Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1997-98
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The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Wednesday 28 January 1998

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 28 January of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

For other Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 28 January, of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order of Business.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer from Thursday 29 January, see Part 2 of this Paper.

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

WEDNESDAY 28th JANUARY

1
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee, if he will list, in relation to office accommodation made available to honourable Members for their personal use in the Parliamentary precinct, (a) the average floor space, (b) the smallest floor space, (c) the largest floor space and (d) the number of honourable Members sharing offices; and if he will make a statement.

(26258)

2
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many animals were killed for ritual slaughter in the United Kingdom during 1997.

(26052)

3
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what is the present number of milk quotas in England and Wales.

(26049)

4
N   Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster and Wyre):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will extend the remit of the BSE inquiry to include events up to 31st December.

(25614)

5
N   Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster and Wyre):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to introduce an early retirement scheme for farmers.

(25671)

6
N   Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster and Wyre):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what steps he has taken to ensure that no imported meat is from animals fed on animal by-products.

(25613)

7
N   Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster and Wyre):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what factors govern the limits set in agri-monetary compensation.

(25670)

8
N   Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster and Wyre):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, by what means his Department monitors the beef import regulations introduced on 1st January.

(25673)

9
N   Mr Michael Jack (Fylde):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he has received approval from the EU Commission for his HLCA package announced on 22nd December; and if he will make a statement.

(25674)

10
N   Mr Michael Jack (Fylde):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when before Easter farmers will receive their HLCA and enhanced suckler cow payments.

(25675)

11
N   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what measures he intends to take to improve animal welfare in the European Union under the British presidency.

(26012)

12
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what proportion of Civil Service staff of grade 5 and above within his Department (a) have spent their entire civil service career within his Department, (b) have had secondments to (i) the private sector and (ii) other departments and (c) have come from other departments.

(26021)

13
N   Mr John Swinney (North Tayside):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list (a) by sector and (b) in total, the maximum amount of compensation the Government is empowered to distribute to the agriculture sector in the United Kingdom in the current financial year in respect of the appreciation of the pound; what percentage of each available amount would by paid by (i) the EU and (ii) the United Kingdom; what percentage of the total amount available for each sector will be paid to farmers in the current financial year; and if he will make a statement.

(26001)

14
N   Mr John Swinney (North Tayside):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the impact of the provisions of the Competition Bill [Lords] on farming co-operatives.

(26000)

15
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask Mr Attorney General, what proportion of Civil Service staff of grade 5 and above within his Department (a) have spent their entire civil service career within his Department, (b) have had secondments to (i) the private sector and (ii) other departments and (c) have come from other departments.

(26028)

16
   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations he has received concerning the ticket allocation system for the 1998 Football World Cup; and if he will make a statement.

(26266)

17
   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations he has made to the French authorities over the ticket allocation system for the 1998 Football World Cup; and if he will make a statement.

(26267)

18
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of Civil Service staff of grade 5 and above within his Department (a) have spent their entire civil service career within his Department, (b) have had secondments to (i) the private sector and (ii) other departments and (c) have come from other departments.

(26026)

19
N   Mr John Swinney (North Tayside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his Answer of 20th January, Official Report, column 471, what representations he has received from government departments concerning the format and aims of a non-statutory agreement between his Department and the Scottish Executive; how many representations were received from each department; and if he will make a statement.

(25505)

20
   Mr Hugh Bayley (City of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the annual cost of maintaining United Kingdom Land Command headquarters at Wilton currently; and what it was in 1989 at 1998 prices.

(26142)

21
   Mr Hugh Bayley (City of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the value of the site and buildings of UK Land Command headquarters at Wilton.

(26253)

22
   Mr Hugh Bayley (City of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many troops were under the command of UK Land Command in (a) 1989 and (b) 1997.

(26252)

23
   Mr Hugh Bayley (City of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) service and (b) civilian personnel were employed at United Kingdom Land Command headquarters in Wilton in (i) 1989, (ii) 1992, (iii) 1995 and (iv) at the latest available date.

(26141)

24
N   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 20th January, Official Report, column 480, if he will list the amounts in US dollars and pounds sterling paid to the United States in each of the US fiscal years from 1980 to date in support of the United Kingdom Trident programme; how much he expects to pay, in dollars and sterling, for each of the next five US fiscal years, to support the operations of the United Kingdom Trident programme; if he will give dollar and sterling figures for each of the amounts cited in his Answer; and if he will make a statement.

(25487)

25
N   Mr Stephen Hesford (Wirral West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of staff of the Defence Export Service Organisation are seconded from defence manufacturers; and what functions they perform.

(25669)

26
N   Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the number, type and location of Royal Navy and Royal Air Force helicopters available for civilian rescue work in Scotland.

(25982)

27
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of Civil Service staff of grade 5 and above within his Department (a) have spent their entire civil service career within his Department, (b) have had secondments to (i) the private sector and (ii) other departments and (c) have come from other departments.

(26033)

28
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons new buildings are being erected at Hyderabad Barracks, Colchester; what the buildings are for; and what is the cost of the development.

(26290)

29
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how much vacant office space, by reference to (a) the number of offices and (b) floor space, is unoccupied in (i) the Treasury building, (ii) the old MAFF building and (c) other Government buildings within the range of the House of Commons division bell; and if he will make a statement.

(26262)

30
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what proportion of Civil Service staff of grade 5 and above within his Department (a) have spent their entire civil service career within his Department, (b) have had secondments to (i) the private sector and (ii) other departments and (c) have come from other departments.

(26034)

31
N   Mr John Burnett (Torridge and West Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will estimate the cost of giving a full widow's pension to spouses of members of the teachers superannuation scheme who married those members after the members' retirement in each year since 1994-95.

(25867)

32
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how much spending his Department has (a) incurred and (b) planned for the education of young people as to the dangers of illegal drugs which was not planned for on 1st May 1997.

(26302)

33
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many programmes for the education of young people on the dangers of illegal drugs he has implemented or made plans for and which were not in existence on 1st May 1997.

(26306)

34
   Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Canning Town):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many claimants of jobseeker's allowance restrict their availability for work because of ill-health or disability; and how many of these are over the age of 50 years.

(26164)

35
   Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Canning Town):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many disabled people have started a rehabilitation programme in the last 12 months; and what is his estimate of the average cost per place on an employment rehabilitation programme.

(26163)

36
   Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Canning Town):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is his estimate of (a) the costs and (b) the numbers who would gain if the jobmatch scheme was extended to people over 50 years who have been unemployed for six months.

(26162)

37
   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what procedures he proposes to establish to monitor the number of persons under the age of 25 years leaving benefit and entering work; and when those procedures will be in place.

(26148)

38
   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what steps he has taken to expedite the collation of statistics relating to the reduction of class sizes for five, six and seven year olds.

(26147)

39
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what proportion of Civil Service staff of grade 5 and above within his Department (a) have spent their entire civil service career within his Department or its predeccessor departments, (b) have had secondments to (i) the private sector and (ii) other departments and (c) have come from other departments.

(26032)

40
   Mr David Willetts (Havant):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when the Government proposes to extend the New Deal from 18 to 24 year olds to 25 to 34 year olds.

(26226)

41
N   Mr David Willetts (Havant):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will give a breakdown of the numbers from each New Deal programme making up the 50,000 new childminders to be trained in the Chancellor's Budget initiative.

(25777)

42
   Mr David Willetts (Havant):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many employers have been contacted by the Employment Service in respect of the New Deal for young employed people; how many have agreed in principle to take part; how many have signed New Deal contracts; and if he will give each figure broken down by size of employer.

(26227)

43
   Mr David Willetts (Havant):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what discussions his Department has had with the European Commission on the compatibility of the unemployment subsidy in the New Deal with EU competition policy.

(26224)

44
N   Dr Peter Brand (Isle of Wight):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what research his Department has evaluated on, and with which bodies his Department has discussed, the high dispersal classification of the proposed Yaverland, Isle of Wight, long raw sewage outfall.

(25478)

45
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list for each local authority with responsibility for education the amount by which the increase in revenue support grant adjusted for changes in nursery voucher funding and increased NNDR differs from the amount that has been passported through the capping regime to raise standards in schools; and what is the total figure for all local authorities.

(25981)

46
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many letters he has received to date (a) supporting and (b) opposing the proposed privatisation of the London Underground system; and if he will make a statement.

(26053)

47
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the role of the HSE in making available support for private prosecutions under health and safety at work legislation.

(26257)

48
   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 safety of the slam-door trains operated by South West Trains.

(26057)

49
   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 reliability of the rail service from Portsmouth to London in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

(26058)

50
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received from the Health and Safety Executive concerning the safety and reliability of the slam-door trains operated by South West Trains.

(26056)

51
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many railway stations are unstaffed overnight; and if he has any plans to require railway stations to be staffed at night.

(26244)

52
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what proportion of Civil Service staff of grade 5 and above within his Department (a) have spent their entire civil service career within his Department or its predeccessor departments, (b) have had secondments to (i) the private sector and (ii) other departments and (c) have come from other departments.

(26024)

53
   Mr Andrew Rowe (Faversham and Mid Kent):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the continuing study of the effects of metering undertaken by Mid-Kent Water with particular reference to its findings as they concern the use of water by lower rateable value property occupants.

(26069)

54
   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will encourage health trusts that are disposing of property to liaise with local councils to use those properties for temporary housing or shelter for the homeless.

(26143)

55
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people earned over £100,000 in the United Kingdom in the last year for which figures are available.

(26051)

56
   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much extra revenue would be raised by increasing the upper earnings limit on employees' national insurance contributions to £30,145.

(26206)

57
   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people would pay more tax if the upper earnings limit on employees' national insurance contributions were increased to £30,145.

(26205)

58
   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the amount needed to invest in a tax-free savings account, at current rates of interest, in order to generate a yearly interest income equivalent to (a) the state pension for a single person, (b) the average income for a single pensioner, (c) the average income for a pensioner couple, (d) £10,000 per annum, (e) £15,000 per annum and (f) £20,000 per annum.

(26233)

59
   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the cash value, in pounds per month, of converting (a) £1,000, (b) £2,000, (c) £3,000 and (d) £4,100 of the 20 per cent. income tax band to 10 per cent. for (i) a single person and (ii) a married couple in each decile of the income distribution.

(26204)

60
   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the cost in 1998-99 of the special tax relief for oil companies which allows them to set the cost of breaking up oil platforms against their profits during the lifetime of the field.

(26201)

61
   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue he estimates would be raised in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000 from the abolition of the conditional exemption from inheritance tax for works of art.

(26194)

62
   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much extra revenue would be raised by increasing petroleum revenue tax to (a) 55 per cent., (b) 60 per cent., (c) 65 per cent.and (d) 70 per cent.

(26202)

63
   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the cost of tax relief per annum of raising the transfer limit from TESSAs and PEPs to the new individual savings account to (a) £60,000, (b) £100,000 and (c) £150,000.

(26231)

64
   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate how many people hold overall TESSA and PEPs investments worth more than (a) £50,000, (b) £60,000, (c) £100,000 and (d) £200,000.

(26230)

65
   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the cost of converting (a) £1,000, (b) £2,000, (c) £3,000 and (d) £4,100 of the 20 per cent. income tax band to 10 per cent. and, in each case, the proportion of the cash gains made by each income decile.

(26203)

66
   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many estates in the most recent year for which figures are available were entitled to the inheritance tax exemption for farmland; and what revenue he estimates was lost as a result of this exemption.

(26195)

67
   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the number of non-taxpayers without an interest-bearing account.

(26234)

68
   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the holder of the new individual savings account who invests up to the proposed £50,000 limit and whose investment increases beyond the limit will be able to withdraw the excess and re-invest it irrespective of the limit on annual contributions.

(26235)

69
   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the revenue implications if (a) 50 per cent. and (b) 75 per cent. of those holding more than £50,000 in TESSA and PEP investments transferred into the new individual savings account transferred the excess into tax-favoured national savings products.

(26232)

70
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the amendments required to legislation on (a) banknotes and (b) the Bank of England in the event of the UK adhering to stage 3 of EMU.

(26071)

71
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of Civil Service staff of grade 5 and above within his Department (a) have spent their entire civil service career within his Department, (b) have had secondments to (i) the private sector and (ii) other departments and (c) have come from other departments.

(26023)

72
N   Mr David Rendel (Newbury):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the financial crisis in Asia; and if he will make a statement.

(23871)

73
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what percentage rate of tax would need to be levied on airfares to produce the same revenue as the existing flat-rate air passenger duty.

(26270)

74
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral statement of 4th December, Official Report, column 567, what was the nature of the mix-up at Amsterdam over the Schengen opt-in, and at what time the attempt was made to challenge the matter which was not accepted by the presidency.

(26047)

75
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer to the Right honourable Member for Folkestone and Hythe of 12th December, Office Report, column 710, when he first became aware that a bilateral agreement had taken place between Spain and the Dutch presidency pertaining to the Schengen Agreement that had resulted in a agreement on opt-in voting procedures; at what stage in the proceedings that agreement was alleged to have taken place; and what representations he made on the subject.

(26045)

76
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 21st January, Official Report, column 540, on the Schengen Agreement, if he will list the occasions on which the voting procedures were raised with European counterparts.

(26080)

77
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 21st January, Official Report, column 540, when the presidency of the European Council launched an investigation of the circumstances surrounding the negotiations at Amsterdam relating to the voting procedures used in the admission of opt-out states to the Schengen Area; who contributed to these investigations; what documentary evidence was submitted; and what discussions of the matter he held with ministers of other member states.

(26046)

78
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what meetings have been held by his Department and British Embassy staff in Algiers with representatives of oil or gas companies operating in Algeria; and what was discussed at these meetings.

(26016)

79
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he and his ministers have held with the French government in respect of policy towards Algeria.

(26013)

80
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he and his ministers have held with the organisation for African Unity concerning the situation in Algeria.

(26020)

81
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what meetings he had with representatives of human rights groups and Roma peoples during his visit to the Czech Republic.

(26019)

82
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what are the proposals from the EU Troika to restore human rights in Algeria; and if he will make a statement.

(26015)

83
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he requested legal advice on whether the massacre in Rwanda in 1994 constituted genocide under the terms of the Genocide Convention.

(25477)

84
   Mr Andy King (Rugby and Kenilworth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list all arms embargoes currently implemented by the United Kingdom, indicating their scope; and if he will make a statement.

(26140)

85
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what proportion of Civil Service staff of grade 5 and above within his Department (a) have spent their entire civil service career within his Department, (b) have had secondments to (i) the private sector and (ii) other departments and (c) have come from other departments.

(26031)

86
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many programmes for the education of young people as to the dangers of illegal drugs he has (a) implemented and (b) planned which were not in existence on 1st May 1997.

(26275)

87
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much spending his Department has (a) incurred and (b) planned for on the education of young people as to the dangers of illegal drugs which was not planned for on 1st May 1997.

(26303)

88
   Frank Cook (Stockton North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons Parkinson's Disease is not included in the list of medical conditions exempted from prescription charges.

(26198)

89
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many child care orders were made by each local authority in the Greater London area in 1997.

(26048)

90
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people live within the catchment area of St. George's Hospital, Tooting.

(26050)

91
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the level of charges levied on patients for access to their health records.

(26260)

92
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many unfavourable side-effects of the drug Carbamazapine have been reported in the past 10 years; and if he will list them.

(24996)

93
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have been treated with Carbamazapine for medicinal purposes in the last five years; and how many cases of harmful side-effects have been reported.

(24997)

94
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the benefit to MS sufferers of Beta Interferon and Betaferon drug treatments; and if he will amend the guidance contained in circular EU(94)72 to promote wider use of such drugs.

(26083)

95
   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is his Department's policy on the natural health supplement, Irena.

(26145)

96
   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to expedite the collation of statistics relating to (a) reductions and (b) increases in waiting lists in the NHS.

(26146)

97
   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what financial support his Department (a) currently gives and (b) plans to give to the ME Association.

(26144)

98
   Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what iniatives the Government has taken since 1st May 1997 to increase the number of dentists offering NHS treatment, with particular reference to Berkshire.

(26158)

99
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of Civil Service staff of grade 5 and above within his Department (a) have spent their entire civil service career within his Department, (b) have had secondments to (i) the private sector and (ii) other departments and (c) have come from other departments.

(26030)

100
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 26th January, Official Report, column 45, from the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make it his policy to collect information on the results of medical research on cannabis where a Home Office licence has been granted.

(26271)

101
   Mr A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals who are currently serving a sentence in England and Wales would be eligible for repatriation under the terms of the Council of Europe Convention.

(26200)

102
   Mr A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals have been repatriated to serve a prison sentence in their country of origin in each of the last five years.

(26199)

103
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what prospective occasions he assesses to be suitable for the awarding of city status.

(25999)

104
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many programmes to promote the education of young people as to the dangers of illegal drugs his Department has initiated since 1st May 1997.

(26269)

105
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what strategies he has put in place since 1st May 1997 to support successful local projects involving police, local government, schools and businesses aimed at curbing the activities of dealers in illegal drugs.

(26298)

106
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many meetings he has had with the President of the Council in order to discuss educating young people about the dangers of illegal drugs.

(26295)

107
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures he has (a) introduced and (b) planned since 1st May 1997, to extend bail support and enforcement programmes.

(26300)

108
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much spending his Department has (a) incurred and (b) planned for on the education of young people as to the dangers of illegal drugs which was not planned for on 1st May 1997.

(26292)

109
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what initiatives he has undertaken since 1st May 1997 to promote more active regimes within young offenders institutions.

(26305)

110
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Castle Point, of 22nd January, Official Report, column 639, if he will publish the available evaluation in respect of the relative effectiveness of the experimental regime at Colchester Young Offenders Institution against other initiatives; and with which initiatives the experimental regime at Colchester Young Offenders Institution has been compared.

(26289)

111
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many meetings he has had with the Secretary of State for Education in order to discuss educating young people about the dangers of illegal drugs.

(26294)

112
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the impact of the reform of the right to silence as implemented by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994; and if he will assess the advantages of returning the law to the previous position on the right to silence.

(26297)

113
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many joint programmes to promote the education of young people as to the dangers of illegal drugs have been (i) undertaken and (ii) planned for since 1st May 1997 between his Department and (a) the Department for Education and Employment, (b) the Department of Health and (c) the President of the Council.

(26301)

114
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the average rate of reoffending for offenders aged 17 to 21 years on release from (a) young offenders institutions, (b) Thorn Cross Young Offenders Institution experimental regime and (c) Colchester Young Offenders Institution experimental regime.

(26296)

115
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd January to the honourable Member for Castlepoint, Official Report, column 639, how many offenders have passed through the programme at Colchester Young Offenders Institution experimental regime; and how many of these reoffended following their release.

(26299)

116
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Castle Point, of 22nd January, Official Report, column 639, if he will give an analysis of his costings of a place (a) in the experimental regime at Colchester Young Offenders Institution, (b) at Thorn Cross Young Offenders Institution and (c) in a typical young offenders institution.

(26288)

117
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the decision of the Data Protection Registrar's Management Board, on 16th January, that the Security and Intelligence Services should register under the Data Protection Act 1984; and if he will make a statement.

(26291)

118
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Roma people from the Czech and Slovak republics have sought asylum in the United Kingdom in each month since January 1996; and of these (a) how many have been granted asylum, (b) how many were held in detention and (c) how many have been removed from the United Kingdom.

(26018)

119
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list for each year since 1990 (a) the number of asylum applications by Algerian nationals, (b) the number granted asylum, (c) the number given exceptional leave to remain, (d) the number returned to Algeria and (e) the number removed to other countries.

(26009)

120
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he or his ministers or officials have held with the UNHCR on the situation facing people seeking refuge from Algeria; and if he will make a statement.

(26007)

121
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has held with the Refugee Council, the Refugee Legal Centre, the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants and others concerning the situation facing asylum seekers from Algeria; and if he will make a statement.

(26006)

122
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what meetings there have been between representatives of Roma people from the Czech and Slovak republics and ministers or officials from his Department during the past year.

(26017)

123
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Algerian asylum seekers are currently held in detention under Immigration law; and if he will make a statement on his policy in this respect.

(26008)

124
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will decide on the review of the refusal to grant Mr Farrakhan permission to visit the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

(26261)

125
   Maria Eagle (Liverpool, Garston):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners have been transferred into Altcourse Prison, Fazakerley since 1st December 1997.

(26072)

126
   Maria Eagle (Liverpool, Garston):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners have been transferred out of Altcourse Prison, Fazakerley since 1st December 1997; and how many of these requested a transfer.

(26073)

127
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will institute an inquiry into the leak to a journalist of explicit details of some of the targets of police raids on 21st November 1997 initiated by the Paedophile Unit of the Metropolitan Police.

(25776)

128
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects to announce the outcome of the inter-departmental review of the way in which vulnerable and intimidated witnesses are treated by the Criminal Justice Court with particular reference to the cross-examination of victims of rape by unrepresented defendants.

(26082)

129
   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to measure the effectiveness of his Department's measures to reduce the time from arrest to sentencing for persistent young offenders; and if he will collect regular and prompt statistics on the interval between arrest and sentencing.

(26149)

130
   Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the total sum collected in fines for speeding where the offence was identified using a speed camera, broken down by police force in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(26157)

131
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of Civil Service staff of grade 5 and above within his Department (a) have spent their entire civil service career within his Department, (b) have had secondments to (i) the private sector and (ii) other departments and (c) have come from other departments.

(26029)

132
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 26th January, Official Report, column 45, on what date and for what reason, the Laboratory of the Government Chemist discontinued supplying cannabis to medical researchers; and who took the decision.

(26272)

133
   Mr Gerry Steinberg (City of Durham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) male and (b) female prisoners have died (i) in each of the last five years and (ii) in December 1997 at HMP Durham.

(26225)

134
N   Mr John Swinney (North Tayside):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 20th January, Official Report, column 513, what representations he has received from government departments concerning the format and aims of a non-statutory agreement between his Department and the Scottish Executive; how many representations were received from each department; and if he will make a statement.

(25510)

135
   Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the monitoring of those offenders who have served sentences at the Young Offenders Institution, Colchester, will continue after its closure.

(26211)

136
   Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what arrangements have been made in respect of those offenders who are serving sentences at the Young Offenders Institution, Colchester, after it closes.

(26213)

137
   Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the capital cost of establishing the Young Offenders Institution, Colchester.

(26237)

138
N   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel and South Downs):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on assistance given by her Department to Indonesia.

(23780)

139
N   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel and South Downs):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many projects funded under the UK aid programme are administered by non-governmental organisations.

(23781)

140
   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which existing landmine clearance projects the Government assists financially; and what clearance methods these projects use.

(26060)

141
   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the Dervish landmine clearance device, developed at Edinburgh University; and if she will provide financial assistance to support its forthcoming trials in Bosnia.

(26059)

142
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of Civil Service staff of grade 5 and above within her Department (a) have spent their entire civil service career within her Department or its predeccessor departments, (b) have had secondments to (i) the private sector and (ii) other departments and (c) have come from other departments.

(26038)

143
N   Mr John Burnett (Torridge and West Devon):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when he plans to introduce a merits test on legally-aided civil cases of 75 per cent.

(25868)

144
N   Mr John Burnett (Torridge and West Devon):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will make a statement on his Department's policy towards the funding of Legal Aid Board franchises, with particular reference to Citizens Advice Bureau.

(25869)

145
N   Mr John Burnett (Torridge and West Devon):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what representations he has received from the Law Society on their proposals for a Contingency Legal Aid Fund, and what assessment he has made of the options proposed for setting up such a fund.

(25871)

146
N   Mr John Burnett (Torridge and West Devon):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what representations he has received with regard to the future funding of those disbursements and up-front costs in civil cases which at present receive legal aid for those purposes; and if he will make a statement.

(25870)

147
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, which firms are participating in the KPMG research on legal services without the benefit of legal aid; when the research will be published; and if he will make a statement.

(26256)

148
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when the results of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies' hypothetical exercise on fast track costs will be published; and if he will make a statement.

(26255)

149
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what proportion of Civil Service staff of grade 5 and above within his Department (a) have spent their entire civil service career within his Department, (b) have had secondments to (i) the private sector and (ii) other departments and (c) have come from other departments.

(26027)

150
N   Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will list the membership of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council indicating their (a) age, (b) legal jurisdiction of origin and (c) membership of other public bodies; and if he will make a statement.

(25508)

151
N   Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will make a statement on the procedure for appointing members of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

(25509)

152
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when he expects the Appeals Committee to consider the application made on 21st May for leave to appeal to the House of Lords in the case of Mr and Mrs Reeman of Brixham and the Department of Transport.

(25942)

153
N   Mr John M. Taylor (Solihull):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will make a statement on the preparedness of (a) his Department, (b) the Land Registry and (c) the Public Record Office for the computer consequences of the arrival of the year 2000.

(25430)

154
N   Mr John Wilkinson (Ruislip-Northwood):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, if he will list those occasions since 1st May when he has met Ministers from other European Union countries and who these Ministers were.

(25943)

155
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what proportion of Civil Service staff of grade 5 and above within her Department (a) have spent their entire civil service career within her Department, (b) have had secondments to (i) the private sector and (ii) other departments and (c) have come from other departments.

(26037)

156
N   Mr John D. Taylor (Strangford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many target (a) pistols and (b) revolvers, belonging to members of licensed gun clubs, have been used in terrorist incidents in each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement.

(25672)

157
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the President of the Council, how many programmes for the education of young people as to the dangers of illegal drugs she has (a) implemented and (b) planned; and which of these were not in existence on 1st May 1997.

(26254)

158
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the President of the Council, how much spending she has (a) incurred and (b) planned for on the education of young people as to the dangers of illegal drugs which was not planned for on 1st May 1997.

(26304)

159
   Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells):    To ask the President of the Council, if she will publish a compliance cost assessment for each (a) public bill, (b) statutory instrument and (c) proposed EU directive or regulation, which affects business costs.

(26197)

160
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the President of the Council, what additions to honourable Members' allowances are paid to honourable Members with disabilities.

(26293)

161
N   Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):    To ask the President of the Council, if she will list the number of cases dealt with by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in each of the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement.

(25577)

162
N   Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):    To ask the President of the Council, if she will make a statement on the role of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in relation to its role as final court of appeal for Commonwealth countries and UK dependencies.

(25506)

163
N   Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):    To ask the President of the Council, if she will make a statement on the role of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in reviewing legislation from the parliaments of (a) UK dependencies, (b) the Isle of Man and (c) the Channel Islands.

(25507)

164
   Mr Eric Forth (Bromley and Chislehurst):    To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 26th January, Official Report, column 66, if he will list for the period since 1st May 1997, the items and costs of refurbishment of and improvements to the domestic living accommodation in Number 11 Downing Street.

(26215)

165
N   Maria Fyfe (Glasgow, Maryhill):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make it government policy that no (a) assistance, (b) trade deals and (c) armament sales, be provided to Afghanistan while it remains in the control of the Taliban regime.

(23982)

166
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    To ask the Prime Minister, how many non-career civil servants are employed in No. 10 Downing Street; and what was the number one year ago.

(26011)

167
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    To ask the Prime Minister, how many non-career civil servants are employed as information officers in Government departments; and what the number was one year ago.

(26010)

168
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Prime Minister, by what means an individual can establish if he is the subject of an MI5 file in cases where the category of the file is no longer the subject of security service interest.

(26228)

169
N   Sir Peter Tapsell (Louth and Horncastle):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 28th January.

(24112)

170
N   Mr Charles Kennedy (Ross, Skye and Inverness West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the compliance of the change in the ownership structure relating to the Sky Bridge with the concession agreement; and if he will make a statement.

(25998)

171
   Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many applications for grants by students from Scotland to study at Scottish universities and colleges for the session 1997-98 were awaiting processing on 1st December 1997; and how many processed applications were unpaid.

(26054)

172
   Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many Scottish students at Scottish universities did not receive payment of grants awarded to them by the SAAS within (a) one week, (b) two weeks, (c) four weeks and (d) eight weeks of their course commencing; and for each figure, what percentage of Scottish students at Scottish universities this represents.

(26055)

173
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what proportion of Civil Service staff of grade 5 and above within his Department (a) have spent their entire civil service career within his Department, (b) have had secondments to (i) the private sector and (ii) other departments and (c) have come from other departments.

(26025)

174
   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what plans he has to introduce regulations to establish a framework for the determination of prison staff's pay under the terms of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.

(26151)

175
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will specify by region (a) the number of claimants of industrial disablement benefit and (b) the annual amount claimed by way of industrial disablement benefit.

(26259)

176
   Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Canning Town):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people receive disability living allowance; and how many of these (a) also have earnings from employment, (b) also receive incapacity benefit, (c) also receive income support and (d) also receive severe disablement allowance.

(26159)

177
   Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Canning Town):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is the average age of people receiving disability living allowance at the time of their initial claim for (a) the mobility component and (b) the care component, broken down separately for men and women.

(26165)

178
   Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Canning Town):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people receiving incapacity benefit also receive disability living allowance, broken down by care and mobility component.

(26161)

179
   Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Canning Town):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is the average duration of claims for disability living allowance broken down by mobility component and care component.

(26160)

180
N   Maria Fyfe (Glasgow, Maryhill):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans she has for the future of the Severe Hardship Claims unit; and if she will provide further funding when its budget ends in March 1998.

(24011)

181
N   Maria Fyfe (Glasgow, Maryhill):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she plans to alter the child benefit extension period school leaving dates to bring these regulations into line with the Education (School Leaving Date) Order 1997; and if the existing rules will still apply in Scotland where there has been no change to school leaving dates.

(24012)

182
N   Maria Fyfe (Glasgow, Maryhill):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how benefit entitlement will be affected in the case of a young person educated in Scotland who moves to England or Wales after being entitled to leave school under Scottish law, but who is still too young to have left in England or Wales.

(24013)

183
N   Maria Fyfe (Glasgow, Maryhill):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many school leaving dates there will be per year in future for the purposes of child benefit regulations, in the case of young persons who leave relevant education after the terminal date based on their date of birth.

(24014)

184
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what weekly contributions would be required (a) over a 40 year period for SERPS to deliver a pension of £15,700 per annum at today's prices, (b) over a 25 year period to deliver a pension of £4,700 and (c) over a 10 year period to deliver a pension of £976 (i) as the scheme is currently constituted and (ii) in accordance with the principles when the scheme was first set up.

(26286)

185
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what was the cost in (a) 1995-96 and (b) 1996-97 of the (i) income support, (ii) incapacity benefit, (iii) disability living allowance, (iv) attendance allowance, (v) Social Fund, (vi) child benefit, (vii) retirement pension and (viii) maternity allowance in current prices; and what percentage of those costs was accounted for by administration.

(26287)

186
   Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many face to face interviews were conducted with absent parents and parents with care during (a) 1995-96 and (b) 1996-97 at the Northampton and Wellingborough offices of the Child Support Agency and at the Corby and Kettering sub-offices.

(26209)

187
   Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what steps she is taking to ensure that absent parents and parents with care are informed that they may have face to face interviews with Child Support Agency staff at local offices.

(26207)

188
   Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, when the current study of the Child Support Agency literature will be complete; and when the revised material will be produced.

(26212)

189
   Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans she has to end the provision of face to face interviews for absent parents and parents with care at the local office of the Child Support Agency in Northampton.

(26208)

190
   Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many interviews with absent parents and parents with care were held during (a) 1995-96 and (b) 1996-97 in Child Support Agency offices by region.

(26193)

191
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what proportion of Civil Service staff of grade 5 and above within her Department (a) have spent their entire civil service career within her Department, (b) have had secondments to (i) the private sector and (ii) other departments and (c) have come from other departments.

(26035)

192
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what sources the Government has evaluated in estimating figures for disability benefit fraud.

(25676)

193
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to her Answer of 23rd January, Official Report, column 737, if she will list the number of women receiving statutory maternity pay in the most convenient available bands showing the amount of maternity pay per week for the latest 12 months for which figures are available.

(26268)

194
   Mr David Rendel (Newbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how much it would cost to exempt lone parents with children under five years old from the provisions laid down in Clause 70 of the Social Security Bill.

(26169)

195
   Mr Gerry Steinberg (City of Durham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many single parents there are in the United Kingdom by gender; and how many of the women are (a) widowed and (b) divorced; how many were teenage mothers; and if she will estimate how many have been subject to domestic violence.

(26274)

196
   Mr Gerry Steinberg (City of Durham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans she has to prohibit discrimination in (a) employment and (b) other fields on the grounds of age.

(26273)

197
   Mr David Willetts (Havant):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will provide a breakdown of the current recipients of family credit to show the numbers of (a) single parents, (b) single earner couples, (c) two earner couples and (d) other categories.

(26229)

198
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what is the current level of ECGD exposure in Algeria for (a) defence-related equipment and (b) non-defence equipment; and if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in relation to trade with Algeria.

(26014)

199
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will introduce measures to require the annual inspection of electricity cables.

(26240)

200
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will introduce legislation to penalise electricity companies that fail to repair damaged cables within 24 hours.

(26241)

201
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will list the regulations which govern the answer of emergency telephone calls by electricity companies.

(26238)

202
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what measures she is taking to improve the percentage of emergency calls answered by electricity companies.

(26239)

203
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will introduce regulations to reduce delays in obtaining repairs by requiring electricity companies to provide special emergency numbers for nursing homes and old people's homes.

(26242)

204
   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she has referred to the Director General of Fair Trading, the ticket allocation system for the 1998 Football World Cup; and if she will make a statement.

(26264)

205
   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will make a statement on the preparedness of the nuclear power industry in dealing with the millennium computer date problem.

(26263)

206
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what priority she gives to the development of brownfield sites in allocation of regional selective assistance.

(26081)

207
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what proportion of Civil Service staff of grade 5 and above within her Department (a) have spent their entire civil service career within her Department, (b) have had secondments to (i) the private sector and (ii) other departments and (c) have come from other departments.

(26036)

208
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what representations she has received from (a) gas consumers and (b) organisations representing consumers concerning the marketing techniques used by new entrants into the domestic gas supply market.

(26243)

209
N   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what was the cost of providing a car and a driver for each Minister in her Department in the month of June 1997; and what was the average weekly overtime worked by the drivers in that month.

(25828)

210
N   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how much has been spent on the provision of drinks in ministerial offices at her Department since 1st May 1997.

(25826)

211
N   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what is her estimate of the cost of making all systems, machines and computers in the public sector millennium compliant.

(25927)

212
N   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what has been the average number of hours of overtime worked each week by the private office staff of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Competition and Consumer Affairs.

(25827)

213
N   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will list those who are allowed to attend her Department's press conferences.

(25825)

214
   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what representations she has received regarding the dumping of textile products onto the world market, with particular reference to thread from Thailand; and what action she is taking on this matter.

(26223)

215
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many New Deal places he proposes for Alyn and Deeside.

(26152)

216
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many new home starts there were in (i) Flintshire and (ii) the constituency of Alyn and Deeside in 1995-96; and how many are proposed for 1998-99.

(26155)

217
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what the principal objective of the New Deal is.

(26154)

218
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much new deal money is allocated for Alyn and Deeside; if he will make a statement.

(26153)

219
   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if the appointment of a chief executive to an NHS trust in Wales requires the approval of the NHS Trust Board.

(26196)

220
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what proportion of Civil Service staff of grade 5 and above within his Department (a) have spent their entire civil service career within his Department, (b) have had secondments to (i) the private sector and (ii) other departments and (c) have come from other departments.

(26022)

221
   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many school nurses were employed by each health authority in Wales in each of the past five years.

(26210)

222
   Mr Gareth Thomas (Clwyd West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many disputes between minor authorities as to co-option on school governing bodies his Department has had to resolve in each of the last 10 years.

(26156)

223
   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what assessment she has made of the position under European competition law of the ticket allocation system for the 1998 Football World Cup; and if she will make a statement.

[Transferred] (26265)

224
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask Mr Attorney General, what was the cost of prosecuting children under the age of 16 years for soliciting in the last year for which figures are available.

[Transferred] (26167)

225
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask Mr Attorney General, if he will cease the prosecution of children under the age of 16 years who engage in prostitution; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (26168)

226
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children under the age of 16 years were prosecuted for engaging in prostitution in each of the last five years.

[Transferred] (26166)

227
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16th December, Official Report, column 101, if he will list all such treaties subject to the Ponsonby Rules laid before Parliament since 1st January 1997 indicating the last date of the 21 day period; and what form notification of Parliament took in respect of each treaty.

[Transferred] (26236)

228
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the cost to (a) industrial, (b) charitable and (c) voluntary organisations, of implementation of the measures contained in the Data Protection Bill [Lords], in respect of (i) initial and (ii) annual revenue running costs; and what estimates have been made by EU institutions of such costs in (1) the United Kingdom and (2) other member states.

[Transferred] (26044)