Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1997-98
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The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Wednesday 29 July 1998

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 29 July 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 29 July, of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order of Business.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer from Thursday 30 July, 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 29th JULY

1
   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will ensure eggs originating from a battery system are clearly labelled as such; and if he will make a statement.

(53784)

2
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what proposals he has to provide selective assistance for the maintenance and improvement of hedgerows.

(52810)

3
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the cost of all research undertaken by his Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by his officials; and if he will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research.

(52700)

4
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what proposals he has for the arrangements for the forthcoming consultation exercise on genetically modified organisms; and when it will take place.

(53385)

5
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what are the objectives of the forthcoming consultation exercise on genetically-modified organisms; and if it will include consultation about (a) genetically-modified organisms in human food products, (b) genetically-modified organisms in animal foodstuffs and (c) labelling of products derived from genetically-modified organisms.

(53386)

6
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to change the method by which the incidence of TB in cattle is calculated to one based on cattle numbers.

(52857)

7
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the incidence of TB in cattle in areas where badgers are rare.

(53013)

8
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to extend the trial areas in which badgers can be culled.

(53021)

9
   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will take measures to prevent the export of fresh offal and greaves.

(53571)

10
   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when he plans to bring forward reforms to the quarantine regime; and if he will make a statement.

(53681)

11
N   Mr Harry Barnes (North East Derbyshire):    To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee, what was the net cost of running the Refreshment Department outlets in the Palace of Westminster; and if he will list the major items of capital expenditure in 1997-98.

(53026)

12
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what was the cost of advertising for recent appointments to the Board of Governors of the BBC.

(53271)

13
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what account was taken of the political affiliations of persons recently appointed to the Board of Governors of the BBC.

(53263)

14
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations he received from the Chairman of the BBC about the recent appointments of (a) the Deputy Chairman and (b) other governors of the BBC.

(53264)

15
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what political affiliations were disclosed by the successful candidates during the recent selection process for appointments to the Board of Governors of the BBC.

(53262)

16
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what criteria were used in determining recent appointments to the Board of Governors of the BBC.

(53265)

17
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he held with the Union of Communications Workers about recent appointments to the Board of Governors of the BBC.

(53260)

18
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list the cost of all research undertaken by his Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by his officials; and if he will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research.

(52705)

19
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what definite offers he has received from companies willing to replace monies currently received from tobacco companies for sports sponsorship.

(52515)

20
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when the Tobacco Sponsorship Task Force last met; who attended the meeting; and what recommendations were agreed.

(52514)

21
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will include within the remit of the Tobacco Sponsorship Task Force assistance to the arts.

(52516)

22
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will undertake a study into the financial implications for sport of the EU Directive on Tobacco Advertising.

(52508)

23
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many written communications he has received (a) in favour and (b) against the continued existence of the English Tourist Board.

(52748)

24
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what research his Department has evaluated into the extent to which companies would be prepared to replace tobacco sponsorship of sport.

(52509)

25
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what financial assistance his Department will offer to sports currently funded by tobacco sponsorship who are now looking for alternative monies.

(52510)

26
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of whether the period of time set out by the EU Directive on Tobacco Advertising for the withdrawal of sports sponsorship will be complied with.

(52511)

27
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations he has received from arts organisations in the United Kingdom regarding withdrawal of tobacco companies' support.

(52512)

28
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list those events his Department will treat as world level events in accordance with the terms of the EU Directive on tobacco advertising.

(52513)

29
N   Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Territorial Army battalions and regiments are commanded by (a) TA commanding officers and (b) regular army commanding officers, broken down by arm and service, and what were the figures (i) one, (ii) two and (iii) three years ago.

(53257)

30
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the cost of all research undertaken by his Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by his officials; and if he will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research.

(52702)

31
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many residential dwellings are owned by his Department; how many are currently vacant; and what has been the average length of time they have been vacant.

(53910)

32
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service families are accommodated in privately-owned homes; and what is the average annual rent of these properties.

(53911)

33
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps are being take by his Department to implement the National Audit Office's recommendation in paragraph 3.16 of its report identifying and selling surplus property (HC 776, session 1997-98) regarding the timetable for completing the land quality assessments of major sites; and if he will make a statement.

(53378)

34
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many land quality assessments of Ministry of Defence sites have been completed since April 1996; if the reports of the assessments and of land quality statements are available to the public; and if he will place a list of their titles in the Library specifying the dates on which they were produced and the locations concerned.

(53377)

35
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what are the current security classifications of the newsletters produced for the staff of (a) the Medical Supplies Agency, (b) the Naval Training and Recruiting Agency, (c) the Defence Secondary Care Agency, (d) the Meteorological Office and (e) the Defence Intelligence Staff; how often each newsletter is produced; and when each newsletter was first produced.

(53380)

36
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 7th May, Official Report, column 437, if he will place in the Library a list of the items discussed at each of the meetings of the Defence Council since 1st August 1997.

(53374)

37
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 29th June, Official Report, column 14, regarding the Dimming Sun nuclear weapon exercise, how many people are expected to take part in this exercise; what will be its scenario; which other government departments are expected to take part in it; and on which government properties in Norfolk it will take place.

(53931)

38
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 29th June, Official Report, columns 14-15, for what reasons Post Notes, the staff newsletter of the Defence Postal and Courier Agency, is classified restricted; and if his Department plans to remove this classification.

(53372)

39
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to publish the next edition of his Department's Performance Report.

(53376)

40
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Ministry of Defence sites have been sold, or disposed of, by his Department since April 1996; how many of these sites have been the subject of land quality assessments and land quality statements; and if he will place a list of the titles of the assessments and statements in the Library specifying the dates on which they were produced and the locations concerned.

(53379)

41
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 20th July, Official Report, column 429, regarding AWE Aldermaston, if he will list the departments and divisions within the (a) assurance, (b) physics research, (c) programmes and (d) technology directorates.

(53930)

42
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 7th May, Official Report, column 437, if he will place in the Library a list of the items discussed at the meetings of the Air Force Board on (a) 17th June 1998 and (b) 17th July 1997.

(53375)

43
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what dates the Chiefs of Staff have met since 1st January.

(53373)

44
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Mathematical Physics Division at the Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston was set up; what is the purpose of this division; how many series of technical papers or reports are currently being produced by this division; and what are the names of each series.

(53929)

45
N   Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what has been the capital expenditure at the Royal Hospital Haslar and its predecessor the Royal Naval Hospital Haslar in each of the last 10 years.

(53022)

46
N   Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proposals from Defence Costs Study 15 on defence medical services remain outstanding.

(53023)

47
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will list the cost of all research undertaken by his Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by his officials; and if he will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research.

(52707)

48
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what representations he has received from civil service trade unions about the recent public criticisms of civil servants in the Department of Trade and Industry by the honourable Member for Edinburgh South.

(52867)

49
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, for what reasons the responses and comments received from other governmental departments to the White Paper on the Freedom of Information Bill Your Right to Know have not been made public; if he will place these responses and comments in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

(53368)

50
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list, for each local education authority, the number of applications received, on average, for each (a) headship and (b) teacher vacancy, during 1996-97 and 1997-98.

(53567)

51
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list, for each education authority area, the percentage of the school population which has been permanently excluded from school, by ethnic origin.

(53566)

52
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list, for each local authority area, the number and percentage of pupils categorised as being in each of the categories of ethnic origin for which data is collected.

(53565)

53
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will ensure that all year 11 pupils receive information on appropriate post 16 providers who operate courses in their immediate locality.

(52809)

54
   Mr Jeff Ennis (Barnsley East and Mexborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many local education authorities in England have a special school catering for the age range five to 16 years for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties and provision for pupils 16 to 19 years with PMLD which (a) has more than 150 pupils on roll and (b) has more than 175 pupils on roll.

(53554)

55
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the cost of all research undertaken by his Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by his officials; and if he will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research.

(52698)

56
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many pupils attended (a) local authority comprehensive, (b) grant maintained, (c) grammar and (d) independent secondary schools in each London borough in each of the last five years.

(53559)

57
N   Mr Terry Rooney (Bradford North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what additional funds have been allocated to the Bradford area since 1st May 1997 over and above previous plans listed by (i) capital and (ii) revenue, indicating for each whether they were subject to a bidding process.

(53212)

58
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment he has made of the effect on children's educational achievement of being placed in a special school against (a) their and (b) their family's wishes.

(53381)

59
N   Mrs Ann Winterton (Congleton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when he expects the report of the quinquennial review of the Equal Opportunities Commission to be published; and if he will make a statement.

(52504)

60
   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on what occasions Ministers in his Department have had meetings with (a) Friends of the Earth and (b) CPRE in the last six months.

(53695)

61
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the appeal decisions for each of the last two years where the local planning authority has refused planning permission for a change of use of shop unit into a public house and the inspector has upheld the refusal.

(52280)

62
   Mrs Anne Campbell (Cambridge):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will introduce further measures to allow licensed taxi drivers to exclude passengers who wish to smoke from their vehicles.

(53581)

63
N   Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what consultations (a) he, (b) his Ministers and (c) his officials have had with (i) the Secretary of State for Health, (ii) health ministers and (iii) officials from the Department of Health, concerning the possible carcinogenic effects of overhead power lines.

(53136)

64
N   Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will issue planning guidance notes to local authorities to advise against building homes underneath overhead power cables and next to pylons; and if he will make a statement.

(53135)

65
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the cost of all research undertaken by his Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by his officials; and if he will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research.

(52693)

66
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will outlaw the practice of companies placing weekly water arrears payments on customers' electricity meters.

(53913)

67
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what proportion of the housing corporation grant has been allocated to the housing cooperatives in each of the last five years; what plans he has to increase expenditure on housing cooperatives; and if he will make a statement.

(53336)

68
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the projected level of average local authority rents in (a) England and Wales and (b) Greater London arising from the proposed increases of (i) one per cent. next year and (ii) two per cent. in the following two years; and what estimate he has made of the level of average local authority rents (1) as a proportion of registered social landlord rents and (2) as a proportion of average eligible rents in the private sector.

(53574)

69
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the conclusions of the regeneration spending review indicating revised priorities for the single regeneration budget.

(53684)

70
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the annual expenditure of the current programme of pathway networks in local authorities in Greater London; what are the objectives of the programme; and if he will make a statement.

(53568)

71
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will commission research into the use of equity release mechanisms to assist home owners to fund essential repairs and improvements to their dwellings; and if he will make a statement.

(53907)

72
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the criteria used by the Environment Agency when considering an application for an environmental licence to (a) build and (b) extend a waste to energy incineration plant; and if he will make a statement on the role of public consultation in determining such applications.

(53908)

73
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the criteria for qualification as a locally-driven initiative in future regeneration activity; and if he will make a statement on the role of pathway networks in developing comprehensive local strategies for regeneration and on the relationship between those local partnerships and the RDAs.

(53905)

74
N   Ms Linda Perham (Ilford North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps he will take to ensure that the provisions allowing private hire operators to subcontract services to operators licensed outside London are not used to introduce lower standards than those which apply in London.

(52197)

75
N   Ms Linda Perham (Ilford North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what criteria the Public Carriage Office will use when it monitors the use of subcontracting by London's private hire industry.

(52198)

76
N   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has made to the US government concerning the delays by the Federal Aviation Administration in processing applications by United Kingdom companies for FAA approval.

(53012)

77
   Mr David Prior (North Norfolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what measures the Government will propose to the Director of Ofraf to increase the number of passenger train services that run according to schedule.

(53564)

78
   Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the impact of security restrictions on cycle parking in Central London on the level of cycle use.

(53687)

79
   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects to introduce concessionary bus fares for pensioners.

(53579)

80
   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to bring forward reforms to the Mobile Homes Act 1983; and if he will make a statement.

(53570)

81
   Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans the Department has to regulate noise nuisance from East Midlands Airport if the airport obtains permission to extend its activities.

(53343)

82
N   Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the proposal to widen the M25 in the Spelthorne constituency.

(53218)

83
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on public access to the January ECOFIN Council; what publicity was given to the meeting; if representatives from (a) political parties and (b) lobby groups were admitted; what audience vetting took place; and to what proportion of the conference public attendance was permitted.

(53773)

84
   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received concerning the non-requirement for the Personal Investment Authority's disciplinary committee to publish its rules of procedure.

(53780)

85
   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what form practitioner involvement will take in the operation of the Financial Services Authority; and when such arrangements will be in place.

(53779)

86
   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the timetable for the Financial Services Authority in drawing up the guides envisaged in its consultation document designing the FSA handbook of rules and guidance.

(53785)

87
   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Financial Services Authority will publish details of the system it intends to operate for monitoring independent financial advisers.

(53778)

88
N   Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of recent changes to the foreign earnings deduction arrangements on (a) operating costs of British charities and (b) in the gross and net tax revenues accruing to government.

(52539)

89
N   Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of recent changes to the foreign earnings deduction arrangements, on the overseas earnings and competitive position outside the United Kingdom of (a) the consultancy sector, (b) consulting engineers, (c) contractors and (d) industries in the United Kingdom which supply goods and services for British consultants and contractors operating overseas.

(52538)

90
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the cost of all research undertaken by his Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by his officials; and if he will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research.

(52694)

91
N   Mr Paul Goggins (Wythenshawe and Sale East):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the implementation of the opinion of the European Commission on the successor regime for duty and tax paid sales on aircraft and ships after the end of June 1999 will require a change in (a) EU and (b) United Kingdom law.

(52536)

92
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list for (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Greater London and (c) each constituency in Greater London the average weekly wage for (1) manual, (2) non manual and (3) all workers.

(53558)

93
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received from (a) friendly societies, (b) building societies and (c) co-operative societies on the individual savings account and its regulation; and if he will make a statement.

(53904)

94
   Mr Denis MacShane (Rotherham):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 16th June, Official Report, column 133, if he will give the corresponding figures for a single earner married couple with one child aged four years.

(53692)

95
N   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what research he has commissioned on the impact of the euro on the United Kingdom mortgage market.

(53009)

96
N   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many United Kingdom home buyers have taken out ecu mortgages in each year since 1989.

(53010)

97
N   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with (a) the House Builders Federation and (b) other organisations concerning the implications for the United Kingdom housing market of the introduction of the euro.

(53011)

98
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the revised draft order on the VAT treatment of sports clubs will be published for consultation.

(52856)

99
N   Mr Terry Rooney (Bradford North):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what were the receipts from (a) tobacco duty, (b) alcohol duty and (c) other duties expressed (i) in cash terms, (ii) at June 1998 prices and (iii) as a percentage of total Government receipts for each year since 1982-83.

(53208)

100
N   Mr Terry Rooney (Bradford North):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what were the receipts from VAT expressed (i) in cash terms, (ii) at June 1998 prices and (iii) as a percentage of total Government receipts for each year since 1982-83.

(53207)

101
N   Mr Terry Rooney (Bradford North):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what were the receipts from (a) income tax and (b) capital gains tax expressed (i) in cash terms, (ii) at June 1998 prices and (iii) as a percentage of total Government receipts for each year since 1982-83.

(53205)

102
N   Mr Terry Rooney (Bradford North):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what were the receipts from (a) inheritance tax and (b) corporation tax expressed (i) in cash terms, (ii) at June 1998 prices and (iii) as a percentage of total Government receipts for each year since 1982-83.

(53206)

103
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much his Department will spend in 1998 on informing the public about the introduction of the euro.

(53832)

104
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what resources his Department will allocate towards public education in respect of the introduction of the Euro.

(53702)

105
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what resources his Department will allocate in 1999 to educating and informing the public about the introduction of the Euro.

(53833)

106
   Mr Gareth R. Thomas (Harrow West):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received on reform of the regulations governing credit unions; and if he will make a statement.

(53777)

107
   Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the Government will extend the entitlement to widows bereavement allowance to widowers.

(53342)

108
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the section Jobs in the document UK Presidency of the EU Half Way Mark, if he will make a statement on the purpose of national employment plans; how many jobs they will create; and if such plans existed prior to the United Kingdom presidency.

(53783)

109
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the document, UK Presidency of the EU Half Way Mark, if he will list the agreements reached on millennium compliance by the close of the UK presidency.

(53782)

110
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the section Reforming Regulation in his Department's document, UK Presidency of the EU Half Way Mark, if he will place in the Library the progress report; and if he will make a statement on the proposals agreed at Cardiff.

(53781)

111
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department is having with the Belarus government regarding the policy of the Belarus government towards embassies of foreign countries based in Belarus.

(53700)

112
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action he is taking to designate vulnerable areas of the Chagos Archipelago as marine protected areas.

(51336)

113
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the cost of all research undertaken by his Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by his officials; and if he will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research.

(52695)

114
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to visit Sri Lanka; what discussions he has had regarding the political situation in Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement.

(53556)

115
   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 21st July, Official Report, column 491, what reports his Department received on what dates from the British Embassy in Khartoum of impending famine in Southern Sudan.

(53553)

116
   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what new investment his Department is planning in linear accelerator machines for radiotherapy; and in which regions that investment will take place.

(53573)

117
   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proposals his Department has to increase the availability of trained radiotherapists in the NHS.

(53389)

118
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the cost of all research undertaken by his Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by his officials; and if he will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research.

(52703)

119
N   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the remit of the independent inquiry into the situation at Plymouth Hospital NHS Trust concerning the postgraduate qualifications of a thoracic surgeon; who will chair the inquiry; which individuals he has appointed to the inquiry; when it will report; to whom it will report; and what plans he has to extend the investigation into similar instances in other NHS trusts.

(53255)

120
N   Ms Beverley Hughes (Stretford and Urmston):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to prevent individuals from evading established procedures by making private arrangments for the adoption of children from overseas.

(52199)

121
N   Ms Beverley Hughes (Stretford and Urmston):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will introduce legislation to enable the United Kingdom to ratify the 1993 Hague Convention on intercountry adoption.

(52200)

122
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the annual cost to the National Health Service of treating sunburn and sunstroke in each of the last three years.

(53142)

123
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people received treatment in National Health Service hospitals for sunburn and sunstroke in each of the last three years.

(53141)

124
N   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he intends to reply to the letters to him dated 16th March, 18th May and 22nd June from the Right honourable Members for Manchester, Gorton with regard to support of the section 64 funding application by HIV Alliance.

(53259)

125
N   Mr Terry Rooney (Bradford North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what additional funds have been allocated to the Bradford area since 1st May 1997 over and above previous plans listed by (i) capital and (ii) revenue, indicating for each whether they were subject to a bidding process.

(53211)

126
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will introduce a national computerised record of vacant beds in psychiatric wards.

(53830)

127
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received over the exclusion from the NHS pension scheme of general practitioners working within co-operatives; and if he will make a statement.

(53831)

128
   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures he will take to ensure a consistently high standard for the diagnosis of head injuries at hospital accident and emergency departments; and if he will make a statement.

(53569)

129
   Mr Robert Syms (Poole):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what dates meetings have taken place between health (a) Ministers and (b) officials and (i) the British Medical Association, (ii) Action on Smoking and Health, (iii) the Health Education Authority, (iv) the Tobacco Manufacturers Association, (v) representatives of tobacco retailers and (vi) trade ministers representing tobacco workers in connection with the preparation of the prospective White Paper on Tobacco.

(53382)

130
   Mr Robert Syms (Poole):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the evidence originating (a) domestically and (b) overseas which has been considered and rejected in the course of preparing his forthcoming White Paper on Tobacco.

(53387)

131
   Mr Robert Syms (Poole):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what account he has taken of the recent US District Court ruling regarding the 1993 Report of the US Environmental Protection Agency on Passive Smoking in preparing his White Paper on Tobacco.

(53388)

132
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the proportion of (i) all and (ii) women medical graduates from medical schools who are practising medicine 10 years after qualification (a) full-time and (b) part-time.

(52862)

133
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to reduce waiting lists for radiotherapy in NHS hospitals in the London Region.

(52808)

134
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list those health authorities which overspent in 1997-98.

(52864)

135
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to encourage women doctors back to work in (a) hospitals and (b) primary care.

(52863)

136
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to reduce negligence claims on the NHS.

(52865)

137
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will provide a list of the measures which NHS trusts have taken using the funding made available for breast cancer services in 1997-98.

(52812)

138
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to replace cobalt sources with linear acceleration machines in radiotherapy units.

(52813)

139
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the projected annual average percentage increase in health spending between 1999-2000 and 2001-02 for (a) England and (b) the United Kingdom.

(53130)

140
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the number of patients joining National Health Service waiting lists in (a) 1998 and (b) 1999.

(53018)

141
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on his plans to increase the number of radiotherapists in the National Health Service.

(53144)

142
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients were suspended from National Health Service waiting lists for reasons other than clinical unfitness for surgery in (a) 1996 and (b) 1997.

(53016)

143
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of the estimated reduction in waiting lists based on provisional figures is accounted for by (a) administrative clean-up and (b) reprioritisation of the list; and if he will make a statement.

(53140)

144
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if cancer surgeons are currently receiving higher rates of remuneration for waiting list operation surgery than for other surgery performed as part of their regular duties.

(53007)

145
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on pay disparities between health authorities for cancer surgeons.

(53014)

146
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the proportion of the proposed increased GP recruitment which will be recruited from outside the United Kingdom.

(53019)

147
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the number of GP resignations since the publication of his White Paper; and if he will make a statement.

(53020)

148
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the annual percentage average increase in health spending between 1990-91 and 1992-93 for (a) England and (b) the United Kingdom.

(53143)

149
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the number of patients who have been removed from waiting lists since 2nd May 1997 without their consent and without having received the treatment originally intended; and if he will make a statement.

(53008)

150
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the actual annual average percentage increase in overall health spending for (a) the United Kingdom and (b) England in real terms between 1979-80 and 1996-97.

(53131)

151
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what projection he has made of the number of patients who will be suspended from National Health Service waiting lists for reasons other than clinical unfitness for surgery in 1998.

(53015)

152
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients joined National Heath Service waiting lists in (a) 1996 and (b) 1997.

(53017)

153
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the cash difference between actual health spending in 1979-80 and 1996-97 for (a) England and (b) the United Kingdom.

(53132)

154
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the projected annual average percentage increase in overall health spending for (a) England and (b) the United Kingdom in real terms between 1997-98 and 2001-02.

(53133)

155
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the cash difference between projected health spending in 1998-99 and 2001-02 for (a) England and (b) the United Kingdom.

(53134)

156
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the planned timescale for the verification of equipment replaced or altered in order to achieve year 2000 compliance for all systems within the Health Service and his Department.

(53179)

157
N   Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to oppose further transfers of services from Ashford (Middlesex) Hospital to St. Peter's Hospital, Chertsey.

(53219)

158
N   Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the future of the intensive care unit at Ashford (Middlesex) Hospital.

(53215)

159
N   Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the monthly waiting list statistics for Ashford (Middlesex) Hospital from May 1997 to June 1998.

(53217)

160
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects the annual report 1997-98 of the British Board of Film Censors to be published.

(53266)

161
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to review staffing levels at the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.

(52506)

162
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many appeal cases against decisions of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board are pending; and what assessment he has made of the total capacity of the Board to process decisions annually.

(52505)

163
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to review the withholding of benefit payable by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board where a complainant appeals against a reduction; and if he will make a statement.

(52507)

164
   Mr A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners were on (a) basic level, (b) standard level and (c) enhanced level of the incentives and earned privileges scheme, in each prison in England and Wales on the last date for which figures were available.

(53339)

165
   Mr A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if pursuant to the Comprehensive Spending Review, he will list the real terms changes in spending on the (a) Prison Service, (b) police and (c) Probation Service, in each of the next three years.

(53337)

166
   Mr A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the total expenditure needed to meet each of the Prison Service's three projections for the required number of prison places, in each year until 2005; if he will give the figures at constant real terms cost per prison place; and if he will make a statement.

(53341)

167
   Mr A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the need for extra (a) prison places and (b) prisons in each of the next three years; what is the planned spending per prison place over the next three years; and what is the expected capital spending on prisons over the next three years.

(53338)

168
   Mr A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Comprehensive Spending Review, if he will provide a breakdown of the total amount of extra funding which will be allocated to (a) prison places and (b) rehabilitation and other programmes in prison, in each of the next three years, in real terms; and if he will make a statement.

(53340)

169
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list those European Community working groups attended by the security services.

(53775)

170
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the nature of the United Kingdom delegation to the European Community's K4 Committee.

(53776)

171
   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the impact of the new code of practice relating to the marketing of alcopops; and what measures are in place to continue to monitor the behaviour of industry in its marketing of alcopops.

(53694)

172
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent surveys have been undertaken by his Department to obtain information on the number of young people involved in prostitution.

(53698)

173
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what services his Department provides to (a) police and (b) local authorities to encourage young people to abandon prostitution; and if he will make a statement.

(53701)

174
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) men and (b) women have been convicted of living on the immoral earnings of prostitution in each of the last three years.

(53697)

175
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what financial support his Department currently provides to organisations encouraging young people to leave prostitution.

(53699)

176
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many young (a) females and (b) males are recorded as having been involved in prostitution in England and Wales in each of the last three years; and what measures his Department has taken to counter child prostitution.

(53696)

177
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the cost of all research undertaken by his Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by his officials; and if he will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research.

(52697)

178
   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what initiatives he proposes to promote contact between the local police forces and schools.

(53577)

179
N   Sir Nicholas Lyell (North East Bedfordshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will establish the numbers and rank of (a) police officers and (b) civilian staff employed in the administration support units of Bedfordshire Police Force.

(52658)

180
N   Sir Nicholas Lyell (North East Bedfordshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the numbers and rank of (a) police officers and (b) civilian staff employed in the administration support units of the Metropolitan Police Force.

(52657)

181
N   Ms Julie Morgan (Cardiff North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many girls aged under 18 years from Wales were in custody at the last date for which figures are available.

(53261)

182
N   Ms Julie Morgan (Cardiff North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many girls aged under 18 years from Wales were sentenced to custody in each year since 1992.

(53256)

183
   Mr David Prior (North Norfolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what percentage of police officers in Norfolk took voluntary early retirement in the last year for which figures are available; and what was the national average.

(53576)

184
   Mr David Prior (North Norfolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many working hours were lost by the Norfolk Police due to sick leave in the last year for which figures are available; and what was the national average.

(53575)

185
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what changes he is proposing to the way juries (a) in serious fraud and (b) in other cases are compiled and appointed; and if he will make a statement.

(52858)

186
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what has been the total cost to date of his Department's role in educating and informing the public on constitutional changes introduced by the Government.

(53557)

187
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much his Department will be spending in informing and educating the public on the new electoral system to be used for the European elections.

(53683)

188
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures he proposes to expedite the payment of Category C claims under the Firearms Compensation Scheme.

(52361)

189
N   Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he plans to submit a formal planning application to build a Women's Prison at Woodthorpe Road, Ashford (Middlesex).

(53214)

190
N   Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on Surrey County Council's application for permission to close Staines and Sunbury-on-Thames fire stations and replace them with a single new fire station based in the Spelthorne constituency.

(53216)

191
N   Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the funding of the transitional arrangements necessary to enable those parts of the Metropolitan Police District not within the Greater London boundary to be transferred to neighbouring police force areas in April 2000.

(53213)

192
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the cost of all research undertaken by her Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by her officials; and if she will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research.

(52709)

193
N   Mr Paul Goggins (Wythenshawe and Sale East):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans her Department has to mark 17th October as the World Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

(53005)

194
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her Answer of 7th July, Official Report, column 436, on the OECD, when she will publish the specific objectives of the current review of the OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises.

(53137)

195
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will list the cost of all research undertaken by his Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by his officials; and if he will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research.

(52696)

196
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans he has to improve access to justice at Buxton County Court for people who have (a) physical, (b) visual and (c) hearing disabilities.

(53390)

197
   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will estimate the effect on the legal aid budget of the closure of Shrewsbury County Court and the relocation of its work to Telford, Ludlow and Oswestry.

(53392)

198
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans he has to review for possible release records relating to the Royal Family and Royal Household which are currently closed in the Public Record Office; and if he will make a statement.

(53367)

199
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will list the cost of all research undertaken by her Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by her officials; and if she will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research.

(52708)

200
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of the Prime Minister on 10th July, Official Report, column 641, what institutions are included in the description 'devolved institutions in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales when established and, if appropriate, elsewhere in the United Kingdom'; and if the description extends to regional chambers and regional assemblies.

(53580)

201
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the President of the Council, if she will list the cost of all research undertaken by her Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by her officials; and if she will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research.

(52704)

202
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the President of the Council, if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of the organisations which are requested to suggest names for public appointment.

(53383)

203
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the cost of all research undertaken by his Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by his officials; and if he will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research.

(52711)

204
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the Lords-Lieutenant and their deputies for Greater London indicating the dates when they were appointed, the term each will serve before re-appointment and the dates when each post will next be due for appointment or reappointment.

(53682)

205
N   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 23rd July, Official Report, column 626, if he will invite the Speaker to nominate persons for life peerages.

(53203)

206
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will issue guidance to Ministers about making public criticisms of their departments' civil servants.

(52868)

207
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement about the public criticisms made by the honourable Member for Edinburgh South of civil servants in the Department of Trade and Industry.

(52866)

208
N   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many leases of residential properties extend to a period of 99 years or more in Scotland; and how many of these tenants are liable to be afffected by the expiry of such long leases and consequential claims by the Landlords for excessive payments.

(53138)

209
N   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what research has been commissioned by his Department into the number of tenants holding long leases and the levels of rent payable thereunder.

(53139)

210
N   Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what research he has commissioned from the Law Commission into the law of Scotland relating to long leases; and if he will assess the advantages of converting tenant's interest into (a) a registered title in the Land Register of Scotland and (b) a recorded title in the Register of Sasines.

(52811)

211
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the cost of all research undertaken by his Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by his officials; and if he will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research.

(52701)

212
N   Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many (a) nurses are and (b) management and administrative staff were employed by the NHS (i) on 1st May 1997 and (ii) at the latest available date.

(53221)

213
N   Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many people were on (a) in-patient waiting lists and (b) out-patient waiting lists, by quarter in each of the last three years.

(53258)

214
N   Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimates his Department has made of the savings accruing from the cancellation of the 8th wave of GP fundholding and (b) other NHS efficiency savings since 1st May 1997.

(53222)

215
N   Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many NHS nursing vacancies there were on (a) 1st May 1997 and (b) at the latest available date.

(53220)

216
N   Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many ambulances and similar vehicles operated in each of the Scottish Ambulance Service NHS Trust's 10 regional divisions are (a) under one year old, (b) between one and three years old, (c) between three and five years old, (d) between five and seven years old and (e) over seven years old.

(52540)

217
N   Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of advantages of making the times of the opening and closing of the poll the same for the elections to both the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish local authorities on 6th May 1999.

(52630)

218
N   Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list for each health board in Scotland the number of beds blocked on average in March of the current year.

(52629)

219
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much his Department will be spending on its campaign to educate and inform electors in Scotland on the new electoral system to be used in the elections for their assembly.

(53685)

220
N   Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what plans he has to increase the mental illness specific grant for 1999-2000 and subsequent years; and if he will make a statement.

(52503)

221
   Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what action he is taking to ensure that the particular circumstances of Scotland's islands are taken into account in the reform of the structural funds.

(53371)

222
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list the cost of all research undertaken by his Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by his officials; and if he will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research.

(52706)

223
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, by how much the guaranteed minimum income will be higher for older pensioners.

(52412)

224
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many single pensioners and pensioner couples he expects to qualify for the guaranteed minimum income who would not qualify for income support if it were increased only in line with prices.

(52411)

225
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is the estimated additional cost of the guaranteed minimum income compared with that of uprating income support for pensioners in line with prices, assuming no increase in take-up; and by how much this figure would be increased if full take-up were achieved.

(52413)

226
N   Mr Paul Goggins (Wythenshawe and Sale East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate for 1999-2000 (a) the additional cost, (b) the additional income to parents with care and (c) the likely overall reduction in income support payments to parents with care if a £10 maintenance disregard is introduced in April 1999.

(52537)

227
N   Mr Paul Goggins (Wythenshawe and Sale East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans his Department has to mark 17th October as the World Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

(53006)

228
N   Mr Paul Goggins (Wythenshawe and Sale East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the full year cost of disregarding the first £10 of income from (a) savings and (b) private pensions when calculating means-tested benefits for all pensioners.

(52573)

229
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will make a statement on the performance of the London Organised Fraud Investigation Team indicating (a) the number of cases (i) investigated, (ii) completed, (iii) rejected and (iv) resulting in prosecutions and (b) the level of (i) claimant fraud, (ii) landlord fraud, (iii) landlord and claimant fraud and (iv) overpayment; what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the team against its agreed objectives; and if he will make a statement.

(53582)

230
   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to equalise benefits between widowers and widows; and if he will make a statement.

(53366)

231
   Mr David Prior (North Norfolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how much the Child Support Agency cost to run in the last financial year.

(53555)

232
   Mr David Prior (North Norfolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the costs to the Child Support Agency of the implementation of the Green Paper, Children First--a new approach to child support.

(53572)

233
N   Mr Terry Rooney (Bradford North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what were the receipts from National Insurance contributions split between (i) employers and (ii) employees in (a) cash terms and (b) at June 1998 prices for each year since 1982-83.

(53209)

234
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will investigate the procedures and regulations followed by the Independent Tribunal Service in relation to the appeal for a disability living allowance appeal lodged on 17th June 1997 by William Kirane of Caernarfon; and if he will review the reply sent by Mr Peter Matheson of the Benefits Agency dated 25th June sent in response to representations made by the honourable Member for Caernarfon to the Secretary of State for Social Security of 23rd April.

(53563)

235
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if he will list the cost of all research undertaken by his Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by his officials; and if he will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research.

(52699)

236
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, when the Konver Programme Monitoring Committee will confirm to the Government Office of the North West what funds it can spend outside the Objective 2 areas.

(53004)

237
N   Mr Michael Mates (East Hampshire):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, which local authorities in England and Wales do not disregard war pensions totally when assessing housing benefits and local authority charges; what amount of disregard these local authorities currently apply; which political party controls the local authorities concerned or, where there is no overall control, which party has the most seats on the council; if he intends to extend the statutory requirement to disregard only the first £10 of a war pension in England and Wales; what assessment he has made of procedures in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

(52572)

238
   Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his Answer of 27th July, Official Report, column 55, if he will make a statement on the security reasons prohibiting the leaving of bicycles around his Department's offices.

(53903)

239
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what make of computer is normally provided by his Department to its senior civil servants; and what is the average cost of each such computer.

(52860)

240
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how many private office staff have left the offices of each Minister in his Department in the past 12 months.

(52859)

241
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what make of computer has been provided by his Department to the honourable Member for Edinburgh South; and how much it cost.

(52861)

242
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what steps he is taking to protect consumers from retailers who charge excessive interest for credit.

(53693)

243
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what incentives he is providing for United Kingdom companies to produce ultra-low sulphur diesel.

(53561)

244
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what resources his Department will be devoting to informing and educating businesses about the introduction of the euro in (a) 1998, (b) 1999 and (c) 2000.

(53912)

245
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what is the closing date of submissions for the current review of the OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises.

(53025)

246
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what powers his Department has to act against British multinational enterprises in violation of the OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises.

(53024)

247
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list the cost of all research undertaken by his Department since May 1997, excluding the cost of green papers and other public consultation documents drafted by his officials; and if he will list in each case the organisations which undertook that research.

(52710)

248
   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list the size and location of landfill sites in Wales; and if he will make a statement on his plans to tackle pollution from these sites.

(53690)

249
   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many incidents of illegal dumping of dredged material have been recorded off the North Wales coast in each of the last 20 years.

(53691)

250
   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what is the current waiting time for a child to be referred to a clinical psychologist in each of the health authorities in Wales.

(53688)

251
   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, which (a) organisation's and (b) company's working computer models of the hydrographic regimes of the North Wales coastal region have been commissioned by the Environment Agency.

(53686)

252
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what steps he has taken to ensure that delays in the completion of the new Arms Park Millennium Stadium do not result in the loss of the rugby world cup final to Cardiff; what are the links between his Department and the committee overseeing this project; and if he will make a statement.

(53578)

253
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what plans he has to make changes to the membership of the Welsh Language Board prior to the establishment of the National Assembly.

(53369)

254
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what plans he has to make changes to the membership of the Welsh Development Agency prior to the establishment of the National Assembly.

(53370)

255
   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made by Her Majesty's Government in relation to the employment impact assessment of increased taxation and advertising controls on tobacco products prior to the publication of the White Papers.

[Transferred] (53689)

256
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to ensure that sufficient of the funds allocated by the Environmental Trust flows into research and development projects.

[Transferred] (53391)

257
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what assessment he has made of the effect on imports of diesel fuel of the introduction of regulations on ultra-low sulphur diesel.

[Transferred] (53562)

258
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the President of the Board of Trade, when regulations governing the introduction of ultra-low sulphur diesel fuel will come into operation.

[Transferred] (53560)

259
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will publish the current (a) number and (b) estimated value of owner-occupied properties and the total value of mortgages outstanding on those properties.

[Transferred] (53909)

260
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the security vetting procedures for the selection of United Kingdom candidates for the European Community's senior staff; what level of staff are involved; and what political opinions on the European Union are held to invalidate candidature.

[Transferred] (53772)

261
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will commission research into the use of equity release mechanisms to assist elderly home owners to unlock additional income in retirement; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (53906)

262
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will make a statement on the role of business test panels in the European Community's legislative process; who will select delegates; how many will serve; how many panels will be formed; which organisations will be eligible to supply candidates; and what is the length of duration of their panel service.

[Transferred] (53774)