal discipline investigations by individual police forces. |
| (23412) | |
| 231 | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to make public reports relating to investigations into the sexual harassment of women police officers at Harrogate Police Station in the early 1990s. |
| (23362) | |
| 232 | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to introduce legislation to ensure that internal police disciplinary investigations are not automatically subject to public interest immunity. |
| (23364) | |
| 233 | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to allow individual police authorities to decide whether to publish the finding of internal discipline investigations within individual police forces. |
| (23363) | |
| 234 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list all overseas visits made since 1st May 1997 on which he or any other Minister in his Department has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating (a) who accompanied him or her (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. |
| (23253) | |
| 235 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, on what date she last used a train in the course of her official duties. |
| (22937) | |
| 236 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list all overseas visits made since 1st May 1997 on which she or any other Minister in her Department has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating (a) who accompanied him or her and (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. |
| (23255) | |
| 237 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, on what date (a) he and (b) the Lord Chancellor last used a train in the course of their official duties. |
| (22929) | |
| 238 | Mr Chris Pond (Gravesham): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will carry out an assessment of the impact of his Department's current policies on the (a) income, (b) employment opportunities and (c) living standards, of the poorest 30 per cent. of the population. |
| (23346) | |
| 239 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will list all overseas visits made since 1st May 1997 on which he or any other Minister in his Department has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating (a) who accompanied him (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. |
| (23252) | |
| 240 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, if he will place in the Library a copy of his lecture delivered at the Institute of International Affairs in Rome in October 1997. |
| (22913) | |
| 241 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, if he will list the occasions since 1st May 1997 when he has used, in the course of his official duties, (a) a train and (b) a bus. |
| (22922) | |
| 242 N | Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, what specific aspects of the Millennium Experience will directly relate to Norfolk. |
| (23049) | |
| 243 | Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, what is the Government's policy in respect of the religious content of the Millennium Dome. |
| (23576) | |
| 244 | Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, what meetings he has had with members of the ethnic minority communities to discuss the contents of the Millennium Dome. |
| (23577) | |
| 245 | Mr Chris Pond (Gravesham): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will carry out an assessment of the impact of her Department's current policies on the (a) income, (b) employment opportunities and (c) living standards, of the poorest 30 per cent. of the population. |
| (23344) | |
| 246 | Mr William Ross (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps she intends to take to replace the tree removed by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland in Catherine Street, Limarady on 13th January. |
| (23496) | |
| 247 | Mr William Ross (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when she expects to lay a statutory instrument to bring into force in Northern Ireland the changes in legislation covered by the Great Britain Statutory Instrument 1997 No. 2959. |
| (23497) | |
| 248 | Mr William Ross (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, for what reasons her Department removed the mature tree on Catherine Street, Limarady on 13th January which was a gift from the Right honourable Wm. F. Massey P.C., former Prime Minister of New Zealand. |
| (23495) | |
| 249 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will list all overseas visits made since 1st May 1997 on which she or any other Minister in her Department has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating (a) who accompanied him or her and (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. |
| (23266) | |
| 250 | Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the President of the Council, what additional allowances are paid to Members with disabilities. |
| (23352) | |
| 251 N | Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North and Stoke Newington): To ask the Prime Minister, how many people work for him at No. 10 Downing Street; and of these how many are paid (a) from public funds and (b) by the Labour Party. |
| (23025) | |
| 252 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the occasions since 1st May 1997 when he has used a train in the course of his official duties. |
| (22923) | |
| 253 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Prime Minister, what steps he has taken to encourage the use of public transport by Ministers. |
| (22939) | |
| 254 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Essex North of 18th December, Official Report, columns 264-5, concerning official functions at No. 10 Downing Street, on which occasions the Minister without Portfolio was present. |
| (22915) | |
| 255 | Mr Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington): To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 12th January, Official Report, column 269, if he is prepared to treat all proposals for primary legislation as questions which significantly engage the collective responsibility of the Government because they raise major issues, or because they are of critical importance to the public, as set out in the Ministerial Code. |
| (23535) | |
| 256 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will introduce legislation to enable the United Kingdom to sign Protocol 6 of the European Convention of Human Rights on the abolition of the death penalty. |
| (22635) | |
| 257 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Prime Minister, what will be the cost to the Exchequer of the series of welfare state roadshows which he announced on 11th January. |
| (23134) | |
| 258 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list all overseas visits made since 1st May 1997 on which he has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating (a) who accompanied him (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. |
| (23251) | |
| 259 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Prime Minister, if, when selecting members of his Cabinet, he took into account a candidate's private life. |
| (23213) | |
| 260 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties. |
| (22931) | |
| 261 | Mr Denzil Davies (Llanelli): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many meetings of the Council of Agriculture Ministers of the European Union he has attended. |
| (23584) | |
| 262 | Mr Donald Gorrie (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his Answer of 12th January, Official Report, column 109, on PFI schemes, what is the capital cost of each scheme; and what agreements for payment have been entered into by each procuring agency. |
| (23493) | |
| 263 | Mr Chris Pond (Gravesham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will carry out an assessment of the impact of his Department's current policies on the (a) income, (b) employment opportunities and (c) living standards, of the poorest 30 per cent. of the population. |
| (23340) | |
| 264 N | Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the entry of waste materials into the food chain through seepage. |
| (22943) | |
| 265 N | Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what controls are in place to monitor the (a) transportation and (b) dumping of waste materials; and how many cases of breaches of these controls have been recorded in the last five years. |
| (22942) | |
| 266 N | Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the level of (a) sewage, (b) abbatoir and (c) factory waste being transported by road; if he will make a statement on trends in such transportation; and if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on waste management. |
| (22941) | |
| 267 N | Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many of the returning officers of the unitary authorities in Scotland, or staff acting on their behalf, contacted the Scottish Office Devolution Unit by phone between 10 pm on 11th September 1997 and the conclusion of the count for Scotland, to request guidance on the interpretation of the answers given to the questions in the referendum, where the voters had written yes or no in the ballot paper; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23234) | |
| 268 N | Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list those unitary authorities in Scotland which, during the course of the referendum count on 11th September changed the basis of interpretation as to whether a ballot paper was to be accepted as valid, or to be declared spoilt; and how many of these changed their interpretation on the specific advice of his Department. |
| (23274) | |
| 269 N | Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what guidance he gave to returning officers in each of the unitary authority areas in Scotland, for the referendum count on 11th September 1997, with regard to deciding whether or not a vote was to be regarded as valid if the voter wrote 'No' in the box adjacent to the statement 'I do not agree that there should be a Scottish Parliament'; in what cirumstances such a vote, in the absence of any other mark made by the voter on the ballot paper, was taken as (a) a 'No' vote, (b) a 'Yes' vote or (c) spoilt vote; and what additional guidance was given to returning officers during the course of the count on that evening. |
| (23268) | |
| 270 N | Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance which he circulated to returning officers in each of the unitary authority areas in Scotland for the counting procedure for the referendum which took place on 11th September 1997, together with a copy of supplementary guidance issued after and clarification guidance faxed to such officers during the course of the count. |
| (23275) | |
| 271 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list all overseas visits made since 1st May 1997 on which he or any other Minister in his Department has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating (a) who accompanied him or her (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. |
| (23250) | |
| 272 N | Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North and Stoke Newington): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many women earning above the average income for full-time women workers claimed maternity benefit in 1996-97; and if she will make a statement. |
| (23024) | |
| 273 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, on what date she last used a train in the course of her official duties. |
| (22934) | |
| 274 | Mrs Jackie Ballard (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will list the numbers claiming lone parent benefits by (a) constituency and (b) benefit agency district office. |
| (23525) | |
| 275 N | Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will estimate the savings to public funds if maternity pay were restricted to a maximum of (a) £20,000 and (b) £10,000 a claim. |
| (23048) | |
| 276 N | Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many applications for disability living allowance were made during 1997; and how many were (a) refused on first application, (b) granted after tribunal and (c) granted after appeal. |
| (23214) | |
| 277 | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will assess the advantages of allowing invalid care allowance to be paid in addition to a state-funded pension. |
| (23351) | |
| 278 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what was the outcome of consultations with the Disabled Drivers Association on the disablement living allowance. |
| (23515) | |
| 279 N | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is the most recent completed research evaluated by her Department in respect of the take up of income support by pensioners. |
| (23118) | |
| 280 N | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to her Department's letter of 16th December in respect of her Department's research into the take up of income support by pensioners, who is carrying out the research, which organisations were invited to tender for it and what are her Department's (a) terms of reference and (b) budget for such research. |
| (23116) | |
| 281 N | Mr Charles Clarke (Norwich South): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will list the meetings between ministers in her Department and disabled people's organisations to discuss proposals to reform the social security system. |
| (22916) | |
| 282 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate she has made of the employment participation rate of (a) lone mothers and (b) mothers in two-parent families in each European Union country; and if she will estimate what percentage of working lone mothers and working two-parent household mothers are working part-time. |
| (23666) | |
| 283 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will estimate for the current year and for 1992 average pensioners income from all sources (a) for all pensioners and (b) for the age groups (i) over 75 years of age, (ii) over 80 years of age and (iii) over 85 years of age. |
| (23669) | |
| 284 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will estimate the numbers and percentages of pensioners in each region of the United Kingdom who are (a) dependent on means-tested benefits, (b) in each quartile of national income distribution, (c) in each quartile of national pensioner income distribution, (d) taxpayers and (e) dependent on pension income other than the state basic retirement or supplementary pension of more than £2,500. |
| (23667) | |
| 285 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will estimate the numbers of claimants of each of the disability-related non means-tested benefits in each of the regions of the United Kingdom; indicating the percentage of total claimants in each region and the percentage of the population in each region who receive each benefit. |
| (23665) | |
| 286 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will estimate the number of claimants of incapacity benefit in the Newcastle Benefits Agency district; and if she will estimate the age distribution of such claimants in the age bands (a) up to 30 years, (b) 31 to 40 years, (c) 41 to 50 years (d) 51 to 60 years and (e) over 60 years of age. |
| (23671) | |
| 287 | Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow, Pollok): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, when the child maintenance bonus was introduced; how many awards have been made to date; what publicity has been provided to ensure that staff and clients were aware of this scheme; and if she will make a statement. |
| (23368) | |
| 288 | Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow, Pollok): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what steps she has taken to ensure that information leaflets on the child maintenance bonus are available in Benefit Agency offices throughout the country and that staff are briefed thereon. |
| (23369) | |
| 289 N | Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, to how many claimants of disability living allowance payments are made in respect of children under the age of (a) 18 years and (b) 16 years. |
| (23209) | |
| 290 N | Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, when she expects to table regulations implementing the introduction of cold weather payments; what provisions she intends to make to enable those elderly people using key meters to pay their heating bill; and if she will make a statement. |
| (23210) | |
| 291 | Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what savings would be made by withdrawing entitlement to (a) the state pension, (b) maternity pay and (c) disability living allowance from (i) households and (ii) individuals with gross income in excess of (1) £1,000,000 per annum, (2) £500,000 per annum, (3) £100,000 per annum, (4) £50,000 per annum, (5) £40,000 per annum and (6) £30,000 per annum. |
| (23353) | |
| 292 | Mr James Plaskitt (Warwick and Leamington): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many individuals have had their benefit entitlements reviewed under the Benefit Integrity Project; and how many, as a result, have had their benefit (a) reduced and (b) stopped. |
| (23521) | |
| 293 | Mr Chris Pond (Gravesham): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will carry out an assessment of the impact of her Department's current policies on the (a) income, (b) employment opportunities and (c) living standards, of the poorest 30 per cent. of the population. |
| (23342) | |
| 294 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many women received statutory maternity pay in excess of (a) £1,000, (b) £2,000, (c) £5,000 and (d) £18,000 per week over the latest 12 months for which figures are available. |
| (23283) | |
| 295 N | Mr Andrew Rowe (Faversham and Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many representations she has received from housing associations and related bodies about the proposed changes in disability benefit eligibility; what were the terms of such representations; and if she will make a statement. |
| (22875) | |
| 296 | Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is the average length of time between assessment by the Child Support Agency and first payment. |
| (23505) | |
| 297 | Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people in Devon are being pursued by the Child Support Agency; and what is the figure per 1000 residents in the United Kingdom. |
| (23324) | |
| 298 | Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how much maintenance money is currently outstanding after assessment by the Child Support Agency in (a) Devon and (b) the United Kingdom; and how many children this relates to in (a) and (b). |
| (23323) | |
| 299 | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is (a) the total administrative cost, (b) the administrative cost for each £50 payment and (c) the administrative cost for each £20 payment, under the Winter Fuel Payment Scheme. |
| (23349) | |
| 300 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what proportion of statutory maternity pay is received by those earning (a) under £100, (b) £100 to £199, (c) £200 to £299, (d) £300 to £399, (e) £400 to £499, (f) £500 to £599 and (g) £600 per week or more. |
| (23215) | |
| 301 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will list all overseas visits made since 1st May 1997 on which she or any other Minister in her Department has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating (a) who accompanied him or her and (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. |
| (23264) | |
| 302 N | Mr David Winnick (Walsall North): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will list the average weekly payment in (a) 1994, (b) 1995, (c) 1996 and (d) 1997 for maternity benefits in the first six weeks. |
| (22874) | |
| 303 N | Mr David Winnick (Walsall North): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will list the percentage and total number of those who received weekly sums above (a) £5,000, (b) £7,500, (c) £10,000, (d) £15,000 and (e) £20,000 in maternity benefits for the first six weeks in (i) 1994, (ii) 1995, (iii) 1996 and (iv) 1997. |
| (22873) | |
| 304 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, on what date she last used a train in the course of her official duties. |
| (22926) | |
| 305 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her Answer the honourable Member for Stoke-on-Trent North of 18th December, Official Report, column 308, concerning public consultation on the proposed European Biotechnology Patent Directive, if he will ensure that representatives from (a) other political parties and (b) groups ethically opposed to biotechnology, will be invited to the event he plans to host. |
| (22914) | |
| 306 N | Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her Answer of 21st July, Official Report, column 451, if the four licence applications for the export of sub-machine guns and other automatic weapons to Indonesia have been granted; how many weapons these applications cover; who they were destined for; and which company supplied them. |
| (23050) | |
| 307 | Mr Tony Colman (Putney): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will introduce legislation for a new Credit Act. |
| (23331) | |
| 308 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will arrange for the Office of Fair Trading to place its evidence to the European Commission and the results of its survey of finance directors on the proposed merger of KPMG and Ernst and Young in the Library; and if she will make a statement. |
| (23682) | |
| 309 | Ms Tess Kingham (Gloucester): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what military list and police and paramilitary list items designated ML and PL on the Export of Goods Control Order (1994) have been licensed to the Channel Islands for the periods (a) between June 1996 and April 1997 and (b) since May 1st 1997; what records her Department holds of subsequent exports from the Channel Islands of these items; and whether they are included in her Department's export licensing statistics under the ECLIPS System. |
| (23585) | |
| 310 | Mr Francis Maude (Horsham): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what plans she has to ensure that on-line service and access providers, including telecommunications companies, take legal and administrative responsibility for ensuring that material which is transmitted or delivered by them does not infringe copyright or consumer protection legislation. |
| (23575) | |
| 311 | Mr Chris Pond (Gravesham): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will carry out an assessment of the impact of her Department's current policies on the (a) income, (b) employment opportunities and (c) living standards, of the poorest 30 per cent. of the population. |
| (23343) | |
| 312 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what assessment he has made of the benefits and disbenefits to the consumer of BT's monopoly of directory enquiries. |
| (23380) | |
| 313 | Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how many cubic metres of Brazilian mahogany were imported into the United Kingdom from Brazil in (a) 1996 and (b) 1997. |
| (23518) | |
| 314 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what plans she has to commission further research into nuclear fusion; and if she will make a statement on progress. |
| (23463) | |
| 315 N | Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will set up an inquiry into the failure of the MAWWEB electricity supply company to reconnect within a reasonable period those houses and farms who had lost electricity supplies over the Christmas period in the north of Wales. |
| (23273) | |
| 316 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will list all overseas visits made since 1st May 1997 on which she or any other Minister in her Department has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating (a) who accompanied him or her and (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. |
| (23265) | |
| 317 N | Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what (a) correspondence and (b) discussions his special advisor has had relating to the Welsh devolution referendum count at Caerphilly. |
| (23135) | |
| 318 N | Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with Labour Party officials in his official capacity concerning the Welsh devolution referendum count in Caerphilly; on what dates these discussions took place; and if he will make a statement on the content of these discussions. |
| (23166) | |
| 319 N | Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what guidance his Department gave to returning officers relating to the Welsh devolution referendum counts in Wales; and if he will publish this guidance. |
| (23163) | |
| 320 N | Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Clwyd West of 12th January, by what means he became aware of complaints made by Caerphilly County Borough Council relating to aspects of the Welsh referendum count; and which representatives of his Department attended meetings at which such irregularities were discussed. |
| (23168) | |
| 321 N | Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what checks were made to ensure that all counting areas involved in the Welsh referendum were following the same procedure in relation to new guidance provided following representations from Denbighshire on the night of 18th September; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23133) | |
| 322 N | Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when he was first notified of allegations of irregularities in the count of the Welsh devolution referendum count at Caerphilly |
| (23171) | |
| 323 N | Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, at what hour the chief counting officer gave new guidance to counting officers in relation to the counting of votes during the Welsh referendum count. |
| (23151) | |
| 324 N | Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, who gave the instructions for guidance to counting officers to be changed during the counting of the Welsh referendum votes; when this instruction was given; and what action was taken to ensure that the new guidance was followed. |
| (23159) | |
| 325 N | Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make a statement on his discussions with the chief counting officer during the counting of the referendum votes in Wales. |
| (23156) | |
| 326 N | Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what advice he sought, and from whom, following representations received relating to the conduct of the count of the Welsh referendum. |
| (23157) | |
| 327 N | Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what input into guidance to counting officers in the Welsh referendum (a) he and (b) his officials provided. |
| (23267) | |
| 328 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, on what date he last used a train in the course of his official duties. |
| (22932) | |
| 329 | Mr Denzil Davies (Llanelli): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many meetings of the Council of Agriculture Ministers of the European Union he has attended. |
| (23604) | |
| 330 | Mr Denzil Davies (Llanelli): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what is his estimate of the personal disposable income per head for Wales as a percentage of the United Kingdom average in each of the last three years for which figures are available. |
| (23596) | |
| 331 | Mr Denzil Davies (Llanelli): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what was the (a) net surplus/deficit, (b) the total remuneration of the Chief Executive and (c) the resident population of the Dyfed Powys Health Authority for the year ended 31st March 1997. |
| (23600) | |
| 332 | Mr Denzil Davies (Llanelli): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what was the (a) net surplus/deficit, (b) the total remuneration of the Chief Executive and (c) the resident population of the Morgannwy Health Authority for the year ended 31st March 1997. |
| (23601) | |
| 333 | Mr Denzil Davies (Llanelli): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what estimate he has made of the average annual GDP growth over the three years 1998 to 2000 in (a) South West Wales and (b) Wales; and what was the corresponding average in each case for each of the three years 1995 to 1997. |
| (23602) | |
| 334 N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what (a) correspondence and (b) discussions his special adviser has had relating to the Welsh devolution referendum count at Caerphilly. |
| (23169) | |
| 335 N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make a statement on the representations he has received relating to errors that were made during the Welsh referendum count. |
| (23153) | |
| 336 N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with the Chief Executive of Caerphilly County Council since 1st January; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23158) | |
| 337 N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with his Department's officials since the result of the referendum was made known relating to the Welsh devolution referendum count at Caerphilly; and what was the date of such discussions. |
| (23155) | |
| 338 N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what representations he made relating to the count of the votes at Caerphilly to the Chief Counting Officer for Wales (a) prior to and (b) after 1st January. |
| (23152) | |
| 339 N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list the correspondence between the Welsh Office and other bodies relating to the Welsh devolution referendum count at Caerphilly; and if he will make public this correspondence. |
| (23160) | |
| 340 N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the training and guidance advice given to counting officers conducting counts during the Welsh referendum. |
| (23162) | |
| 341 N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with his officials relating to irregularities during referendum counts in Wales. |
| (23161) | |
| 342 N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, for how long his Department proposes to retain the ballot papers relating to the Welsh referendum; and for what purpose. |
| (23154) | |
| 343 N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what advice his officials issued relating to the counting of spoilt ballot papers during the Welsh devolution referendum count. |
| (23270) | |
| 344 N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what representations he has received in relation to the count of the votes in the Welsh referendum in Caerphilly. |
| (23129) | |
| 345 N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had in his official capacity with outside bodies relating to the Welsh referendum count at Caerphilly; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23165) | |
| 346 N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what verbal advice was given during the Welsh devolution referendum count to returning officers seeking clarification on the counting of spoilt ballot papers. |
| (23150) | |
| 347 N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what reports he has received in relation to the counting of votes in the Welsh referendum in Caerphilly. |
| (23173) | |
| 348 | Mr Chris Pond (Gravesham): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will carry out an assessment of the impact of his Department's current policies on the (a) income, (b) employment opportunities and (c) living standards, of the poorest 30 per cent. of the population. |
| (23339) | |
| 349 N | Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list all overseas visits made since 1st May 1997 on which he or any other Minister in his Department has been accompanied under Rule 83 of the Ministerial Code, indicating (a) who accompanied him or her (b) the cost to public funds of each such visit. |
| (23248) | |
| 350 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will list by make, engine size and fuel consumption the official cars made available to those holding the post of Deputy Prime Minister since 1994. |
| [Transferred] (22946) | |
| 351 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions he has had, and with which bodies, on the protection of hedgerows in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. |
| [Transferred] (23288) | |
| 352 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library tables showing the distribution of men and women, distinguishing between part-time and full-time workers and, between industries and services as in Table 3 of the Labour Market Gazette, November 1996, page 491, for each local authority in Tyne and Wear. |
| [Transferred] (23668) | |
| 353 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the estimated number of (a) men and (b) women who are earning less than £2.00 per hour in the United Kingdom. |
| [Transferred] (23287) | |
| 354 | Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what plans she has to make the payment of employment tribunal awards compulsory. |
| [Transferred] (23461) | |
| 355 | Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how many awards of over £50,000 were made by employment tribunals in cases of unfair dismissal in each of the last three years; and how many of these remain unpaid. |
| [Transferred] (23462) | |
| 356 | Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what estimate she has made of the amount contributed annually to the redundancy fund by the fishermen made redundant as a result of the loss of Icelandic fishing in 1976. |
| [Transferred] (23460) | |
| 357 | Mrs Jackie Ballard (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will publish the number of lone parents in each parliamentary constituency. |
| [Transferred] (23523) | |
| 358 | Mrs Jackie Ballard (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate she has made of the projected change in the numbers of lone parents over the next 10 years. |
| [Transferred] (23522) | |
| 359 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what has been the number of people suspected of carrying illegal drugs stopped and searched at ports of entry into the United Kingdom since 1st January 1997. |
| [Transferred] (23291) | |
| 360 | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what plans he has to introduce freedom of information legislation. |
| [Transferred] (23361) | |
| 361 | Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what representations she has received on the effects of the minimum wage on the pay of women in East Anglia. |
| [Transferred] (23284) | |
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| © Parliamentary copyright 1998 | Revised 15 January 1998 |