Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1997-98
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The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Thursday 4 June 1998

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Thursday 4 June of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

For other Written Questions for answer on Thursday 4 June, of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order of Business.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer from Friday 5 June, 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.

THURSDAY 4th JUNE

1
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if the proposed scheme to increase some milk quotas will apply to the Peak District.

(44355)

2
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the effect of BSE on the knackers' trade.

(44357)

3
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the consequences for the British beef market if the ban on the export of British beef has not been lifted by the time the current calf slaughter programme ends in November.

(44353)

4
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will assess the advantages of moving sheep head counts for EU purposes from spring to autumn to minimise the risk of ewes becoming separated from their lambs by the process.

(44445)

5
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the prospects for the lifting of current EU restrictions on the non-food use of British tallow.

(44359)

6
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to extend the standards of worming required in respect of dogs kept on meat-producing farms to other dogs in rural areas.

(44444)

7
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the impact of charging for the inspection and licensing of sheep dips on (a) sheep farmers and (b) the environment.

(44442)

8
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what measures he proposes to take to encourage farmers to make better use of the knackers' trade.

(44358)

9
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the advantages to United Kingdom agriculture of the recent revaluation of the ecu.

(44354)

10
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what steps he is taking to secure a reduction in the EU subsidy on tobacco crops.

(44356)

11
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the incidence of toxicaris in rural areas compared to urban areas.

(44443)

12
   Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will evaluate the impact of the privatisation of the Agricultural Development Advisory Service on the quality and range of advice available to farmers.

(44498)

13
   Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what is HM Government's policy on the continuance or otherwise of milk quotas; and what is its response to the European Commission's proposal published on 18th March on the extension of, and increase in, quotas.

(44499)

14
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the Church Commissioners, if he will list in tabular form (a) the investment holdings in pounds at 31st December (1) 1996 and (2) 1997 and (b) the sums realised in pounds from the disposal of holdings between 1st January 1997 and 31st December 1997 in (i) Edinburgh Dragon Trust, (ii) Fidelity Japanese Values, (iii) Fleming Japanese Investment Trust, (iv) Fleming Select Japanese Fund, (v) Fleming Select Pacific Fund, (vi) Foreign and Colonial Pacific Investment Trust, (vii) Govett Oriential Investment Trust, (viii) JF Fledgeling Japan, (ix) Mercury European Privatisation Trust, (x) Old Mutual South Africa Trust, (xi) Pacific Assets Trust, (xii) Schroder Asia Pacific Fund, (xiii) Schroder Emergng Countries, (xiv) Schroder Japan Growth Fund, (xv) Schroder Pacific Growth Fund, (xvi) Schroder Tokyo Fund, (xvii) TR European Growth Trust and (xix) Templeton Emerging Markets.

(44230)

15
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the Church Commissioners, for what reasons the format of investment holdings in the 1997 Annual Report and Accounts has been changed from that in the 1996 edition in respect of information concerning overseas trusts.

(44231)

16
   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list, for each of the last four years, the departmental inquiries and reviews instigated by Ministers which have been chaired by individuals outside his Department; and in each case if he will give the date of establishment and the name of the chairman.

(44360)

17
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will issue guidance to local library authorities producing annual library plans not to reduce funding for large print books; and what guidance he has issued on this matter to date.

(44368)

18
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with UNESCO concerning the repatriation of cultural artefacts.

(44378)

19
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what was the cost to public funds for each year since 1990 incurred by branches of his Department other than DESO in the promotion of British defence exports.

(44435)

20
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the purpose of the Defence Military Assistance Fund; when it was set up; and what was its budget in the last year.

(44434)

21
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 21st April, Official Report, column, 556, what is the value of defence exports against which his forecast that £56 million of commercial exploitation levies would be raised from defence export sales in the next financial year was made; and what is the levy income as a percentage of the export sales figure.

(44433)

22
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, at what rate commercial exploitation levies are normally levied against the export of defence equipment whose development has been funded by his Department.

(44511)

23
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what was the cost to his Department of the attendance of (a) Ministers and (b) officials at defence and aerospace shows and trade fairs in each of the last eight years; what other costs were incurred in each year; and which bodies have funded these costs.

(44437)

24
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what was the value of the commercial exploitation levies paid by Vickers to the Government as a result of each of the contracts from the government of Oman for the export of Challenger II tanks; and what percentage of the contract this represents.

(44509)

25
N   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what percentage of defence manufacturing contracts in the United Kingdom in terms of the (a) number and (b) value of contracts were undertaken for (i) the United Kingdom Government, (ii) other EU states and (iii) states outside the EU in the years 1991-92 to 1997-98.

(43412)

26
N   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what EU rules and regulations govern the competitive tendering of defence procurement contracts by member state governments of the EU.

(43413)

27
N   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what EU rules and regulations govern the competitive tendering of defence procurement contracts by his Department.

(43414)

28
N   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if defence procurement contracts in all EU member states are open to competitive tendering to manufacturing companies in other EU member states.

(43415)

29
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effects of counselling for ex-servicemen.

(44387)

30
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has provided in financial assistance to the Combat Stress with Ex-Services Mental Welfare Society in each of the last five years.

(44386)

31
N   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 1st June, Official Report, column 103, on awards of the Military Cross, how many United Kingdom forces were serving in Sierra Leone in the two weeks either side of the occasion in which a serviceman was awarded the Military Cross in 1997; and which units they served in.

(44232)

32
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the contract to run the United Kingdom National Data Centre was put out to tender.

(44340)

33
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, where the contract to run the United Kingdom National Data Centre was advertised.

(44342)

34
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the United Kingdom National Data Centre has responsibility for monitoring data provided by the United Nations on nuclear testing.

(44341)

35
   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans his Department has made for the disposal of The Keep in Kingston; and if he will make a statement.

(44563)

36
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many job vacancies were notified to the Chelmsford Job Centre in each of the last six months.

(44175)

37
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many children in (a) Essex and (b) Mid-Essex at (i) primary schools and (ii) secondary schools were in classes with 31 or more children at the latest available time; and what the corresponding figures were for 12 months earlier.

(44174)

38
   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel and South Downs):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what representations he has received from individual teachers regarding the staging of their pay award.

(44373)

39
   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel and South Downs):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what factors led his Department to stage the pay award for teachers for 1998-99; and if he will make a statement.

(44374)

40
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many children at (a) primary and (b) secondary level in Warrington North constituency were excluded from school in each of the past five years.

(44208)

41
   Ms Jenny Jones (Wolverhampton South West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what method of scoring was used to assess the 1998 bids for funding under Objective 3 of the European Social Fund programme.

(44418)

42
   Ms Jenny Jones (Wolverhampton South West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is the definition of unemployed for the purposes of the bids for funding under Objective 3 of the 1998 European Social Fund's programme.

(44419)

43
   Ms Jenny Jones (Wolverhampton South West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how the scoring of bids for funding under Objective 3 of the 1998 European Social Fund's programme was monitored for accuracy.

(44426)

44
   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the amount of the delegated schools budget spent (a) per primary pupil and (b) per secondary pupil in each local education authority area for the last 10 years for which figures are available.

(44461)

45
   Mr William Ross (East Londonderry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many places there are for students of veterinary medicine in each university providing such courses; how many students currently studying such courses are from (a) the United Kingdom, (b) the EU and (c) overseas; what estimate he has made of the number of graduates in veterinary science required in the United Kingdom in each of the next four years; and what assessment he has made of the extent to which adequate numbers of veterinary surgeons will qualify in each of the next four years to meet demand.

(44558)

46
   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the number of stray dogs in the United Kingdom; and what monitoring his Department undertakes of the number (a) recovered and (b) put down and the cost to public funds of dealing with stray dogs.

(44409)

47
   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what information he collates on the proportion of leasehold commercial premises which receive individual fuel bills based upon occupancy levels.

(44382)

48
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many on-the-spot litter fines have been issued by Chelmsford Borough Council in each of the last three years; and how many warnings for litter offences were issued in each of the last three years.

(44176)

49
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many applications for the creation of new parishes under the Local Government and Rating Act 1997 his Department has received; what is the average time taken to determine the applications; and what were the outcomes of such determinations.

(44391)

50
   Mr Alan Johnson (Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will publish the National Maritime Institute Report commissioned by the Department of Trade entitled, Investigation into the Stability of MFV 'Gaul' in a Seaway (project 207001), Reference MF 92/12/08-MS 92/12/09.

(44388)

51
   Ms Jenny Jones (Wolverhampton South West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the current annual salary of (a) the Chief Executive of the Housing Corporation and (b) the regional directors of the Housing Corporation.

(44421)

52
   Ms Jenny Jones (Wolverhampton South West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the annual running costs of (a) the head office of the Housing Corporation and (b) the West Midlands regional office of the Housing Corporation in (i) 1994, (ii) 1995, (iii) 1996 and (iv) 1997.

(44420)

53
   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list for each council which has set a budget above its capping limit since the introduction of the capping regime (a) its provisional capping limit, (b) the budget set by the council, (c) the confirmed capping limit and (d) the final budget following appeal.

(44462)

54
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on how many days during May the Government's ozone health safety guideline in atmospheric air was breached in High Peak; and if he will make a statement.

(44376)

55
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what targets he has set and measures he has put in place to reduce atmospheric ozone to below the Government's ozone health safety limit.

(44377)

56
   Mr Chris Mullin (Sunderland South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects to announce his decision on the need for secondary treatment of sewage; and if it will be in time to allow water companies to comply with the deadline set in the EU Urban Waste Water Directive.

(44392)

57
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which local authorities operate voluntary accreditation schemes for private landlords.

(44302)

58
   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what account he will take of the French ban on the use and import of chrysolite when determining UK policy.

(44422)

59
   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects to announce the operational mechanism that will allow existing C1 licence holders to renew their entitlement to drive C1 vehicles in the course of their employment.

(44423)

60
   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the French ban on the use and import of chrysolite.

(44424)

61
   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what consultations his Department has undertaken over the possible reopening of Hammersmith Bridge; with which bodies; and what representations he has received on this subject.

(44566)

62
   Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to award national park status to the New Forest under the terms of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949; and what would be the impact of these plans on existing New Forest legislation.

(44460)

63
   Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to designate the New Forest a national park authority under the terms of the Environment Act 1995; and what would be the impact of these plans on existing New Forest legislation.

(44466)

64
   Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, under what statutory authority a national parks authority designated under the terms of the Environment Act 1995 could delegate its planning functions to a relevant local authority.

(44465)

65
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will meet the costs incurred by local planning authorities resulting from planning inquiries ordered by his Department into motorway service area applications.

(44503)

66
   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list, for each of the last four years, the departmental inquiries and reviews instigated by Ministers which have been chaired by individuals outside his Department; and in each case if he will give the date of establishment and the name of the chairman.

(44366)

67
N   Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of surpluses on the current balance measure of the UK budget deficit over the next five years.

(44294)

68
N   Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if it is his policy to pay in full the recommendations of the public sector review bodies for pay settlements in the year 1999-2000; and if he will make a statement.

(44295)

69
   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel and South Downs):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department took to establish whether the adjusted Italian gross domestic product figures used in calculating Italy's convergence performance under the Maastricht criteria were accurate.

(44371)

70
   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel and South Downs):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will calculate the size of the underground economy in the United Kingdom using the same criteria as the European Commission used to determine that of Italy.

(44372)

71
   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel and South Downs):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what factors were taken into account by the European Commission in estimating the size of the underground economy in Italy when determining its gross domestic product to national debt ratio.

(44370)

72
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what profit the Bank of England has derived from seigniorage on notes and coin issued in each of the last 10 years.

(44452)

73
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how banking regulations and supervision of participant members of the euro will be brought into line; and who is responsible for ensuring this occurs.

(44457)

74
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on his Department's responsibility to protect bank deposits in circumstances when banks lend transnationally under Economic and Monetary Union.

(44448)

75
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, who will supervise and regulate transnational banks under Stage Three of Economic and Monetary Union.

(44458)

76
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which body will guarantee the value of notional euro in Phase B of Stage Three of EMU from January 1999 to July 2002.

(44459)

77
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if Her Majesty's Government will treat the euro as a medium of exchange having value or as a unit of account.

(44505)

78
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what profits he estimates will derive to the United Kingdom from seigniorage if the United Kingdom participates in Stage Three of Economic and Monetary Union.

(44456)

79
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how lender of last resort operations will be co-ordinated during Stage Three of Economic and Monetary Union; and which individuals or bodies will be responsible for this.

(44454)

80
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how profits of seigniorage on euro notes and coins will be distributed among participants.

(44453)

81
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent changes have been made to the remit of the European Union Monetary Committee; and what is its role in relation to (a) the EMI and (b) the ECB.

(44455)

82
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) men and (b) women working (i) full-time and (ii) part-time in (1) Pendle and (2) Lancashire earn less than (x) £3 per hour, (y) £3.60 per hour, and (z) £4 per hour; and, in each case, what is the percentage of the total number employed.

(44380)

83
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proposals he has to regulate the activities of those engaged in debt recovery.

(44440)

84
N   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list (a) the countries of the recipients of Chevening scholarships, (b) the names and occupations of the recipients and (c) the amounts spent on Chevening scholarships since May 1997.

(44344)

85
N   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on what date the EU Troika visit to East Timor is expected to take place.

(44343)

86
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list those officials from his Department who attended (a) the Berlin Air Show in May, (b) the Eurosatory arms fair in Paris in June and (c) the COPEX exhibition in Jordan in April, indicating the costs of their attendance and breaking down the other costs incurred by his Department in connection with these events.

(44508)

87
N   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the visits by (a) ministers and (b) officials of his Department to East Timor (i) undertaken since 1st May 1998 and (ii) planned for the next six months.

(44301)

88
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which countries have ratified the Ottawa convention on land mines.

(44209)

89
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what communications he has had with the Algerian government concerning the human rights situation in Algeria since 19th February.

(44384)

90
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what liaison has taken place between EU and Algerian parliamentarians since the visit of the Minister of State to Algeria on 20th January.

(44385)

91
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Algeria; and what is his assessment of changes since the visit of the Minister of State on 20th January.

(44383)

92
N   Fiona Mactaggart (Slough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what is the complement of extra entry clearance officers provided to deal with the increased volume of summer entry clearance work for (a) Islamabad, (b) New Delhi, (c) Moscow, (d) Peking, (e) Lagos, (f) Bogata and (g) Colombo; how many of these have already gone to each post; when the others are expected to travel to each post; and when they will be recalled from each post.

(44229)

93
N   Dr John Marek (Wrexham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many St. Helenians were working on Ascension in the last 10 years for which figures are available.

(44061)

94
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which bodies were asked to nominate individuals to serve on the Executive Committee of the People's Europe event in London of 5th to 7th June; what criteria he used in selecting these; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter and accompanying material requesting their co-operation.

(44449)

95
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance he is giving to Bulgaria to aid its preparations for eventual membership of the European Union.

(44381)

96
   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans the Government has to sign the UN convention against the recruitment, use, financing and training of mercenaries; and if he will make a statement.

(44560)

97
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will order an immediate public inquiry into the paediatric cardiac surgery services at the United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust.

(44293)

98
   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many beds were available in (a) Liverpool Royal, (b) Broadgreen, (c) Walton and (d) Fazakerley hospitals in each year from 1990-91 to 1997-98; and what were the cumulative bed losses to Liverpool over that period.

(44441)

99
   Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what will be the start date of the period to be covered by the inquiry he is considering into events at the paediatric cardiac unit at the Bristol Royal Infirmary.

(44578)

100
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had about protecting the use of the title, nurse; and if he will make a statement.

(44207)

101
   Ms Jenny Jones (Wolverhampton South West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus incidents have occurred in hospitals in the (a) West Midlands and (b) London region in each of the past five years.

(44438)

102
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proposals he has to change the current responsibilities of health trusts for paying their own bills.

(44425)

103
   Mr Denis MacShane (Rotherham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the names of agencies which have supplied contract labour from outside the United Kingdom to the NHS in the last 10 years and the total amount paid in commission fees by the NHS to such firms in each of the last 10 years.

(44500)

104
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance is being given to health authorities and primary care groups on the inclusion of alternative and complementary therapies in the treatments that may be provided within the NHS.

(44369)

105
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proposals he has to provide financial assistance for St. Dunstan's.

(44439)

106
   Helen Southworth (Warrington South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many health authorities with a database detailing information on those people within their area who have learning disabilities make aggregated data available to his Department for planning and evaluation purposes; and how many of them hold that database jointly with their social services department.

(44350)

107
   Helen Southworth (Warrington South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many health authorities hold a database detailing information on those people within their area who have learning disabilities; and how many of them are structured to provide information on incidence of different types of learning disability.

(44349)

108
   Helen Southworth (Warrington South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many health authorities hold a database detailing information on those people who have autism within their local area; how many such databases are held jointly with the local social services department; and how many such health authorities make aggregate data available to his Department for planning and evaluation purposes.

(44351)

109
   Mr David Tredinnick (Bosworth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the research projects on alternative and complementary medicine included in the current NHS research and development programmes.

(44347)

110
   Mr David Tredinnick (Bosworth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the role of complementary medicine organisations in the proposed network of healthy living centres.

(44375)

111
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to introduce primary pharmacy groups.

(44504)

112
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is his most recent estimate of the period he intends to set as a time limit between arrest and first appearance in court for a person under 18 years under section 22A(1) of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 as amended by section 41 of the Crime and Disorder Bill.

(44348)

113
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what are the total numbers of prisoners who have been found in random tests to have taken (a) cocaine, (b) methadone, (c) amphetamines, (d) benzodiazapines, (e) barbiturates and (f) LSD, since the tests were introduced; what percentage of prisoners had taken the drugs in each case; and what changes have taken place in the proportions of these six categories of drugs.

(44345)

114
   Mr Bill Michie (Sheffield, Heeley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 20th April, Official Report, column 528, relating to current expenditure on his Department's emergency planning activities, if he will identify the subject or subjects of the expenditure classed as (f) other in his Answer; and if he will make a statement.

(44561)

115
   Mr Bill Michie (Sheffield, Heeley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 20th April, Official Report, columns 524-7, if he will list for each fire and civil defence authority the total amount of grant aid given to such authorities for emergency planning in 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98 and the provision for 1998-99, identifying where applicable any allocations transferred to fire and civil defence authorities by metropolitan district or London borough councils.

(44562)

116
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which body will monitor the United Kingdom's adherence to the European Convention on Human Rights.

(44564)

117
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effect of the incorporation into United Kingdom law of the European Convention on Human Rights on individuals' privacy.

(44565)

118
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects to bring forward proposals to change the internal police complaints and discipline process; and if he will make a statement.

(44502)

119
N   Angela Eagle (Wallasey):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what steps he is taking to ensure that courts pay out monies they hold on behalf of parties within a reasonable timescale.

(42750)

120
N   Mr David Winnick (Walsall North):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what amount of legal aid was given to those charged with the murder of Stephen Lawrence.

(44177)

121
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, if he will list the committees involved in the Millennium Experience indicating their membership and the number of meetings each has held in 1998.

(44447)

122
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, if he will publish his reply to the letter written to him by Richard Heller on 24th May relating to the Millennium Experience.

(44451)

123
   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will list, for each of the last four years, the departmental inquiries and reviews instigated by Ministers which have been chaired by individuals outside her Department; and in each case if she will give the date of establishment and the name of the chairman.

(44361)

124
   Mr William Ross (East Londonderry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many Northern Ireland students are presently studying veterinary science in (a) the Irish Republic and (b) Great Britain; what estimate she has made of the number of graduates in veterinary science required in Northern Ireland in each of the next four years; and what has been the number of applicants for university places in that science from Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

(44555)

125
   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):    To ask the President of the Council, if she will list, for each of the last four years, the departmental inquiries and reviews instigated by Ministers which have been chaired by individuals outside her Department; and in each case if she will give the date of establishment and the name of the chairman.

(44362)

126
   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Prime Minister, what contribution each department currently makes to education in world citizenship.

(44577)

127
   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list, for each of the last four years, the departmental inquiries and reviews instigated by Ministers which have been chaired by individuals outside his Department; and in each case if he will give the date of establishment and the name of the chairman.

(44363)

128
N   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what was the percentage change in the number of registered unemployed amongst 18 to 25 year olds in (a) Dundee, (b) Perth and Kinross and (c) Angus in (i) January, (ii) February, (iii) March and (iv) April in each year since 1986.

(43409)

129
N   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what was the percentage change in the number of registered unemployed in (a) Dundee, (b) Perth and Kinross and (c) Angus in (i) January, (ii) February, (iii) March and (iv) April in each year since 1986.

(43410)

130
N   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many and what percentage of registered unemployed amongst 18 to 25 year olds in (a) Dundee, (b) Perth and Kinross and (c) Angus found work and signed off as unemployed in (i) January, (ii) February, (iii) March and (iv) April in each year since 1986.

(43411)

131
N   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what representations he has had from BARMAC Fabrication Yard concerning the training in welding and fabrication at Moray College.

(43416)

132
N   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what representations he has had from trade union representatives at Moray College concerning the plans to discontinue the welding and fabrication course.

(43417)

133
N   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what meetings has he had with the principal or members of the Board of Directors of Moray College concerning its involvement in the University of the Highlands and Islands project.

(43418)

134
N   Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what weekly rental levels he proposes for the rented housing elements of each of the successful New Housing Partnership bids.

(44042)

135
N   Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what weekly rental levels he proposes for the rented housing elements of the New Housing Partnership bid from Glasgow City Council.

(44043)

136
N   Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will publish the criteria under which the New Housing Partnership schemes were assessed.

(44044)

137
N   Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what information in a systematic form is held in respect of each of the New Housing Partnerships in relation to (a) rental levels for all the rented housing elements of the New Housing Partnership bids, (b) tenancy agreements for all the rented housing elements of the New Housing Partnership bids and (c) allocation priorities of non-local authority housing providers for the rented housing elements of the New Housing Partnership bids; and if he will make such information available.

(44045)

138
   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will list, for each of the last four years, the departmental inquiries and reviews instigated by Ministers which have been chaired by individuals outside her Department; and in each case if he will give the date of establishment and the name of the chairman.

(44364)

139
   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many applicants have been successful in claiming industrial injury disablement benefit for prescribed diseases for C23 primary neoplasm of the epithelial lining of the urinary tract in each of the last 10 years; and how many of the (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful applicants were in the printing and related industries.

(44352)

140
   Mr Alan Johnson (Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will ensure that laryngectomy patients automatically qualify for disability benefits; what representations she has received on this issue; and if she will make a statement.

(44389)

141
   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will list, for each of the last four years, the departmental inquiries and reviews instigated by Ministers which have been chaired by individuals outside her Department; and in each case if he will give the date of establishment and the name of the chairman.

(44365)

142
N   Mr Roger Casale (Wimbledon):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what assessment she has made of the impact on rural communities of the Commission's Agenda 2000 proposals for reform of the structural funds.

(42724)

143
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will list those officials from her Department who attended the Contingency and Operational Procurement Exhibition (COPEX) in Jordan in April, indicating the costs of their attendance and the total amount of public funds extended by her Department to companies attending this event.

(44506)

144
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if ancillary equipment in (a) standard individual export licences and (b) open individual licence categories, may be included with the delivery of Hawk aircraft to Indonesia in 1998.

(44436)

145
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, which officials from her Department attended the Eurosatory arms fair in Paris in June; what were the costs of their attendance; and what funding her Department provided to defence companies attending this event.

(44507)

146
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will list those officials from her Department who attended the Berlin Air Show from 18th to 24th May, indicating the costs of their attendance and the total amount of public funds extended by her Department to defence companies attending this event.

(44510)

147
   Dr Lewis Moonie (Kirkcaldy):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what recommendations she has received about the future of Dounreay.

(44559)

148
   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list, for each of the last four years, the departmental inquiries and reviews instigated by Ministers which have been chaired by individuals outside his Department; and in each case if he will give the date of establishment and the name of the chairman.

(44367)

149
N   Mr Robin Corbett (Birmingham, Erdington):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what progress is being made on phasing out the use of those drift nets which are dangerous to dolphins.

[Question Unstarred] (42726)

150
N   Mr Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement about the latest meeting of the International Whaling Commission.

[Question Unstarred] (42748)

151
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what changes to the law he plans following the recent court case in which a walker injured by cattle successfully sued the farmer for damages.

[Transferred] (44446)

152
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what will be the cost to public funds of the People's Europe event in London on 5th to 7th June; and what sums will be received from (a) Her Majesty's Government, (b) the European Commission, (c) the European Parliament, (d) other public bodies and (e) voluntary bodies.

[Transferred] (44450)

153
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what was the total amount of state benefits recovered from successful claimants who were in receipt of legal aid to fight personal injury cases in (a) 1994-95, (b) 1995-96 and (c) 1996-97.

[Transferred] (44501)

154
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what advice the HSE gives concerning the maintenance of liquid petroleum gas and other fuel storage tanks located underground at domestic properties.

[Transferred] (44379)