Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1997-98
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The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Tuesday 10 March 1998

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 10 March 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 Tuesday 10 March, of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order of Business.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer from Tuesday 10 March, 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.

TUESDAY 10th MARCH

1
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make it his policy to ban under Article 36 of the Treaty of Rome the import of veal from EU countries where veal crates have been used.

(33646)

2
   Sir Richard Body (Boston and Skegness):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his Answer of 3rd March, Official Report, column 598, on the fishing industry, what estimate he has made of the levels of employment in the inshore United Kingdom fisheries industry which would be sustainable on (i) extension and (ii) lapse of derogation on the 12 mile fisheries limit after 2002.

(33965)

3
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will arrange a meeting with South West fishermen at which civil servants would not be present.

(33917)

4
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will visit the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Show.

(33912)

5
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has for exhibitions to promote British farm produce at agricultural shows.

(33911)

6
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what steps he will take to ensure that the rules relating to the treatment of pigs in other EU countries are (a) as strict and (b) as well enforced as in the United Kingdom.

(33727)

7
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what forecast he has made of the PSBR costs of bovine TB at the present rate of increase in bovine TB incidence over the next 10 years.

(33735)

8
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will offer the 125 per cent. compensation rate applied in the Woodchester Park experiments to all farmers with cases of bovine TB in areas where the Krebs experiment takes the form of total protection of badgers.

(33733)

9
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when he will issue guidelines on badger management in relation to areas where the Krebs experiment takes the form of such management; and if he will consult before implementing the guidelines.

(33726)

10
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for what reasons the early marketing payment scheme for veal is not applied in the United Kingdom.

(33730)

11
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if it will be his policy to apply the Krebs experiment in all appropriate areas which suffer a high level of bovine TB incidence over a long period.

(33734)

12
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will delay the date for ear-tagging under the Cattle Identification Regulations to 1st April.

(33728)

13
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to consult farmers' representatives in relation to management practices at the point of a TB breakdown.

(33732)

14
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what policy he will adopt in areas where the experiment takes the form of extermination (a) to ensure that the areas selected for the Krebs experiments are sufficiently isolated from their surroundings and (b) to ensure that the defined areas are sufficiently homogeneous, in the absence of a power to force landowners to exterminate badgers.

(33736)

15
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will implement Professor Kreb's recommendation that independent research should be conducted into (a) a definitive live animal test for bovine TB, (b) vaccines and (c) DNA-typing of badger latrines to identify whether badger setts are infected; what his timetable for such implementation will be; and what plans he has to institute a profit levy on manufacturers in the event that exchequer-funded experiments in these areas are successful.

(33731)

16
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, under what powers he will implement the Krebs recommendations.

(33725)

17
   Ms Margaret Moran (Luton South):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the RSPCA report, Passport for Pets and Vets in Support of Change.

(33958)

18
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make a statement on the 25th anniversary of the British Amateur Rugby League Association.

(33916)

19
N   Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations he has received in favour of allowing masthead programming on terrestrial television; and if he will make a statement.

(33715)

20
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what tours for non-defence persons have taken place at RAF Leeming since 1st May; what was the purpose of such tours; what funds were raised through these tours; how such funds were defrayed; and if he will make a statement.

(33644)

21
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 5th February, Official Report, column 261, if he will provide the geographical location of (a) Regional Command South and (b) the new NATO headquarters for GIBMED.

(33632)

22
   Mr Ken Livingstone (Brent East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what stocks of riot control agents are held by his Department; what quantities of each agent are held by his Department; what is the intended purpose of each agent; and where the stocks are held.

(33888)

23
N   Mr Richard Livsey (Brecon and Radnorshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the future of Cwrt y Gollen camp, Crickhowell.

(33399)

24
   Mrs Jackie Ballard (Taunton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what representations he has received on the environmental criteria for task force projects in the new deal for unemployed under 25 year olds.

(33893)

25
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many mathematics teachers in secondary schools were teaching the subject in each of the last three secondary staffing surveys.

(33832)

26
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many teachers working in primary schools do not have GCSE grade 'C' or equivalent in English and mathematics.

(33724)

27
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many (a) infant, (b) junior and (c) primary schools there were with (i) less than 50 pupils and (ii) less than 100 pupils in September 1997.

(33723)

28
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if the grade of Advanced Skills Teacher is available to teachers working in rural primary schools.

(33840)

29
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many classes at KS1 in each LEA had more than 30 pupils in (a) January 1996 and (b)January 1997.

(33836)

30
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many mathematics teachers there were in each of the last three staffing surveys whose highest qualification in mathematics was (a) a specialist degree or higher qualification in mathematics, (b) a degree in a related subject, (c) a PGCE or other certificate and (d) an Education degree.

(33837)

31
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the LEAs who bid for money to reduce the size of classes at KS1 and had their bids (a) turned down and (b) reduced, indicating in each case the number of KS1 pupils in the authority's schools and the original amount of the bid.

(33834)

32
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the size of the original bid by the Funding Agency for Schools to reduce KS1 classes; and to what extent it was scaled down.

(33833)

33
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what guidance his Department has issued to sixth form college lecturers on contractual changes since 1994.

(33918)

34
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will extend the age range of those eligible to benefit from the New Deal.

(33907)

35
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will take measures to safeguard jobs in the brewing industry.

(33914)

36
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what role the CBI and trade unions have played in the New Deal.

(33950)

37
   Sir Richard Body (Boston and Skegness):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for St. Ives of 3rd March, Official Report, column 546, on the fishing industry, what estimate he has made of the costs of implementing the EC Directives on health and safety; and if he will list the directives concerned.

(33889)

38
   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many individual journeys provided by bus operators in the north west traffic area were cancelled without notice during (i) 1994-95, (ii) 1995-96 and (iii) 1996-97; and what percentage of total journeys these figures represent.

(33959)

39
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will estimate the Government's liability under the rules governing the Private Finance Initiative in respect of London and Continental Railways Channel Tunnel Rail Link.

(33905)

40
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the inquiry into the derailment of a train carrying nuclear waste at Harwich on 8th January; and when its report will be published.

(33906)

41
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what grants will be available to regional development agencies to assist the tourist industry; and what assessment he has made of the level of grants available to Scotland and Wales.

(33908)

42
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will visit the Royal Ordnance site in Euxton, Chorley, to assess its potential for development.

(33910)

43
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will set up regional banks to support research and development in industry.

(33909)

44
   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the names of the consultants appointed to assist his Department's Salisbury Transport Study and their terms of reference.

(33954)

45
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is his policy on the imposition of taxes on fertilisers.

(33738)

46
N   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the spring deadline for the completion of the upgrade to the A406 at Sterling Way and Fore Street will be met; and what steps he is taking to ensure that there will be no further delay to the completion of these works.

(33714)

47
N   Mr William Ross (East Londonderry):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what sums have been collected in vehicle excise duty in respect of heavy goods vehicles in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years for which figures are readily available.

(33140)

48
N   Mr William Ross (East Londonderry):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the impact on vehicle registrations in the United Kingdom of the different rates of vehicle excise duty applying in respect of commercial vehicles between the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic.

(33139)

49
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will arrange for European (a) Commission and (b) Parliament documents, due to be discussed by Ministerial Council meetings during the United Kingdom presidency, which have environmental implications, to be placed in the Library 10 working days before the appropriate Ministerial Council meeting.

(33974)

50
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will place in the Library the new appraisal criteria to be used in respect of the proposals currently being submitted from regional offices to the Roads Review.

(33880)

51
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if current holders of TESSAs and PEPs will be required to transfer their investments to ISAs from April 1999.

(33270)

52
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact on existing holders of TESSAs and PEPs of the replacement of TESSAs and PEPs by ISAs in April 1999.

(33271)

53
N   Mr Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had on the timing of a referendum on UK entry to the single currency.

(31795)

54
N   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list all the Government assets in the National Asset Register sold since 1st May, together with sale proceeds and the name of the Government department in receipt of the proceeds.

(33649)

55
N   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if a Minister of the Crown is subject to the same tax regime in respect of accommodation and furnishings as an employee who is provided with accommodation and furnishings by his employer.

(33870)

56
   Dr Stephen Ladyman (South Thanet):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the current position of each member state of the EU in respect of commissioning an impact assessment of the effect on employment of abolishing duty free sales in the EU.

(33925)

57
   Dr Stephen Ladyman (South Thanet):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress has been made towards tax harmonisation in the EU; and what account will be taken of that progress in any decision to abolish duty free in the EU in 1999.

(33924)

58
   Dr Stephen Ladyman (South Thanet):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is his policy in respect of the duty regime which will apply following the planned abolition of duty free sales in the EU.

(33923)

59
   Sir Richard Body (Boston and Skegness):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what proportion of draft European Community legislation in 1997 was not subject to discussion at the College of Commissioners prior to submission to the Council of Ministers; what proportion of legislation the Council of Ministers was not required to approve before enactment; and what assessment he has made of the procedures in respect of such legislation.

(33884)

60
   Sir Richard Body (Boston and Skegness):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 3rd March, Official Report, column 511, on qualified majority voting, if he will define matters other than the approximation of laws; which body will determine if a measure falls into this category; and what measures are planned to be implemented under this provision.

(33919)

61
N   Mr Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his American counterpart on the question of the Basra enclave.

(31793)

62
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on proposed action by Her Majesty's Government relating to the destruction of Pan Am 103, following his meeting with the representatives of the relations of British victims of the Lockerbie crime.

(31934)

63
N   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made regarding human rights in Mexico.

(31807)

64
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken since August 1997 to put pressure on the SLORC in Burma to improve its record on human rights.

(33740)

65
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the state of repair of the Chernobyl sarcophagus.

(33737)

66
N   Dr John Marek (Wrexham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 3rd March, Official Report, column 513, what plans he has during the United Kingdom presidency for an initiative to overcome legal obstacles to enfranchisement for Gibraltarians by changing European Union law.

(33683)

67
N   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on recent European Union decisions regarding human rights in China.

(32203)

68
   Caroline Flint (Don Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the possible link between the MMR vaccine and the development of autism.

(33921)

69
   Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the names of the consultants at (a) the William Harvey Hospital, Ashford, (b) the Kent and Canterbury Hospital and (c) the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, Thanet, who are (i) performing out-posted sessions and (ii) providing services direct on behalf of fundholders or multifunds; and if he will indicate what services each consultant is providing to each fundholding practice or multifund.

(33955)

70
   Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the names of general practitioners providing clinical assistant services to (a) the William Harvey Hospital, Ashford, (b) the Kent and Canterbury Hospital and (c) the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, Thanet.

(33956)

71
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the provision of funding for renal services at (a) Preston and (b) Chorley and South Ribble Hospital.

(33952)

72
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the provision of renal services by the South Lancashire NHS Trust.

(33953)

73
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representation she has received on the incidence of deaths from kidney disease in the Chorley and South Ribble area.

(33951)

74
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of diagnosed asthma cases in Warrington North constituency (a) in the past 12 months and (b) over the past five years.

(33639)

75
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the number of diagnosed asthma cases amongst children in Warrington North constituency for each year since 1993.

(33638)

76
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of discrepancies in health authorities practices' in respect of the investigation of human TB on farms which experience bovine TB.

(33729)

77
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that intimate examinations undertaken in cosmetic surgery clinics are carried out only by medically qualified staff.

(33927)

78
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information persons employed in cosmetic surgery clinics are obliged to give potential clients concerning the qualifications and experience of all staff engaged in the medical and psychological assessment and examination of clients and those who carry out surgical procedures.

(33928)

79
N   Charlotte Atkins (Staffordshire Moorlands):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the contract between his Department and Premier Prisons requires Premier Prisons to abide by his Department's rules.

(33719)

80
N   Charlotte Atkins (Staffordshire Moorlands):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will place in the Library the contract between Premier Prisons and his Department.

(33721)

81
   Sir Richard Body (Boston and Skegness):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 18th June 1997, Official Report, column 179, if he will place the documents which his Department has examined relating to the Schengen Agreement in the Library.

(33926)

82
N   Mr Michael Connarty (Falkirk East):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions have taken place with football supporters' organisations regarding safety of British fans at this year's World Cup in France.

(31804)

83
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list each (a) internal and (b) external review which is currently being undertaken into the Prison Health Service (i) in the regions and (ii) nationally.

(33635)

84
   Mrs Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans she has to visit the Centre for International Briefing at Farnham; and if she will make a stateent.

(33920)

85
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on progress in dismantling trade barriers affecting developing countries.

(32880)

86
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she has taken to encourage elimination of tariffs on imports from the least developed countries.

(32881)

87
   Sir Alastair Goodlad (Eddisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department is currently providing in Chechnya.

(33894)

88
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will provide support to the Baghdad office of the World Health Organisation in its planned research into the health effects on people in southern Iraq of the dispersal of depleted uranium dust.

(33975)

89
N   Mrs Ann Winterton (Congleton):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the United Kingdom's non-Governmental organisations currently aiding the Kurdish people in northern Iraq.

(31819)

90
N   Charlotte Atkins (Staffordshire Moorlands):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, to what extent Magistrates' Courts' Committees are required to take into account (a) local opinion, (b) the opinion of the Magistrates' bench and (c) the opinion of the local district council before deciding to close a local court.

(33717)

91
N   Charlotte Atkins (Staffordshire Moorlands):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what are the powers of Magistrates' Courts' Committees in respect of the closure of local courts.

(33716)

92
N   Charlotte Atkins (Staffordshire Moorlands):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what criteria determine the composition of Magistrates' Courts' Committees; and how they are appointed.

(33718)

93
N   Charlotte Atkins (Staffordshire Moorlands):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what is the average size of population covered by a local Magistrates' Court.

(33720)

94
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what assessment the Lord Chancellor has made of the possibility that, under the conditional fee system, solicitors will not be found for the cases with less prospect of success.

(33641)

95
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what assessment he has made of the possibility of people being deterred from taking legal action as a result of change from legal aid to conditional fees.

(33640)

96
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans the Lord Chancellor has to ensure that solicitors can be found for personal injury cases with only an even chance of success.

(33642)

97
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when he intends to publish his proposals on civil justice reform, with particular reference to the costs regime in the fast track.

(33964)

98
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when he intends to publish the research on legal aid and civil justice reforms carried out by KPMG and the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.

(33963)

99
N   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his oral statement of 4th March, Official Report, column 1059, if industrial diseases' claims will remain within the scope of legal aid.

(33627)

100
N   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what research he has commissioned into the reasons for the scale of increase of the cost of civil and family legal aid over the last seven years; and if he will publish it.

(33634)

101
N   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his oral statement of 4th March, Official Report, column 1059, when he will introduce legislation to establish the Public Interest Fund.

(33629)

102
N   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his oral statement of 4th March, Official Report, column 1059, what is the total sum that will be paid into the Transitional Fund; and when it will be established.

(33628)

103
N   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his oral statement of 4th March, Official Report, column 1059, what is the total sum to be paid into the Public Interest Fund; and what will be the source of that money.

(33630)

104
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, how many bids he received for the staffing contract for the Millennium Experience; whether the contract was advertised in the Journal of the European Communities; and what the criteria were for a successful bid.

(33835)

105
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people have died in Northern Ireland as a result of alleged paramilitary activity since the 1994 ceasefire; and which organisation is thought to be responsible for which deaths

(33323)

106
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Prime Minister, what plans he has to increase democratic involvement and accountability in matters currently dealt with under the Royal Prerogative.

(33645)

107
   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what draft concordats he is currently preparing to regulate the participation of Ministers of the Scottish Executive in meetings of the European Council of Ministers; and if he will make a copy of the draft concordats available in the Library.

(33890)

108
N   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many draft concordats his Department is currently preparing; who they are intended to be with; and what are the issues and matters covered by them.

(33838)

109
N   Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many applications for (a) advice and assistance and (b) civil legal aid have been made by individuals for judicial review of decisions by the Scottish Legal Aid Board refusing civil legal aid in each year since its inception.

(33867)

110
N   Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what is the policy of the Legal Aid Board on the level of remuneration of its law agents, where they are defending the Scottish Legal Aid Board against applications for judicial review of their decisions.

(33868)

111
N   Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will estimate the savings to public funds if the Scottish Legal Aid Board restricted to the legal aid rate remuneration to their law agents in each year since its inception.

(33869)

112
   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the buildings in public ownership between Old St. Andrew's House and the junction of Princes Street and the North Bridge.

(33899)

113
   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimate he has made of the cost of upgrading (a) Calton Hill, Edinburgh, (b) The Mound, Edinburgh, and (c) the proposed Glasgow sites to the required standard for the Scottish parliament.

(33881)

114
   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the buildings and their total available floor space under consideration as temporary accommodation for the Scottish Parliament at (a) Calton Hill, Edinburgh, (b) The Mound, Edinburgh, and (c) Glasgow.

(33883)

115
   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what is the (a) total amount of office floor space currently unused in and (b) the forecast running costs for 1997-98 for (i) Old St. Andrew's House and (ii) New St. Andrew's House.

(33898)

116
   Mr Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what plans he has to allow the Forestry Commission to roll over its trading surplus from one financial year to the next.

(33885)

117
   Mr Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what changes to staff numbers there have been within the Forestry Commission since 1st May 1997.

(33886)

118
   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is the current assumed rate of interest in respect of capital for the calculation of council tax benefit.

(33961)

119
   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, when the maximum level of capital for the calculation of council tax benefit was last uprated; what was the annual inflation rate in each year since the last uprating; and what would the current maximum level be if annual uprating to allow for inflation had taken place.

(33962)

120
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what assessment she has made of possible disincentives to work resulting from abandonment of the lone parent rate of child benefit.

(32871)

121
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what representations she has received regarding the advantages of pension contributions being made on a voluntary basis.

(32876)

122
N   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will list the sums recovered by the Compensation Recovery Unit from (a) legally aided claimants and (b) defendants in the case concerned in England and Wales in the last 10 years for which figures are available.

(33633)

123
N   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will list for each OECD member state the age of the youngest child at which under social security regulations the lone parent concerned with the child's upbringing is required to seek work.

(33631)

124
N   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to her Answer of 23rd January, Official Report, column 738, what is her estimate of the (a) mean average and (b) median average amount of income support unclaimed by pensioners in 1995-96.

(33626)

125
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people (a) in the North West and (b) in Warrington North have (i) been disallowed benefit and (ii) received increased benefits as a result of the Benefits Integrity Project.

(33636)

126
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many cases involving people who are terminally ill have been reviewed by the Benefits Integrity Project (a) in Warrington North and (b) nationally.

(33637)

127
   Ms Margaret Moran (Luton South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people in the Luton South constituency have been (a) disallowed benefit and (b) received increased benefit as a result of the Benefits Integrity Project.

(33957)

128
   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will make a statement on the outcome of the recent EU Taiwan market access negotiations.

(33882)

129
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will make a statement on the powers of the utility regulators to intervene in the closure of maintenance facilities.

(33966)

130
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will assess the benefits of outlawing takeovers of United Kingdom utilities by overseas companies.

(33973)

131
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what representations she has received on the negotiating right of the MSF union at Heinz factory, Wigan; and if she will make a statement.

(33968)

132
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will make a statement on the new powers that will be given to regulators as a result of the Utility Regulator's Review.

(33971)

133
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will make a statement on whether the Utility Regulator's Review will benefit electricity consumers who experience power failure for prolonged periods of time.

(33970)

134
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will make a statement on the implications for Norweb customers of the Utility Regulator's review.

(33969)

135
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will make a statement on the closure of the Norweb maintenance depot and its impact on customers.

(33972)

136
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will introduce legislation to regulate redundancy payments in the utilities.

(33967)

137
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how many export licences for arms have been granted to United Kingdom firms since September 1997; and in respect of which countries of destination.

(33831)

138
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will ensure that the MMC inquiry into the milk market will investigate margins and returns earned by major dairy firms.

(33739)

139
N   Dr Lewis Moonie (Kirkcaldy):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, when she will announce her decision on the public inquiry into the electricity interconnector from Scotland to England.

(33643)

140
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will regulate the prices charged for cosmetic surgery procedures; and if she will make a statement.

(33922)

141
   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will publish the comparative costs of the bids for accommodating the National Assembly for Wales.

(33892)

142
N   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many draft concordats his Department is currently preparing; who they are intended to be with; and what are the issues and matters covered by them.

(33839)

143
   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what draft concordats he is currently preparing to regulate the participation of Members of the National Assembly for Wales in meetings of the European Council of Ministers; and if he will make copies of such draft concordats available in the Library.

(33891)

144
N   Mr Richard Shepherd (Aldridge-Brownhills):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, for what reasons elected members of the Welsh Assembly are to be subject to the Official Secrets Act.

(33722)

145
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list the projects for which Gwent Tertiary College received European Union funding in each of the last three years.

(33904)

146
N   Mr Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action he is taking to promote compliance by Israel with United Nations resolutions.

[Question Unstarred] (31810)

147
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to allow those on means-tested benefit to continue to receive the (a) free prescriptions and (b) other supplementary benefits available to those on income support.

[Transferred] (33647)

148
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what estimate he has made of the number of jobs for sick and disabled people which will be created by the New Deal scheme in Coventry.

[Transferred] (33648)

149
   Mr Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what programmes his Department has initiated since 1st May 1997 to explore the opportunities for wood recycling and to broaden the use of wood as a recyclable raw material.

[Transferred] (33887)

150
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people are employed (a) directly and (b) indirectly in the United Kingdom brewing industry.

[Transferred] (33913)

151
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will propose EU legislation to protect the welfare and safety of animals in circuses during the United Kingdom's presidency of the EU.

[Transferred] (33915)



© Parliamentary copyright 1998	Revised 10 March 1998