 House of Commons |
Session 1997-98 Publications on the internet The Order Book |
| Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Friday 31 July 1998
Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Friday 31 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 Friday 31 July, of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order of Business. For Written and Oral Questions for answer from Monday 19 October, 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. |
| |
| 1 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his Answer of 31st March, Official Report, column 503, on departmental transport arrangements, what further changes he has made. |
| (53993) | |
| 2 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many of his Department's publications have been made available in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print in 1997-98; and what percentage of the total number of publications this represents. |
| (54271) | |
| 3 N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what estimate he has made of the saving from the phasing out of the support to the rendering industry introduced in March 1996. |
| (54079) | |
| 4 N | Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many staff and what financial resources were devoted to fisheries protection and monitoring in Scotland and Northern Ireland in each of the past five years; and if he will estimate the financial resources in each year as a proportion of the value of fish landed. |
| (54459) | |
| 5 N | Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the proposal by the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations and the Scottish Fishermen's Federation for coastal zone management; and what definition of coastal fisheries limits he has used in assessing the proposal. |
| (54579) | |
| 6 | Mr Michael Jack (Fylde): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what programmes of support his Ministry is currently making available for the development of alternative crops. |
| (54828) | |
| 7 | Mr Michael Jack (Fylde): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the alternative crops that are presently being grown in the UK. |
| (54829) | |
| 8 | Mr Michael Jack (Fylde): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for what reasons he has not requested that alternative crops are afforded the same treatment under the IACS payment scheme as existing comparable crops under Agenda 2000. |
| (54830) | |
| 9 | Mr Michael Jack (Fylde): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what amendments to Schedule 6 of the Domestic Pig AI Regulations he is proposing to control the use of on-farm AI to reduce the risk of disease spreading through the movement of unlicensed semen. |
| (54827) | |
| 10 | Mr Michael Jack (Fylde): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for what reasons the review of the Domestic Pig AI Regulations has not been completed. |
| (54826) | |
| 11 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will ensure that meat from animals reared on growth promoters is labelled as such. |
| (54666) | |
| 12 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many slaughtered farm animals in each year since 1990 had sulphonamides present above the maximum permitted levels. |
| (54665) | |
| 13 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what percentage of carcasses in abattoirs are checked to ensure that antibiotics, coccidiostats, medical substances and growth promoters are not present in quantities above the maximum permitted levels. |
| (54664) | |
| 14 N | Dr Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list (a) the hectarage of set-aside land in Staffordshire, (b) the location of the land and (c) the set-aside payments made in respect of the land. |
| (53074) | |
| 15 N | Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon): To ask Mr Attorney General, what is his Department's policy towards the prosecution of men aged between 16 and 18 years for engaging in consenting homosexual acts in private. |
| (53925) | |
| 16 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his Answer of 1st April, Official Report, column 524, on departmental transport arrangements, what progress he has made on the development of green transport plans. |
| (54107) | |
| 17 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many of his Department's publications have been made available in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print in 1997-98; and what percentage of the total number of publications this represents. |
| (54267) | |
| 18 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many meetings Ministers in his Department have had with BSkyB since 1st February; and on what matters. |
| (54394) | |
| 19 N | Mr Robin Corbett (Birmingham, Erdington): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure that talented people from ethnic minorities participate in the British film industry. |
| (54050) | |
| 20 | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the advantages of locating the national cricket centre of excellence in the North West. |
| (54661) | |
| 21 | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many women's cricket leagues there are in England. |
| (54702) | |
| 22 | Sir Raymond Powell (Ogmore): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, who were the members of the advisory panel for public appointments which considered the short-listed candidates for the two BBC governor positions; and who were the independent members. |
| (54889) | |
| 23 | Sir Raymond Powell (Ogmore): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if the Chairman of the BBC Governors is normally a member of a selection panel interviewing for the post of vice-chairman of the governors. |
| (54888) | |
| 24 | Sir Raymond Powell (Ogmore): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what changes were made to the final short list of candidates to the two governor positions after it had been seen by Sir Christopher Bland and the head of the Department's Broadcasting and Media Group. |
| (54891) | |
| 25 | Sir Raymond Powell (Ogmore): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if the Chairman of the BBC Governors informed the existing governors that he was to be involved in the interviewing of new governors. |
| (54887) | |
| 26 | Sir Raymond Powell (Ogmore): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for what reasons Sir Christopher Bland and the head of the Department's Broadcasting and Media group were shown a final short list of candidates for the two governor positions. |
| (54890) | |
| 27 | Ms Claire Ward (Watford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list the public appointments for which he is responsible indicating the dates of (a) appointment and (b) retirement for those currently in post; and what proposals he has to widen the range of individuals who will be considered for such appointments in future. |
| (54892) | |
| 28 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what was the average running cost of transporting used submarine reactor cores in (a) 1986, (b) 1991 and (c) 1996. |
| (54084) | |
| 29 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many buildings are currently in use for storing radioactive waste at AWE Aldermaston. |
| (54085) | |
| 30 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the locations of each used submarine reactor core. |
| (54096) | |
| 31 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the progress being made towards decontaminating the north ponds area of AWE Aldermaston. |
| (54087) | |
| 32 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on his Department's future plans for the storage of spent submarine reactor cores at BNF Sellafield. |
| (54080) | |
| 33 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many modified Magnox flasks and resin catch tanks are in use at Rosyth and Devonport to store ion exchange resin. |
| (54081) | |
| 34 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent to date on the new fuel transport flasks for the transport of submarine reactor cores; and what he estimates the total cost of this project will be. |
| (54082) | |
| 35 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on progress being made towards introducing the new fuel transport flasks for the transport of submarine reactor cores. |
| (54083) | |
| 36 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the amount spent meeting all the requirements of the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate at the Atomic Weapons Establishments at (a) Aldermaston and (b) Burghfield in each of the last five years; and how much he expects to spend at each in total. |
| (54092) | |
| 37 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the amounts paid to NIREX by (a) his Department, (b) the Atomic Weapons Establishment, (c) Devonport Dockyard, and (d) Rosyth Dockyard in each of the last five years. |
| (54093) | |
| 38 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what environmental assessment of toxic and radioactive contamination levels present in the soil at AWE (a) Aldermaston, (b) Burghfield, (c) Cardiff and (d) Foulness has been conducted; and if he will place a copy of each such assessment in the Library. |
| (54086) | |
| 39 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 27th March, Official Report, column 313, on departmental transport arrangements, what further changes he has made. |
| (54013) | |
| 40 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the progress being made towards completing the A91 liquid waste treatment plant at AWE Aldermaston. |
| (54088) | |
| 41 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on progress being made to construct building D151 to store ion exchange resin. |
| (54089) | |
| 42 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Atomic Weapons Establishment's Waste Management and Decommissioning Strategy; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54090) | |
| 43 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of additional nuclear waste stores, and of what cubic capacity required at AWE Aldermaston up to 2020 (a) to meet future arisings and (b) to replace those stores which do not meet regulatory requirements. |
| (54091) | |
| 44 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of his Department's publications have been made available in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print in 1997-98; and what percentage of the total number of publications this represents. |
| (54269) | |
| 45 N | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the amounts paid to Hunting BRAE in each of the last five years for administering and managing the atomic weapons establishments. |
| (53763) | |
| 46 N | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to store non-operational warheads. |
| (54450) | |
| 47 N | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the Chevaline warhead assembly programme to be completed. |
| (54446) | |
| 48 N | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the cost of (a) constructing and (b) equipping each of the four Trident nuclear submarines. |
| (53759) | |
| 49 N | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the estimated cost of each of the Astute class submarines currently on order. |
| (53760) | |
| 50 N | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the production of the first Trident warheads to cease; and when replacement production will begin. |
| (54451) | |
| 51 N | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will issue guidance on the containment of contaminated run-off water produced by the cooling jets which LAESI Guidelines require to be fixed in position and kept in operation in the event of a serious nuclear transport accident. |
| (54447) | |
| 52 N | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to replace the spent nuclear submarine fuel ponds at BNF Sellafield; and if he will make a statement. |
| (53757) | |
| 53 N | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the incident on board HMS 'Vanguard' in June. |
| (53758) | |
| 54 N | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the savings achieved by Hunting Brae plc from meeting incentive targets of his Department are allocated. |
| (54449) | |
| 55 N | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what reduction in radioactive emissions from AWE Aldermaston would follow from an end to production. |
| (54448) | |
| 56 N | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, under what budget headings costs directly related to nuclear weapons appear. |
| (53761) | |
| 57 N | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the stated running costs of the atomic weapons establishments of £302 million in 1997-98 includes all staff costs and management fees to Hunting BRAE Ltd. |
| (53762) | |
| 58 N | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if all WE177 warheads have been dismantled; and if the highly enriched uranium has been recycled. |
| (54513) | |
| 59 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to publish his Department's Spending Defence Review on the Territorial Army; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54897) | |
| 60 N | Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list all properties (a) owned and (b) leased or rented by his Department outside the United Kingdom, the purposes for which they are designated and the annual running costs for each property. |
| (54444) | |
| 61 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date the Lynx of HMS 'Cornwall' was replaced by a Sea King; where that helicopter is normally based; and what instructions were issued to the crew on embarkation concerning planned humanitarian or other activities. |
| (54472) | |
| 62 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library the logs of HMS 'Monmouth' for the period of its deployment off Sierra Leone in 1998; when that vessel departed from the United Kingdom for that deployment; if he will publish the orders that were issued to the captain on the issue of involvement in that country's civil war; and if he will make a statement on the bearing of restricted FCO Telegram 44 to Abuja in this context. |
| (54545) | |
| 63 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the (i) position and (ii) orders of (a) HMS 'Cornwall', (b) HMS 'Monmouth' and (c) RFA Orangeleaf at the time of ECOMOG initial military action against the Sierra Leone junta; and what was the date of issuing of those orders. |
| (54473) | |
| 64 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the events which led to Sandline personnel being invited onto HMS 'Cornwall' on 20th March. |
| (54546) | |
| 65 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the nature of the land contact enjoyed by RFA 'Orangeleaf' during its stationing off Sierra Leone with HMS Monmouth" and HMS 'Cornwall'; what contact took place between that vessel and (i) ECOMOG and (ii) Sandline; and if any of its supplies were transferred to shore. |
| (54549) | |
| 66 N | Mrs Linda Gilroy (Plymouth, Sutton): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 29th June, Official Report, columns 8-9, on MoD police, what estimate he has made of the cost of disciplinary cases whose procedures took (a) six to 12 months to conclusion and (b) 12 or more months to conclusion in each of the years. |
| (54566) | |
| 67 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, from which public relations companies he has received representations concerning the interests of guardsmen Fisher and Wright; and if he will estimate the cost to public funds of replying to these representations. |
| (54028) | |
| 68 | Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what are the five most common destinations as careers for armed services personel following their departure from the services. |
| (54932) | |
| 69 | Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what categories of criminal record debar a candidate from joining Her Majesty's armed forces. |
| (54905) | |
| 70 N | Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer on 29th July, Official Report, column 345, of which directorate the Chemical Technology Division is now a part; what former AWE chemical plant it operates; and what is its purpose. |
| (54195) | |
| 71 | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the future of the Royal Hospital, Haslar. |
| (54662) | |
| 72 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his Answer of 30th March, Official Report, column 379, on departmental transport arrangements, what further changes he has made. |
| (54020) | |
| 73 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, how many of his Department's publications have been made available in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print in 1997-98; and what percentage of the total number of publications this represents. |
| (54262) | |
| 74 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to the Answer to the honourable Member for Lichfield of 8th July, Official Report, column 567, on the electronic red box, if the new prototype is now in use in his office; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54577) | |
| 75 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to the Answer to the honourable Member for Bournemouth East of 8th July, Official Report, column 565, on millennium compliance, if he will write to all honourable Members during the summer to report the results of the next quarterly report. |
| (54515) | |
| 76 | Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many HM school inspectors were appointed in the years (a) 1996, (b) 1997 and (c) 1998 to date; and how many of those appointed were previously (i) headteachers, (ii) deputy head teachers and (iii) teachers. |
| (54934) | |
| 77 | Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what representations he has received on the proposed balloting arrangements for grammar schools; and if he will raise the threshold to trigger a ballot to 25 per cent. of school registered parents. |
| (54935) | |
| 78 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his Answer of 27th March, Official Report, column 343, on departmental transport arrangements, what further changes he has made. |
| (54006) | |
| 79 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many networked computers are currently in use in schools in England and Wales. |
| (54129) | |
| 80 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what advice he will give to the independent review body on teachers' salaries. |
| (54500) | |
| 81 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many people are currently employed by the Employment Service; how many there were two years ago; and what is his forecast of the number that will be employed in two years time. |
| (54497) | |
| 82 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how much his Department spent on training Employment Service staff in cash terms and as a percentage of the costs of running the service in 1997-98; and what are his plans for 1998-99. |
| (54498) | |
| 83 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has to provide funds for additional staff to assist teachers to maintain and operate schools' computers. |
| (54496) | |
| 84 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many United Kingdom pupils were in (a) private education, (b) state education and (c) funded under the assisted places scheme in each of the last five years. |
| (54484) | |
| 85 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is the minimum pay of a newly qualified teacher relative to the average salary for newly qualified graduates. |
| (54501) | |
| 86 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many teachers are currently employed in England; and how many were in each of the last five years. |
| (54560) | |
| 87 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement about the availability of computers in schools ; and what plans he has (a) to replace obsolete machines and (b) to increase the number of computers in schools. |
| (54495) | |
| 88 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on the progress of the Government's policy on increasing the proportion of the population taking a first degree. |
| (54503) | |
| 89 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment he has made of the reasons given by teachers for leaving their profession prior to normal retirement age; and if he will publish them. |
| (54486) | |
| 90 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how much Dorset County Council spent on education relative to the Government's standard spending assessment level in 1997-98; and if he will revise the standard spending assessment to reflect this. |
| (54499) | |
| 91 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is his estimate of how many United Kingdom students will start degree courses in England and Wales in September; and how many started in (a) 1997 and (b) 1996. |
| (54502) | |
| 92 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment he has made of the availability of trained teachers to meet the planned expansion of education provision. |
| (54485) | |
| 93 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many of his Department's publications have been made available in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print in 1997-98; and what percentage of the total number of publications this represents. |
| (54273) | |
| 94 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what representations he has received concerning the impact of proposed changes to the methodology for relating to the index for additional educational needs. |
| (53997) | |
| 95 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what evaluation he has made of the impact on funding for London local authorities if the current indicators contained in the additional educational needs index are replaced with a two stage process for picking indicators. |
| (53998) | |
| 96 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his Answer of 28th July, Official Report, column 143, concerning vehicle replacement, what guidance he has issued concerning the replacement policy for the vehicle fleet. |
| (54480) | |
| 97 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many meetings ministers have had with Manpower since 1st February; and on what matters. |
| (54492) | |
| 98 N | Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what has been to date the unit cost for each trainee in the New Deal Gateway. |
| (54191) | |
| 99 | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what guidelines his Department has issued on the minimum number of sports which schools should offer. |
| (54654) | |
| 100 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what estimate he has made of the number of pre-school education places in Gloucestershire to be commissioned by local authorities from registered partner providers in the voluntary and private sectors in the academic year 1998-99. |
| (54646) | |
| 101 N | Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many young people to date have been sanctioned under the New Deal for the young unemployed. |
| (54122) | |
| 102 N | Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when he expects the first figures and results of the New Deal 25 Plus to be available; and if he will publish them. |
| (54123) | |
| 103 N | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what date has been set for publication of the Government's proposals on special educational needs following the recent consultation exercise on the Government's paper, Excellence for All Children. |
| (54040) | |
| 104 N | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many head teachers have been (a) suspended and then re-instated and (b) dismissed following investigations of financial irregularities concerning their school's finances in each year since 1987; and how many were subsequently convicted of a criminal offence. |
| (54435) | |
| 105 N | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is the anticipated cost of the OFSTED inspection of Nansfield School, Brierfield, to be carried out in August; and how many inspectors will be involved. |
| (54436) | |
| 106 | Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what steps he is taking to ensure that all university students have relevant computer skills before they commence their course. |
| (54688) | |
| 107 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 27th March, Official Report, column 293, on departmental transport arrangements, what further changes he has made. |
| (54016) | |
| 108 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effects of replacing the charge of reckless driving with that of dangerous driving in terms of improving the safety of vulnerable road users. |
| (53304) | |
| 109 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on trends in (1) numbers of pedestrians and (2) the number of pedestrian deaths over the last 30 years. |
| (53306) | |
| 110 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what are the limits on radioactive emissions over a quarter of a mile from (a) coal-fired power stations and (b) nuclear power stations. |
| (53313) | |
| 111 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimates he has made of likely levels of HFC emissions in 2010. |
| (53321) | |
| 112 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what proportion of the commitment to reduce greenhouse gases by 12.5 per cent. would be advised by the phasing out of HFCs. |
| (53322) | |
| 113 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to review the road traffic law to protect vulnerable road users. |
| (53305) | |
| 114 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into (1) the number or child pedestrian deaths over the last 30 years and (2) how the number of child pedestrian deaths compares with other Western European countries. |
| (53307) | |
| 115 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, whether the consultation paper on ways to reach the United Kingdom targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions will include a commitment to phase out HFCs. |
| (53320) | |
| 116 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects to conclude the consultation process on ways to reach United Kingdom targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions agreed at Kyoto. |
| (53326) | |
| 117 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the arrangements for the safe disposal of radioactive fly ash discharged by coal-fired power stations. |
| (53312) | |
| 118 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make it his policy to include in the guidance to local authorities on the use of monies released by the capital receipts initiative a requirement that (a) all new homes will be built to be accessible for disabled people and (b) renovations and refurbishments where appropriate should improve access for disabled people. |
| (54112) | |
| 119 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer, of 22nd July, Official Report, column 535-6, concerning the vehicle replacement programme, how many vehicles due for replacement in 1998-99 are planned to be replaced by vehicles using (i) petrol, (ii) diesel, (iii) natural gas, (iv) electric batteries and (v) other fuels. |
| (54184) | |
| 120 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has for officials to liaise with representatives of local government on the implementation of the national minimum standard for local authority concessionary fares. |
| (54247) | |
| 121 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, by what date he expects implementation of the national minimum standard for local authority concessionary fares for elderly people, as proposed in the Transport White Paper, to start. |
| (54248) | |
| 122 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many of his Department's publications have been made available in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print in 1997-98; and what percentage of the total number of publications this represents. |
| (54278) | |
| 123 | Mr Martin Caton (Gower): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the DVLA's recent We Are Clamping Down campaign. |
| (54613) | |
| 124 | Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list each international environmental agreement (a) signed by the UK Government and (b) ratified by the UK parliament during the last 10 years. |
| (54850) | |
| 125 | Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the most recent assessment of the average speed of traffic in (a) central London, (b) inner London and (c) each of the 10 largest conurbations in England. |
| (54851) | |
| 126 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many meetings ministers have had with Tesco plc since 1st February; and on what matters. |
| (54429) | |
| 127 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many meetings Ministers in his Department have had with Marks and Spencer plc since 1st February; and on what matters. |
| (54396) | |
| 128 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many meetings ministers have had with BAA since 1st February; and on what matters. |
| (54430) | |
| 129 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects to announce the appointment of the chairmen and other members of the regional development agencies; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54428) | |
| 130 | Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what arrangements his Department has made for public consultation concerning the proposal for a temporary increase in radioactive emissions from AWE, Aldermaston; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54958) | |
| 131 N | Mr Lawrence Cunliffe (Leigh): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what proposals he has evaluated relating to the extension of the Manchester Metrolink tramway to Leigh. |
| (54170) | |
| 132 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to the letter of 16th July MR/PSO/8216/98, what is his timetable for moving towards the electronic publishing of headline indicators. |
| (54055) | |
| 133 N | Mr Bill Etherington (Sunderland North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he intends to publish the report of the study of the Environmental Effects of Agriculture commissioned by his Department. |
| (53670) | |
| 134 | Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what resources are being made available to the Highways Agency for new measures to reduce motorway noise. |
| (54679) | |
| 135 N | Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he plans to announce how (a) the EU directive banning lead in petrol and (b) the derogation for the continued supply of leaded petrol will be incorporated into UK law. |
| (53978) | |
| 136 N | Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will ensure that petrol containing lead substitutes will be widely available in rural areas from 1st January 2000. |
| (54517) | |
| 137 N | Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which interest groups he is liaising with about the proposed ban on leaded petrol from 1st January 2000; and how often he has met them since 1st May 1997. |
| (53991) | |
| 138 N | Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which specialist interest groups will distribute leaded petrol after 1st January 2000. |
| (53992) | |
| 139 N | Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which oil companies have notified him that they propose to market lead replacement petrol by 1st January 2000. |
| (53979) | |
| 140 N | Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he plans to publish publicity material about the proposed ban on leaded petrol; and where he plans to distribute it. |
| (54516) | |
| 141 N | Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the percentage of harmful vehicle emissions attributable to vehicles over 10 years old; and what percentage of the United Kingdom vehicle fleet such vehicles represent. |
| (54463) | |
| 142 | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the Energy Savings Trust's Powershift programme gives grants for the conversion of cars, buses and taxi cabs to use (a) liquid propane gas and (b) natural compressed gas. |
| (54896) | |
| 143 N | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will introduce measures to require a minimum standard of facilities at bus and railway stations. |
| (54171) | |
| 144 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what support his Department is providing for the restoration and development of canals and waterways; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54639) | |
| 145 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will assess the environmental impact of the Znyama 2.5 experiment; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54649) | |
| 146 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the advantages of increasing the level of freight traffic on the United Kingdom's canals and waterways. |
| (54640) | |
| 147 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what proportion of and how much petrol used in Britain contained lead in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. |
| (54647) | |
| 148 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the Space Regatta Consortium's proposal to place reflectors in space to direct sunlight to the Arctic region; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54650) | |
| 149 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to discourage the use of petrol containing lead. |
| (54645) | |
| 150 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to reduce the use by his Department of petrol containing lead. |
| (54644) | |
| 151 N | Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the arrangements for the provision of advice during the lifetime of Teesside Development Corporation to its board by officers of the Corporation. |
| (53443) | |
| 152 N | Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will estimate the costs of carrying out works on structural problems of the Tees Barrage. |
| (53460) | |
| 153 | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 29th July, Official Report, column 237, if he will give equivalent figures for standard spending assessments for Milton Keynes Borough Council. |
| (54955) | |
| 154 N | Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what account he will take of the impact of proposals set out in the Integrated Transport White Paper for reducing car use when considering proposals by county councils to construct new settlements in the countryside; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54458) | |
| 155 N | Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the future of the Channel Tunnel night-train rolling-stock. |
| (54114) | |
| 156 N | Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what measures he will put in place to attract commercial shipping companies away from flags of convenience. |
| (54113) | |
| 157 N | Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to paragraph 4.217 of the White Paper on Transport, when measures will be put in place to mitigate noise pollution from airports; and who will bear the cost of these measures. |
| (54116) | |
| 158 N | Sir David Madel (South West Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will call in for determination by his Department the prospective planning application for the redevelopment of the Queensway Hall site in Dunstable; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54052) | |
| 159 N | Sir David Madel (South West Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects to make a decision on the application of South Bedfordshire District Council to his Department to disregard the highest bidder for the purchase of the Queensway Hall, Dunstable; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54051) | |
| 160 N | Dr John Marek (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make it his policy to publish complete information on central and local government expenditure on transport in Great Britain in future editions of Transport Statistics Great Britain, 1997. |
| (54182) | |
| 161 N | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list those disability organisations that have been consulted in preparing draft building regulations for life-time homes. |
| (54041) | |
| 162 | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects to issue a decision on the report he has received from the Planning Inspectorate on the public inquiry into three applications for a motorway service area on the M4 between junction 8/9 and 10. |
| (54710) | |
| 163 N | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects to publish draft building regulations for life-time homes; what consultations will take place on the draft regulation; and when he expects to lay final regulations before the House. |
| (54042) | |
| 164 N | Mr Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when the Government's consultation paper on climate change will be published; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54219) | |
| 165 N | Mr Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the country's annual electricity consumption for lighting; and what plans he has to encourage energy-efficient lighting. |
| (54220) | |
| 166 | Mr Robert Syms (Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many paths are currently allocated for regional Eurostar services; how many of these train paths are non-operational; what is the cost of maintaining these paths; and what plans he has to release these train paths for other operational rail services. |
| (54901) | |
| 167 N | Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the plans of the consortium selected to run Eurostar require regulatory approval; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54206) | |
| 168 N | Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, who is the current owner of the regional Eurostar sets. |
| (54205) | |
| 169 N | Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what share British Airways will have of the consortium selected to run Eurostar; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54208) | |
| 170 N | Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate his Department has made of (a) Eurostar's and (b) British Airways' share of the London-Paris rail/air market. |
| (54207) | |
| 171 N | Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will publish the report of the Shipping Working Group on ways to promote British shipping. |
| (53901) | |
| 172 N | Dr George Turner (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the amounts allocated per head of population for the cost effects of population density and sparsity in the other services sub-block of the Personal Social Services SSA for each local authority in England. |
| (54197) | |
| 173 N | Dr George Turner (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list for each SSA block and sub-block the proportion which is determined by regression analysis of previous expenditure. |
| (54198) | |
| 174 N | Dr George Turner (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will estimate the changes in SSA for Norfok if all elements of the Social Services SSA that can be expressed in unit cost terms were calculated using average unit cost SSA data for all authorities within (i) the Eastern Region (ii) all Shire counties (iii) England and Wales and (iv) London. |
| (54231) | |
| 175 N | Dr George Turner (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will estimate for each education authority the change in SSA if the Other Education Sub-block SSA were to include a sparsity effect equivalent in effect to the average of the factor in all other education sub-blocks. |
| (54200) | |
| 176 N | Dr George Turner (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will introduce a sparsity factor in the Other Education Sub-block of the SSA. |
| (54201) | |
| 177 N | Dr George Turner (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list for each fire authority in England the amounts allocated per head of population for the cost effects of population density or sparsity. |
| (54199) | |
| 178 N | Dr George Turner (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will take account in future SSA calculations of the Highways SSA block for Norfolk of (i) the maintenance costs of minor roads which have not been constructed to a high standard and (ii) the number of summer visitors. |
| (54230) | |
| 179 N | Dr George Turner (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will estimate the changes in SSA for Norfolk if the SSA per pupil in (a) primary, (b) secondary, (c) post 16 and (d) under 5 SSA blocks were calculated using the average for local education authorities within (i) the Eastern Region, (ii) all shire counties, (iii) England and Wales and (iv) London. |
| (54235) | |
| 180 N | Dr George Turner (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if, for Norfolk County Council, he will estimate (a) the change in the SSA highways block if the SSA per kilometre of road were calculated at the average rate for England, (b) the change in SSA Fire Service block if calculated at the average rate per head of population for England and (c) the change in total SSA if calculated at the same average rate per head of population as that pertaining to (i) the Eastern Region, (ii) all shire counties, (iii) England and Wales and (iv) London. |
| (54234) | |
| 181 | Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps he has taken in the last six months to protect the safety of cyclists, with particular reference to those on rural roads. |
| (54910) | |
| 182 | Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the effect of reducing the maximum speed limit to 20 miles per hour in built up areas on road deaths and injuries. |
| (54911) | |
| 183 N | Dr Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the contract between MEL and the contractor for BNRR is in the possession of his Department; and if the Government would (a) be liable in respect of categories of damages and (b) be liable for penalties to the contractor if the Government had not decided to proceed with BNRR. |
| (53075) | |
| 184 N | Dr Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make public (a) part or (b) all of the concession agreement for the Birmingham Northern Relief Road under the Environmental Information Regulations 1992 in the event of the High Court ruling that he has a discretion. |
| (53077) | |
| 185 N | Dr Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, for what categories of damage the Government would have been liable if it had decided not to proceed with the Birmingham Northern Relief Road; and what estimate was made of the size of the possible damages in such categories. |
| (53078) | |
| 186 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 2nd April, Official Report, column 619, on departmental transport arrangements, what further changes he has made. |
| (53987) | |
| 187 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many of his Department's publications have been made available in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print in 1997-98; and what percentage of the total number of publications this represents. |
| (54277) | |
| 188 N | Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the impact of the 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) contractor and (d) industries in the UK which supply goods and services for British consultants and contractors operating overseas. |
| (53665) | |
| 189 N | Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the impact of the changes to the foreign earnings deduction arrangements on the gross and tax revenues accruing to the Exchequer. |
| (53667) | |
| 190 N | Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the impact of the changes to the foreign earnings deduction arrangements on the overseas operating costs of British charities. |
| (53666) | |
| 191 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings ministers have had with Marks and Spencer plc since 1st February; and on what matters. |
| (54488) | |
| 192 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings ministers have had with BAA plc since 1st February; and on what matters. |
| (54493) | |
| 193 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings ministers have had with Tesco plc since 1st February; and on what matters. |
| (54490) | |
| 194 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings ministers have had with BSkyB since 1st February; and on what matters. |
| (54491) | |
| 195 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings ministers have had with Manpower since 1st February; and on what matters. |
| (54489) | |
| 196 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what response he is sending to the Brazilian authorities about their representations over the handling by HM Customs of three Lear's Macaws. |
| (53461) | |
| 197 N | Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects to publish the terms of the public service agreement negotiated between the Treasury and the spending departments. |
| (54119) | |
| 198 N | Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects to publish the consultation document on the taxation of North Sea oil. |
| (54118) | |
| 199 N | Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the Treasury has reached agreement with the Office of National Statistics on the treatment of the working families tax credit for the purposes of the national accounts. |
| (54121) | |
| 200 | Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what measures he will take to ensure that the tax take on small businesses is redistributed to provide incentives for the retention of earnings for investment. |
| (54941) | |
| 201 | Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the extent of tax barriers to long-term investment in small companies. |
| (54940) | |
| 202 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was collected in value added tax from local telephone calls in each of the last five years. |
| (54642) | |
| 203 | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what timescale he has set for the Registrar General to present to Ministers an options paper on access to registration records. |
| (54960) | |
| 204 | Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will change the funding formula for (a) Scotland and (b) Wales for the next three years. |
| (54954) | |
| 205 | Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the forecast growth for government capital and current spending combined, relative to the predicted growth of the economy in each of the next three years. |
| (54961) | |
| 206 | Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what contingency planning his Department has undertaken in respect of funding his expenditure plans if real growth is less than 1.75 per cent. rising to 2.25 per cent. in two years' time. |
| (54963) | |
| 207 | Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the amounts of non-BSE related government spending on agriculture in real terms for (a) each of the last 10 years and (b) the next three years. |
| (54947) | |
| 208 | Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the size of the fiscal surplus or deficit resulting from combined government spending on (a) capital and (b) current account over the next three years. |
| (54948) | |
| 209 | Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what percentage of the national income will be spent on capital investment by the Government in the current year; and what was the average percentage in each of the last 10 years. |
| (54952) | |
| 210 | Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what are the expected capital savings on PFI contracts over the next three years; and what will be the resultant additional current spending. |
| (54946) | |
| 211 | Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will calculate the real increase or decrease in Government expenditure (a) for each department and (b) in total, relative to his Department's forecasts for growth in the economy in each of the next three years; and what assumptions underlie these projections. |
| (54962) | |
| 212 | Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress has been made by the working party on environmental taxation. |
| (54692) | |
| 213 | Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects the working group on the taxation of the extraction of aggregates to report. |
| (54691) | |
| 214 | Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much of the 20 per cent. of the landfill tax available through the Environmental Trust was (a) used for environmental purposes and (b) not used and retained by Customs and Excise. |
| (54689) | |
| 215 | Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue was generated by the landfill tax in its first year of operation. |
| (54690) | |
| 216 N | Mr John Swinney (North Tayside): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what advice he has given to banks, building societies, insurance and assurance firms with registered headquarters in Northern Ireland on conducting business in the Republic of Ireland. |
| (54565) | |
| 217 N | Mr John Swinney (North Tayside): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the banks, building societies, insurance and assurance firms with registered headquarters in Northern Ireland which own or partly own banks, building societies, insurance and assurance firms in the Republic of Ireland. |
| (54562) | |
| 218 N | Mr John Swinney (North Tayside): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the banks, building societies, insurance and assurance firms with registered headquarters in England which own or partly own banks, building societies, insurance and assurance firms in the Republic of Ireland. |
| (54563) | |
| 219 N | Mr John Swinney (North Tayside): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the banks, building societies, insurance and assurance firms with registered headquarters in Scotland which own or partly own banks, building societies, insurance and assurance firms in the Republic of Ireland. |
| (54564) | |
| 220 N | Mr John Swinney (North Tayside): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the banks, building societies, insurance and assurance firms with registered headquarters in Wales which own or partly own banks, building societies, insurance and assurance firms in the Republic of Ireland. |
| (54561) | |
| 221 N | Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the net EU Budget contributions for each member state (a) in 1996 and (b) estimated for 1997, indicating the sources of the figures. |
| (54202) | |
| 222 N | Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the contingency reserve for each year since 1970-71 until and including those years forecast in the latest Government expenditure forecasts (a) in cash, (b) as a percentage of GGE and (c) as a percentage of GDP; where figures for the reserve were published for more than one year, if he will calculate (a) to (c) for each published figure; and for those years for which cash figures are not available if he will publish the equivalent figures based on survey prices. |
| (52816) | |
| 223 N | Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to Annex A, Table A6 of the Comprehensive Spending Review, what factors underlie the differences between the figures for General Government Expenditure and Total Managed Expenditure; and what Government documents set out the distinction between the two aggregates. |
| (52817) | |
| 224 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Green Paper New Ambitions for Our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, Cm. 3805, page 83, what is the proportion of the adult population with educational qualifications at present; and what it was in April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54603) | |
| 225 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Green Paper Cm. 3805, New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, (p84), what is the rate of conceptions among girls aged under 16 years in the areas where the rate is highest, at present; and what it was in April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54594) | |
| 226 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list those goods and services which are zero-rated for VAT in each member state of the European Union. |
| (54631) | |
| 227 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the Government's policy on the proposed withholding tax on savings income of residents of other EU member states. |
| (54698) | |
| 228 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with other European Finance Ministers about the proposed imposition of a withholding tax on savings income of residents of other EU member states. |
| (54699) | |
| 229 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions have taken place with other European Ministers about the harmonisation of excise duties; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54632) | |
| 230 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the level of abuse of the current rules on VAT grouping in order to avoid tax; and how much tax he estimates to have been lost as a result of this abuse. |
| (54831) | |
| 231 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the additional revenue which will be raised from (a) the education sector, (b) the health sector, (c) the property industry, (d) the banking sector, (e) the financial services industry, (f) the insurance industry and (g) charities as a result of the restriction of VAT group treatment to fully-taxable corporate bodies. |
| (54693) | |
| 232 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact on the UK financial services industry of the imposition of a withholding tax on the savings income of residents of other EU member states. |
| (54700) | |
| 233 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what amount of additional revenue will be raised by the Government's proposals to restrict VAT group treatment to fully-taxable corporate bodies. |
| (54840) | |
| 234 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what are the rules relating to VAT group treatment in each other member state of the European Union. |
| (54694) | |
| 235 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the effect on customer charges for financial services products of the restriction of VAT group treatment to fully-taxable corporate bodies. |
| (54701) | |
| 236 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions have taken place with other European Ministers about the harmonisation of VAT rates; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54633) | |
| 237 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of companies which because of regulatory requirements cannot restructure their organisation to avoid being affected by the proposed restriction of VAT group treatment to fully-taxable corporate bodies. |
| (54696) | |
| 238 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what basis the estimated revenue cost of £400 million of current VAT grouping structures is calculated. |
| (54819) | |
| 239 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions have taken place with other European Mnisters about the harmonisations of direct taxes; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54634) | |
| 240 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of companies which will be able to restructure their organisation to avoid being affected by the proposed restriction of VAT group treatment to fully-taxable corporate bodies. |
| (54697) | |
| 241 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what research the Treasury has carried out since 1st May 1997 on the revenue cost of current VAT grouping structures. |
| (54837) | |
| 242 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many companies, broken down by sector, will be affected by the Government's proposals to restrict VAT group treatment to fully taxable corporate bodies. |
| (54838) | |
| 243 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with other European Finance Ministers about the proposed changes to the VAT grouping rules. |
| (54695) | |
| 244 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the (a) compliance costs and (b) restructuring costs resulting from the restriction of VAT group treatment to fully taxable corporate bodies. |
| (54832) | |
| 245 | Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much of the revenue raised by the Government's proposals to restrict VAT group treatment to fully-taxable corporate bodies will come from closing down tax avoidance schemes. |
| (54839) | |
| 246 N | Mr David Winnick (Walsall North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the honourable Member for Walsall North will receive a reply to his letter dated 22nd June regarding a constituent (ref: O603/19). |
| (54100) | |
| 247 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 30th March, Official Report, column 356, on departmental transport arrangements, what further changes he has made. |
| (54017) | |
| 248 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many of his Department's publications have been made available in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print in 1997-98; and what percentage of the total number of publications this represents. |
| (54276) | |
| 249 | Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the UK based recipients of Know-How Fund support for 1997-98 indicating in each case what the funding is provided for. |
| (54820) | |
| 250 | Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what procedures are in place to ensure that Know-How Funding is used effectively. |
| (54821) | |
| 251 N | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what contingency plans the Government has made in the event of a deterioration in the human rights situation in Burma. |
| (53663) | |
| 252 | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the recent Irish initiative known as the New Agenda Coalition. |
| (54964) | |
| 253 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if his Department informed the Prime Minister before 11th May that Mr Penfold had displayed a lack of caution in his dealings with Colonel Spicer. |
| (54256) | |
| 254 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place in the Library the Permanent Under Secretary's letter to Mr Peter Penfold. |
| (54257) | |
| 255 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his letter of 27th June, what discussions he has had with the Chinese on nuclear export controls with particular reference to Pakistan. |
| (54054) | |
| 256 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral statement of 27th July, Official Report, column 19, what advice has been received from Sierra Leone authorities on the role of Mr Peter Penfold in the restoration of civilian government. |
| (54254) | |
| 257 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what advice was given to Mr Peter Penfold at CHOGM in Edinburgh, on his relations with President Kabbah. |
| (54260) | |
| 258 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to section 10 of the Report of the Sierra Leone Arms Investigation for what reasons Mr Penfold was not informed that in banning the supply of arms to Sierra Leone, the resulting embargo covered all parties. |
| (54259) | |
| 259 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the Permanent Under Secretary's interview with Mr Peter Penfold. |
| (54255) | |
| 260 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral Answer of 27th July, Official Report, column 31, what factors underlie his description of Britain's record in Sierra Leone as positive. |
| (54258) | |
| 261 N | Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list all properties (a) owned and (b) rented or leased by his Department outside the United Kingdom, the purposes for which they are designated and the annual running costs for each property. |
| (54443) | |
| 262 | Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps are being taken to press the French authorities to bring to justice those responsible for the deaths of British subjects in France. |
| (54680) | |
| 263 | Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Canning Town): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the position of the Acholi people in Uganda. |
| (54653) | |
| 264 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Sandline paper itemised as document 49 dated 2nd February in Annex D of the Legg Report; if this document is identical the Sandline planning paper dated 28th January noted in Annex B; and if both documents were viewed by the Legg investigation. |
| (54543) | |
| 265 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the reference to a helicopter in FCO telegram 37 to Abuja relates to aviation operated by Sandline in a military context; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54474) | |
| 266 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many of his Department's officials are currently seconded to non-governmental organisations; and for what periods. |
| (54422) | |
| 267 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list those contracts for vehicle services provision that have been let under the PFI initiative and the companies providing the service. |
| (54557) | |
| 268 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to paragraph 15.7 of the Comprehensive Spending Review, if he will list those British missions that are being considered for upgrading of their premises. |
| (54568) | |
| 269 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the residential accommodation that is being reviewed under paragraph 15.9 of the Comprehensive Spending Review. |
| (54570) | |
| 270 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Legg report, if he will make a statement on the nature of the work undertaken by Ann Grant of AD(E) in Brussels on 4th to 6th February; when the work was planned; and who organised the work. |
| (54553) | |
| 271 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what are the total costs of the new Embassy in Berlin and the date of completion. |
| (54558) | |
| 272 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what is the cost of the refurbishment of the Embassy in Cairo and the date of completion. |
| (54551) | |
| 273 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many women there were in senior grades in his Department on (a) 1st November 1997 and (b) 1st May 1998; and how many there are currently. |
| (54555) | |
| 274 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what percentage of bills were paid by his Department within 30 days between October 1997 and June 1998. |
| (54552) | |
| 275 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many staff in posts overseas are working full-time to win inward investments projects for the United Kingdom, and in which countries they are serving. |
| (54554) | |
| 276 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list those assets that are to be recycled and the value attributable to such assets that gave rise to the £90 million figure in the Comprehensive Spending Review. |
| (54424) | |
| 277 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what were the reasons Sir Thomas Legg QC advertised for witnesses for his investigation in national newspapers; what response he gave to Sir Thomas Legg on being informed that such a move was intended; and what was the response achieved from them. |
| (54548) | |
| 278 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the nature of the random checks undertaken by the Legg Inquiry to verify that all relevant material had successfully been collated. |
| (54475) | |
| 279 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will set out pursuant to chapter 15 of the Comprehensive Spending Review, the method of calculating the number of British jobs secured through foreign direct investment; how many such jobs have been created since 1st May 1997; and how many such jobs have been lost through the withdrawal of foreign direct investment since 1st May 1997. |
| (54571) | |
| 280 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the external consultancy contracts that have been awarded by his Department since 1st May 1997, and the companies to which they have been awarded and the scope of the projects. |
| (54423) | |
| 281 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when Mr Penfold communicated with staff of Sandline during his visit to Canada and North America at the turn of 1998; and what reports were dispatched to Whitehall in consequence. |
| (54544) | |
| 282 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the ministers who saw press releases pertaining to SCR1132 (a) before and (b) after release of such internal FCO documents assessing the effect of the arms embargo on forces opposed to the Sierra Leone coup; and on what dates. |
| (54547) | |
| 283 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list his Department's staff on secondment to other government departments and the periods they are spending on secondment. |
| (54556) | |
| 284 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what are the total costs of the new Embassy in Moscow and the date of completion. |
| (54559) | |
| 285 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to paragraph 15.5 of the Comprehensive Spending Review, if he will list the posts that (a) are being considered for closure and (b) will be strengthened. |
| (54567) | |
| 286 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list those documents requested by the Legg inquiry which (i) had been destroyed, (ii) had been mislaid and (iii) of which no trace in the records existed. |
| (54550) | |
| 287 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to paragraph 15.8 of the Comprehensive Spending Review, if he will list the services and the changes being proposed for firms benefiting commercially from his Department's services. |
| (54569) | |
| 288 N | Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many people working for his Department have been seconded from other organisations; for what periods they will be seconded; and what areas they are working in. |
| (54421) | |
| 289 N | Mr David Heath (Somerton and Frome): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with what frequency and regularity meetings are held between Ministers within his Department. |
| (53977) | |
| 290 | Mr David Heath (Somerton and Frome): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the cost to public funds for each official visit made by a member of the Royal Family outside the immediate Royal Family in each of the last three years; and what criteria determine which such visits are official visits. |
| (54894) | |
| 291 N | Mr David Heath (Somerton and Frome): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the recommendations of the Legg Inquiry what proposals he has to improve communications between Ministers in his Department. |
| (53976) | |
| 292 | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on Indonesia's withdrawal of troops from East Timor. |
| (54616) | |
| 293 N | Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what Government initiatives (a) have been taken since 1st January and (b) are currently being planned to bring about a peaceful end to the conflict in Sri Lanka. |
| (54097) | |
| 294 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of the financial crisis in Asia on the military modernisation plans of (a) Malaysia, (b) Thailand and (c) Indonesia. |
| (54651) | |
| 295 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the consequences for the UK arms industry of the financial crisis in Asia. |
| (54652) | |
| 296 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what data his Department has collated on the purchase of advanced military hardware by drug gangs in Latin America; and what steps the Government is taking to prevent UK-manufactured arms from reaching these gangs. |
| (54648) | |
| 297 | Fiona Mactaggart (Slough): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what was the waiting period between interviews and application for settlement in each category in the most recent period for which figures are available in (a) Islamabad, (b) Karachi, (c) New Dehli, (d) Mumbai, (e) Calcutta, (f) Madras, (g) Dhaka, (h) Colombo, (i) Lagos and (j) Moscow; what was the average delay at each post between application and decision on visas which have been granted in each category leading to settlement in the last month for which figures are available; and what estimates he has made of the waiting time in each post for a decision. |
| (54944) | |
| 298 | Mr Jim Murphy (Eastwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the (a) individual and (b) combined total capital value of each of the UK's diplomatic posts abroad. |
| (54681) | |
| 299 | Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to address shortages of clinical oncologists. |
| (54933) | |
| 300 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 31st March, Official Report, column 510, on departmental transport arrangements, what further changes he has made. |
| (53994) | |
| 301 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many networked computers are currently in use in the National Health Service. |
| (54130) | |
| 302 N | Mr Harold Best (Leeds North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of the advice and practices of the Specialist Workforce Advisory Group on (a) waiting list numbers and (b) the provision of services in smaller hospitals. |
| (54036) | |
| 303 N | Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the variation by region in waiting time for cancer patients awaiting radiotherapy in the NHS; and in what percentage of cases this exceeds clinical guidelines. |
| (54115) | |
| 304 N | Dr Peter Brand (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the amount of money that (a) eye tests and (b) dental checks save the NHS each year by identifying conditions early in those eligible. |
| (53752) | |
| 305 N | Dr Peter Brand (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) NHS eye tests and (b) NHS dental checks were performed in England and Wales, by year, from 1992 to 1998; and how many he estimates will be performed in 1998-99. |
| (53753) | |
| 306 N | Dr Peter Brand (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the number of pensioners who (a) will be eligible to and (b) will actually take up the Government's extension of free eye tests; what are the estimated costs of this scheme; and what assessment he has made of the potential savings arising from the early diagnosis of eye conditions. |
| (53751) | |
| 307 N | Dr Peter Brand (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimates his Department has made of (a) the potential cost to the NHS of the drug accolate, (b) the number of people who currently use inhalers to control asthma, (c) the cost per dose of the drug and (d) the date when accolate will be available on prescription. |
| (53750) | |
| 308 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 27th July, Official Report, column 93, concerning his Department's guidance LAC (98), what evidence he has submitted to the Royal Commission on topping-up payments. |
| (54128) | |
| 309 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to have concluded his evaluation of the expression of interest submitted by Merton and Sutton, Wandsworth and Roehampton, Twickenham and Richmond community health care trusts in relation to trust mergers. |
| (54019) | |
| 310 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what timescale his Department is working to in drawing up national service frameworks. |
| (53996) | |
| 311 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 27th July, Official Report, column 94, concerning continence services if he will publish the terms of reference of the review; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54178) | |
| 312 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many of his Department's publications have been made available in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print in 1997-98; and what percentage of the total number of publications this represents. |
| (54268) | |
| 313 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements his Department has made for evaluating the experience and outcomes of total purchasing pilots; and when the findings will be published. |
| (53995) | |
| 314 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 21st July, Official Report, column 531, concerning his Department's guidance, LAC (98)9, if he will place in the Library the legal advice that led Ministers to issue the revised guidance. |
| (54477) | |
| 315 N | Mr Kenneth Clarke (Rushcliffe): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he proposes to appoint a new chairman of the Nottingham Health Authority; for how long the post has been left vacant; and for what reasons it has been left vacant since the retirement of Sir David White. |
| (54218) | |
| 316 | Mr Jeff Ennis (Barnsley East and Mexborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the relationship between vitamin B12 and the control of fibroids and the consequences of hormone replacement therapy for fibroids. |
| (54684) | |
| 317 | Mr Jeff Ennis (Barnsley East and Mexborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will provide a breakdown of the number of patients by age group, indicating (a) the mean and (b) the youngest, who had hysterectomies in England in the last year for which figures are available. |
| (54683) | |
| 318 | Mr Bill Etherington (Sunderland North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the health authorities in England and Wales which do not have a general practitioner as a non-executive member of their board. |
| (54895) | |
| 319 N | Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the recent publication entitled, The Provision of Acute General Hospital Services: Consultation Document produced by the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Surgeons, with particular reference to ensuring the future survival of smaller hospitals. |
| (54460) | |
| 320 N | Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 21st July, Official Report, column 526, on the cost of ensuring millennium compliance throughout the NHS, what factors underlie the discrepancy between the figure given and his Department's earlier estimate of £5.7 million. |
| (54504) | |
| 321 | Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many current cases involving allegations of misconduct against unregistered operating department practitioners have been notified to him. |
| (54939) | |
| 322 N | Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 27th July, Official Report, columns 94 to 99, on millennium compliance, what checks he carried out to ensure that the data provided by trusts and health authorities as at 31st March was accurate; and how those checks accounted for the delays in his answer. |
| (54576) | |
| 323 | Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the availability of beta-interferon for treatment of people suffering from multiple sclerosis by health authority, indicating for each health authority the budget for beta-interferon expressed in terms of amount per patient with relapsing remitting MS fulfilling the criteria defined in the relevant Department of Health executive letter. |
| (54938) | |
| 324 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the staff turnover rates for each NHS trust for people employed in posts (a) ancillary and maintenance, (b) medical and dental, (c) nursing and midwifery, (d) professional and technical and (e) administrative, clerical and managerial posts; and what were the equivalent figures for each of the last five years. |
| (54615) | |
| 325 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what are the current rates of sickness absence in each health trust for people employed in (a) ancillary and maintenance, (b) medical and dental, (c) nursing and midwifery, (d) professional and technical and (e) administrative, clerical and managerial posts; and what were the equivalent figures for each of the last five years. |
| (54612) | |
| 326 N | Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the level of awareness amongst NHS hearing aid users of the role and benefits of the T switch on hearing aids. |
| (54427) | |
| 327 N | Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to (a) monitor the level of NHS hearing aids that go unused after being provided by adult audiology and hearing aid services and (b) increase the level of use of NHS hearing aids amongst current owners. |
| (54426) | |
| 328 N | Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the level of customer satisfaction from users of NHS adult audiology and hearing aid services. |
| (54425) | |
| 329 N | Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list by NHS region the hospital maintenance backlog on 1st July. |
| (53295) | |
| 330 N | Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what changes his Department has made to the criteria for assessing numbers of patients on (a) in-patient and (b) out-patient waiting lists; and if he will publish the (i) current and (ii) previous criteria. |
| (53316) | |
| 331 N | Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library figures (a) by health authority and (b) overall on the number of operations cancelled on the day of, or the day after, admission to a hospital, and the numbers of those patients not readmitted within a month, by quarter, for each of the last three years. |
| (53318) | |
| 332 N | Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the total number of (a) NHS clerical, administrative and management staff, (b) NHS hospital doctors and GPs and (c) NHS nurses and midwives in each year since 1995. |
| (53299) | |
| 333 N | Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the amount spent on salaries and wages costs for (a) general and senior managers, (b) nurses and midwives and (c) administrative and clerical staff by NHS region for each financial year from 1991-92 to 1997-98. |
| (53296) | |
| 334 N | Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much (a) his Department, (b) the NHS and (c) his Department's agencies spent on external consultants in each year since 1995. |
| (53330) | |
| 335 N | Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the validity and accuracy of the waiting list initiative results submitted to the NHS Executive for the last three quarters. |
| (53317) | |
| 336 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support his Department is providing for the introduction and development of telemedicine systems within the NHS. |
| (54629) | |
| 337 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of delayed discharges from hospitals of patients who are awaiting social services funding or assessment. |
| (54638) | |
| 338 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list by region the number of delayed discharge patients currently occupying hospital beds who are awaiting social services funding or assessment. |
| (54637) | |
| 339 N | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he intends to issue his Department's forthcoming White Paper on the registration and inspection of residential care homes. |
| (54038) | |
| 340 N | Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the total number of (a) NHS clerical, administrative and management staff, (b) NHS hospital doctors and and general practitioners and (c) NHS nurses and midwives in each year since 1995. |
| (53291) | |
| 341 | Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what financial penalties will be imposed on hospitals which fail to meet their target output measures. |
| (54950) | |
| 342 | Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will issue interim instructions to health authorities on the provision of continence services before the new guidance is issued. |
| (54833) | |
| 343 | Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will ensure that continence services are not commercially retailed by providers of continence products. |
| (54843) | |
| 344 | Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ensure that there are no reductions in existing continence services before his Department issues new guidance. |
| (54842) | |
| 345 | Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the delays in the review of continence services and the issue of new guidance. |
| (54841) | |
| 346 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Green Paper, Cm 3805, New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, page 83, what assessment he has made of the health of the population as a whole in terms of (a) longevity and (b) years free of illness, at present and as at April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54605) | |
| 347 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 27th July, Official Report, column 98, if he will provide a breakdown of the estimated cost of his informal assessment of ambulance ages. |
| (54223) | |
| 348 | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to meet the Government's commitment to work towards the elimination of mixed sex wards; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54673) | |
| 349 | Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he proposes to increase the take-up of (a) breast screening and (b) cervical cancer testing amongst women with learning disabilities. |
| (54908) | |
| 350 | Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to implement initiatives to improve access to (a) general practitioners (b) opticians and (c) dentists for people with learning difficulties. |
| (54902) | |
| 351 | Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures he is taking to ensure that people with learning disabilities are represented on health trusts and health authorities. |
| (54909) | |
| 352 N | Dr Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many ambulance services are currently meeting the standard that life threatening emergencies receive a response in less than eight minutes on 75 percent. of all occasions; and if he will list those services which currently (a) meet, and (b) fail to meet this standard. |
| (53076) | |
| 353 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 27th March, Official Report, column 302, on departmental transport arrangements, what further changes he has made. |
| (54014) | |
| 354 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance he has given to (a) police forces and (b) MI5 in respect of the use of long-range microphones and the civil liberty implications thereof. |
| (54193) | |
| 355 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if it is the practice that the use by (a) police and (b) MI5 of listening devices which do not require his prior authorisation, of comparable effectiveness of those which do, are used only against targets and in cases where authorisation for those listening devices which do require such authorisation might reasonably be expected to be forthcoming; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54574) | |
| 356 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he has taken to ensure that listening devices not requiring approval by warrant are not used by (a) the police and (b) MI5 to conduct exercises that would be unlikely to be approved by warrant were they conducted by listening devices that did require such authorisation; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54573) | |
| 357 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, under what circumstances warrants for interception are agreed to where the prevention or detection of serious crime is not a factor. |
| (54575) | |
| 358 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he intends to take to ensure those listening devices presently available to the police and the security services but not covered by legislation requiring specific authorisation before their use are brought within the remit of legislation to require such specific authorisation to be obtained. |
| (54192) | |
| 359 | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people under the age of 18 years were arrested for consenting homosexual activity but then released without charge in the latest year for which figures are available. |
| (54659) | |
| 360 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what has been the average penalty for (a) causing death by dangerous driving and (b) careless driving in each of the last 10 years. |
| (53302) | |
| 361 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of charges of causing death by dangerous driving that are reduced to careless driving during the course of trials. |
| (53301) | |
| 362 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of road deaths resulted in convictions for (a) manslaughter, (b) causing death by dangerous driving, (c) careless driving, (d) causing death by careless driving under the influence of drink or drugs and (e) no conviction, in the last year for which figures are available. |
| (53300) | |
| 363 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if juries are informed of the maximum penalties attached to the offences of (a) careless driving and (b) dangerous driving. |
| (53303) | |
| 364 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of his Department's publications have been made available in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print in 1997-98; and what percentage of the total number of publications this represents. |
| (54274) | |
| 365 | Mr William Cash (Stone): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom role in data exchange in Europol. |
| (54953) | |
| 366 | Mr William Cash (Stone): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his document, UK Presidency of the EU, Half Way Mark, if he will make a statement on the application of openness to UK nationals under the Schengen Information System. |
| (54951) | |
| 367 | Mr William Cash (Stone): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will place a copy of the minutes of the 19th March Justice and Home Affairs Council on new openness measures in the Library. |
| (54949) | |
| 368 | Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the trends in the numbers of no-claims bonuses for household insurance on reporting rates of household crimes. |
| (54822) | |
| 369 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the current membership of the Prime Minister's task force on the active community; and when it will next meet. |
| (54487) | |
| 370 N | Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received about the level of malpractice within the Metropolitan Police. |
| (54037) | |
| 371 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his letter FC/98 333/1039/3 of 18th June, what progress has been made by the Forensic Science Service in exploring how the police might utilise DNA techniques. |
| (54053) | |
| 372 N | Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to introduce new guidelines on prescription drugs for prisoners, with particular reference to (a) Largactil, (b) Melleril and (c) other neuroleptic drugs. |
| (54213) | |
| 373 N | Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to review the quality and the amount of psychiatric help provided to prisoners with problems of mental ill health. |
| (54214) | |
| 374 N | Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the Reasoning and Rehabilitation programme, in Holloway and Cookham; and what plans he has to extend this scheme. |
| (54215) | |
| 375 N | Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what are (a) the numbers and (b) the proportions of prisoners who are (i) Asian and (ii) Afro-Caribbean. |
| (54212) | |
| 376 N | Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proposals he has to ensure that the qualifications of medical staff in prisons are parallel to those of the National Health Service. |
| (54217) | |
| 377 N | Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to review the numbers of women doctors, nurses and gynaecologists employed in women's prisons. |
| (54216) | |
| 378 N | Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what are (a) the numbers and (b) the proportions of prison officers who are (i) Asian and (ii) Afro-Caribbean. |
| (54211) | |
| 379 N | Sir Norman Fowler (Sutton Coldfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if staff will be transferred from the Department of Social Security to his Department to run the new benefit in kind support system for political asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54046) | |
| 380 N | Sir Norman Fowler (Sutton Coldfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to disperse political asylum seekers around the country; what kind of accommodation will be provided; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54049) | |
| 381 N | Sir Norman Fowler (Sutton Coldfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, by what date he expects that the 30,000 applications for political asylum made prior to December 1995 will be determined; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54048) | |
| 382 N | Sir Norman Fowler (Sutton Coldfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is his current estimate of the effect that the abolition of the primary purpose rule has had upon the number of spouses granted leave to enter the United Kingdom for a probationary year prior to settlement; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54047) | |
| 383 N | Sir Norman Fowler (Sutton Coldfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, by what date he expects that his proposed system of benefits in kind for asylum seekers will be operational; what benefits in kind will be available; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54044) | |
| 384 N | Sir Norman Fowler (Sutton Coldfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if all those who made an application for political asylum prior to July 1993 and whose applications are still outstanding will be individually interviewed before any decision is taken on their application; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54043) | |
| 385 N | Sir Norman Fowler (Sutton Coldfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the strength of the police service in England and Wales, broken down to show (a) police and (b) civil staff (i) in total and (ii) by police force. |
| (54045) | |
| 386 N | Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to alter the provisions in the Sex Offenders Act 1997 relating to those convicted for crimes which would be legal if the age of consent were reduced to 16 years for homosexual acts. |
| (53927) | |
| 387 N | Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to issue new guidance on the sentencing of men aged between 16 and 18 years for engaging in consenting homosexual acts in private. |
| (53928) | |
| 388 | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects to make a decision on his application for British citizenship by Mr Mohamed Fayed. |
| (54903) | |
| 389 N | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the privatisation of HM prison farms. |
| (54110) | |
| 390 N | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on livestock and produce grown and reared in prisons for sale on the open market. |
| (54111) | |
| 391 N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what date the Presenting Officer's Unit in his Department received the papers from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office relating to immigration appeal GV100/46408/AP; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54279) | |
| 392 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in how many cases, for each year between 1990-91 and 1996-97, where convictions tried on indictment were referred to the Court of Appeal by the Secretary of State for the Home Department in exercise of his powers under section 17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 (a) the appeal was allowed, (b) the appeal was dismissed, (c) a re-trial was ordered and (d) the appeal is awaited. |
| (54104) | |
| 393 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in how many of the cases tried on indictment where convictions were quashed following referral to the Court of Appeal by the Secretary of State, exercising his powers under section 17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968, compensation was paid to the appellant; what was the amount of compensation paid in each case; and how many such compensation claims remain outstanding for each year between 1990-91 and 1996-97. |
| (54106) | |
| 394 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the steps taken by the Police Complaints Authority investigating the shooting of Diarmuid O'Neill to obtain statements from (a) Brian McHugh and (b) Patrick Kelly since December 1997, indicating when (i) letters were sent and (ii) appointments made and with what notice; how many appointments were cancelled following approaches to legal representatives; what responses were received; when statements were taken; what assessment has been made of the impact of a transfer of the prisoners on the investigation; and what further steps are necessary to complete the investigation. |
| (53990) | |
| 395 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will lay a copy of the first annual report of the Criminal Cases Review Commission before Parliament; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54105) | |
| 396 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many convictions in cases tried on indictment were referred to the Court of Appeal by the Secretary of State in exercise of his powers under section 17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 for each year between 1990-91 and 1996-97. |
| (54102) | |
| 397 | Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many men, aged between 16 and 18 years, during the last 10 years, have been (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted, for activities relating to homosexual acts in private. |
| (54937) | |
| 398 N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to require convicted paedophiles subject to the Sex Offences Register to inform the authorities if they plan to travel abroad. |
| (53981) | |
| 399 N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his Department's policy is towards the objectives of the Asia Europe Child Welfare Initiative; and if he will make a statement. |
| (53982) | |
| 400 | Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will review the procedure whereby minor offences committed by a young offender remain on their record and affect opportunities for employment. |
| (54687) | |
| 401 | Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many manslaughter charges have been brought following fatal road crashes for each of the last 10 years; how many have been brought against (a) drivers and (b) managers; and how many have resulted in convictions. |
| (54844) | |
| 402 N | David Taylor (North West Leicestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when his Department last inspected the animal breeding establishment Hillgrove Farm, Minster Lovell, Oxfordshire; with what results; and what assessment he has made of the standard of animal welfare at this establishment. |
| (54222) | |
| 403 | Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd July, Official Report, column 544, what are the ingredients of the five commercial chemical products used in gardening at the three Isle of Sheppey prisons. |
| (54959) | |
| 404 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the (a) financial and (b) other support provided to the Russian government to support (i) zapovedniki and (ii) other domestic conservation programmes. |
| (54012) | |
| 405 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations have been made by her Department to the (a) International Monetary Fund and (b) World Bank regarding financial assistance to (i) Russia's zapovedniki, (ii) other former USSR zapovedniki and (iii) other domestic Russian conservation programmes. |
| (54007) | |
| 406 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations have been made to Her Majesty's Government by the government of Russia regarding the need for (a) financial and (b) other assistance with their (i) zapovedniki and (ii) other domestic conservation programmes. |
| (54011) | |
| 407 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her Answer of 27th March, Official Report, column 319, on departmental transport arrangements, what further changes she has made. |
| (54009) | |
| 408 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the total amount of financial aid provided for nature conservation programmes. |
| (54008) | |
| 409 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many of her Department's publications have been made available in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print in 1997-98; and what percentage of the total number of publications this represents. |
| (54263) | |
| 410 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 28th July, Official Report, columns 129-30, concerning vehicle replacement, if she will list that information which is available centrally. |
| (54476) | |
| 411 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her Answer of 28th July, Official Report, columns 129-30, concerning vehicle replacement, what guidance she has issued concerning the replacement policy of the Department's vehicle fleet. |
| (54478) | |
| 412 N | Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the properties (a) owned and (b) rented or leased by her Department outside the United Kingdom; the purposes for which they are designated and the annual running costs for each property. |
| (54442) | |
| 413 | Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the long term effectiveness of the 1998 IMF agreement with Nicaragua. |
| (54818) | |
| 414 | Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the economic disadvantages to those Latin American countries excluded from Mercosur. |
| (54835) | |
| 415 | Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department has taken to encourage expenditure in India on improvements in water supply and sanitation. |
| (54836) | |
| 416 | Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans her Department has for development aid to the Caspian Sea region. |
| (54825) | |
| 417 | Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what level of assistance her Department has provided for improving the infrastructure of less developed countries. |
| (54834) | |
| 418 | Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of the extra funds for her Department will be spent on mine clearance operations. |
| (54945) | |
| 419 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his Answer of 27th March, Official Report, column 297, on departmental transport arrangements, what further changes he has made. |
| (54015) | |
| 420 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many of his Department's publications have been made available in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print in 1997-98; and what percentage of the total number of publications this represents. |
| (54275) | |
| 421 N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, on what date the IAA received from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office the papers relating to immigration appeal No. GV100/46408/AP; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54280) | |
| 422 | Mr Paul Stinchcombe (Wellingborough): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will make a statement on the amount of training in mediation services which has been offered to members of the judiciary. |
| (54677) | |
| 423 | Mr Paul Stinchcombe (Wellingborough): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what assessment his Department has made of the pilot study of mediation services undertaken at Central London County Court; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54675) | |
| 424 | Mr Paul Stinchcombe (Wellingborough): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what assessment his Department has made, or plans to make, of the potential implications of a compulsory mediation stage in the litigation process in terms of reducing (a) delays and (b) costs in litigation; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54678) | |
| 425 | Mr Paul Stinchcombe (Wellingborough): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what studies have been undertaken or evaluated by his Department in respect of the potential role which could be played by mediation in medical negligence cases; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54674) | |
| 426 | Mr Paul Stinchcombe (Wellingborough): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what meetings have been held by his Department with providers of mediation services concerning the potential role of such services in the civil legal system. |
| (54676) | |
| 427 N | Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what assessment he has made of the obligations to maintain accounts and other disclosures required of attorneys who have been granted enduring power of attorney. |
| (53900) | |
| 428 N | Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many complaints have been received by the Public Trust Office in each of the last three years. |
| (53899) | |
| 429 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to her Answer of 22nd April, Official Report, column 645, on departmental transport arrangements, what further changes she has made. |
| (53988) | |
| 430 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many of her Department's publications have been made available in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print in 1997-98; and what percentage of the total number of publications this represents. |
| (54265) | |
| 431 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many convictions in cases tried on indictment were referred by the Secretary of State to the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal for each year between 1990-91 and 1996-97. |
| (54103) | |
| 432 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when the PBNI informed the RUC Care Unit of the release of Mr W. J. McGarry from prison. |
| (54133) | |
| 433 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what were the reasons for the delay in the Prison Service notifying the social services of the release of Mr W. J. McGarry from prison; and what steps are being taken to improve the procedures. |
| (54029) | |
| 434 | Mr John D. Taylor (Strangford): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many schemes from the Housing Association have received project approval from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in the past 12 months; and how many schemes were submitted for approval in that same period. |
| (54660) | |
| 435 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the President of the Council, how many honourable Members requested rail warrants for use between constituency and Westminster in (a) May 1995 to April 1996, (b) May 1996 to April 1997 and (c) May 1997 to April 1998. |
| (54188) | |
| 436 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the President of the Council, how many honourable Members have claimed a bicycle allowance since its introduction. |
| (54189) | |
| 437 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the President of the Council, how many honourable Members claimed for in excess of 350 miles driven within the constituency for any week within the last month for which figures are available. |
| (54190) | |
| 438 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the President of the Council, how many honourable Members submitted claims for more than ten car journeys between constituency and Westminster during (a) May 1995 to April 1996, (b) May 1996 to April 1997 and (c) May 1997 to April 1998. |
| (54186) | |
| 439 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the President of the Council, how many honourable Members' cars were registered as being within each engine size capacity for which records are held at (a) May 1995, (b) May 1996 and (c) May 1997. |
| (54187) | |
| 440 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the President of the Council, what was the total amount paid in honourable Members' mileage allowances in respect of (a) travel within the constituency and (b) travel between the constituency and Westminster for (i) May 1995 to April 1996, (ii) May 1996 to April 1997 and (iii) May 1997 to April 1998; and what was the total mileage recorded in each case. |
| (54185) | |
| 441 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Crewe and Nantwich, of 28th July, Official Report, columns 132-4, if the Performance and Innovation Unit within the Cabinet Office will consider the delivery of policies in respect of (a) genetic engineering and (b) animal welfare; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54483) | |
| 442 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Prime Minister, for what reasons the previous Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster was required to relinquish his Cabinet position; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54572) | |
| 443 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Prime Minister, in respect of section 9, Guidance For Civil Servants: Contacts with Lobbyists, whether media contacts are deemed to be lobbyists for the purpose of the guidance. |
| (54481) | |
| 444 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Prime Minister, what is his policy in respect of contacts between ministers and the representatives of the media, where such contacts concern other ministers. |
| (54482) | |
| 445 N | Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will estimate for each department and for each Minister (a) the number of occasions on which they used VIP airport lounges and at what cost in the past year and (b) the miles travelled and at what cost in (i) official cars and (ii) trains in the past year. |
| (54127) | |
| 446 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Prime Minister, how many meetings members of his policy unit have had with (i) Tesco plc, (ii) Marks and Spencer plc and (iii) Manpower since 1st February; and on what matters. |
| (54494) | |
| 447 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Prime Minister, what factors led him to say on 11th May that Mr Peter Penfold had done a superb job in working closely with President Kabbah. |
| (54261) | |
| 448 | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Prime Minister, on what occasions the Cabinet has met since May 1997; and what was the duration of each meeting. |
| (54904) | |
| 449 | Sir Raymond Powell (Ogmore): To ask the Prime Minister, what are the duties and responsibilities of the new Minister of State in the Cabinet Office. |
| (54704) | |
| 450 N | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Prime Minister, if the guidance issued to civil servants concerning dealings with lobbyists will extend to civil servants working to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly. |
| (54437) | |
| 451 N | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Prime Minister, in drawing up the guidance to civil servants on dealings with lobbyists, to what extent he drew on practice in other member states of the European Union. |
| (54438) | |
| 452 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his Answer of 2nd April, Official Report, column 611, on departmental transport arrangements, what further changes he has made. |
| (53989) | |
| 453 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many networked computers are currently in use in schools in Scotland. |
| (54094) | |
| 454 | Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what proposals he has for providing additional funding for womens' aid projects across Scotland. |
| (54956) | |
| 455 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many of his Department's publications have been made available in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print in 1997-98; and what percentage of the total number of publications this represents. |
| (54270) | |
| 456 | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his Answer of 27th July, Official Report, column 63, concerning vehicle replacement, what guidance (a) he and (b) his Green Minister have issued concerning the vehicle fleet. |
| (54847) | |
| 457 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his Answer, of 27th July, Official Report, column 63, concerning departmental vehicles, how many of the vehicles use (a) petrol, (b) diesel and (c) LPG; and how many vehicles fall into each engine cubic capacity group. |
| (54209) | |
| 458 N | Mr Donald Gorrie (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what is the Scottish Office policy regarding restrictions on senior officers of local enterprise companies transferring directly to work for companies who might benefit from inside knowledge gained through the person's work for the enterprise company. |
| (54581) | |
| 459 N | Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimates he has made of the financial savings to (a) the NHS and (b) Government health agencies as a result of hiring external consultants in each year since 1995. |
| (53464) | |
| 460 N | Dr John Marek (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the figures for capital expenditure on (a) new build and (b) improvements on (i) motorways and (ii) trunk roads in Scotland for each of the last three years; and what are the projected figures for the next three years. |
| (54183) | |
| 461 N | Dr John Marek (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the figures for 1995-96 and 1996-97 of local government expenditure in Scotland on local transport under capital and current headings as set out in Transport Statistics Great Britain, 1997. |
| (54180) | |
| 462 N | Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will place in the Library figures (a) by health board and (b) overall, on the number of operations cancelled on the day of, or the day after, admission to a hospital, and the numbers of those patients not readmitted within a month, by quarter, for the last three years. |
| (53309) | |
| 463 N | Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list by NHS board the hospital maintenance backlog on 1st July. |
| (53294) | |
| 464 N | Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimates he has made of the financial savings made by the NHS and government health agencies as a result of employing external consultants, by year, since 1995. |
| (53755) | |
| 465 N | Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the amount spent on salaries and wages costs for (a) general and senior managers, (b) nurses and midwives and (c) adminstrative and clerical staff by NHS board for each financial year from 1991-92 to 1997-98. |
| (53297) | |
| 466 N | Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many tenants incentive scheme grants and rural home ownership grants were administered by each housing association in (i) the rural areas of Scotland, excluding the Scottish Islands areas and (ii) the Scottish Islands areas in each year from 1992-93 to 1997-98. |
| (54228) | |
| 467 N | Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many houses were completed for shared ownership and improvement for sale by each housing association in (i) rural areas of Scotland excluding the Scottish Islands areas and (ii) the Scottish Islands areas in each year from 1992-93 to 1997-98. |
| (54227) | |
| 468 N | Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much Scottish Homes has invested in housing associations to provide low-cost home ownership in (i) rural areas of Scotland excluding the Scottish Islands areas and (ii) the Scottish Islands areas in each year since 1992-93; and what proportion of Scottish Homes' total low-cost home ownership budget is represented by those figures. |
| (54225) | |
| 469 N | Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much Scottish Homes invested in housing associations to provide rented housing in (i) rural areas of Scotland excluding the Islands area and (ii) the Scottish Islands areas, in each year since 1992-93; and what proportion of Scottish Homes' total budget for rented housing for each of those years is represented by those figures. |
| (54224) | |
| 470 N | Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many houses were completed for rent in (i) rural areas of Scotland excluding the Scottish Islands areas and (ii) the Scottish Islands areas using Housing Association grants in each year from 1992-93 to 1997-98; and how many units were completed in each of the foregoing years by each housing association. |
| (54226) | |
| 471 N | Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what definition of rural has been adopted by Scottish Homes in each year since 1992-93 for the purpose of making investment decisions. |
| (54229) | |
| 472 N | Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, in cases reported to the Procurator Fiscal or reported to the Children's Panel, where the principal drugs offence was possession of cannabis, how many persons in Scotland were (i) proceeded against at court and (ii) dealt with other than at court in (a) 1996 and (b) 1997. |
| (54420) | |
| 473 N | Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will estimate the number of homes in Scotland which will be (i) unfit for human habitation, (ii) suffer from dampness or condensation and (iii) have lead piping in (i) 1998-99, (ii) 1999-2000, (iii) 2000-01 and (iv) 2001-02 in each region of Scotland; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54445) | |
| 474 N | Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many (a) computers, (b) printers, (c) fax machines, (d) photocopiers, (e) telephones, (f) telephone answering machines, (g) filing cases, (h) office chairs and (i) office tables were disposed of by his Department in each year since 1995-96 surplus to requirements; how and to whom these items were disposed of; and how much was obtained through sales of such items in each year. |
| (54461) | |
| 475 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his Answer of 27th March, Official Report, column 317, on departmental transport arrangements, what further changes he has made. |
| (54010) | |
| 476 N | Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the savings on the welfare budget from the introduction of the minimum wage. |
| (54058) | |
| 477 N | Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to increase the extra payment to those aged 80 years or over. |
| (54059) | |
| 478 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many of his Department's publications have been made available in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print in 1997-98; and what percentage of the total number of publications this represents. |
| (54266) | |
| 479 N | Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if the CSA telephone helplines are accessible by hearing-impaired and speech-impaired people through the BT Typetalk relay service. |
| (54061) | |
| 480 | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what proportion of those decisions on the payment of disability living allowance which have been reviewed by the Benefits Integrity Project have been incurred on the basis of calculations (a) including exempt categories, (b) excluding renewals and (c) including exempt categories and excluding renewals. |
| (54906) | |
| 481 N | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, following the changed responsibilities of ministers in his Department in relation to women's issues, what will happen to the Women's Unit; and to which Department it will be attached. |
| (54194) | |
| 482 | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will make a statement on his plans to reform (a) industrial injuries benefits and (b) widow's benefits. |
| (54900) | |
| 483 N | Mr Peter L. Pike (Burnley): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will make a statement on the current position with regard to the Hepple case. |
| (54034) | |
| 484 N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how (a) current over and under-payments and (b) outstanding arrears are planned to be dealt with under the proposals outlined in the Green Paper on the Child Support Agency. |
| (54117) | |
| 485 N | Miss Geraldine Smith (Morecambe and Lunesdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what action the Government is taking to ensure that self-employed persons are fairly assessed under the CSA and that their ex-partners receive full payments owing to them; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54060) | |
| 486 N | Dr George Turner (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will publish by local social services authority the number of recipients of attendance allowance aged (i) 65 years and over and (ii) 75 years and over for the most recent available date, (a) in total and (b) as a proportion of the resident population aged respectively 65 and 75 years and over. |
| (54204) | |
| 487 N | Dr George Turner (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will publish by local social services authority, the total numbers of recipients of disability living allowance for the most recent available date (a) in total and (b) as a proportion of the population of the authority and, (c) the numbers of pensionable age who retain their eligibility for the care component beyond pensionable age. |
| (54196) | |
| 488 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper Cm 3805, New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, (p84) to what extent he has developed a model for tackling the problems of the most deprived areas; and what the model involves. |
| (54591) | |
| 489 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper Cm 3805, New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, (p84) what assessment he has made of the clarity to claimants of the gateways for eligibility for benefits at present and as at April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54590) | |
| 490 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper Cm 3805, New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, (p84) what is the level of truancy and school exclusion at present; and what it was in April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54593) | |
| 491 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper, Cm 3805, New Ambitions for Our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, page 83, what is the Government's definition of a decent income in retirement; how many people receive such an income in retirement at present, and how many did so in April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54608) | |
| 492 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper, page 84, Cm3805, New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, what assessment he has made of the public service ethos and level of job satisfaction and achievement among those working in welfare services at present and as at April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54585) | |
| 493 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper Cm 3805, New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, (p84) what is the number of incorrect benefit payments, at present; and what it was in April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54588) | |
| 494 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper, Cm 3805, New Ambitions for Our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, page 83, what is the extent of high-quality second-tier pension provision at present; and what it was in April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54610) | |
| 495 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper, Cm 3805, New Ambitions for Our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, page 83, what assessment he has made of public confidence in the quality and regulation of financial services including pensions, at present and as at April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54611) | |
| 496 | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper Cm. 3805, New ambitions for our country: A new contract for welfare, what definition of working age people in work underlies his target; and on this definition, what are the numbers of such people at present; and what they were in April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54636) | |
| 497 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his Answer of 27th July, Official Report, column 70, for what reason the poverty rate for single female pensioners aged 80 years or above is significantly lower that that for pensioners aged 75 to 79 years when income is measured after housing costs. |
| (54221) | |
| 498 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper, Cm 3805, New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, page 83, what are (a) the level of literacy and numeracy skills among 11 year olds, and (b) the number of school leavers with no recognised qualifications at present; and what each was in April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54604) | |
| 499 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper page 83, Cm 3805, New Ambitions for Our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, what assessment he has made of the quality of housing and housing management at present, and as at April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54602) | |
| 500 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper page 84, Cm 3805, New Ambitions for Our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, what is the proportion of parents meeting their financial obligations to their children after separation at present; and what it was in April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54595) | |
| 501 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper page 83, Cm 3805, New Ambitions for Our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, what assessment he has made of the extent of discrimination against disabled people at present, and as at April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54601) | |
| 502 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list the categories of pensioners who will not have a guaranteed income after the introduction of his proposed pensioner income guarantee; and if he will identify the number of pensioners in each category. |
| (54098) | |
| 503 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper Cm 3805, New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, (p85) what estimate he has made of the proportion of customers who regard the benefit system as personalised and tailored to their individual needs, at present and as at April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54586) | |
| 504 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper Cm 3805, New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, (p85) what assessment he has made of the level of customer satisfaction with the delivery of benefits at present and as at April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54587) | |
| 505 | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper Cm. 3805, New ambitions for our country: A new contract for welfare, what definition of people of working age out of work for more than two years underlies his target; and on that definition, what are his estimates for (a) the present, (b) April 1997 and (c) March 1998. |
| (54635) | |
| 506 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many pensioners have more than £8,000 in savings and also a lower income than the income support rates applicable from April (a) 1999 and (b) 1998. |
| (54173) | |
| 507 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will set targets for the rate of take-up of income support by pensioners to reach (a) 70 per cent., (b) 80 per cent., (c) 90 per cent. and (d) 100 per cent. |
| (54172) | |
| 508 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate how many pensioners will become entitled to income support as a result of the increases in the income support rates applicable from April 1999. |
| (54175) | |
| 509 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper, Cm 3805, New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, page 82, what is the proportion of (a) lone parents, (b) people with a long-term illness and (c) disabled people of working age in touch with the labour market; what were the proportions in April 1997 and March 1998; and what is his definition of being in touch with the labour market. |
| (54607) | |
| 510 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper Cm 3805, New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, (p84) what is the amount of money lost in fraudulent payments at present, and what it was in April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54589) | |
| 511 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper page 83, Cm 3805, New Ambitions for Our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, how many disabled people are able to work at present; and how many were able to do so in April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54600) | |
| 512 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to increase the capital limits for income support. |
| (54176) | |
| 513 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate how many pensioners will become entitled to (a) council tax benefit and (b) housing benefit as a result of the increases in the income support rates applicable from April 1999. |
| (54177) | |
| 514 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper page 84, Cm 3805, New Ambitions for Our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, what is the level of support from the tax and benefit systems going to families with children at present; and what it was in April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54597) | |
| 515 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper, page 85, Cm3805, New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, what assessment he has made of the extent of duplication between agencies, and the extent to which the best use is being made of new technology to deliver services at present and as at April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54584) | |
| 516 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper, page 84, Cm3805, New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, what is his definition of transparency about entitlements and costs; and what assessment he has made of the extent of such transparency at present and as at April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54582) | |
| 517 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper, page 84, Cm3805, New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, what assessment he has made of the level of collaboration between the Employment Service and the Benefits Agency to promote jobs rather than benefit dependency at present and as at April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54583) | |
| 518 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what was the amount of unclaimed income support by pensioners in the latest year for which figures are available; what would be the amount unclaimed if the expenditure-based take-up rate was applied to the current financial year; and what is his estimate of the additional cost of his proposed income guarantee for pensioners in each of the next three financial years. |
| (54099) | |
| 519 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many pensioners have savings of between £3,000 and £8,000 and a lower income, excluding income from savings, than the income support rates applicable from April (a) 1999 and (b) 1998. |
| (54174) | |
| 520 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper page 83, Cm 3805, New Ambitions for Our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, what assessments he has made of the (a) simplicity, (b) clarity and (c) fairness of the system for determining entitlement to disability benefits at present, and as at April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54598) | |
| 521 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the Green Paper page 83, Cm 3805, New Ambitions for Our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, what are the level of spending on incapacity benefit, the number of claimants and the expenditure on severely disabled people with greatest needs at present; and what they were in April 1997 and March 1998. |
| (54599) | |
| 522 N | Mr Phil Woolas (Oldham East and Saddleworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what was the total wastage rate of staff in the Child Support Agency for the period 1st January to 30th June; and if he intends to take measures to reduce this rate. |
| (54035) | |
| 523 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer of 27th July, Official Report, column 82, if he will list the range of benefits offered to sponsors by the NMEC. |
| (54578) | |
| 524 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his Answer of 6th April, Official Report, column 59, on departmental transport arrangements, what further changes he has made. |
| (54018) | |
| 525 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to reduce the Post Office's current monopoly threshhold. |
| (54210) | |
| 526 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action he proposes to take in repect of the amount of subsidies given to German and Spanish coal producers by their governments. |
| (54000) | |
| 527 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the impact on investment of the extended moratorium on the construction of gas-fired power stations. |
| (54003) | |
| 528 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he will announce the fee to be charged to businesses seeking advice from the Director General of Fair Trading under the provision of the Competition Bill [Lords]. |
| (54095) | |
| 529 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the likely number of job losses in the coal industry over the next three years. |
| (54004) | |
| 530 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if his Department will publish forecasts on employment levels of the impact of the introduction of the minimum wage. |
| (54453) | |
| 531 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the EU's postal liberalisation directive. |
| (54452) | |
| 532 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the impact of the measures contained in the Government's recent statement on energy policy on prices to consumers. |
| (53999) | |
| 533 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the statements by the Bank of England about the inflationary implications of the minimum wage. |
| (54455) | |
| 534 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will exempt small and medium sized businesses from his proposed statutory trade union recognition requirements. |
| (54457) | |
| 535 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will raise the threshold for the size of firm required to recognise a trade union. |
| (54456) | |
| 536 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding the wage inflation implications of the minimum wage. |
| (54454) | |
| 537 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the impact of projected increases in the quantity of coal to be burned on the UK's emission targets. |
| (54002) | |
| 538 N | Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of further vertical integration in the electricity industry; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54001) | |
| 539 | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what international agreements cover the operation of the electricity interconnector between the United Kingdom and France; what principal obligations they impose on the parties; and when they are subject to renegotiation. |
| (54672) | |
| 540 N | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if an annual leave entitlement of three weeks under the Working Time Directive will be applicable in those industries which have not normally offered such leave; and what would be the cost to business of this entitlement. |
| (54033) | |
| 541 | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what studies he has carried out into the compliance cost to businesses of the proposals in the Fairness at Work White Paper. |
| (54669) | |
| 542 N | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is the timetable for the planned implementation of the national minimum wage legislation. |
| (54032) | |
| 543 | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on progress in adoption of the EU Auto-Oil Programme. |
| (54671) | |
| 544 N | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the coal-fired electricity generation plant in the United Kingdom, together with the expected operational life of each plant. |
| (54251) | |
| 545 N | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list for each United Kingdom planning region the estimated employment in (a) construction, (b) manufacturing and (c) operation if all current application for sections 14 and 36 Electricity Act consents were granted. |
| (54253) | |
| 546 | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what studies he has carried out into the indirect impact of implementation of the national minimum wage on wage differentials. |
| (54670) | |
| 547 N | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will set out for each United Kingdom planning region the estimated capital investment represented by all current outstanding applications for sections 14 and 36 Electricity Act consents. |
| (54252) | |
| 548 | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he has received the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the proposed sale of Coral to Ladbrokes; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54668) | |
| 549 N | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he expects to receive the conclusions of his review of renewable energy. |
| (54030) | |
| 550 | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the anticipated demand for new electricity generation capacity, taking account of granted consents and anticipated retirement of coal-fired and Magnox plant. |
| (54893) | |
| 551 N | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will defer the coming into force of the Working Time Directive from 1st October 1998 to 1st January 1999 to allow more time for consideration of the implementing regulations. |
| (54031) | |
| 552 N | Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the future of Parcel Force. |
| (54243) | |
| 553 N | Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what proposals his Department has to take action in respect of the subsidies given to German and Spanish coal producers by their governments. |
| (54238) | |
| 554 N | Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the number of community pharmacies which will close as a result of the ending of resale price maintenance. |
| (54241) | |
| 555 | Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment his Department has made of the different employment impacts in different regions of the United Kingdom of the introduction of the minimum wage. |
| (54936) | |
| 556 N | Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assurances his Department gave to the Community Pharmacy Action Group in relation to resale price maintenance. |
| (54242) | |
| 557 N | Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if his Department will now publish forecasts of the jobs impact of the minimum wage. |
| (54245) | |
| 558 N | Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he will make a statement on energy policy. |
| (54236) | |
| 559 | Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what arrangements will be put in place to monitor (a) how long individuals remain on the national minimum wage and (b) the average annual wage increment for people previously receiving minimum rates. |
| (54899) | |
| 560 N | Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he expects to announce the fee which will be charged to businesses under the Competition Bill proposals. |
| (54239) | |
| 561 N | Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to lower the Post Office's current £1 monopoly threshold. |
| (54244) | |
| 562 | Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what arrangements will be put in place to monitor the numbers of employees receiving the minimum rate of pay set out in the national minimum wage. |
| (54898) | |
| 563 N | Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment his Department has made of the cost to United Kingdom businesses which will arise from (a) the Parental Leave Directive, (b) the Works Councils Directive and (c) the Part-Time Workers Directive. |
| (54246) | |
| 564 N | Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, until what date he proposes to continue the moratorium on the building of new gas-fired power stations. |
| (54237) | |
| 565 N | Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if his Department has revised its estimates of the compliance costs to business arising from the Competition Bill [Lords] to reflect changes during the Bill's passage. |
| (54240) | |
| 566 N | Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if his proposals for the public utilities to link boardroom pay to consumer performance standards will include linkage with the protection of vulnerable consumers; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54057) | |
| 567 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the (a) current and (b) forthcoming rounds of coal contracts for electricity generation involve subsidy from (i) public funds or (ii) the generators; and what the levels of subsidy are likely to be. |
| (53325) | |
| 568 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, by what proportion carbon dioxide emissions are increased per unit of electricity generated by the fitting of FGD technology to an average coal-fired power station. |
| (53311) | |
| 569 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, by what date he estimates that emissions from clean coal technology in power stations will be reduced to the level of gas-fired power stations. |
| (53319) | |
| 570 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what reports he has received about the progress of the complaint to the European Commission against discrimination in favour of coal-fired generation in Spain and Germany. |
| (53668) | |
| 571 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps he is taking to ensure that the gas-fired electricity generating industry is not damaged by unfair competition. |
| (53324) | |
| 572 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of whether the United Kingdom policy of discriminating against new gas-fired power stations will conflict with European Commission competition rules. |
| (53323) | |
| 573 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimates he has evaluated of the cost of fitting FGD technology to all existing United Kingdom coal-fired power stations currently without FGD. |
| (53310) | |
| 574 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the implications for the supply of electricity following the decision to close eight nuclear power stations within 10 years; and which sectors of the electricity generation market he expects to develop further capacity to account for any shortfall. |
| (53314) | |
| 575 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many section 36 planning applications for clean coal technology power stations in England are under consideration. |
| (53669) | |
| 576 N | Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the percentage contribution to United Kingdom energy needs of clean coal technology in (a) 2000, (b) 2005, (c) 2010, (d) 2015 and (e) 2020. |
| (53327) | |
| 577 | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what target he has set for the proportion of electricity to be produced from renewable sources following the Kyoto agreement. |
| (54823) | |
| 578 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many people currently work for his Department's Press Office. |
| (54468) | |
| 579 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how long he will give companies to adjust their employment systems once the regulations are passed that will bring into effect the Working Hours Directive and the requirement to give three weeks paid holiday. |
| (54466) | |
| 580 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will publish his Department's forecasts of the effect on jobs of the minimum wage. |
| (54514) | |
| 581 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many special advisers and their staff are employed in his Department. |
| (54467) | |
| 582 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will define poverty pay; and what are his plans to eliminate it. |
| (54470) | |
| 583 | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is his estimate of the number of people that will be employed in the coal industry in 2002. |
| (54824) | |
| 584 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps his Department is taking to encourage businesses to contribute towards the Millennium Dome; and if he will list those which have done so. |
| (54464) | |
| 585 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps he has taken to promote efficient use of power within the Millennium Dome. |
| (54465) | |
| 586 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what proposals he has for employment law reform; and in which areas of employment practice. |
| (54471) | |
| 587 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the reforms which the Government proposes to make to the price-setting mechanism for the pool price of electricity. |
| (54462) | |
| 588 N | Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the effect of the EU postal liberalisation directive on the position of the UK Post Office. |
| (54469) | |
| 589 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to ensure that honourable Members are given access to the full list of exemptions for each signatory of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment. |
| (54250) | |
| 590 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many of his Department's publications have been made available in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print in 1997-98; and what percentage of the total number of publications this represents. |
| (54272) | |
| 591 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will publish reports of the unofficial negotiations on the Multilateral Agreement on Investment which have taken place since the Ministerial meetings in April; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54249) | |
| 592 | Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the potential market for British manufacturers of new environmental technologies. |
| (54849) | |
| 593 | Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to support the development of the British manufacture of wind turbines. |
| (54848) | |
| 594 N | Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the Export Forum's recommendations as to target markets. |
| (53462) | |
| 595 N | Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what budget Action 2000 has allocated for poster board advertising in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000. |
| (54124) | |
| 596 N | Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions he has had with (1) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and (2) the Department for International Development about the impact of the Export Forum's recommended target markets on their policies with regard to (i) development and (ii) democratisation in (a) Eastern Europe, (b) Africa and (c) South America. |
| (53463) | |
| 597 N | Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what budget Action 2000 has allocated for poster board advertising (a) in each region and (b) in total. |
| (54126) | |
| 598 N | Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate Action 2000 has made of the number of businesses in (a) each region and (b) in total, which have yet to take action against the millennium bug. |
| (54125) | |
| 599 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will place in the Library a copy of the standard terms and conditions of a corporate sponsorship agreement with the New Millennium Experience Company Limited. |
| (54398) | |
| 600 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, on what date the Accounts and Annual Report for the New Millennium Experience Company will be published. |
| (54393) | |
| 601 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is the current membership of the competitiveness working party on maximising competitiveness in Europe; when it last met; what matters were discussed; and when it will next meet. |
| (54507) | |
| 602 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is the current membership of the competitiveness working party on making the most of the information age; when it last met and what matters were discussed; and when will it next meet. |
| (54509) | |
| 603 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his oral Answer of 27th July, Official Report, column 14, to the honourable Member for Buckingham, if he will list each private sector sponsor and the amount of the contribution. |
| (54432) | |
| 604 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if the grant memorandum between the Millennium Commission and the New Millennium Experience Company will be altered following changes in departmental responsibilities; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54390) | |
| 605 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is the current membership of his Competitiveness Advisory Group; when it last met and what matters were discussed; and when it will next meet. |
| (54512) | |
| 606 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many meetings Ministers in his Department have had with Manpower since 1st February; and on what matters. |
| (54395) | |
| 607 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is the current membership of the Competitiveness Working Party on enhancing business performance through developing individuals; when it last met and what matters were discussed; and when it will next meet. |
| (54510) | |
| 608 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is the current membership of the competitiveness working party on increasing business investment; when it last met; what matters were discussed; and when it will next meet. |
| (54506) | |
| 609 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is the current membership of the Tech Stars Steering Group; when it last met and what matters were discussed; and when it will next meet. |
| (54511) | |
| 610 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member of Pontefract and Castleford of 24th February, Official Report, column 204, if he will list those companies which had made commitments coming up for detailed negotiation which are now sponsors and the amount of their sponsorship. |
| (54434) | |
| 611 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when the shares in the New Millennium Experience Company were transferred from the Minister without Portfolio to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. |
| (54392) | |
| 612 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action he will take in respect of his possible involvement in a regulatory role in respect of corporate sponsors of the New Millennium Experience Company Limited. |
| (54397) | |
| 613 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his oral Answer to the honourable Member for Buckingham, of 27th July, Official Report, column 14, if he will list the amount of the contributions made by (i) British Telecom, (ii) BSkyB, (iii) Manpower, (iv) Tesco, (v) Marks and Spencer, (vi) British Airways and (vii) BAA plc. |
| (54431) | |
| 614 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if his Department is now the sponsoring department for the Millennium Commission; and if he will make a statement. |
| (54391) | |
| 615 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is the current membership of the competitiveness working party on promoting the best of best practice; when it last met; what matters were discussed; and when it will next meet. |
| (54508) | |
| 616 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is the current membership of the competitiveness working party for encouraging innovation; when it last met; what matters were discussed; and when it will next meet. |
| (54505) | |
| 617 N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Pontefract and Castleford of 24th February, Official Report, column 204, if he will list those of the 40 potential sponsors who have now made contractual commitments to sponsorship. |
| (54433) | |
| 618 N | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the EU pursuing a complaint at the World Trade Organisation against the US Government over the State of Massachussetts' Burma Law. |
| (53664) | |
| 619 N | Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has (a) to close the nuclear reactors at Chapelcross and Calder Hall and (b) to replace them with new reactors. |
| (53756) | |
| 620 | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has received from the Software Reliability Unit at City University, London, about computers at nuclear power plants failing to recognise the year 2000. |
| (54682) | |
| 621 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his predecessor's letter of 27th May, what was the result of the review by the Manned Space Programme Board and the International Relations Committee of ESA of the policy and financial implications of changes to the International Space Station schedule. |
| (54056) | |
| 622 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many people within Gloucestershire were employed by the United Kingdom aerospace industry in each of the last five years. |
| (54641) | |
| 623 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the impact of charges for local telephone calls on the development and use of internet services. |
| (54643) | |
| 624 N | Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the spending recipients of the science budget in the year 1997-98; what the allocation will be for 1998-99; and what are the planned figures for (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-2001. |
| (54580) | |
| 625 N | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what proportion of his working week he intends to allocate to the Millennium Experience. |
| (54441) | |
| 626 N | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if inspectors' reports of alleged insider dealing carried out under the Financial Services Act 1986 are passed to the Public Record Office; and when they can be released for public scrutiny. |
| (54439) | |
| 627 N | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what powers he has to order (a) BT and (b) other phone companies to disclose records of telephone calls made by an individual under investigation by his inspectors for alleged insider trading. |
| (54440) | |
| 628 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the costs of the (a) Parental Leave Directive, (b) Works Council Directive and (c) Part-Time Workers Directive to British business. |
| (53974) | |
| 629 | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to assist manufacturing industry. |
| (54658) | |
| 630 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the arrangements under which companies with consent to build or run gas power stations may buy gas on long-term contract. |
| (54120) | |
| 631 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the impact of the minimum wage on inflation levels. |
| (54108) | |
| 632 | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the future of the (a) the Post Office and (b) Parcelforce. |
| (54655) | |
| 633 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he expects to implement the EU Postal Liberalisation Directive. |
| (53983) | |
| 634 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on government policy on renewable energy. |
| (54109) | |
| 635 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what contribution to the Government's target of a 20 per cent reduction in Carbon Dioxide emissions will be made by the electricity industry. |
| (53986) | |
| 636 | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will ensure that coal subsidised by EU governments is not imported into the UK. |
| (54657) | |
| 637 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to lower the £1 threshold for the postal monopoly. |
| (53975) | |
| 638 | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to remove the special treatment offered to renewable energy. |
| (54656) | |
| 639 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the number of redundancies in the coal mining industry in the next three years. |
| (53985) | |
| 640 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what priority he accords to obtaining cheaper electricity for consumers in determining his energy policy. |
| (53984) | |
| 641 N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the Government's policy of building (a) gas-fired and (b) coal-fired power stations. |
| (53980) | |
| 642 | Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is the procedure to be followed by a foreign company applying to register a trademark name currently used by a British company. |
| (54709) | |
| 643 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his Answer of 27th March, Official Report, column 354, on departmental transport arrangements, what further changes he has made. |
| (54005) | |
| 644 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many of his Department's publications have been made available in (a) Braille, (b) audio tape and (c) large print in 1997-98; and what percentage of the total number of publications this represents. |
| (54264) | |
| 645 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his Answer of 28th July, Official Report, columns 180-1, concerning vehicle replacement, what guidance he has issued concerning the replacement policy for vehicle fleets. |
| (54479) | |
| 646 N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what representations he has received concerning the Blackwood Bypass (Sirhowy Enterprise Way). |
| (54101) | |
| 647 | Ms Jackie Lawrence (Preseli Pembrokeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what measures are in hand to improve access to NHS dental services in Wales. |
| (54614) | |
| 648 | Ms Jackie Lawrence (Preseli Pembrokeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he made of the impact on sterile service units within other trusts in Wales of the contract between UHW NHS Trust and SSI. |
| (54957) | |
| 649 N | Dr John Marek (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with Ynys Môn Council on the financial arrangements relating to the resignation of the Chief Executive. |
| (54179) | |
| 650 N | Dr John Marek (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list the figures for 1996-97 of local government expenditure in Wales on local transport under capital and current headings as set out in Transport Statistics Great Britain, 1997. |
| (54181) | |
| 651 N | Mr Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list the amount spent on salaries and wages costs for (a) general and senior managers, (b) nurses and midwives and (c) administrative and clerical staff by NHS authority for each financial year from 1991-92 to 1997-98. |
| (53298) | |
| 652 N | Mr Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list by NHS authority the hospital maintenance backlog on 1st July. |
| (53293) | |
| 653 N | Mr Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what estimates he has made of the financial savings made by the NHS and government health agencies as a result of employing external consultants, by year, since 1995. |
| (53754) | |
| 654 N | Mr Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what was the total number of (a) NHS clerical, administrative and management staff, (b) NHS hospital doctors and general practitioners and (c) NHS nurses and midwives in each year since 1995. |
| (53292) | |
| 655 N | Mr Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will place in the Library figures (a) by health authority and (b) overall on the number of operations cancelled on the day of, or the day after, admission to a hospital, and the numbers of those patients not readmitted within a month, by quarter, for the last three years. |
| (53308) | |
| 656 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what progress has been made on the North Wales section of the Sustrans national cycle network; and if he will make a statement. |
| (53921) | |
| 657 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what steps he has taken to introduce farmers' markets in Wales. |
| (53920) | |
| 658 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many jobs have been (a) created and (b) sustained in (i) the Vale of Clwyd constituency and (ii) Denbighshire by (1) foreign inward investment and (2) domestic inward investment in each of the last five years. |
| (53919) | |
| 659 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if North Denbighshire is included in the target investment zone in Wales. |
| (53918) | |
| 660 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what action his Department has taken following the redundances at Kwik Save Prestatyn. |
| (53926) | |
| 661 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will estimate the total funding available through gaining Objective 1 status for Wales; and how that money will be apportioned to the counties within the Objective 1 Area. |
| (53924) | |
| 662 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what is the size of current waiting lists for ENT treatment in each health authority in Wales. |
| (53923) | |
| 663 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what are the current average waiting times for IVF treatment in each health authority in Wales; and if he will make a statement. |
| (53922) | |
| 664 N | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, following the Government's decision to cut funding to the Access Committee for England, what action the Government is taking to ensure that issues of access for disabled people are addressed by (a) government departments and (b) local authorities; and which government department takes lead responsibility on policy for access for disabled people. |
| [Transferred] (54039) | |
| 665 N | Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will support the proposal put to his Office for a millennium lottery specifically to fund longitudinal studies of European children in the next century, sponsored by the European Forum for Child Welfare; and if he will make a statement. |
| [Transferred] (54203) | |
| 666 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Green Paper, Cm 3805, New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, page 82, what is the proportion of working age people living in workless households at present; and what it was in April 1997 and March 1998. |
| [Transferred] (54606) | |
| 667 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Green Paper page 84, Cm 3805, New Ambitions for Our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, what is the proportion of children living in workless households at present; and what it was in April 1997 and March 1998. |
| [Transferred] (54596) | |
| 668 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Green Paper, Cm 3805, New Ambitions for Our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, page 83, what is the non-governmental proportion of personal savings and insurance at present; and what it was in April 1997 and March 1998. |
| [Transferred] (54609) | |
| 669 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to the Green Paper Cm. 3805, New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, (p84), what is the number of people sleeping rough at present; and what it was in April 1997 and March 1998. |
| [Transferred] (54592) | |
| 670 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many infringements of the regulations concerning the growth promoter Olaquindox have been recorded in each year since 1987. |
| [Transferred] (54663) | |
| 671 | Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many manslaughter charges have been brought following fatal accidents at work in each of the last 10 years; how many have been brought against (a) employees and (b) managers; and how many have resulted in convictions. |
| [Transferred] (54846) | |
| 672 | Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many manslaughter charges have been brought following fatal rail crashes in each of the last 10 years; how many have been brought against (a) drivers and (b) managers; and how many have resulted in convictions. |
| [Transferred] (54845) | |
| 673 | Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will review the policy of encouraging matching funds from the private sector in those areas which lack access to significant private funds; and if he will make a statement. |
| [Transferred] (54907) | |
| 674 | Sir Raymond Powell (Ogmore): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what is the estimated cost of setting up the new Centre for Management and Policy Studies in the Cabinet Office; and how many additional civil servants will be employed. |
| [Transferred] (54703) | |
| 675 | Sir Raymond Powell (Ogmore): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what is the estimated cost of relocating part of the Cabinet Office including the new Performance and Innovation Unit and the Centre for Management and Policy Studies in Admiralty Arch. |
| [Transferred] (54705) | |
| 676 | Sir Raymond Powell (Ogmore): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many homeless people have used Admiralty Arch (a) in total and (b) in each week since the homeless unit's establishment. |
| [Transferred] (54707) | |
| 677 | Sir Raymond Powell (Ogmore): To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what will be the effect of the proposed Cabinet Office move to Admiralty Arch on the homeless unit currently there; how many homeless persons are currently in Admiralty Arch; and what efforts have been made to rehouse them. |
| [Transferred] (54706) | |
| |
| © Parliamentary copyright 1998 | Revised 31 July 1998 |