 House of Commons |
Session 1997-98 Publications on the internet The Order Book |
| Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Friday 16 January 1998
Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Friday 16 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 Friday 16 January, of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order of Business. For Written and Oral Questions for answer from Monday 19 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 | Mr Hugh Bayley (City of York): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement about the implications of his White Paper, The Food Standards Agency: A Force for Change, for the location, continued employment prospects and managerial lines of accountability of the staff working for (a) the Meat Hygiene Service and (b) other divisions and agencies of his Department at his Department's offices at King's Pool, York. |
| (24040) | |
| 2 | Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what research his Department has evaluated regarding the effect of offshore dredging for aggregates on sea defences and coastal erosion. |
| (23699) | |
| 3 N | Mr Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the progress of Professor Ian Kennedy's review relating to the risks of importing rabies. |
| (22794) | |
| 4 | Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what is the forecast annual cost to the livestock industry of tagging and identification requirements. |
| (23702) | |
| 5 | Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what is the forecast cost to the industry of the Meat Hygiene Service for the calendar year 1998. |
| (23703) | |
| 6 | Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if the United Kingdom share under the 1983 allocation relating to fisheries will remain constant irrespective of any new members joining the EU (a) during and (b) after the transitional period to the Common Fisheries Policy has expired. |
| (23700) | |
| 7 | Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what was the total cost to the industry of the Meat Hygiene Service for the calendar year 1997. |
| (23704) | |
| 8 | Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what was the total cost to the industry of the Meat and Livestock Commission in the last year for which figures are available. |
| (23705) | |
| 9 | Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will provide a schedule of all governmental levies, charges and other financial impositions upon the agriculture industry and agricultural products together with their estimated cost in the most recent year for which figures are available. |
| (23701) | |
| 10 | Mr David Lepper (Brighton, Pavilion): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the number and location of Countryside Stewardship Scheme public access sites in (a) the Brighton Pavilion constituency and (b) East and West Sussex; what steps have been taken to inform the public of access to Countryside Stewardship Scheme access sites; and what sums his Department has (i) spent to date and (ii) contracted to spend in respect of payments for public access to these sites. |
| (23936) | |
| 11 N | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will give the levels of (a) suckler cow, (b) ewe premium and (c) HLCA payments for beef and sheep per animal in cash prices and at 1997 prices for each of the last five years and his proposals for 1998-99. |
| (23484) | |
| 12 | Mrs Jackie Ballard (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with satellite television broadcasters on the inclusion of terrestrial television channels in their services. |
| (23941) | |
| 13 | Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if the Government will subsidise the provision of set top boxes to allow (a) the elderly and (b) the disabled to continue receiving television signals after the cessation of analogue broadcasts. |
| (23686) | |
| 14 | Mrs Jackie Ballard (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in what circumstances the instrument flying qualifications of Army helicopter pilots are recognised by the Civil Aviation Authority. |
| (23942) | |
| 15 | Mrs Jackie Ballard (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what training to fly using instruments in bad weather conditions helicopter pilots receive. |
| (23937) | |
| 16 N | Mr Hugh Bayley (City of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he intends to consult honourable Members with a constituency interest over Commander in Chief's Land Command's proposal to relocate HQ 2nd Division at York to Edinburgh in April 2000; if he will list the units currently located at Imphal Barracks in York and the number of (a) service and (b) civilian personnel employed by these units; which of these units will be affected by the Land Command restructuring proposals; and if he will made a statement about the future of Imphal Barracks in York and the Land Command restructuring proposals. |
| (23356) | |
| 17 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place a copy in the Library of the letter sent to suppliers reminding them of their contractual arrangement to ensure their goods are millennium compliant and list the suppliers to whom the letter was sent and the date on which it was sent. |
| (23588) | |
| 18 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd December, Official Report, column 418, if he will list the names of those suppliers who have been unable to provide the necessary assurances that the equipment they provide is millennium compliant. |
| (23587) | |
| 19 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the latest estimate of the cost to his Department of ensuring that all equipment is millennium compliant. |
| (23586) | |
| 20 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many officials and at what grade are working on millennium compliance issues. |
| (23589) | |
| 21 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what records his Department holds on the dumping of radioactive waste and low-grade radioactive waste in (a) the Fareham Borough Council, (b) the East Hampshire District Council and (c) the Rushmoor Borough Council area; and if he will make them available to the councils' environmental health officers. |
| (23717) | |
| 22 | Mr Alan Johnson (Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Hull trawlermen signed the Official Secrets Act in the 1970s. |
| (23944) | |
| 23 | Mr Alan Johnson (Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 17th December, Official Report, column 214, concerning intelligence gathering by trawlers, which three Hull trawlers were used for specific intelligence gathering; on what date in 1973 these operations ceased; and how many trawlers were used in non-specific intelligence gathering. |
| (23948) | |
| 24 | Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the research conducted by the Medical Education Department of Dundee University into atomic test veterans' health. |
| (23798) | |
| 25 | Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent communications his Department has had with the Australian government concerning the study being undertaken by Dr Rabbitt-Roff of Dundee University on the effects on British veterans' health of the atmospheric atomic tests conducted by the United Kingdom in Australia. |
| (23809) | |
| 26 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his Answer of 4th December, Official Report, column 325, if he will place (a) a copy of his letter to colleagues and (b) copies of each department's response to his request for further information on the skills issue and millennium compliance in the Library. |
| (23613) | |
| 27 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will list his responsibilities for millennium compliance in the light of the Prime Minster's announcement of his new responsibilities. |
| (23623) | |
| 28 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his Answer of 4th December, Official Report, column 324, if he will list the departments whose plans indicate that PC replacement plans will not be completed until after June 1999. |
| (23614) | |
| 29 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will give details of all engagements he has undertaken directly in connection with millennium compliance issues since 1st November. |
| (23624) | |
| 30 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many officials in his Department, and at what grade, are working on millennium compliance issues. |
| (23615) | |
| 31 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will publish the results for the link items for mathematics for the (a) Third International Mathematics and Sciences Study, (b) Secondary International Mathematics Study and (c) First International Mathematics Study. |
| (22795) | |
| 32 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, for what reasons schools taking part in the literacy summer schools project are not required to use standardised tests of reading before and after the project takes place. |
| (22796) | |
| 33 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how university students' fees will be applied in the case of those students who were required to engage in a year's vocational work after A level, prior to consideration for entry to university, who were for that reason unable to secure admission offers for 1997-98. |
| (23957) | |
| 34 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what financial support his Department offers to full-time students on sandwich courses who are unable to find paid placements. |
| (23961) | |
| 35 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what proposals the Government has to assist students spending a year in an industrial placement. |
| (23965) | |
| 36 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many, and what percentage, of schools are not complying with Health and Safety Executive lighting standards; and what additional resources are being made available to ensure compliance. |
| (23962) | |
| 37 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what criteria will be employed in approving mergers and acquisitions involving further education colleges; what will be the consultation process for staff and local communities; and if he will make a statement on his policy. |
| (23959) | |
| 38 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what university tuition fees will apply in respect of students who were offered deferred entry in 1998-99 on the basis of results which have now been re-marked on appeal to levels which could have secured an entry in 1997-98. |
| (23939) | |
| 39 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the amount allocated to Northumberland TEC for (a) training fees, (b) starts funding and (c) outcomes funding in the three most recent available years. |
| (23989) | |
| 40 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what were the numbers of staff and the administrative costs of the Northumberland Education Authority and the number of school pupils for which the authority was responsible in the last three years for which figures are available. |
| (24018) | |
| 41 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what the pupil-teacher ratio has been in Northumberland each year since 1992. |
| (24020) | |
| 42 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what proportion of children in Northumberland schools are entitled to free school meals. |
| (23993) | |
| 43 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many temporary classrooms are at present located on (a) nursery, (b) primary and (c) secondary school sites in Northumberland Education Authority's area. |
| (23988) | |
| 44 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what the surplus achieved by Northumberland TEC on trading accounts was for the financial years 1995-96 and 1996-97. |
| (23990) | |
| 45 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how much was spent in total on education in Northumberland at constant prices in each of the last 10 years. |
| (23994) | |
| 46 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is the current average cost of providing a full-time nursery place in Northumberland Education Authority. |
| (24017) | |
| 47 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many (a) men and (b) women are at present in apprenticeship schemes in England and Wales. |
| (23805) | |
| 48 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the percentage intake of full-time home undergraduates at each HEFCE funded institution from (a) state schools, (b) fee-paying schools and (c) the FEFC sector, onto (i) arts and social science courses, (ii) science courses and (iii) all courses in (1) 1995 and (2) 1996; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23608) | |
| 49 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the percentage of the intake for each maintained grammar school from outside the boundary of the local authority in which it was situated in (a) 1995, (b) 1996 and (c) 1997. |
| (23609) | |
| 50 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the percentage of the intake from maintained primary schools at each maintained grammar school in (a) 1995, (b) 1996 and (c) 1997; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23607) | |
| 51 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the number of trained teachers who qualified in (a) Australia, (b) New Zealand, (c) Canada and (d) South Africa who were teaching in maintained schools in London on (i) 1st January 1997 and (ii) 30th September 1997. |
| (23610) | |
| 52 N | Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what guidance he has given to OFSTED on the frequency with which school inspections should be carried out. |
| (23314) | |
| 53 | Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is the cost of producing and circulating, Partners in Europe: A Resource Pack for Schools. |
| (23685) | |
| 54 | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many grants were awarded by the Humanities Research Board of the British Academy to students to undertake a masters and doctoral higher degree from (a) higher education colleges and (b) universities in the last five years. |
| (23824) | |
| 55 | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what policy the Humanities Research Board of the British Academy operates in respect of funding for students wishing to undertake masters and doctoral higher degrees; what proportion of studentships have been allocated to mature students in the last five years; and how many of the studentships were allocated to those who have graduated from colleges of higher education in the last five years. |
| (23823) | |
| 56 | Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will take steps to strengthen the regulatory powers of OFWAT. |
| (23698) | |
| 57 | Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the water regulator. |
| (23696) | |
| 58 | Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what progress has been made in improving the record of the water industry in respect of (a) leakage, (b) water quality and (c) value for money for consumers. |
| (23697) | |
| 59 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many people were employed by Northumberland County Council (a) full time and (b) part time, excluding teachers in each year since 1992. |
| (23991) | |
| 60 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is his estimate of the number of local authority tenants not in receipt of housing benefit in Blyth Valley. |
| (24029) | |
| 61 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the projects within the Northumberland County Council area that have received European Regional Development Funding in the last three years. |
| (24019) | |
| 62 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the current value of the local authority occupational pension funds. |
| (23791) | |
| 63 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions he has had, and with whom, to seek to improve travelling conditions in motor coaches for disabled people. |
| (23800) | |
| 64 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the cost of millennium compliance for the Coastguard Agency. |
| (23636) | |
| 65 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what contingency plans he has made in the event of millennium compliance failures in any transportation system in the United Kingdom. |
| (23634) | |
| 66 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the total cost of millennium compliance to his Department broken down between transport, environment and the regions. |
| (23633) | |
| 67 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what contingency arrangements have been made for the Coastguard Agency in the event of any millennium compliance failure. |
| (23635) | |
| 68 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many officials, and at what grade, are working on millennium compliance issues. |
| (23637) | |
| 69 | Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to allow the continued use of classic cars when leaded petrol is withdrawn from general sale. |
| (23827) | |
| 70 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many sewage treatment plants in the United Kingdom include ultra-violet treatment systems; and if he will list their locations. |
| (23716) | |
| 71 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of ultra-violet treatment of sewage. |
| (23719) | |
| 72 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to introduce legislation to require ultra-violet treatment of sewage. |
| (23720) | |
| 73 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what research he has commissioned into the effectiveness of ultra-violet treatment of sewage. |
| (23718) | |
| 74 N | Mr David Heath (Somerton and Frome): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the funding for implementation of the Pennington Report, announced on 19th August 1997, will count against local authority spending limits. |
| (22948) | |
| 75 | Mr Stephen Hesford (Wirral West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when the Government's proposals on the right to roam will be published; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23819) | |
| 76 | Mr Alan Johnson (Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 16th December, Official Report, column 151-2, concerning the 13 reports received on the possible location of the wreck of 'The Gaul', what were the dates of each report; and if he will publish the reports in full. |
| (23947) | |
| 77 | Mr David Marshall (Glasgow, Shettleston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what grants are available to enable coach operators to fit seat belts in coaches used in transporting children to and from school; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23995) | |
| 78 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects the consultation paper on access to the countryside to be published. |
| (23808) | |
| 79 | Mr Andrew Reed (Loughborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what new measures he plans to improve road safety in the vicinity of schools. |
| (23829) | |
| 80 | Mr Andrew Reed (Loughborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received about Circular 18/94, in relation to the Police and Criminal Justice Act 1994; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23831) | |
| 81 | Mr Andrew Reed (Loughborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received about footpath I18 in Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23830) | |
| 82 | Mr Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what progress has been made towards national coverage of local plans and unitary development plans. |
| (23806) | |
| 83 N | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the result of enquiries made by the Marine Safety Agency into the circumstances of the 17 hour delay in the completion of the journey commenced by M.V. 'Pride of Bilbao', on 3rd January. |
| (23590) | |
| 84 N | Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 18th December, Official Report, column 246, for what reasons a breakdown of replies signed by his private secretary and himself is not available. |
| (23051) | |
| 85 N | Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the amount of revenue likely to be raised in 1997-98 from airport taxes paid by the Chernobyl Children Life Line. |
| (23313) | |
| 86 | Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green and Bow): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much money remains unclaimed from the total sum of post-war credits; what the Government proposes to do with this money; and if he will make it his policy to use it to benefit the generation which provided it. |
| (23706) | |
| 87 | Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of current and future pensioners with private pension plans who will be affected by the changes to ACT. |
| (23910) | |
| 88 | Mr David Lepper (Brighton, Pavilion): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list all (a) buildings, (b) works of art, (c) land and (d) other property in (i) the Brighton Pavilion constituency and (ii) East and West Sussex which are subject to public access or examination by the public as a condition of exemption from inheritance tax; what steps have been taken to inform the public about access to these; and what is the value of conditional exemption from inheritance tax for each year between 1979-80 and 1996-97 relating to (a) to (d) in (i) and (ii). |
| (23938) | |
| 89 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 11th December, Official Report, column 649, what official response followed the letter of the Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the United Kingdom Permanent Representative of 16th July last. |
| (23612) | |
| 90 N | Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he sought the Prime Minister's prior assent for each overseas visit made by Mrs Gaynor Regan when accompanying him at public expense. |
| (23382) | |
| 91 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Turkish government as to the continuing imprisonment of elected members of the Turkish National Assembly; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23801) | |
| 92 | Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the level of civil and political rights afforded to women in Afghanistan. |
| (23820) | |
| 93 | Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the nature and extent of the United Kingdom's diplomatic contact with Afghanistan. |
| (23821) | |
| 94 N | Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the occasions on which Mrs Gaynor Regan has accompanied him at public expense since 2nd May; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23533) | |
| 95 N | Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what has been the cost to public funds of each occasion on which Mrs Gaynor Regan has accompanied him on his official duties. |
| (23488) | |
| 96 N | Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he sought the advice of his Permanent Under-Secretary of State about the participation of Mrs Gaynor Regan on official visits organised by his Department. |
| (23487) | |
| 97 | Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he sought the permission of the Prime Minister in accordance with paragraph 69(a) of the Ministerial Code for Mrs Gaynor Regan to accompany him on overseas visits at public expense. |
| (23723) | |
| 98 | Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will raise with Vice President Gore in his meeting on 15th January, the further joint release of official documents concerning the 1958 United States/United Kingdom Mutual Defense Agreement on Atomic Energy Matters. |
| (23799) | |
| 99 | Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish the record of the vote at the United Nations General Assembly on 9th December 1997 on the resolution on multilateral disarmament, indicating how the United Kingdom voted, and the reasons for its vote. |
| (23838) | |
| 100 | Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on which occasions since 1968 the US government has notified Her Majesty's Government of changes in its policy towards the importing of plutonium from the UK under the UK/US Mutual Defense Agreement 1958; and what form such notifications took. |
| (23807) | |
| 101 | Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what consultations the United States government had with Her Majesty's Government prior to the release on 22nd December of a US Department of Energy fact sheet on the quantity of plutonium acquired by the United States from the United Kingdom under the US/UK 1958 Mutual Defense Agreement on Atomic Energy Matters. |
| (23796) | |
| 102 | Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what variations have been made to Article 2 of the Amendment of 27th September 1968 to the agreement for co-operation on the uses of atomic energy for mutual defense purposes, of 3rd July 1958. |
| (23793) | |
| 103 N | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the purpose of his return to the United Kingdom from the Indian sub-continent during Her Majesty the Queen's visit to Pakistan and India; and what was the cost of the travel involved. |
| (23625) | |
| 104 N | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the journeys overseas by the spouse or partner accompanying him since 1st May were in every case authorised in advance by the Prime Minister. |
| (23572) | |
| 105 N | Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what is the cost of the staff employed by the European Commission who are based in countries outside the European Union; and how many such staff are employed. |
| (23029) | |
| 106 N | Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many staff employed by the European Commission are based in Barbados; what are their functions; and what is their cost to public funds. |
| (23028) | |
| 107 | Mrs Jackie Ballard (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will increase the resources available for the treatment of back pain; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23940) | |
| 108 N | Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to reply to the letter from the honourable Member for Reigate of 26th November 1997 about appointments as chairmen and non-executive directors of NHS Boards. |
| (22947) | |
| 109 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he took to inform community continence services of the Treasury's decision on 13th August 1997 to impose VAT on home deliveries of continence products. |
| (22842) | |
| 110 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many beds are available for drug addict patients in the Northumberland Health Authority area. |
| (24025) | |
| 111 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has for research into contraception and contraceptive methods. |
| (24027) | |
| 112 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many drug addict patients were treated for detoxification in Blyth Valley (a) in 1994, (b) 1995, (c) 1996 and (d) 1997; and how many returned for detoxification again. |
| (24024) | |
| 113 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many elderly mental illness beds Northumberland Health Authority provides. |
| (23987) | |
| 114 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients in Blyth Valley are injecting Methadone. |
| (24021) | |
| 115 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients are being prescribed Methadone under supervision in Blyth Valley through the Methadone clinic, substance misuse team and family doctors. |
| (24023) | |
| 116 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients in the Northumberland Health Authority area are being prescribed Temazepam by their general practitioner; and how many are being prescribed Valium. |
| (24022) | |
| 117 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what data he has collated on medical surveys in the United Kingdom linking dust from opencast mining with high levels of illness among those living close to the workings. |
| (24035) | |
| 118 | Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the current research into the health risks of electro-magnetic fields created by overhead electricity lines or electricity sub-stations. |
| (23912) | |
| 119 | Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Canning Town): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to extend the regional data base of drug users into a reconstituted national data base; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23924) | |
| 120 | Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans the Government has to fund research into the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. |
| (24042) | |
| 121 | Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many times cannabis was prescribed in England between 1968 and 1971; and for which illnesses. |
| (24038) | |
| 122 N | Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement about the redevelopment of Stretton Hall, Great Glen, with particular reference to his Department's immunity from planning regulations. |
| (23383) | |
| 123 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what contingency arrangements have been made for the Ambulance Service in the event of millennium compliance failure. |
| (23639) | |
| 124 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost of millennium compliance for the Ambulance Service. |
| (23640) | |
| 125 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, by what date all (a) kidney dialysis machines, (b) intensive care cots for premature babies and (c) intensive care equipment will be millennium compliant; and what will be the cost of compliance. |
| (23646) | |
| 126 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to be able to estimate accurately the costs of millennium compliance in the NHS. |
| (23644) | |
| 127 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he wrote to suppliers to the NHS reminding them of the necessity for all equipment to be millennium compliant; and if he will place a copy of the letter in the Library and list the names of suppliers he has sent it to and the date it was sent. |
| (23645) | |
| 128 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many officials, and at what grade, are working on millennium compliance issues. |
| (23641) | |
| 129 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what resources are being made available to the NHS's Adverse Incident Centre to deal with any failures to systems through millennium compliance failures. |
| (23638) | |
| 130 N | Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many new medical schools he anticipates will be required to implement the recommendations of the Medical Workforce Standing Advisory Committee. |
| (23174) | |
| 131 N | Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is his Department's policy towards the recommendations of the Medical Workforce Standing Advisory Committee. |
| (23175) | |
| 132 | Mr Alan Johnson (Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many maternity hospitals in England are isolated from pathology, radiology, intensive care and other general hospital facilities; and what are (a) their locations and (b) their approximate distance from such facilities. |
| (23911) | |
| 133 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to regulate more effectively cosmetic surgery clinics to ensure that medically qualified personnel undertaking surgical procedures are fully qualified to carry out these operations. |
| (23687) | |
| 134 N | Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to increase the number of NHS dentists in the South Devon area. |
| (23386) | |
| 135 | Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will investigate the complaints of long standing illness claimed by atomic test veterans and their families and forwarded to him by a national Sunday newspaper. |
| (23810) | |
| 136 | Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent research findings are available from the assessment of services for care leavers, following the Government commitment to monitor the implementation of the Children Act 1989 as it relates to provisions for children leaving care. |
| (23945) | |
| 137 | Mr Robert Syms (Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance he has given to health authorities to ensure a more consistent provision of infertility services across the country. |
| (23913) | |
| 138 | Mr Robert Syms (Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimates his Department has made of the likely amount to be spent on research into diabetes in the current year; and how this compares with spending in the last five years. |
| (23914) | |
| 139 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which police stations in London (a) ceased operation and (b) ceased to offer a 24 hour service in (i) 1996 and (ii) 1997. |
| (23943) | |
| 140 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the impact of the introduction of CS gas on the number of assaults and injuries to police officers in London. |
| (23934) | |
| 141 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the cost to the Metropolitan Police of supporting the work of (a) the Association of Chief Police Officers and (b) other outside organisations in the last year for which figures are available. |
| (23984) | |
| 142 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what are the extra training costs (a) in respect of the Metropolitan Police and (b) nationally, as a result of the tenure policy; and what increases are planned in (i) recruitment and (ii) funding to take account of such retraining. |
| (23964) | |
| 143 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on discussions over the creation of a combined emergency service for London, involving the fire and ambulance services. |
| (23932) | |
| 144 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many uniformed officers were on beat duty (a) in London and (b) in Twickenham (i) at the latest available date and (ii) 12 months previously. |
| (23963) | |
| 145 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the recruitment targets for the Metropolitan Police Service in (a) 1997 and (b) 1998. |
| (23935) | |
| 146 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people sought relocation in 1997 under the witness protection scheme; and how many were successfully rehoused, by borough. |
| (23960) | |
| 147 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many drug-related crimes there were in Northumberland in each of the last three years for which figures are available. |
| (24026) | |
| 148 | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the increase in the number of children who will be made the subject of a care order as a result of the operation of the child safety order provisions of the Crime and Disorder Bill. |
| (23972) | |
| 149 | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the increase in numbers of (a) probation officers, (b) social workers, (c) local authority education staff and (d) health authority staff which will be occasioned by the child safety and parenting provisions of the Crime and Disorder Bill. |
| (23969) | |
| 150 | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will provide a breakdown of his estimate that the additional costs of child safety orders and parenting orders will not exceed £4 million per annum. |
| (23970) | |
| 151 | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children, aged (a) 10 and (b) 11 were convicted of offences which would be punishable with imprisonment in the case of a person aged 21 years or over in (i) the last year for which figures are available and (ii) each of the preceding 10 years. |
| (23966) | |
| 152 | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the names of the respondents to his Tackling Youth Crime consultation paper who (a) were in favour of the local child curfew scheme, (b) were against the local child curfew scheme and (c) commented that the age range for the scheme should not be limited to those below 10 years of age. |
| (23971) | |
| 153 | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research has been carried out or commissioned by his Department into (a) the need for and (b) the effects of the imposition of custodial sentences on children aged (a) 10 and (b) 11 years. |
| (23967) | |
| 154 | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received in favour of the introduction of custodial sentences for children aged (a) 10 and (b) 11 years. |
| (23968) | |
| 155 N | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish all the correspondence between his Department, the Metropolitan Police, the Nigerian Police and Interpol concerning Abdul Oudigo in 1995 and 1996. |
| (23026) | |
| 156 N | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish the contents of the Interpol report on Abdul Oudigo that was received by his Department in 1996. |
| (23027) | |
| 157 | Mr Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the average queuing time for the Public Enquiry Office at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in Croydon; what is the average time taken to answer (a) telephone enquiries and (b) enquiries by letter to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in Croydon; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23915) | |
| 158 | Mr Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what specific improvements for the public will be forthcoming following the loss of 1200 jobs at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate and the introduction of a new computer system, with special reference to the length of time taken to deal with applications and enquiries; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23916) | |
| 159 | Mr Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the average time taken by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to process to completion applications for British citizenship; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23917) | |
| 160 | Mr Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applicants for asylum to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate are awaiting decisions on their cases; how many refused applications are awaiting appeal; what is the date of the oldest application still to be processed; what is the date of the oldest refusal still awaiting appeal; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23918) | |
| 161 | Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prosecutions for possession of cannabis there were in each year since 1971. |
| (24041) | |
| 162 N | Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many sites in the North-West region were considered as possible sites for prison building prior to the selection of a site at Winwick; and what discussions were held with Warrington Borough Council and other local authorities prior to the selection of this site. |
| (23316) | |
| 163 N | Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of prison places likely to be required over the next 10 years for people from (a) Warrington, (b) the North-West, (c) Manchester and (d) Liverpool. |
| (23317) | |
| 164 N | Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria are currently used by the Prison Service to decide between various possible sites for prison development; and what plans he has to change those criteria. |
| (23315) | |
| 165 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many convictions there have been in each year since 1987 for (a) manufacturing and (b) trading in counterfeit goods. |
| (23996) | |
| 166 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the value of counterfeit (a) clothing, (b) perfumes and (c) jewellery seized by the police in each year since 1987. |
| (23998) | |
| 167 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what is the latest estimate he has made of the total cost of millennium compliance in the House of Commons. |
| (23642) | |
| 168 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, as representing the House of Commons Commission, how many staff are working on the millennium compliance of all systems in the House of Commons. |
| (23643) | |
| 169 | Mr Robert Syms (Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what projects her Department has supported in Uganda to promote democracy. |
| (23946) | |
| 170 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many libel actions have been decided by (a) a judge and (b) a jury in each of the last 10 years. |
| (24000) | |
| 171 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what conditions have to be satisfied for the courts to allow a libel action to proceed without a jury. |
| (24036) | |
| 172 | Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will list by county, those localities where magistrates'courts have been closed in each of the last five years and those localities where magistrates' courts have been proposed or agreed for closure in 1998. |
| (23958) | |
| 173 | Mr Francis Maude (Horsham): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, if, and at what cost, he was accompanied to Disney World by Civil Service staff. |
| (23922) | |
| 174 | Mr Francis Maude (Horsham): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, what severance pay has been granted to the former Creative Director of the New Millennium Experience Company. |
| (23921) | |
| 175 | Mr Francis Maude (Horsham): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, what lessons he is drawing from Disney World for the Millennium Experience. |
| (23919) | |
| 176 | Mr Francis Maude (Horsham): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, what was the cost to public funds of his visit to Disney World in Orlando. |
| (23920) | |
| 177 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, for what reasons he chose to visit Disney World Florida rather than Disney Land Paris; and what was the extra cost of visiting Florida compared with a visit to Paris for the same purpose. |
| (23476) | |
| 178 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, what was the cost of his trip to Florida, including the travel and accommodation costs of accompanying staff. |
| (23481) | |
| 179 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, how many days he spent in the United States of America on his recent trip; and how many of these were working days. |
| (23480) | |
| 180 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, what responsibility he has for the coal industry. |
| (23479) | |
| 181 | Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, how many (a) civil servants and (b) special advisers accompanied him to Disney World; what was the estimated cost of their visit; and what was their schedule of appointments at Disney World. |
| (23925) | |
| 182 | Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, what meetings took place in the United Kingdom between representatives of the Disney Corporation and the New Millennium Experience Company during the course of 1997; when and where such meetings took place; which (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) representatives of the New Millennium Experience Company were present at the meetings; and what was discussed. |
| (23933) | |
| 183 | Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, if he will list the dates of his visit to the United States of America separately identifying the date of his visit to Disney World; and if he will provide a breakdown of his appointments at Disney World. |
| (23931) | |
| 184 | Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, what was the cost to public funds of his recent visit to the United States of America; and what part of his visit was for private purposes. |
| (23923) | |
| 185 | Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, what severance pay has been given to Mr Stephen Bayley, former Creative Director of the New Millennium Experience Company. |
| (23926) | |
| 186 | Mr Robert McCartney (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will make a statement on the differences between Northern Ireland Road Traffic law and that in Great Britain; and what steps are being taken to ensure uniformity. |
| (23695) | |
| 187 | Mr Robert McCartney (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will require originals of replaced giros to be held back by the Post Office on encashment for inspection by her Department for evidential purposes. |
| (23691) | |
| 188 | Mr Robert McCartney (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will give the RUC the power to obliterate or remove graffiti and markings of a sectarian nature; and if she will make a statement. |
| (23689) | |
| 189 | Mr Robert McCartney (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, in what respects her Department applied different procedures in respect of (a) the leak of the Drumcree memorandum differently, (b) the leak of personnel files from the Department of Agriculture Private Office; what factors underlay differences in procedure; and if she will make a statement. |
| (236693) | |
| 190 | Mr Robert McCartney (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to her Answer of 1st December, Official Report, columns 8-9, if she will make a statement on the rates of growth in Catholic and Protestant representation in the Northern Ireland Civil Service; and what steps she is taking in regard to future trends in representation. |
| (23692) | |
| 191 | Mr Robert McCartney (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many awards were made in 1997 to Post Office staff for assistance in relation to DHSS giro fraud; and what was the total expenditure on such awards. |
| (23690) | |
| 192 | Mr Robert McCartney (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many staff are employed in each Northern Ireland Office/Civil Service Department on preparing legislation; and what are the total and average staff costs in each Department. |
| (23694) | |
| 193 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will estimate how many current RUC officers of (a) Catholic and (b) Protestant origin have been the subject of religious discrimination. |
| (22349) | |
| 194 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will estimate the annual incident of religious discrimination within the RUC for the period 1991 to 1996 in respect of officers of (a) Catholic and (b) Protestant origin. |
| (22350) | |
| 195 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will estimate the extent of under-reporting of incidents of religious discrimination within the RUC; what assessment she has made of the causes of under-reporting; and what improvements to procedures she proposes. |
| (22351) | |
| 196 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will identify by rank those persons responsible for religious discrimination in respect of RUC officers of (a) Catholic and (b) Protestant origin since 1991. |
| (22352) | |
| 197 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will set out the (a) terms of reference, (b) key objectives and (c) measures of gauging the effectiveness of the Equal Opportunities Unit within the RUC. |
| (22353) | |
| 198 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will estimate how many current (a) female and (b) male RUC officers have been the subject of sexual harassment. |
| (22422) | |
| 199 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will estimate the annual incidence of sexual harassment within the RUC for the period from 1991 to 1996 in respect of (a) female and (b) male RUC officers. |
| (22423) | |
| 200 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what is the code of practice relating to sexual harassment within the RUC. |
| (22424) | |
| 201 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will estimate the extent of under-reporting of incidents of sexual harassment within the RUC; what assessment she has made of possible causes of under-reporting; and what improvements to procedures she proposes. |
| (22425) | |
| 202 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will estimate the extent of under-reporting of incidents of religious harassment within the RUC; what assessment she has made of causes of under-reporting; and what improvements to procedures she proposes. |
| (22662) | |
| 203 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what definition of religious discrimination has been used by the RUC in its internal reports; and what estimate has been made of the extent to which officers of (a) Catholic and (b) Protestant origin perceive religious discrimination to be a problem. |
| (22724) | |
| 204 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will identify by rank those found responsible for sexual harassment within the RUC since 1991. |
| (22426) | |
| 205 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will estimate how many (a) female and (b) male RUC officers have been the subject of sexual discrimination during their careers. |
| (22427) | |
| 206 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will estimate the annual incidence of sexual discrimination within the RUC for the period from 1991 to 1996 in respect of (a) female and (b) male officers. |
| (22428) | |
| 207 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will estimate the extent of under-reporting of incidents of sexual discrimination within the RUC; what assessment she has made of the possible causes of under-reporting; and what improvements to procedures she proposes. |
| (22429) | |
| 208 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will identify by rank those persons responsible for sexual discrimination in respect of (a) female and of (b) male RUC officers since 1991. |
| (22430) | |
| 209 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will estimate how many current RUC officers of (a) Catholic and (b) Protestant origin have been the subject of religious harassment during their careers. |
| (22659) | |
| 210 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will estimate the annual incidence of religious harassment within the RUC for the period 1991 to 1996 in respect of officers of (a) Catholic and (b) Protestant origin. |
| (22660) | |
| 211 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will define behaviour that would constitute religious harassment within the RUC. |
| (22661) | |
| 212 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will identify by rank those persons responsible for religious harassment experienced by RUC officers of (a) Catholic and (b) Protestant origin. |
| (22663) | |
| 213 N | Mr Ken Maginnis (Fermanagh and South Tyrone): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what were the circumstances relating to the arrest and preferring of charges against eight men in connection with a robbery at Holmes Cash and Carry at Boucher Road, Belfast in February 1996; how many juries were selected and how many trials took place; what was the cost of the entire judicial process; for what reason this case was de-scheduled; and if she will make a statement regarding its conduct and outcome. |
| (23385) | |
| 214 N | Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask the Prime Minister, if paragraph 83 of the provisions of the Ministerial Code concerning travel at public expense by Ministers' spouses also applies to such travel by Minister's partners who are not spouses in circumstances where the Minister has a spouse; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23384) | |
| 215 | Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with the Right honourable Member for Yeovil about the successor to Sir Leon Brittan as European Commissioner. |
| (23711) | |
| 216 | Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions he has had regarding the replacement British Commissioner at the end of Sir Leon Brittan's term of office. |
| (23712) | |
| 217 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list his responsibilities for millennium compliance issues. |
| (23530) | |
| 218 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will publish his response to the British North America Committee on millennium compliance issues. |
| (23558) | |
| 219 | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Prime Minister, what was the occasion of the official function held on 7th May at No. 10 Downing Street; who attended; and at what cost to public funds. |
| (23836) | |
| 220 | Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the occasions on which he has given permission for partners of Ministers other than their spouses to accompany Ministers on overseas visits at public expense. |
| (23722) | |
| 221 | Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the revisions to the Ministerial Code since its publication; and when they were published. |
| (23721) | |
| 222 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Prime Minister, what was the cost to public funds of the trip to the Seychelles and Nairobi for (a) the travel and accommodation of accompanying staff and (b) the Prime Minister and Mrs Blair. |
| (23478) | |
| 223 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Prime Minister, what was the cost to public funds for travel and accommodation for the staff, Prime Minister and Mrs Blair on their trip to Japan. |
| (23477) | |
| 224 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will publish a revised list of responsibilities of the Minister without Portfolio. |
| (23571) | |
| 225 N | Mr Nick St. Aubyn (Guildford): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will publish guidelines to govern the arrangements applying when a Minister's personal friend other than a spouse may accompany him on official business at public expense. |
| (23486) | |
| 226 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what response he has sent to the Royal College of Nursing's representations that there should be one United Kingdom-wide system of registration and regulation of the nursing profession. |
| (23305) | |
| 227 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his statement of 12th January, Official Report, column 22, what is his estimate of the financial resources required to abolish the feudal system; and what are the public expenditure consequences. |
| (23312) | |
| 228 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his statement of 12th January, Official Report, column 22, if he will list (a) the legislative requirements and (b) the financial resources needed to meet the integration needs of Scotland's urban transport system. |
| (23309) | |
| 229 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he plans to have with the RSPB over Schedule 5 of the Scotland Bill. |
| (23307) | |
| 230 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, for what reason the promotion of private legislation in Scotland to permit the building of new railway lines is to remain a Westminster matter. |
| (23303) | |
| 231 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his statement on 12th January, Offical Report, column 63, when he will make a statement on the position of the Scottish Parliament and broadcasting. |
| (23311) | |
| 232 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if the Scottish Parliament will have the power to refuse to implement any United Kingdom tax proposals. |
| (23306) | |
| 233 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, on what basis the Minister of State asserted in his oral statement on 13th January, Official Report, column 157, that asymetric devolution should improve the Government of the United Kingdom. |
| (23532) | |
| 234 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his statement of 12th January, Official Report, column 32, what advantages in Brussels have accrued to (a) Catalonia, (b) Andalucia and (c) Baden-WÖrttemberg which are not currently available to the Scottish Office in Brussels; and if he will list the special arrangments which exist within the (i) European Commission and (ii) Council of Ministers for dealing with matters relating to devolved legislative entities within member states. |
| (23310) | |
| 235 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his statement of 12th January, Official Report, column 29, on what basis he maintains that relations between Edinburgh and London will be based on consent and co-operation in the matter of financial resources. |
| (23308) | |
| 236 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his statement of 12th January, Official Report, column 115, on which devolved matters, arising out of Clause 27(7) of the Scotland Bill, the United Kingdom Parliament can legislate after the Scottish Parliament is established. |
| (23304) | |
| 237 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimate he has made of the financial resources and compensation required to abolish feudal superiors' rights. |
| (23537) | |
| 238 | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimate he has made of the amount of money saved to date by (a) each of the current unitary and island local authorities in Scotland and (b) the former regional, district and island councils in Scotland as a result of compulsory competitive tendering. |
| (23828) | |
| 239 | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the numbers and percentage rates of 18 to 25 year olds unemployed in (a) November 1997, (b) May 1997 and (c) May 1996 in the Local Authorities of (i) Angus, (ii) City of Dundee and (iii) Perthshire and Kinross. |
| (23833) | |
| 240 | Mr John McAllion (Dundee East): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what sums were spent on NHS primary care services in Scotland in (i) 1994-95, (ii) 1995-96 and (iii) 1996-97, broken down by (a) pharmaceutical services, (b) general medical services, (c) general ophthalmic services and (d) general dental services; and what percentage of the total each represented in each of the above years. |
| (23842) | |
| 241 | Mr John McAllion (Dundee East): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what sums have been allocated to the NHS primary care service in Scotland 1997-98, and the total broken down into (a) pharmaceutical services, (b) general medical services, (c) general ophthalmic services and (d) general dental services; and what percentage of the total each of these represents. |
| (23841) | |
| 242 | Mr John McAllion (Dundee East): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the sums paid for drugs, medicines, dressings and appliances prescribed and dispensed by dispensing doctors in Scotland under the NHS primary care service in (a) 1994-95, (b) 1995-96 and (c) 1996-97, and the allocation for 1997-98, and the budget from which these sums were drawn. |
| (23826) | |
| 243 | Mr John McAllion (Dundee East): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what proportion of the Scottish NHS primary care pharmaceutical budget was allocated to the remuneration of pharmacy contractors in (a) 1994-95, (b) 1995-96 and (c) 1996-97; how this proportion is determined, and what proportion of the sums allocated to the Scottish NHS primary care pharmaceutical budget for 1997-98 has been made available for this purpose. |
| (23840) | |
| 244 | Mr John McAllion (Dundee East): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the fees and allowances paid to dispensing doctors in Scotland under the NHS primary care service in (i) 1994-95, (ii) 1995-96 and (iii) 1996-97 and the allocation for 1997-98; from which budget these sums were drawn; and for what reason. |
| (23839) | |
| 245 | Mr David Marshall (Glasgow, Shettleston): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will publish for each constituency in Scotland his estimate of the numbers of (a) male and (b) female (i) lone parents, (ii) pensioners, (iii) recipients of DSS benefits and (iv) unemployed persons, (1) under the age of 18 years, (2) aged 18 to 24 years and (3) aged over 24 years. |
| (24037) | |
| 246 N | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will give the levels of payment per hectare for (a) cereals, (b) set-aside and (c) oilseeds in Scotland for each of the last five years at cash prices and at 1997 prices. |
| (23482) | |
| 247 N | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with Ministerial colleagues on the apportionment of Forest Enterprise's assets; what agreement has been reached on the apportionment; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23485) | |
| 248 N | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will give the levels of (a) suckler cow, (b) ewe premium and (c) HLCA payments for beef and sheep per animal at cash prices and at 1997 prices for each of the last five years and his proposals for 1998-99. |
| (23483) | |
| 249 | Rachel Squire (Dunfermline West): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will make a statement on the future provision of council leisure services with particular reference to outsourcing. |
| (23832) | |
| 250 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is her estimate of the number of invalidity benefit recipients in Blyth Valley. |
| (24028) | |
| 251 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people in Blyth Valley are in receipt of disability living allowance. |
| (23986) | |
| 252 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many claims for industrial injuries benefit in respect of chronic bronchitis and emphysema were made in Northumberland in the 10 years up to 1997; and how many were successful. |
| (24030) | |
| 253 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many officials, and at what grade, are working on millennium compliance issues. |
| (23616) | |
| 254 | Ms Patricia Hewitt (Leicester West): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is the net income of (i) a married couple with one earner and two children, (ii) a lone parent with two children and (iii) a single person with no children, on gross earnings of (a) half of average earnings, (b) three-quarters of average earnings, (c) average earnings and (d) twice average earnings allowing for child benefit; and what is the net income of the same groups after allowing for council tax. |
| (23929) | |
| 255 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how many staff are employed in (a) the Northumberland Business Link and (b) Business Links in the United Kingdom as a whole. |
| (24033) | |
| 256 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how many requests for information were received by Northumberland Business Link's Marketing Information Centre in each of the last three years. |
| (24032) | |
| 257 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how many jobs have been created in Northumberland since 1992 as a result of inward investment. |
| (24031) | |
| 258 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will make a statement on the value of British exports to Kenya in the last 12 month period for which figures are available. |
| (23804) | |
| 259 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will make a statement on her Department's policy on keeping post offices open in urban areas of the United Kingdom. |
| (23803) | |
| 260 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what are the issues currently being considered by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. |
| (23802) | |
| 261 | Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what plans she has to ensure that accountancy audits assess operational dependence on informations systems. |
| [R] (23812) | |
| 262 | Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what plans she has to consolidate the analysis and reporting of IT related statistics, with particular reference to the economic impact of the industry on GDP and GNP; and what assessments she has made of the current economic impact of the IT industry and the user IT dependent business. |
| [R] (23815) | |
| 263 | Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what plans she has to appoint a government chief engineering advisor; and from whom Her Majesty's Government receives engineering-related advice at present. |
| [R] (23818) | |
| 264 | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what powers her Department has in relation to the seismic exploration for oil on the mainland where environmental damage has occurred, but where the exploration licence has expired. |
| (23837) | |
| 265 | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will list the occasions when her Department has used its powers against companies which have caused environmental damage during the seismic exploration for oil. |
| (23835) | |
| 266 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how many members have been appointed to the Advisory Board of Action 2000. |
| (23628) | |
| 267 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what official engagements the Minister for Consumer Affairs has undertaken since 1st December 1997. |
| (23531) | |
| 268 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what is her current estimate of the cost of millennium compliance to United Kingdom businesses. |
| (23593) | |
| 269 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what assessment she has made of the impact on and cost to business of dealing with the date change problem and the introduction of the euro over the next two years. |
| (23595) | |
| 270 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what progress she has made in setting up the IT Skills Project Office. |
| (23594) | |
| 271 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will publish the terms of the contract of employment with Don Cruickshank of Action 2000. |
| (23631) | |
| 272 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will publish the promotional plans for Action 2000 to promote awareness of the year 2000 problem. |
| (23592) | |
| 273 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how many officials, and at what grade are working on millennium compliance issues. |
| (23632) | |
| 274 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will list the engagements she has undertaken directly in connection with millennium compliance issues since 1st November. |
| (23591) | |
| 275 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will place the business plans of Action 2000 in the Library. |
| (23629) | |
| 276 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, when Action 2000 will establish a millennium helpline; and what that telephone number will be. |
| (23626) | |
| 277 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what budget has been allocated to Action 2000. |
| (23627) | |
| 278 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will give details of the full staffing plan for Action 2000. |
| (23630) | |
| 279 | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what representations she has received concerning the use of unsolicited fax transmissions as a means of advertising; what plans she has to regulate this activity; and if she will make a statement. |
| (23834) | |
| 280 | Mr Richard Page (South West Hertfordshire): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how many regulations have been abolished by her Department since 1st May; and if she will list them. |
| (23797) | |
| 281 | Mr Richard Page (South West Hertfordshire): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, when she intends to publish the latest payment times of Government Departments; and if she will list them against the previous figures. |
| (23795) | |
| 282 | Mr Richard Page (South West Hertfordshire): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, when her Department applied to the European Commission for permission to use NFFO funds for clean coal technology. |
| (23794) | |
| 283 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what assessment she has made of the extent of the trade in counterfeit goods in the North West; and if she will make a statement. |
| (23997) | |
| 284 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what assessment she has made of the extent of the counterfeit trade in automotive and aerospace spare parts. |
| (23999) | |
| 285 | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, on what occasions she has held official receptions in her Admiralty flat; and at what cost to public funds. |
| (23707) | |
| 286 | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what new inward investments to Britain she signed during her visit to China. |
| (23710) | |
| 287 | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what is the annual budget for the services provided for the President's Admiralty flat. |
| (23688) | |
| 288 | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what estimate she has made of the impact of the newly agreed sulphur dioxide targets on the amount of coal burned in power stations by 2001. |
| (23708) | |
| 289 N | Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what was the source of his information that the 6,000 majority in favour of the 'Yes' campaign at the Caerphilly count came from the Caerphilly constituency; and if he will make a statement. |
| (23606) | |
| 290 | Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, what is the theme and purpose of the Millennium Experience. |
| [Transferred] (23714) | |
| 291 | Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, what kind of outreach participation and by what medium will be available to (a) schools, (b) museums and galleries and (c) the general public from the Millennium Experience. |
| [Transferred] (23709) | |
| 292 | Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, what is his definition of British for the purposes of exhibiting in the Millennium Experience. |
| [Transferred] (23713) | |
| 293 | Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Minister without Portfolio, when he plans to announce the nature of the exhibition in the Millennium Experience Dome. |
| [Transferred] (23715) | |
| 294 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many males aged 50 to 65 years were in full time employment in Northumberland in each of the last three years; and what percentage this was in each year of all males in that age group in that area. |
| [Transferred] (24034) | |
| 295 | Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the impact on the number of deaths caused by air pollution of the introduction and use of unleaded fuel. |
| [Transferred] (24039) | |
| 296 | Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what projects have received funds from (a) the EU Social Fund and (b) the EU Cohesion Fund in the Northumberland County Council area. |
| [Transferred] (23992) | |
| 297 | Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the assessed (a) short and (b) long term health risks to professional divers; and if he will make a statement. |
| [Transferred][R] (23813) | |
| 298 | Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the number of United Kingdom nationals who have registered as professional divers broken down by category for each year since 1979. |
| [Transferred][R] (23817) | |
| 299 | Mr Denis MacShane (Rotherham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list environmental tobacco smoke as a hazardous substance under health and safety at work legislation. |
| [Transferred] (23811) | |
| 300 | Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many claims have been allowed by the Vaccine Damage Payments Unit for each of the past five years, without the claimant having to go to tribunal. |
| [Transferred] (23822) | |
| 301 | Mrs Jackie Ballard (Taunton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of women of child-bearing age in the United Kingdom who earn more than (a) £100,000 and (b) £1 million annually. |
| [Transferred] (23792) | |
| 302 | Ms Patricia Hewitt (Leicester West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of income is paid in income tax and national insurance contributions, allowing for child benefit, in the tax year 1997-98 by (a) a single person with no children and (b) a sole earner in a married two-parent, two-child family on earnings of (i) half of average earnings, (ii) three-quarters of average earnings, (iii) average earnings and (iv) twice average earnings. |
| [Transferred] (23928) | |
| 303 | Ms Patricia Hewitt (Leicester West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what was the change in (a) the level and (b) the value of personal tax allowances (i) from 1978-79 to 1990-91 and (ii) from 1990-91 to 1997-98 for (1) a single person with no children, (2) a lone parent with two children, (3) a married couple with one earner and two children, (4) a married couple with two earners and two children and (5) a cohabiting but unmarried couple with two earners and two children, taking into account child benefit. |
| [Transferred] (23930) | |
| 304 | Ms Patricia Hewitt (Leicester West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, at what proportion of average male earnings (a) a sole earner in a married two-parent, two-child family and (b) a single person with no children start paying income tax in 1997-98; and how this compares with the position in (i) 1978-79 and (ii) 1967-68, allowing for family allowances/child benefit. |
| [Transferred] (23927) | |
| 305 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which registered United Kingdom insurance and reinsurance companies have ceased underwriting since January 1992; and which are paying less than 100 per cent. of claims. |
| [Transferred] (23985) | |
| 306 | Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, who is responsible for the hyperbaric medical monitoring of professional divers once they have left the profession. |
| [Transferred][R] (23816) | |
| 307 | Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how much money offshore operators have contributed to hyperbaric medical research since 1979. |
| [Transferred][R] (23814) | |
| 308 | Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list the number and location of sites in Wales that will provide digital television services; and if he will indicate how many television viewers in Wales will not be covered by digital service transmitters. |
| [Transferred] (23825) | |
| |
| © Parliamentary copyright 1998 | Revised 16 January 1998 |