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 9 June 1998

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 9 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 Tuesday 9 June, of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order of Business.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer from Wednesday 10 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.

TUESDAY 9th JUNE

1
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what steps he will take to prevent the gold-plating of EU rules and regulations covering the production of goat's milk in cottage industries.

(45017)

2
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will instruct his inspectors involved with enforcing rules and regulations in relation to food or drink to do so in the least burdensome manner.

(44917)

3
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what research, by whom and at what cost, his Department has commissioned into E-Coli in (a) cow's milk, (b) sheep's milk and (c) goat's milk.

(45016)

4
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will seek to establish an enquiry into food production methods in each European country to examine trends in the incidence of food poisoning across the EU.

(45021)

5
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what public opinion surveys he has evaluated into public attitudes towards genetically modified crops.

(45122)

6
N   Mr Robert Walter (North Dorset):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what consultation he has had with the cattle breeding industry regarding artificial insemination; and when he proposes to bring forward new regulations.

(45026)

7
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been spent on repairs for HMS 'Ocean' since her launch; and what repairs have been carried out.

(45127)

8
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of damage caused to HMS 'Ocean' during refloating at Portsmouth naval base following repairs; and if he will make a statement.

(45126)

9
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the cost of the new arms tactical training centre due to be installed in Germany for the British Army.

(45029)

10
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the future role of the new arms tactical training centre in Germany.

(45030)

11
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will make it his policy to issue guidance to local authorities to ensure that rules and regulations affecting the operation of cottage industries are enforced at the least burdensome level possible.

(44918)

12
   Mr Derek Foster (Bishop Auckland):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is the (a) number and (b) percentage of New Deal special personal advisors who are from ethnic minorities.

(45138)

13
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the national average GCSE/GNVQ point score of (a) male, (b) female and (c) all 15 year old pupils in 1997, assigning GNVQ grades points on the basis that at intermediate level a distinction equals 7.5 points, a merit equals 6 points, and a pass equals 5 points, and at foundation level a distinction equals 4 points, a merit equals 3 points, and a pass equals 1.5 points.

(44953)

14
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what were the average GCSE point scores in 1997 of each equal twentieth group of (a) male, (b) female and (c) all 15 year old pupils when all such pupils are ranked by their total GCSE point scores, the number of pupils and the average number of GCSEs entered per pupil in each group; what proportions of pupils in each group also took (i) an intermediate GNVQ, and (ii) a foundation GNVQ, indicating the numbers gaining each grade.

(44955)

15
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what were the average GCSE/GNVQ point scores in 1997 of (a) male, (b) female and (c) all 15 year old pupils in maintained schools including special schools with 15 year old pupils assigning GNVQ grades points on the basis that at intermediate level a distinction equals 7.5 points, a merit equals 6 points and a pass equals 5 points, and at foundation level a distinction equals 4 points, a merit equals 3 points, and a pass equals 1.5 points.

(44954)

16
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the national average GCSE point score of (a) male, (b) female and (c) all 15 year old pupils (i) in total and (ii) in maintained schools including special schools in 1997; and if he will indicate the numbers of pupils in each category.

(44952)

17
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what were the average GCSE/GNVQ point scores in 1997 of each equal twentieth group of (a) male, (b) female and (c) all 15 year old pupils when all such pupils are ranked by their total GCSE/GNVQ points scores, assuming that GNVQ grades are assigned points such that at intermediate level a distinction equals 7.5 points, a merit equals 6 points, and a pass equals 5 points, and at foundation level a distinction equals 4 points, a merit equals 3 points, and a pass equals 1.5 points; if he will list the number of pupils in each group, the average number of GCSEs entered per pupil in each group and the proportions of pupils in each group who took (i) an intermediate GNVQ and (ii) a foundation GNVQ; and if he will indicate the numbers gaining each grade.

(44956)

18
N   Mr John Hayes (South Holland and The Deepings):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, under what circumstances support from the access to work scheme will be available to disabled people taking part in the New Deal programme for disabled people.

(44410)

19
N   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list those Foyer organisations currently contracted to provide (a) the Gateway service, (b) services to the unemployed and (c) other services in the delivery of the New Deal.

(45096)

20
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list by disability for each month since December 1996 the number of people who sought Access to Work support in the first six weeks of their employment.

(45031)

21
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answers of 19th December, Official Report, columns 358-9, on pollution incidents and discharges to water in excess of permitted limits, if he will provide the figures for the whole of 1997.

(44411)

22
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he will announce his conclusions on the implemention of the recent report on district council wards for Northamptonshire.

(44958)

23
   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he will respond to OFWAT's request for ministerial guidance on providing sewage treatment without ministerial endorsement of derogation applications to instal plant below European Union requirements.

[R] (45144)

24
   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will consult OFWAT about the letter of 29th May from Councillor Derek Whittaker, Leader of Arun District Council, asking for direct intervention in respect of the Arun Campaign for Cleaner Seas.

[R] (45143)

25
   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what standards of sewage treatment he requires the Environment Agency to demand for coastal areas.

[R] (45151)

26
   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what policy he intends to adopt with (a) the Environment Agency, (b) OFWAT and (c) water companies to comply with the European Commission's 2000 deadline for the provision of secondary or higher sewage treatment for coastal discharge.

[R] (45148)

27
   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received which oppose the Campaign for Cleaner Seas and Arun District Council's request for more than basic treatment of sewage on the Sussex coast.

[R] (45145)

28
   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will review the framework of regulation and the progress towards meeting European Union directives on treatment of sewage in coastal discharges.

[R] (45152)

29
   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on his meeting with Councillor Derek Whittaker of Arun District Council on 19th May and on subsequent representations on secondary sewage treatement on the Sussex coast.

(45153)

30
   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will direct OFWAT to require water companies to meet the requirements of the Urban Waste Water Treatment and the Bathing Water Quality directives without derogation secondary treatment.

[R] (45150)

31
   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many sewage treatment derogations he has approved for forwarding to the European Union.

[R] (45146)

32
   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is his policy towards ensuring compliance by water companies with European Union sewage treatment requirements for coastal discharges.

[R] (45149)

33
N   Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if there will be a net increase in resources going to the South West Region after the setting up of the Regional Development Agency.

(43243)

34
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what measures he is taking to protect the provision of special needs transport in (a) the West Midlands and (b) Coventry.

(44401)

35
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to the oral Answer from the President of the Council of 18th May, Official Report, column 593, on threatened plants, if he will make a statement on the steps which have been taken to ensure co-operation between government departments on matters relating to the International Unit for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

(43342)

36
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received on investment levels on the West Coast main line.

(43343)

37
N   Dr Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Inverclyde):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on how many occasions in each year since an MEL was assigned to respirable quartz the Health and Safety Executive has instigated formal enforcement actions against employers who have controlled personal exposures to respirable quartz to below the maximum exposure limits but where exposures were not as low as reasonably practicable and exceeded 0.1 mg/m3; and if he will make a statement.

(43714)

38
N   Dr Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Inverclyde):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many (a) mesotheliomas and (b) lung cancers in (i) smokers and (ii) non-smokers per million persons exposed are assumed to result from environmental exposures to amosite asbestos at airborne fibre concentrations of (a) 0.01, (b) 0.005 and (c) 0.001 fibres/millilitre for 40 hours per week for 20 years; and if he will make a statement.

(43715)

39
N   Dr Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Inverclyde):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what health consequences, expressed in terms of numbers of mesotheliomas or lung cancers in smokers and non-smokers per million persons exposed are assumed to result from environmental exposures to crocidolite asbestos at airborne fibre concentrations of (a) 0.01, (b) 0.005, (c) 0.001 and (d) 0.0001 fibres/millilitre for 40 hours per week for 20 years; and if he will make a statement.

(43716)

40
N   Dr Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Inverclyde):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what health consequences, expressed in terms of deaths per million persons exposed are assumed to result from occupational exposures to (a) kaolin, (b) respirable quartz, (c) welding fume, (d) cement dust, (e) styrene, (f) isocyanates and (g) xylene at the current relevant occupational exposure limits for 40 hours per week for 20 years; and if he will make a statement.

(43717)

41
N   Dr Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Inverclyde):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what health consequences, expressed in terms of numbers of mesotheliomas or lung cancers in smokers and non-smokers per million persons exposed are assumed to result from occupational exposures to crocidolite asbestos at airborne fibre concentrations of (a) 0.2, (b) 0.1, (c) 0.05 and (d) 0.005 fibres/millilitre for 40 hours per week for 20 years; and if he will make a statement.

(43718)

42
N   Dr Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Inverclyde):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on how many occasions in each year between 1975 and 1st March 1998 the Health and Safety Executive instigated formal enforcement actions against employers who had controlled personal exposures to asbestos primarily by the use of respiratory protective equipment contrary to the requirements of Regulation 7 of the Asbestos Regulations 1969; and if he will make a statement.

(43719)

43
N   Dr Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Inverclyde):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on how many occasions in each year since 1988 the Health and Safety Executive has investigated whether manufacturers or importers have (a) produced and (b) imported products incorporating asbestos to assess compliance with the requirements of Regulation 8(1A) of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987; and if he will make a statement.

(43720)

44
N   Dr Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Inverclyde):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on how many occasions in each year since 1988 the Health and Safety Executive instigated formal enforcement actions against employers who had controlled personal exposures to asbestos primarily by the use of respiratory protective equipment contrary to the requirements of Regulation 8(1b) of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987; and if he will make a statement.

(43721)

45
N   Dr Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Inverclyde):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what health consequences, expressed in terms of numbers of mesotheliomas or lung cancers in smokers and non-smokers per million persons exposed are assumed to result from occupational exposures to (a) amosite asbestos at airborne fibre concentrations of (a) 0.2, (b) 0.1 and (c) 0.05 fibres/millilitre for 40 hours per week for 20 years; and if he will make a statement.

(43722)

46
N   Dr Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Inverclyde):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on how many occasions in each year since 1990 the Health and Safety Executive instigated formal enforcement actions against employers who had controlled personal exposures to below (a) the relevant maximum exposure limits and (b) the relevant control limits but where exposures have not been as low as reasonably practical; and if he will make a statement.

(43723)

47
   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 environmental impact of propane as a fuel; what steps he proposes to encourage its use; and if he will make a statement.

(45129)

48
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of passenger compensation for late trains.

(45028)

49
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the current levels of passenger complaints relating to train services.

(45027)

50
N   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 18th May, Official Report, column 222, if he will request the Highways Agency to produce forecasts of PM10 levels from all sources in the Egham area in (i) 2005 and (ii) 2010 assuming (a) the 10-12 lane widening scheme for the M25 is implemented and (b) the motorway is not widened.

(44872)

51
N   Mr David Marshall (Glasgow, Shettleston):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the severe overload which occurred on the Blackton Sector of the Area Control Operations Room at the London area and terminal control centre, Air Traffic Control, West Drayton, on Thursday 23rd April.

(44920)

52
N   Mr David Marshall (Glasgow, Shettleston):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the effect on the safety of air travellers of the delay to the opening of the new en-route air traffic control centre at Swanwick; and if he will make a statement.

(44919)

53
N   Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the current levels of investment in Britain's motorway and trunk road network; and when he plans to complete his review of Britain's road programme.

(43267)

54
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he plans to send a reply to the letter dated 8th May from the honourable Member for Totnes requesting a meeting with him, the honourable Member for South West Devon, South Hams district councillors, South Devon county councillors and the South Hams Amenity Federation to discuss the effect on South Hams, of the projected new housing requirement for South Devon to the year 2001.

(44981)

55
N   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has for a quarrying tax.

[Question Unstarred] [Transferred] (43250)

56
N   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of personal portfolio bond holders who hold such instruments with the sole or main objective of avoiding tax.

(45120)

57
N   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will set out the Treasury's guidelines on whether loans guaranteed by the Government form part of the PSBR.

(44965)

58
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what tax incentives exist to encourage the use of propane as a vehicle fuel; if he will extend tax incentives to encourage propane use; and if he will make a statement.

(45128)

59
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proposals his Department has to adopt the European Parliament's Captain Euro publicity in respect of the preparations for the introduction of the euro.

(45154)

60
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department publishes guidelines in relation to uniform business rates and the value of public houses.

(45019)

61
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what measures are taken to monitor the accuracy of information given on forms used to assess uniform business rates for public houses.

(45020)

62
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if (a) turnover prices and (b) the value of a property are taken into account in the setting of uniform business rates for public houses.

(45018)

63
N   Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many demands for a sum of 24 pence or less have been issued by the Inland Revenue since 1st January to taxpayers who have been held to have under-declared their earnings under the Self Assessment Scheme.

(44816)

64
N   Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 1st June, Official Report, column 144, on Sierra Leone, on how many occasions in April and May officials in his Department initiated discussions with Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in connection with the progress of the investigation into Sandline International; and if he will list the date of each such occasion.

(44957)

65
N   Mr Roger Casale (Wimbledon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to discuss with his European Union counterparts a strengthening of the European Code of Conduct on arms exports.

(44430)

66
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what is the cost of producing the European Parliament's publicity material relating to Captain Euro; what was the role of Her Majesty's Government in devising this campaign; and what proportion of its costs was borne by the United Kingdom.

(45142)

67
N   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to reduce waiting lists in respect of the York NHS Trust.

(45024)

68
N   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ensure that the staff of GPs working in co-operatives have access to the NHS pension scheme.

(45023)

69
N   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the likelihood of litigation arising as a result of failures in the millennium compliance of NHS computer systems.

(45022)

70
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the alterations to entitlement conditions for free annual sight tests since 1st March.

(45032)

71
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what statistics are collated by (a) the Government and (b) the European Commission on incidents of food poisoning in each EU member state; and if he will publish them.

(45118)

72
N   Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 1st June, Official Report, column 136, if he will make a statement on how the national weighted capitation formula operates; in what ways the formula has changed since 1995-96; and how each of these changes has affected the funding of the West Kent Health Authority.

(44640)

73
N   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to reply to the letters dated 18th February, 18th March and 30th April from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr R. H. Malik, of 15 The Avenue.

(45097)

74
   Mr Phil Woolas (Oldham East and Saddleworth):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to issue guidance to police forces and coroners in respect of investigation into apparent suicides.

(45130)

75
   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what representations he has received concerning the rights of junior barristers to share the silk's bench in court; and if he will make a statement.

(45147)

76
N   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when he expects to give a substantive reply to the letter of 22nd December 1997 from the honourable Member for Eastbourne relating to Judge Hasan.

(45025)

77
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, if each zone in the Millennium Dome has a sponsor; and if he will list each committed sponsor to each zone and the amount of the sponsorship contribution.

(45137)

78
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, what is the current budget for each of the zones in the Millennium Experience.

(45132)

79
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, if currencies other than sterling will be accepted for admission to the Millennium Dome.

(45134)

80
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, how much of the finance for the New Millennium Experience he proposes to raise from the private sector; and how much is currently committed.

(45133)

81
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, how many zones he currently proposes to have in the Millenium Dome.

(45135)

82
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Prime Minister, if the information available to the Permanent Secretaries' Committee on the Intelligence Services is available in full to the Intelligence and Security Committee.

(44413)

83
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the potential for increasing parliamentary accountability of the central intelligence machinery consistent with the need to protect national security.

(44412)

84
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Prime Minister, if the reports to, and minutes of, meetings of the Ministerial Committee on the Intelligence Services are available in full to the Intelligence and Security Committee.

(44414)

85
N   Mr John Butterfill (Bournemouth West):    To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 1st June, Official Report, column 92, if all the papers forwarded by the Prime Minister to Sir Thomas Legg's inquiry will fall within the terms of reference of that inquiry; and if he will ensure that all such papers contain the dates on which they were received by his Department and the names of all those to whom they were circulated.

(44556)

86
N   Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet):    To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 3rd June, Official Report, column 215, concerning duty free, what the stance was of Germany and Italy at the ECOFIN Council meeting on 19th May towards reversal of the decision to end the duty free trade; if support for a study into the effects of the ending of duty free trade was given by France, Spain and Greece; and if he will make a statement.

(45015)

87
N   Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the procurator fiscal posts in respect of which decisions have been taken not to replace an existing fiscal since 1st May 1997; and if he will state the reason for this decision in each case.

[R] (44818)

88
N   Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the total number of working days and cost thereof in (a) 1996-97 and (b) 1997-98 in respect of which ad hoc deputies were engaged by the Procurator Fiscal Service in each regional area of the service.

[R] (44812)

89
N   Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what expenditure was incurred in 1997-98 in respect of the operational running costs of the Procurator Fiscal Service.

(44814)

90
N   Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will state in respect of each local education authority area in Scotland the average amount allocated for the purchase of books in each (a) primary and (b) secondary school in 1996-97 and 1997-98.

(44817)

91
N   Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many legally-qualified members of staff were employed in each regional area of the Procurator Fiscal Service on 31st March in (a) 1996, (b) 1997 and (c) 1998; and what was the agreed complement of such staff for each area on these dates.

[R] (44811)

92
N   Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much was spent on (a) criminal legal aid and (b) the administration of the Scottish criminal legal aid scheme in 1997-98.

(44813)

93
N   Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what was the case-related expenditure in each regional area of the Procurators Fiscal Service in (a) the financial year immediately prior to the implementation of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 and (b) each complete financial year since its implementation in respect of (i) solemn proceedings in the High Court, (ii) solemn proceedings in the Sheriff Court and (iii) summary proceedings.

(44815)

94
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to her Answer to the honourable Member for Tayside North of 5th May, Official Report, columns 376-7, concerning the Benefit Integrity Project, if she will list the operational and legal issues that have prevented a review of Benefit Integrity Project cases prior to 9th February.

(45115)

95
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to her Answer to the honourable Member for Tayside North of 5th May, Official Report, columns 376-7, concerning the Benefit Integrity Project, what timescale the review is working to; and when she will be in a position to report its outcome.

(45116)

96
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, when she received or expects to receive the report of the Pensions Education Working Group; and when she will publish it.

(44834)

97
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to her Answer of 8th April, Official Report, column 377, what rates of real increase in average earnings for the years to September (i) 1998 and (ii) 1999 were derived from the data and evidence available at the time of the Pre-Budget Report; and what would be the corresponding rates of real increase based on the data and evidence now available.

(44820)

98
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to her Answer of 13th March, Official Report, column 394, if she will update the estimated costs of uprating the basic pension and linked benefits given in that Answer.

(44821)

99
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is the expected difference between the income and expenditure of the National Insurance Fund for (1) 1999-2000 and (2) 2000-01 (a) before and (b) after taking into account the changes in NI contributions announced in the Budget and assuming that the basic pension and linked benefits are uprated in line with (i) prices and (ii) average earnings.

(44836)

100
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, when she received or expects to receive the report of the Pensions Committee chaired by Mr Tom Ross; and when she will publish it.

(44833)

101
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she expects to publish the green paper on pensions before the summer adjournment.

(44835)

102
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people, in term of full-time equivalents, are engaged in preparing replies to letters from members of the public in her Department's Correspondence Unit; and what is the average number of replies sent per working day.

(44819)

103
N   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many recipients of incapacity benefit (a) nationally and (b) in Leaside District have had their case reviewed; how many of those have had their benefit stopped; how many have appealed; and how many of those appeals have been upheld in each of the last three years.

(45095)

104
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, when her Department notified local authorities in Wales that the imposition of a limit on the amount of council tax benefit awarded to persons residing in council tax band E and above would not be applied to existing recipients of council tax benefits in such properties; and if she will make a statement.

(45094)

105
   Dr Tony Wright (Cannock Chase):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many vaccine-damaged children have received a payment of £10,000 in compensation.

(45131)

106
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will list all registered restrictive practice agreements involving trade associations.

(44984)

107
N   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will list the (a) British and (b) Indonesian companies involved in the Cikampek to Padalarang Toll Road project in Indonesia; what expenditure has been (i) allocated and (ii) incurred by her Department to date; what is the state of progress with the project; and if she will make a statement.

(44982)

108
N   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will list the foreign direct investments by UK companies in Indonesia which have been cancelled, suspended or reviewed by the Indonesian Government in the last 12 months (a) as a condition of the IMF assistance programme, (b) as a result of links with the family of former President Suharto and (c) for any other reason, in each case specifying the reason and stating the nature and value of the investment and the expenditure incurred to date; and if she will make a statement.

(44983)

109
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what assessment she has made of the impact of vertical agreements, with particular reference to suppliers using selective distribution, on competitive practices and consumers.

(44408)

110
N   Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will establish an inquiry into the workings of Dounreay with specific reference to the reported loss of highly enriched uranium; and if she will make a statement.

(44873)

111
N   Mrs Betty Williams (Conwy):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, when she expects the review of European Structural Funds to be completed.

[Question Unstarred] [Transferred] (43253)

112
N   Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what rent is being paid by occupants of the Scott Harbour office project under the rent guarantee scheme operated between Cardiff Bay Development Corporation and Grosvenor Waterside.

(45117)

113
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many and which of the proposed mergers of health trusts in Wales have been subject to objections by (a) individuals and (b) organisations affected; what consultation procedures will apply to the hearing of such objections; and what is the time scale for this process.

(45155)

114
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many letters he has received from (a) honourable Members and (b) others expressing opposition to the proposed merger of health trusts in Wales.

(45157)

115
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make a statement on the powers of the National Assembly for Wales in regard to the restructuring of health trusts in Wales.

(45156)

116
N   Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on his policy with regard to Connex South Central exercising their option to extend their franchise from seven years to 15.

[Question Unstarred] (43278)

117
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what compensation will be offered to Riverford Farm, Staverton Bridge, as a result of loss of trade resulting from the consent by his Department to a test site for herbicide-resistant maize; and if he will withdraw his consent for the growing of herbicide-resistant maize in the proximity of Riverford Farm.

[Transferred] (45121)