Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1997-98
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Wednesday 24 June 1998

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 24 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 Wednesday 24 June, of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order of Business.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer from Thursday 25 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.

WEDNESDAY 24th JUNE

1
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what proposals he has to require residue testing of imported poultry meat.

(47450)

2
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will restrict the import of poultry meat which has been subject to antibiotic growth enhancers.

(47449)

3
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the advantages and disadvantages of permitting the use of vaccines for poultry which are permitted for use in other EU member states.

(47446)

4
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will ban the import into the United Kingdom of meat from poultry which has been fed on meat and bone meal.

(47444)

5
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will require imported turkey meat to be labelled with details of (a) vaccines which have been administered to such poultry and (b) vaccines which have been administered which are not approved for use in the United Kingdom.

(47447)

6
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what proposals he has to restrict antibiotic growth enhancers in poultry production.

(47448)

7
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will require imported poultry meat which is packed or processed in the United Kingdom to carry on-pack information about (a) its source and (b) its compliance or otherwise with United Kingdom health and welfare standards.

(47443)

8
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will require imported poultry meat to be labelled with information about whether the meat has been subject to residue testing.

(47451)

9
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will require imported poultry meat to be labelled with its country of origin.

(47442)

10
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will ensure that the charge for residue testing under European Union Directive 96/43/EC does not exceed the costs of testing.

(47452)

11
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will require imported poultry meat to be clearly labelled to show if (a) meat and bone meal and (b) animal proteins have been used in the feeding of such poultry.

(47445)

12
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when the ban on drift net fishing announced by the European Union will come into force; how it will be policed; what penalties will be imposed on fishing fleets which breach the ban on drift net fishing; and if he will press for a world wide ban on drift net fishing.

(45858)

13
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list by species of fish, the dates when the stocks in fishing grounds around the United Kingdom will be fished out at current rates of depletion.

(47454)

14
   Mr Hugh Bayley (City of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many representations English Heritage has received (a) in favour of and (b) against its proposal to move its Ancient Monuments Laboratory to Fort Cumberland, Portsmouth.

(47396)

15
   Mr Hugh Bayley (City of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate has been made by English Heritage of the cost of providing Library and other facilities in order to establish a centre of excellence if it relocates its Ancient Monuments Laboratory to Fort Cumberland, Portsmouth.

(43400)

16
   Mr Hugh Bayley (City of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people visited English Heritage's (a) Ancient Monuments Laboratory in London and (b) Central Archaeological Service in Portsmouth in the most recent year for which figures are available.

(47398)

17
   Mr Hugh Bayley (City of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what effect the proposed relocation of English Heritage's Ancient Monuments Laboratory will have on the amount of money in English Heritage's archaeology grants budget available for distribution in 1998-99 and 1999-2000.

(47397)

18
   Mr Hugh Bayley (City of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information has been collected by English Heritage about the proportion of the professional staff in its Ancient Monuments Laboratory who would (a) be happy to relocate and (b) seek alternative employment in the event that the laboratory is relocated to each of the alternative locations considered in recent months.

(47401)

19
   Mr Hugh Bayley (City of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if English Heritage intends to consult the people and organisations which use the servics of its Ancient Monuments Laboratory about its proposal to move the laboratory to Fort Cumberland, Portsmouth.

(47395)

20
   Mr Hugh Bayley (City of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which places were considered by English Heritage as possible future locations for its Ancient Monuments Laboratory; and in respect of each of these places what is the estimated (a) capital value plus conversion cost of the premises, (b) cost of relocating staff, (c) cost of capital equipment for the new laboratory, (d) annual running cost of the new laboratory and (e) annual cost of and time used for official travel by the laboratory's staff.

(47399)

21
   Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of the Lottery funds allocated for Heritage projects has been spent in (a) Wales and (b) North Wales.

(47392)

22
   Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of projects allocated Heritage Lottery funding within Wales to date were unable to raise matching funding; and what is the total amount of resulting unclaimed funds.

(47393)

23
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the effect on defence aviation of the sell-off of NATS.

(47404)

24
N   Mr John Maples (Stratford-on-Avon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons he chose the Gro6 115D aircraft in preference to the Slingsby Firefly as the aircraft to be used by University Air Squadron and Air Cadet Experience.

(47321)

25
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how schools are monitored to ensure that they meet the minimum curriculum requirements for physical activity.

(46861)

26
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many schools failed to meet the curriculum requirements for physical activity in (a) Coventry, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England for the last three years.

(46862)

27
N   Mr Damian Green (Ashford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what estimate he has made of the number of students from England who will attend Scottish universities in 1998-99.

(47089)

28
N   Mr Damian Green (Ashford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what estimate he has made of the cost of holding ballots on the future of grammar schools in (a) Kent, (b) Lincolnshire, (c) Medway, (d) Slough, (e) Southend, (f) Torbay, (g) Trafford, (h) Buckinghamshire and (i) Bexley.

(47090)

29
N   Mr Damian Green (Ashford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what percentage of those called to inital interviews under the New Deal have not attended; and what the percentage was in each travel-to-work area.

(47091)

30
   Mr David Lock (Wyre Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the average percentage attendance by parents at annual school meetings of (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in the last year for which figures are available.

(47403)

31
   Mr David Lock (Wyre Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what estimate he has made of the administrative cost to schools to (a) prepare for, (b) publicise and (c) hold annual school meetings in respect of (i) primary schools and (ii) secondary schools.

(47402)

32
   Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many (a) male and (b) female students took up courses of higher education in (i) biological sciences, (ii) physical and chemical sciences, (iii) medicine, (iv) engineering and (v) other sciences, in each of the last five years; and what percentage female students were of students taking up such courses in each subject area in each year.

(47541)

33
   Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans his Department has to increase the number of women students entering the professions of science, engineering and technology.

(47516)

34
   Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what steps he is taking to improve the availability of science, engineering and technology higher and further education to women in rural areas.

(47513)

35
   Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the expenditure by local education authorities on pupils and students with statements of special educational needs for the years (a) 1990-91, (b) 1991-92, (c) 1992-93 and (d) 1993-94.

(47456)

36
   Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many (a) male and (b) female students applied for courses of higher education in (i) biological sciences, (ii) physical and chemical sciences, (iii) medicine, (iv) engineering and (v) other sciences, in each of the last five years; and what percentage of applicants were (1) male and (2) female in each subject area in each year.

(47558)

37
   Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what financial support his Department has provided, in each of the past five years, to the Engineering Council's WISE programme.

(47512)

38
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list by region the sites of special scientific interest which have been damaged by falling water table levels in the last 12 months; and which water companies abstract water in each local area.

(47345)

39
   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to encourage the use of compressed natural gas in government fleet vehicles.

(47414)

40
   Mr Michael Jack (Fylde):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list for the period from 1989 to date those works carried out by North West Water to achieve environmental improvements which were (a) required by statute and (b) undertaken without statutory requirement by the company; and if he will publish the cost benefit information on the works listed in each category.

(47540)

41
   Sir Raymond Powell (Ogmore):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to restrict the use of water for irrigating crops.

(47514)

42
   Sir Raymond Powell (Ogmore):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to remove entitlement to compensation if an abstraction water licence for irrigating crops is revoked or varied.

(47515)

43
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many incidents of ships illegally flushing out their tanks in the Irish Sea were reported in each of the past 10 years.

(47125)

44
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the total tonnages of (a) treated and (b) untreated sewage that was pumped into the Irish Sea in each of the past 10 years.

(47127)

45
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the (a) type, (b) size and (c) location of known armament dumpings in the Irish Sea.

(47129)

46
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the number and type of oil spills or leaks which have been reported in the Irish Sea in each of the past 10 years.

(47124)

47
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the number and type of radioactive pollution incidents in the Irish Sea in each of the past 30 years.

(47126)

48
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the number and type of pollution incidents on each of the rivers that flow into the Irish Sea for each of the past 10 years.

(47128)

49
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the estimated total tonnage of fertilisers which were washed from the land into the Irish Sea for each of the past 10 years.

(47130)

50
   Mr Stephen Twigg (Enfield, Southgate):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what was the cost to the Driving Standards Agency of tests for advanced driving instructors in each of the last two financial years.

(47509)

51
   Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the payments per annum since 1992 to (a) those executive agencies with which his Department has framework contracts and (b) those non-departmental public bodies which are sponsored by his Department.

(47455)

52
N   Gillian Merron (Lincoln):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate how many people in the constituency of Lincoln earn less than the proposed national minimum wage, broken down by (a) gender, (b) age and (c) full- or part-time employment.

(47092)

53
N   Mrs Betty Williams (Conwy):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people pay income tax at (a) 20p in the £, (b) 23p in the £ and (c) 40p in the £ in (i) Wales, (ii) Scotland, (iii) England and (iv) Northern Ireland.

(46452)

54
   Mr Michael Trend (Windsor):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the strategy meetings which have taken place at Downing Street since 11th May to discuss policy towards the European Union to which he or Ministers in his Department were invited.

(47555)

55
   Mr Michael Trend (Windsor):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if it is the practice for him to attend discussions of European policy at Downing Street.

(47554)

56
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to extend the healthy schools initiative on a national basis.

(46860)

57
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what strategies he is developing under the healthy schools initiative to improve safety for children travelling to and from school.

(46859)

58
   Mr Michael Jack (Fylde):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list for each acute hospital trust in the North West Region in each of the last 13 financial years (a) the sums allocated by specialty, (b) the sums spent by specialty and (c) the numbers of patients treated by specialty.

(47539)

59
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received concerning the volume of analgesics available for over the counter sale by (a) pharmacies and (b) other retail outlets.

(45859)

60
   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when Kingston Hospital will receive the capital funding necessary for the new permanent ward block.

(47552)

61
N   Mr Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for case review have been received by the Criminal Cases Review Commission in each month since its establishment.

(46406)

62
N   Mr Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many case workers have been employed by the Criminal Cases Review Commission in each month since its establishment.

(46407)

63
N   Mr Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will review the number of staff available to the Criminal Cases Review Commission for the review of cases.

(46408)

64
N   Mr Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proposals he has to increase the budget of the Criminal Cases Review Commission to deal with increases in casework.

(46409)

65
N   Mr Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list all staff by grade employed by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

(46410)

66
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what reviews she has undertaken of the European Commission's implementation of the Code of Conduct on Public Access to Commission Documents.

(47459)

67
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she has received the Environmental Resources Management report, Evaluation of the Environmental Performance of EC Programmes in Developing Countries.

(47458)

68
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if the families of the (a) deceased and (b) wounded on Bloody Sunday have been informed of the number of counsel and firms of solicitors who will represent them at the Bloody Sunday Inquiry; and if they will have the solicitors and counsel of their choice.

(47003)

69
   Mr Michael Trend (Windsor):    To ask the Prime Minister, if it is his practice to invite Foreign Office Ministers to attend discussions of European policy at Downing Street.

(47553)

70
   Mr Michael Trend (Windsor):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the strategy meetings which have taken place since 11th May to discuss policy towards the European Union involving representatives from departments, units or agencies other than his Policy Unit or Political Office; and if he will list the departments or agencies represented in these discussions.

(47557)

71
   Mr Michael Trend (Windsor):    To ask the Prime Minister, what meetings involving the Cabinet Office and 10 Downing Street have taken place since 11th May to discuss the Government's approach to the European Union; and which other Government departments were involved.

(47556)

72
   Ms Sandra Osborne (Ayr):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how he plans to encourage the retention and expansion of highly-skilled jobs in Scotland.

(47441)

73
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will list the subject matters of the (a) oral briefing and (b) written briefing and submissions given by civil servants to each Minister in her Department on the policies being pursued by her Department between 28th April and 20th May 1997 and on related issues, and the dates on which these briefings and submissions were made.

(47093)

74
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what oral or written briefings or submissions each Minister in her Department received from civil servants on aspects of the Benefits Integrity Project prior to 29th May 1997.

(47095)

75
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will list the dates when each Minister in her Department was first informed by civil servants orally or by written submissions or briefings of the Benefits Integrity Project.

(47094)

76
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate she has made of the number of women in Wirral South who will benefit from the minimum wage.

(47457)

77
   Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if she will make a statement on the numbers of claimants affected by the changes to council tax benefit regulations introduced on 1st April.

(47424)

78
   Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many households in London have been affected by the changes to council tax benefit regulations introduced on 1st April; and what percentage of the total this figure represents.

(47425)

79
   Mr Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans she has to review the degree of flexibility available to staff implementing the jobseekers' allowance in relation to imposing conditions on a client's claim; and if she will make a statement.

(47405)

80
   Mr Tony Baldry (Banbury):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will make a statement on the Government's policy objectives for small businesses.

(47428)

81
   Mr Tony Baldry (Banbury):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if she will make a statement on the targets the Government has set for its policies on smaller businesses, indicating the timetable for such targets.

(47427)

82
   Ms Gisela Stuart (Birmingham, Edgbaston):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what plans the Post Office has to issue a set of stamps to commemorate the Berlin Airlift.

(47426)

83
   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what safety checks have been carried out during the last 14 months to the Penmaen Baen Road Tunnel on the A55 between Conwy and Penmaenmawr; and if he will make a statement.

(47391)

84
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make a statement on the prospects for finding a new tenant for the previous Optec DD factory in Drury, near Buckley, Flintshire.

(47417)

85
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many (a) small and (b) medium sized businesses his Department has helped to start since 1st May 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(47415)

86
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list those (a) individuals and (b) organisations who have made representations to him on childcare; and if he will make a statement.

(47421)

87
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of the impact of the moratorium on gas-fired power stations on Wales; and if he will make a statement.

(47419)

88
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what is his Department's role in (a) the setting of the level of the minimum wage and (b) its administration; and if he will make a statement.

(47418)

89
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make a statement on his policy concerning the modernisation of housing estates, with particular reference to Flintshire.

(47422)

90
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what is his assessment of the impact of the opening of the new River Dee bridge upon the Garden City, Queensferry, Shotton and Connah's Quay communities with specific reference to (a) the percentage decrease in traffic, (b) pedestrian safety and (c) levels of pollution; and if he will make a statement.

(47423)

91
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what is his estimate of the number of jobs in the textile industry in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

(47416)

92
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when he proposes to announce his new proposals for childcare; and if he will make a statement.

(47420)

93
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in Wales in the automative industry; and if he will make a statement.

(47437)

94
N   Mrs Ann Winterton (Congleton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what representations he has received concerning the closure of cottage hospitals in Wales.

(45917)

95
N   Mr Gareth Thomas (Clwyd West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what plans he has to assist town centre regeneration in Wales.

[Question Unstarred] (45902)

96
   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what quantity of beef has been exported from Northern Ireland since the lifting of the beef export ban in respect of Northern Ireland; and how much of this was in carcase form.

[Transferred] (47389)

97
   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what quantities of (a) side of beef, (b) tongues, (c) cheeks and (d) tails have been exported since the lifting of the beef export ban in Northern Ireland.

[Transferred] (47390)

98
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Minister without Portfolio, what consultations his Department has had regarding the content of the Serious Play zone of the Millennium Dome.

[Transferred] (47394)

99
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what assessment she has made of the impact of the European Working Hours Directive on retirement home managers who are required to be on call for 24 hours per day.

[Transferred] (47453)

100
   Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) male and (b) female engineers there are in the United Kingdom; and how many in each case are qualified as (i) chartered engineer, (ii) incorporated engineer and (iii) engineering technician.

[Transferred] (47511)

101
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many drug-related deaths occurred in each of the past 10 years.

[Transferred] (47510)



© Parliamentary copyright 1998	Revised 24 June 1998