 House of Commons |
Session 1998-99 Publications on the internet The Order Book |
| Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Monday 7 December 1998
Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Monday 7 December 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 Monday 7 December, of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order of Business. For Written and Oral Questions for answer from Tuesday 8 December, 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 | Jackie Ballard (Taunton): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if aromatherapy oils are classified as agricultural products. |
| (63048) | |
| 2 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list (a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups his Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. |
| (62816) | |
| 3 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many people in his Department are currently on secondment from private companies, and if he will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within government. |
| (62849) | |
| 4 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the special advisers in his Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. |
| (62845) | |
| 5 | Ms Fiona Jones (Newark): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to introduce training programmes for OVS level staff in the Meat Hygiene Service. |
| (62783) | |
| 6 | Ms Fiona Jones (Newark): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to introduce maximum line speeds in abattoirs. |
| (62784) | |
| 7 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what investigations his Department is carrying out into (a) the use of the agricultural fumigant methyl bromide and (b) the potential reduction of its environmental impact through composted manure. |
| (62965) | |
| 8 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what action his Department proposes to take to reduce the levels of tritium found in sole, flounder and mussels in the Severn Estuary; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62964) | |
| 9 | Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what estimate he has made of the prevalence of the practice of using poultry manure as the nitrogen content in compound feeds for animals. |
| (62618) | |
| 10 | Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what representations he has received on the recruitment procedure for staff of his Department; and if he will make a statement. |
| (63045) | |
| 11 N | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when he expects to receive the report on a Forestry Strategy for England from the Forestry Commission; and when he will publish it. |
| (62678) | |
| 12 | Mr James Plaskitt (Warwick and Leamington): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what the total payments were by county in 1996 and 1997 under (i) the arable area payments, (ii) the suckler cow premium and (iii) the sheep annual premium schemes of the CAP; and in each case what the average farm payment was in each county. |
| (62885) | |
| 13 N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what was the exact number of letters he received from Labour honourable Members on problems facing the United Kingdom agricultural industry in the three months prior to 11th November. |
| (61659) | |
| 14 | Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the degree of certainty about the link between the incidence of tuberculosis in cattle and the presence locally of badgers; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62909) | |
| 15 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what is the e-mail address of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury. |
| (62880) | |
| 16 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people in his Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if he will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within government. |
| (62824) | |
| 17 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will list the special advisers in his Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. |
| (62844) | |
| 18 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will list (a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups his Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. |
| (62811) | |
| 19 N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much money has been spent to date by the UK Sports Institute. |
| (62778) | |
| 20 N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many contracts for the UK Sports Institute have been (a) put out to tender and (b) signed. |
| (62702) | |
| 21 N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to copyright the name of the UK Sports Institute. |
| (62700) | |
| 22 N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made in identifying sites for the national and regional centres of the UK Sports Institute. |
| (62701) | |
| 23 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people in his Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if he will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within government. |
| (62820) | |
| 24 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list the special advisers in his Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. |
| (62843) | |
| 25 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list (a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups his Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. |
| (62812) | |
| 26 | Mr Gareth Thomas (Clwyd West): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what action he intends to take to encourage visitors to the UK to visit parts of the country outside London. |
| (62961) | |
| 27 | Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what is the current National Lottery surplus; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62634) | |
| 28 | Mr A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if munitions containing depleted uranium are authorised to be fired on the Otterburn range, Northumberland. |
| (63034) | |
| 29 | Mr A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information is made available to doctors treating Gulf War veterans in relation to any exposure they may have had to materials which may have been toxic or hazardous, with particular reference to depleted uranium. |
| (63033) | |
| 30 N | Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what targets his Department has set for boosting recruitment among Britain's ethnic minorities. |
| (61346) | |
| 31 N | Mrs Anne Campbell (Cambridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Government is taking to increase education and training opportunities in the armed forces. |
| (61365) | |
| 32 | Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the document relating to Gulf War illness and depleted uranium leaked to Gulf War veterans; and if he will make a statement. |
| (63046) | |
| 33 N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made since 16th December 1997 in respect of joint French, German and United Kingdom commitment to a new generation of military satellites. |
| (62279) | |
| 34 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his statement on 23rd October in the A1 Sharq A1 Aursat newspaper, what evidence he has that the Al Shifa pharamaceutical factory was manufacturing offensive weapons or materials. |
| (61463) | |
| 35 N | Mr Howard Flight (Arundel and South Downs): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to address the needs of the Territoral Army following his recent announcement. |
| (61355) | |
| 36 N | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the costs of transferring the 101 REME (V) Battalion Headquarters from Chorley to Queensferry. |
| (62611) | |
| 37 N | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which body is responsible for ensuring the value for money of public funds spent on the Territorial Army. |
| (62502) | |
| 38 N | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the Strategic Defence Review's objective of making financial savings in the Defence Budget. |
| (62612) | |
| 39 N | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, who is the accounting officer of each of the armed forces. |
| (62501) | |
| 40 N | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the financial saving made from operating the Headquarters of the 101 REME (V) Battalion Headquarters in Queensferry instead of Chorley. |
| (62613) | |
| 41 N | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the costs of the operation of the 101 REME (V) Battalion Headquarters were in 1996, 1997 and 1998. |
| (62610) | |
| 42 N | Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will estimate the costs of the first year of operation of the 101 REME (V) Battalion Headquarters in Queensferry. |
| (62609) | |
| 43 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people in his Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if he will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within government. |
| (62822) | |
| 44 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the special advisers in his Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. |
| (62842) | |
| 45 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list (a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups his Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. |
| (62809) | |
| 46 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, by what date he plans to increase Army establishments by 3,300 personnel. |
| (62014) | |
| 47 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he will announce his conclusions following the review of the national defence response to the risks posed by (a) nuclear, (b) biological and (c) chemical weapons. |
| (62015) | |
| 48 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what extra money he will spend in each of the next three years on (a) additional military attacheĢ posts, (b) enhanced arms control programmes, (c) enhanced outreach programmes and (d) military assistance programmes. |
| (62078) | |
| 49 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the value of the increased procurement of land-based biological detection equipment announced by the Minister of State for Defence Procurement on 26th November. |
| (62016) | |
| 50 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, by how much he will increase over the next three years (a) the Defence Military Assistance Fund and (b) resources dedicated to defence diplomacy. |
| (62056) | |
| 51 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the Minister for the Armed Forces attended the naval exhibition in Valparaiso, Chile; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62071) | |
| 52 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many additional military special adviser posts (a) have been created since 1st May 1997 and (b) will be created in each of the next three years; and what is the location of these posts. |
| (62073) | |
| 53 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how he will make greater use of short-term training teams. |
| (62074) | |
| 54 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what additional courses he is planning for overseas military personnel. |
| (62075) | |
| 55 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many defence diplomacy scholarships he will introduce for overseas students; at what cost; and at which institutions. |
| (62076) | |
| 56 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he will launch the defence diplomacy post-doctoral research fellowship; how much it will cost; and which British university will be the joint sponsor. |
| (62077) | |
| 57 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the activities of the Veterans Unit since it was set up. |
| (62125) | |
| 58 | Rachel Squire (Dunfermline West): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the C-130J transport aircraft will enter service. |
| (63096) | |
| 59 | Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the future of his Department's land at Beckley Marsh, Lymington. |
| (62774) | |
| 60 | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the numbers of (a) divorces and (b) applications for premature voluntary retirement of Royal Naval personnel were during each of the last 10 years. |
| (62936) | |
| 61 N | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the current national training organisations by name, sector and number of employees covered. |
| (62398) | |
| 62 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many local education authorities provide information on funding, entrance criteria, institutions' facilities, etc., for disabled students in the form of (a) Braille, (b) audio tape, (c) large print and (d) signing. |
| (62884) | |
| 63 | Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on the Government's plans to monitor the impact of the new student funding system on recruitment to higher education institutions of students studying for professions allied to medicine and pre-clinical medicine. |
| (62640) | |
| 64 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many people have entered the New Deal Gateway in the East Hampshire District Council area since its inception; and how many took up each New Deal option. |
| (63031) | |
| 65 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the special advisers in his Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. |
| (62840) | |
| 66 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many people in his Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if he will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within government. |
| (62826) | |
| 67 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list (a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups his Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. |
| (62806) | |
| 68 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many secondary school physical education teachers have been employed by local education authority and grant maintained schools in Gloucestershire since 1979. |
| (62973) | |
| 69 | Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has to make further provision for retraining unemployed people between the age of 25 years and normal retirement age. |
| (62781) | |
| 70 | Mr Bill Rammell (Harlow): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the outcome of the Social Affairs Council held in Brussels on 1st and 2nd December; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62704) | |
| 71 N | Mr Gerry Steinberg (City of Durham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the balance of funding between primary and secondary pupils enshrined in their LMS formula in each local education authority in England and Wales. |
| (62350) | |
| 72 N | Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford and Southend East): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what representations he has received about the problems facing mature students with family obligations who are not eligible for income support or housing benefit; and if he will review the policy of Her Majesty's Government on this issue. |
| (62289) | |
| 73 | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will extend the scope of student loans for dental students and others who are required to undertake extended training. |
| (62935) | |
| 74 | Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment he has made of the extent to which the recently announced super grades for teachers will be filled by existing teachers. |
| (62908) | |
| 75 | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what advice his Department has issued to Higher Education institutions regarding the collection of fees from (a) EU and (b) UK students. |
| (62603) | |
| 76 | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what steps he has taken to ensure the education in subsequent years of an exempted pupil admitted as a 31st child consistent with the class size requirements of the School Standards and Framework Act. |
| (62606) | |
| 77 | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if, where an exempted pupil is admitted to an infant class in excess of 30, additional resources will be made available from his Department to meet the class size pledge in subsequent years. |
| (62607) | |
| 78 | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many EU students commenced undergraduate courses at British universities in the academic year 1998-99; and what was the total projected income expected from their tuition fees. |
| (62604) | |
| 79 | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if infant schools which continue to operate admission limits in excess of 30 or multiples of 30 will receive additional resources to meet the class-size pledge. |
| (62608) | |
| 80 | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what resources, in addition to the announced start up costs, will be allocated to the University for Industry in each of the years 1999 to 2002; and from which budget head within his Department these resources will come. |
| (62602) | |
| 81 | Mr Nick Ainger (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he plans to publish Lord Donaldson's report on command and control of major pollution incidents; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62937) | |
| 82 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many passenger injuries per mile travelled occurred within the last year for which figures are available in respect of (a) buses with doors and (b) buses where access is via an open platform. |
| (62517) | |
| 83 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many full-time equivalent staff have been employed by British Rail for each of the last five years. |
| (62520) | |
| 84 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the relative popularity of (a) buses with doors and (b) buses where access is via an open platform. |
| (62518) | |
| 85 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the implications for (a) passenger numbers carried, (b) traffic congestion and (c) bus journey times of the withdrawal of buses where access is via an open platform. |
| (62519) | |
| 86 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what has been the Government's (a) total expenditure on and (b) income from British Rail in each of the last five years. |
| (62521) | |
| 87 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, under what circumstance it is his policy to seek to renegotiate minimum service levels for train operating companies in respect of service frequencies. |
| (62396) | |
| 88 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what was the cost per copy of the most recent British Rail annual report; how many copies were produced; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62522) | |
| 89 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the estimated value of assets held by British Rail. |
| (62523) | |
| 90 N | Mr Harry Barnes (North East Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will place in the Library details of the regions in which the different categories of incidents involving road tankers listed in his Answer of 21st June, Official Report, column 465, occurred; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62302) | |
| 91 N | Mr Harry Barnes (North East Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the Health and Safety Executive's findings over the past 10 years on the failures of non-metallic storage vessels including plastic-lined GRP storage vessels, together with relevant information on recorded failures which is contained in the HSE database of investigated incidents; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62303) | |
| 92 N | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what recent consultations he has held with the Council for Registered Gas Installers concerning gas safety; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62400) | |
| 93 | Mr Peter Bradley (The Wrekin): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how and when he will consult rural communities and their representative bodies in accordance with section 2(3) of the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 before appointing members to the RDA boards. |
| (63092) | |
| 94 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what English Partnerships has spent on feasibility studies, investigations and the preparation of planning applications for the proposed development in the Inner Thames Marshes SSSI at Havering Riverside, Rainham Marsh. |
| (62882) | |
| 95 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the feasibility studies and investigations carried out by or funded by English Partnerships and those in which English Partnerships has had involvement with regard to the proposed development in the Inner Thames Marshes SSSI at Havering Riverside, Rainham Marsh. |
| (62881) | |
| 96 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans English Partnerships has to provide financial support to attract development in the Inner Thames Marshes SSSI at Havering Riverside, Rainham Marsh. |
| (62883) | |
| 97 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will place in the Library a table showing the Band D council tax increase for each (i) billing authority and (ii) notifiable authority in England, (a) in cash terms and (b) in percentage terms, based on the assumption that all councils apply his 1998-99 capping principles and spend up to the limit that would imply. |
| (62853) | |
| 98 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will evaluate the impact on (a) road traffic and (b) air quality of the Greenwich judgement concerning school places. |
| (62860) | |
| 99 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the changes in standard spending assessment methodology introduced for 1999-2000, showing the effect of each change on (a) standard spending assessments for each class of authority and (b) standard spending assessments for each local authority in England in (i) percentage and (ii) cash terms. |
| (62855) | |
| 100 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what evaluation his Department has made of the medical effects of road humps on fragile, elderly and disabled people. |
| (62859) | |
| 101 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will set out for each notifiable authority the change between revenue support grant in 1998-99 and the provisional rate support grant in 1999-2000 in (a) percentage and (b) cash terms. |
| (62856) | |
| 102 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will place in the Library a table showing the Band D council tax increase for each (i) billing authority and (ii) notifiable authority in England, (1) without applying council tax benefit limitation and (2) showing the extra increase that would arise from council tax benefit limitation (a) in cash terms and (b) in percentage terms, based on the assumption that all councils apply his 1998-99 capping principles and spend up to the limit that would imply. |
| (62854) | |
| 103 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects to receive a report from the Health and Safety Executive on Mark 1 trains. |
| (62580) | |
| 104 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will set out for each authority with social services responsibilities the change between the 1998-99 standard spending assessment and their provisional standard spending assessment for 1999-2000 in (a) percentage and (b) cash terms, excluding from the provisional standard spending assessment the amount provided to cover the 1998-99 STG. |
| (62857) | |
| 105 | Mr Kenneth Clarke (Rushcliffe): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how much money from the new Coalfield Regeneration Trust Fund will be allocated to projects in the County of Nottinghamshire; and what size of bodies will be able to apply for funding for such projects. |
| (62637) | |
| 106 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions his Department has had with the British Occupational Hygiene Society on the dangers to working people of contact with asbestos; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62596) | |
| 107 | Mr Cynog Dafis (Ceredigion): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, in what ways the emergency infrastructure is being modified to deal with a potential pollution incident in the Atlantic Frontier Region following the granting of licences for oil production there. |
| (63053) | |
| 108 | Mr Cynog Dafis (Ceredigion): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the relative risk of oil spillage from a production and distribution system using (a) floating production storage and offloading facilities and tankers to transport oil and (b) fixed production platforms and pipelines. |
| (63087) | |
| 109 | Mr John Grogan (Selby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if existing coalfield areas will be eligible for assistance and grants from the new Coalfields Regeneration Trust. |
| (62688) | |
| 110 | Mr John Grogan (Selby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects to announce the results of the Rural Bus Challenge Competition. |
| (62694) | |
| 111 | Mr John Grogan (Selby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what would be the estimated annual cost of extending the Local Government Pension Scheme (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 1997 regarding spouses' pensions to spouses who remarried or started to cohabit prior to 1st April 1998. |
| (62690) | |
| 112 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how much housing benefit was paid to council tenants (a) in the UK and (b) of Portsmouth City Council in each of the last three years; and in each case, what proportion of that amount was funded from council rents. |
| (63026) | |
| 113 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the special advisers in his Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. |
| (62841) | |
| 114 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list (a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups his Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. |
| (62805) | |
| 115 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many people in his Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if he will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within government. |
| (62831) | |
| 116 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will assess the advantages of introducing a policy analogous to the Green State scheme established in Sweden and Norway. |
| (62974) | |
| 117 | Ms Jackie Lawrence (Preseli Pembrokeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when the report by Lord Donaldson relating to the 'Sea Empress' incident will be published. |
| (63044) | |
| 118 | Mr Denis MacShane (Rotherham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what level of resources will be provided to the Health and Safety Commission over the next three years. |
| (63088) | |
| 119 | Judy Mallaber (Amber Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he will consult on his proposals for road user charging schemes and the workplace parking levy, as set out in the White Paper, A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone. |
| (63025) | |
| 120 | Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to harmonise the funding of housing and rent rebates paid by (a) private landlords and (b) local authorities. |
| (62590) | |
| 121 | Mr Chris Mullin (Sunderland South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the levels of capital investment by Railtrack for each year since it was established; what the figures were for comparable capital investment by British Rail in the five years before privatisation; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62600) | |
| 122 | Mr Chris Mullin (Sunderland South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the transparency of the information provided by Railtrack regarding levels of capital investment and spending on maintenance; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62601) | |
| 123 N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the extension of Part M of the Building Regulations will ensure that all new flats above the entrance level can be reached by a lift. |
| (62632) | |
| 124 | Mr Edward O'Hara (Knowsley South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what the total costs were of medical investigations, enquiries and examinations incurred by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in the most recent financial year for which figures are available; and what proportion of these costs related to drivers aged 70 years or over. |
| (62795) | |
| 125 N | Mr Ian Pearson (Dudley South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the findings of the McKinsey report, Driving Productivity and Growth in the UK Economy, regarding land use and planning regulations; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62251) | |
| 126 | Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood and Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, for what reasons government grant support for Brentwood Borough and Epping Forest District Council is to decline in the next financial year. |
| (63041) | |
| 127 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will estimate the percentage and area of brownfield sites in the North West where the cost of reclamation is likely to make the site uneconomic for housing development. |
| (63047) | |
| 128 | Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps he is taking to encourage motorists to use appropriate safety measures for child passengers. |
| (62933) | |
| 129 | Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to encourage the introduction of speed reduction measures on UK roads. |
| (62934) | |
| 130 | Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to encourage motorists (a) to use seat belts and (b) to ensure that their passengers wear seat belts. |
| (62984) | |
| 131 | Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps he is taking to encourage GNER to increase the speed and regularity of its services. |
| (62983) | |
| 132 | Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber): 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 number of road (i) deaths and (ii) accidents each year which would not occur if people taking tranquillisers did not drive. |
| (62685) | |
| 133 | Mr Gareth R. Thomas (Harrow West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what information is being provided to owners of older vehicles that will be affected by the withdrawal of leaded petrol from sale from 1st January 2000. |
| (62962) | |
| 134 N | Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how much of the £350 million fund for the coalfield communities in England is new money over and above existing spending programmes; and how much emanates from (a) the Coal Miners Pension Fund, (b) general government sources, (c) the European Union and (d) private or other sources. |
| (62397) | |
| 135 | Mr Phil Woolas (Oldham East and Saddleworth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the financial impact on Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council of the implementation of the 3,000 homes limit on subsidy recalculation of the housing revenue account. |
| (62687) | |
| 136 N | Mr Tony Worthington (Clydebank and Milngavie): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what action he has taken to strengthen the enforcement of regulations related to the handling of asbestos; and what future proposals he has in this area. |
| (62497) | |
| 137 N | Mr Tony Worthington (Clydebank and Milngavie): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many prosecutions have been brought and by which agencies for breach of asbestos-related regulations in each of the past 10 years. |
| (62496) | |
| 138 | Mr Tony Worthington (Clydebank and Milngavie): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what evidence he has obtained that contractors from other countries dump asbestos waste in Britain. |
| (62636) | |
| 139 N | Mr Tony Worthington (Clydebank and Milngavie): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what action he takes to monitor the level of fines or other sanctions in asbestos-related court cases; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62498) | |
| 140 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list those members of the House who have been nominated to date for membership of the new Euro Preparations Committee; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62281) | |
| 141 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what factors underlie the differences in the forecast for taxation as a share of gross domestic product in (a) 1996-97 and (b) 1997-98 between (i) the 1998 Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report and (ii) the 1998 Pre-Budget Report; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62124) | |
| 142 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which sectors of the workforce were re-allocated between the public and private sectors of the economy in the now suspended revised earnings index. |
| (62905) | |
| 143 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the size as a proportion of gross domestic product of the informal economy (a) in the United Kingdom, (b) in each region and (c) in each nation; and what assessment he has made of trends in the size of the informal economy. |
| (62906) | |
| 144 | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the number of married couples over 65 years of age who are (a) receiving the full benefit of the married couples' supplementary tax allowance and (b) receiving no benefit or part benefit from those tax allowances. |
| (62629) | |
| 145 | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the additional costs to the Treasury, for the current year, of supplementary tax allowances for the age-related personal allowance paid to citizens who are (a) aged 65 to 74 and (b) 75 years and over; and what is the total cost of age-related supplement incorporated into the married couples' allowance for the current year. |
| (62627) | |
| 146 | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the number of (a) individuals and (b) households with savings (i) below £1,000, (ii) between £1,000 and £5,000, (iii) between £5,000 and £10,000 and (iv) above £10,000; and if these figures exclude pension fund entitlements. |
| (62631) | |
| 147 N | Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list current proposals from the Code of Conduct Group to tackle harmful tax competition from tax haven jurisdictions; and if he will list the jurisdictions concerned. |
| (62330) | |
| 148 N | Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to publish the Charities Tax Review consultation document. |
| (62334) | |
| 149 N | Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent changes in practice there have been regarding the 10 per cent. commercial use concession to charities' zero rating for new buildings. |
| (62338) | |
| 150 N | Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the revenue arising from a 20 per cent. withholding tax on interest payments made on Eurobonds paid to (a) non-UK EU residents and (b) all non-UK residents, on the assumption that there is (i) no reduction (ii) a 25 per cent. reduction, (iii) a 50 per cent. reduction and (iv) a 75 per cent. reduction in the Eurobond market in the City of London. |
| (62332) | |
| 151 N | Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has made to the EU Commission regarding the special VAT zero-rating arrangements for charities regarding (a) the supply of lifeboats to the RNLI, (b) the conversion of lifeboat slipways, (c) the supply of medical research equipment to charities and (d) the supply of equipment for the disabled to charities; and if he will veto any proposals to end these arrangements. |
| (62336) | |
| 152 N | Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the value of Eurobond market business carried out in the City of London in each of the last three years. |
| (62331) | |
| 153 N | Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the proposal for a common EU withholding tax on the UK charities sector. |
| (62335) | |
| 154 N | Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many current proposals are being considered by the Code of Conduct Group to tackle harmful tax competition; and if he will list them. |
| (62342) | |
| 155 N | Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list list the financial services other than Eurobonds which will be affected by the current proposal for a common EU withholding tax. |
| (62333) | |
| 156 N | Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is his estimate of the revenue cost to charities of EU proposals to (a) end zero rating and (b) end exempt activities in respect of VAT. |
| (62337) | |
| 157 | Mr John Grogan (Selby): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many vehicles qualified for the exemption from vehicle excise duty for historic and classic cars in each of the last 10 years. |
| (62691) | |
| 158 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the members of the Council of the Economic Advisers and their principal employment. |
| (62782) | |
| 159 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the special advisers in his Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. |
| (62846) | |
| 160 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in his Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if he will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within government. |
| (62830) | |
| 161 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list (a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups his Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. |
| (62804) | |
| 162 | Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to harmonise the VAT exemption for proprietary and private golf clubs. |
| (62605) | |
| 163 | Mr Francis Maude (Horsham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the annual revenue is from VAT on football transfer fees for (a) players under contract and (b) players under 24 years who are out of contract. |
| (62800) | |
| 164 | Mr Francis Maude (Horsham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the annual revenue foregone as a result of the decision of the European Court in the Bosman case relating to football transfer fees; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62799) | |
| 165 | Mr Edward O'Hara (Knowsley South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many deaths, where hypothermia was mentioned on the death certificate as the main or contributory cause of death, took place in England and Wales in 1997 among those (a) of all ages, (b) aged 60 to 74, (c) aged 74 to 84 and (d) aged over 85 years; what were the winter mortality rates for (i) the population as a whole, (ii) people aged 60 to 74, (iii) people aged 75 to 84 and (iv) people aged 85 years and over; and what the percentage increase was in each group compared to non-winter deaths in 1997-98. |
| (62794) | |
| 166 N | Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford and Southend East): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the current proposals in the EU on the withholding tax make provision for exemptions for financial centres, with particular reference to (a) Luxembourg and (b) Dublin. |
| (62516) | |
| 167 | Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Government expects to conclude its review of charity taxation; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62907) | |
| 168 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the United Nations Special Representative on Cyprus, regarding her negotiations on the Cyprus issue; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62597) | |
| 169 | Mr John Grogan (Selby): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Government of the Czech Republic concerning the building of a pig farm on the site of the Lety Concentration Camp in contravention of the Helsinki Accord. |
| (62692) | |
| 170 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many people in his Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if he will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within government. |
| (62829) | |
| 171 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list (a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups his Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. |
| (62803) | |
| 172 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the special advisers in his Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. |
| (62839) | |
| 173 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if an official of his Department discussed with Mr Peter Penfold his Department's consideration of the inclusion of Mr Penfold's name on the list of those proposed to receive honours in the New Year's Honours List 1998. |
| (62341) | |
| 174 N | Paddy Tipping (Sherwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he intends to make in the Council of Ministers meeting for the OSCE in Oslo on 2nd to 3rd December regarding the proposal for Turkey to host the next summit of the OSCE in Istanbul in February. |
| (62395) | |
| 175 | Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what meetings the Minister of State, the Right honourable Member for Leeds Central, had with officials to discuss the case of Edgar Fernandes during his visit to Turkey on 18th to 19th November. |
| (62598) | |
| 176 | Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to encourage the Maltese and Turkish authorities to pursue and bring to a conclusion extradition proceedings relating to Mohammed Abdel Abbas Ali. |
| (62599) | |
| 177 N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what reports he has received about financial irregularities at Lifecare NHS Trust; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62780) | |
| 178 | Jackie Ballard (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to regulate the practice of aromatherapy. |
| (63043) | |
| 179 | Jackie Ballard (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans the Medical Control Agency has to review the status of soft licence herbal remedies. |
| (63085) | |
| 180 | Jackie Ballard (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the number of aromatherapists who are currently practising in the UK. |
| (63086) | |
| 181 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to review the rights of grandparents to have access to grandchildren below 18 years of age who are in foster care. |
| (62861) | |
| 182 N | Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what extra funds have been, or are planned to be, made available to Barnet Health Authority since 1st May 1997; for what purposes those funds have been earmarked; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62593) | |
| 183 N | Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress is being made on reducing hospital waiting lists by Barnet Health Authority; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62594) | |
| 184 N | Sir Norman Fowler (Sutton Coldfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will inquire into the considerations which have led hospitals in the West Midlands to be unable to take patients carried by the Staffordshire Ambulance Service; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62539) | |
| 185 | Mr John Grogan (Selby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress he has made with the independent and fundamental review of the current operations of the five statutory bodies created by the Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Act 1979. |
| (62689) | |
| 186 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received in support of changes to the Dentists Act 1984 to allow the statutory registration of dental nurses; and if he will make a statement. |
| (63029) | |
| 187 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dental nurses currently employed by the National Health Service have passed the National Certificate examination awarded by the National Examining Board for Dental Nurses. |
| (63030) | |
| 188 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to review the operation of the Dentists Act 1984. |
| (63028) | |
| 189 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in his Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if he will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within government. |
| (62821) | |
| 190 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list (a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups his Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. |
| (62810) | |
| 191 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the special advisers in his Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. |
| (62838) | |
| 192 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department is funding into the use of electronic retinal implants for the blind and partially-sighted. |
| (62966) | |
| 193 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will provide figures for the last five years relating to the prescribing on the NHS of the drug Ritalin to treat children with attention deficit disorder. |
| (62975) | |
| 194 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which UK health authorities are meeting their target levels for the number of delayed discharges. |
| (62976) | |
| 195 | Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the percentage of people smoking in (a) 1995, (b) 1996 and (c) 1997. |
| (62793) | |
| 196 | Mr Edward O'Hara (Knowsley South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research has been undertaken by his Department on the effects of recent changes to Social Security Fund payments on the numbers of section 46 funerals. |
| (62790) | |
| 197 | Mr Edward O'Hara (Knowsley South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance has been issued to local authorities regarding the manner in which section 46 funerals should be conducted. |
| (62791) | |
| 198 | Mr Edward O'Hara (Knowsley South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average cost is of a section 46 funeral; and what is the average level of payment made by the Social Fund. |
| (62789) | |
| 199 | Mr Edward O'Hara (Knowsley South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many funerals were provided by local authorities in England and Wales under section 46 of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 in each year since 1990. |
| (62792) | |
| 200 | Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to amend section 51 of the Adoption Act 1976. |
| (62638) | |
| 201 | Mr Phil Sawford (Kettering): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice he has given to NHS trusts regarding premium payments to NHS staff working on New Year's Eve 1999 and New Year's Day 2000. |
| (62635) | |
| 202 N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place a copy of his letter to Anthony C. Walkey, 11 Castle Street, Totnes, Devon, referred to in his Answer of 2nd November, Official Report, column 423, in the Library; and if he will make a statement on the steps he is proposing to take to ensure that lessons are learnt from the case of Mr Walkey's son. |
| (62307) | |
| 203 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects the Crown review on the prescribing, supply and administration of drugs to be published. |
| (63055) | |
| 204 | Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many private sector children's homes in East Sussex have been visited by social services inspectors in the last six months. |
| (63032) | |
| 205 N | Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what contingency plans he has made in the event that no Act to replace fundholding by primary care groups has received Royal Assent by 31st March 1999. |
| (62642) | |
| 206 N | Mr David Winnick (Walsall North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the honourable Member for Walsall North will receive a reply to his letter of 22nd October regarding a constituent (Ref. POH(2)5608/15.). |
| (62788) | |
| 207 | Mr A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 1st December, Official Report, column 134, how the contracts relating to Campsfield House detention centre are monitored; what financial penalty has been imposed for failure to comply with the contract; and if he will make a statement. |
| (63090) | |
| 208 | Mr A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to review procedures for the repatriation of prisoners serving a sentence in England and Wales to their country of origin; and if he will make a statement. |
| (63050) | |
| 209 | Mr A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign prisoners were repatriated to their country of origin in (a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c) 1997 and (d) the first nine months of 1998; and how many in each case were repatriated to the Republic of Ireland. |
| (63051) | |
| 210 | Mr A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 9th November, Official Report, column 41, if the figures for the total number of offences referred to the police for prosecution by prison governors in each year contained in table 2 are directly comparable; for what reason no figures are available for 1993; what assessment he has made of the increase in the number of offences in prison; and if he will make a statement. |
| (63084) | |
| 211 | Mr A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how the net operating cost figure for contracted out prisons per place per annum which is contained in the HM Prison Service Annual Report for the last financial year was calculated; and if he will make a statement. |
| (63049) | |
| 212 | Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much police time was expended investigating the complaint of the Right honourable Member for Caerphilly of assault and robbery in Brixton on the evening of 26th October, broken down by rank of officer involved. |
| (62875) | |
| 213 | Mr Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers are currently being detained in Scotland; and how many in each place of detention. |
| (62903) | |
| 214 | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners serving sentences of imprisonment in England and Wales were transferred under the Council of Europe Convention on the transfer of sentenced prisoners during (a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c) 1997 and (d) 1998 to date; and how many of these prisoners emanated from the Irish Republic. |
| (63039) | |
| 215 | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what loans Wakenhurst has received from HM Prison Service in connection with prison workshops at HMP Coldingley; and if such loans have been repaid. |
| (62928) | |
| 216 N | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 1st December, Official Report, columns 132-3, if he will define the general principles of fairness which will guide his handling of representations and the exercise of his discretion in deciding the question of whether or not to issue an authority to proceed in the case of Senator Pinochet. |
| (62644) | |
| 217 | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the efficiency of operation of laundry, metal workshop and sign-making facilities at HMP Coldingley since 1997. |
| (62926) | |
| 218 | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if Wakenhurst have paid HM Prison Service for plant and machinery used by them at workshops at HM Prison Coldingley since November 1997. |
| (62930) | |
| 219 | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans there are for the repayment of loans and debts owed to the Prison Service in respect of workshops at HMP Coldingley. |
| (62925) | |
| 220 | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals were serving sentences of imprisonment in England and Wales at the most recent available date. |
| (63038) | |
| 221 | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if Wakenhurst have paid HM Prison Service for public utilities they have used at HMP Coldingley since November 1997. |
| (62929) | |
| 222 | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the steps taken within the European Union to promote a common criminal justice system; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62639) | |
| 223 | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what requests Wakenhurst have made for renegotiation of the contract for providing workshops at HMP Coldingley. |
| (62927) | |
| 224 | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals serving sentences of imprisonment in England and Wales are nationals of countries to which repatriation of prisoners from the United Kingdom may take place under the terms of the Council of Europe Convention on the transfer of sentenced prisoners. |
| (63037) | |
| 225 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prison inmates in England and Wales have committed suicide since 1st January. |
| (62595) | |
| 226 N | Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reply to the letter sent to him by the honourable Member for North Thanet on 19th October; if he will state the rights of appeal against his Department's interpretation of his July 1997 guidelines relating to the firearms compensation scheme; if he will define ancillary equipment; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62499) | |
| 227 | Mr John Greenway (Ryedale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what letters or circulars have been issued by his Department to police authorities, chief constables or local police partnerships recommending what should be included in local crime and disorder strategies. |
| (62876) | |
| 228 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received in response to the consultation paper on modernisation of the Gaming Act 1968. |
| (63027) | |
| 229 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list (a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups his Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. |
| (62801) | |
| 230 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the special advisers in his Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. |
| (62837) | |
| 231 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people in his Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if he will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within government. |
| (62827) | |
| 232 N | Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford and Southend East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the powers of Her Majesty's Government to seek to impose taxes on the Channel Islands, with particular reference to the proposed EU withholding tax. |
| (62515) | |
| 233 | Mr David Winnick (Walsall North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how he plans to respond to the Third Report of the Home Affairs Committee of session 1997-98 into Alternatives to Prison Sentences (HC 486). |
| (63052) | |
| 234 | Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will consult the National Association of Local Councils about the implementation of the provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 as they affect town, parish and community councils in England and Wales. |
| (62931) | |
| 235 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what is her e-mail address. |
| (62878) | |
| 236 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the special advisers in her Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. |
| (62836) | |
| 237 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many people in her Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if she will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within government. |
| (62818) | |
| 238 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list (a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups her Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. |
| (62814) | |
| 239 N | Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon): To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, what assessment he has made of the effect of transferring the hearing of asylum appeal cases outside London on the presence of legal representatives of asylum seekers at such hearings. |
| (61705) | |
| 240 N | Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon): To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, what checks court interpreters in asylum hearings are subject to; and when these checks were introduced. |
| (61706) | |
| 241 N | Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon): To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many persons intending to be court interpreters in asylum hearings have failed to pass security checks; and what action was taken as a result. |
| (61707) | |
| 242 N | Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon): To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many asylum seekers were unrepresented at hearings (a) in London and (b) out of London when the asylum seeker (i) had and (ii) did not have an immigration solicitor in the most recent year for which figures are available. |
| (61708) | |
| 243 N | Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon): To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans he has to monitor the impact of transferring asylum hearings outside London on legal representation at hearings in cases where asylum seekers (a) have and (b) do not have a solicitor. |
| (61709) | |
| 244 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will list the special advisers in his Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. |
| (62835) | |
| 245 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many people in his Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if he will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within government. |
| (62828) | |
| 246 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will list (a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups his Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. |
| (62802) | |
| 247 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will introduce legislation to ensure that solicitors convicted of a crime are struck off. |
| (62850) | |
| 248 | Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne): To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, if additional resources will accompany reform of the legal aid system to assist those who cannot afford basic legal services. |
| (62910) | |
| 249 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what is her e-mail address. |
| (62877) | |
| 250 | Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans she has to review the abortion legislation in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement. |
| (63040) | |
| 251 | Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will list the prisoners who have been released under the terms of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 by (a) name, (b) organisation, (c) length of sentence actually served and (d) category of offence. |
| (62941) | |
| 252 | Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many planning applications of a residential and commercial nature have been made in the Lagan Valley Regional Park, within the Borough of Lisburn, since the commencement of the Lagan Valley Regional Park Local Plan; and how many of these applications have received planning permission. |
| (62904) | |
| 253 | Mr John Grogan (Selby): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what representations her Department has received from (a) the Association of Football Premier League and (b) Premier League clubs about basing a Premier League club in Belfast. |
| (62693) | |
| 254 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people in her Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if she will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within government. |
| (62819) | |
| 255 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will list the special advisers in her Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. |
| (62848) | |
| 256 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will list (a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups her Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. |
| (62813) | |
| 257 N | Mr William Thompson (West Tyrone): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps the Government will be taking to implement Sir Kenneth Bloomfield's recommendation that effective targeting of the special needs of victims of violence forms part of the Targeting Social Need objective (para. 5.17). |
| (62686) | |
| 258 N | Mr William Thompson (West Tyrone): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if the review of compensation arrangements will cover the treatment of relatives of people who were not financially contributing to a household. |
| (62677) | |
| 259 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the President of the Council, what is her e-mail address. |
| (62879) | |
| 260 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the President of the Council, how many people in her Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if she will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within government. |
| (62825) | |
| 261 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the President of the Council, if she will list (a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups her Office has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. |
| (62807) | |
| 262 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the President of the Council, if she will list the special advisers in her Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. |
| (62834) | |
| 263 | Mr Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the Franco-British Summit on 3rd to 4th December. |
| (63089) | |
| 264 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library his response to the letter of 25th November to him from Michael Stone, former head of the United Nations Multidisciplinary Observer Unit, Iraq. |
| (62796) | |
| 265 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Prime Minister, when in December he expects to meet the Lockerbie relatives. |
| (62852) | |
| 266 N | Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet): To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions relating to the future of duty-free shopping were instigated by the Government at the Anglo-French Summit in St Malo on Thursday 3rd and Friday 4th December; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62851) | |
| 267 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list all current special advisers in his Office; and if he will indicate the subjects on which they advise. |
| (62798) | |
| 268 | Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if the Registers of Scotland are prohibited from providing copies of documents relating to registered interests other than those referred to in the title sheet; if he plans to reform the Land Register so that land certificates disclose information about previous proprietors and the prices paid by them; if the rights of access of members of the public and firms of private searchers to all information contained in the Land Register of Scotland, the Register of Sasines and the Register of Inhibitions and Adjudications are to be maintained; and if he will make a statement. |
| (63117) | |
| 269 N | Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what arrangements have been made to ensure that the Public Defence Solicitors' Office and the Scottish Legal Aid Board remain separate organisations. |
| (62406) | |
| 270 | Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recommendations the Scottish Law Commission has made regarding the abolition of the diligence of inhibitions on the dependence of Court actions; what was the total sum (a) paid by Registers of Scotland in respect of legal expenses of the petitioners and (b) incurred by Registers of Scotland to the Scottish Officer in relation to the action of Judicial Review raised by Millar & Bryce Limited and two other firms against Registers of Scotland. |
| (63118) | |
| 271 N | Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the estimated cost is for establishing the Public Defence Solicitors' Office; and what was the estimate given in the context of the Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Bill. |
| (62405) | |
| 272 | Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many of the registration counties in Scotland for the purpose of registration of deeds are currently operational; and when the remainder are to become operational. |
| (63119) | |
| 273 N | Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, on how many occasions representatives of the Public Defence Solicitors' Office have attended meetings of the Scottish Legal Aid Board in each of the last five years. |
| (62407) | |
| 274 | Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what financial return is required to be made by the executive agency Registers of Scotland in terms of percentage return on capital, taking account of the average cost of first registration under the Land Registration (Scotland) Act 1979 and the average income for registration due in respect of each transaction; if the report of the quinquennial review currently being carried out by KPMG Consultants will be made available for consultation with those interests affected by its conclusions; and if he will make a statement. |
| (63120) | |
| 275 N | Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the membership of the Public Defence Solicitors' Office Research Evaluation Project. |
| (62408) | |
| 276 N | Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council must use Scots law practice and precedent in deliberating on disputes relating to the powers of the Scottish Parliament. |
| (62500) | |
| 277 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many people in his Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if he will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within government. |
| (62823) | |
| 278 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list (a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups his Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. |
| (62808) | |
| 279 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the special advisers in his Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. |
| (62847) | |
| 280 | Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what measures his Department will take to encourage the insurance industry to develop alternative options for those applicants whose genetic status makes it difficult to purchase standard products. |
| (62684) | |
| 281 | Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what research the Government has evaluated into driving whilst prescribed (a) anxiolytic benzodiazepines and (b) the sleeping tablet Zopiclone. |
| (62682) | |
| 282 | Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what measures the Government has taken to encourage GPs to issue warnings concerning the danger of driving when using (a) Valium, (b) Librium, (c) Ativan and (d) other types of tranquilliser. |
| (62683) | |
| 283 | Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when advanced higher qualifications will be available to secondary school pupils in Scotland. |
| (62980) | |
| 284 | Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what plans he has to increase the sums available for the regeneration of former coalfields; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62679) | |
| 285 | Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what plans he has to recruit additional civil servants to service the demands of the Scottish Parliament. |
| (62680) | |
| 286 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people had appealed against an adjudicator's decision (a) successfully and (b) unsuccessfully, up to 31st October. |
| (62858) | |
| 287 N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to change housing benefit entitlement for those under 25 years of age. |
| (62280) | |
| 288 | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list the total numbers of pensioners for the current year who are (a) receiving income support, (b) entitled to income support but are not receiving these funds at present, (c) with incomes below £5,600, excluding those already accounted for by (a) and (b), (d) aged 65 to 74 with incomes between £5,410 and £9,710, (e) aged 65 to 74 with incomes between £9,711 and £16,200, (f) aged 65 to 74 with incomes between £16,201 and £17,000, (g) aged 65 to 74 with incomes between £17,001 and £18,630, (h) aged 65 to 74 with incomes above £18,630, (i) aged 75 and over with incomes between £5,600 and £9,900, (j) aged 75 and over with incomes between £9,901 and £16,200, (k) aged 75 and over with incomes between £16,201 and £18,000, (l) aged 75 and over with incomes between £18,001 and £19,010 and (m) aged 75 years and over with incomes above £19,010. |
| (62628) | |
| 289 | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the cost (a) of giving in the current uprating to all those pensioners eligible for the National Insurance retirement pension who are aged 80 years or more an increase in benefit in line with earnings and (b) of such an increase if the current year's increase in pension for those aged 80 years or more reflected the rise in earnings since 1980. |
| (62630) | |
| 290 N | Ms Harriet Harman (Camberwell and Peckham): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what the average weekly income is for families in receipt of family credit broken down between the amount received in (a) pay and (b) family credit for a one parent family with (i) one child, (ii) two children and (iii) three children. |
| (62579) | |
| 291 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list (a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups his Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. |
| (62815) | |
| 292 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list the special advisers in his Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. |
| (62833) | |
| 293 N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how much it would cost to extend up to 25 years of age the limit of 20 years of age before which disability must have occurred which is placed upon severe disablement allowance. |
| (62340) | |
| 294 N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what information his Department has collected relating to the income tax bands of claimants of disability living allowance. |
| (62633) | |
| 295 N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate his Department has made of the number of new claimants who will not be eligible for severe disablement allowance under his proposed reforms. |
| (62339) | |
| 296 N | Mr Ian Pearson (Dudley South): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to review the jobseeker's allowance regulations to help unemployed people waiting to receive redundancy payments; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62252) | |
| 297 | Mr Chris Pond (Gravesham): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis is amongst veterans of the Korean War; and how this compares with the incidence amongst the population as a whole. |
| (62977) | |
| 298 N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if the personal advisers within the single gateway will operate in conjunction with the New Deal personal advisers. |
| (62624) | |
| 299 N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if the SERPS element previously paid in the widow's pension will in future be paid under the widowed parent's allowance. |
| (62615) | |
| 300 N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what safeguards will be introduced to ensure that single gateway interviews are arranged at mutually convenient times, and that home visits are arranged where appropriate. |
| (62673) | |
| 301 N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list the exemptions allowed in respect of the single gateway interview. |
| (62623) | |
| 302 N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate he has made of the savings from the abolition of the widow's pension in (a) 2001-2, (b) 2002-3, (c) 2003-4 and (d) 2020, excluding the introduction of the bereavement allowance. |
| (62591) | |
| 303 N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans his Department has to abolish the Giro payment system for social security benefits. |
| (62622) | |
| 304 N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what (a) amount and (b) percentage of the total of the widow's pension was previously paid as SERPS entitlement. |
| (62616) | |
| 305 N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what target has been set for the time within which claimants should be offered single gateway interviews. |
| (62621) | |
| 306 N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what element of the widowed parent's allowance will be paid as SERPS entitlement. |
| (62617) | |
| 307 N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what the functions will be of the call centres in the pilots in Somerset, Buckinghamshire, Gwent Borders and Calderdale and Kirklees in implementing the single gateway. |
| (62626) | |
| 308 N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his Answer of 30th November, Official Report, columns 101-2, on social security expenditure, if he will list the new economic assumptions used in the pre-Budget report; and what estimate he has made of the future levels of increases or decreases in caseload. |
| (62643) | |
| 309 N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate he has made of the cost of introducing the new bereavement allowance (a) for widows and (b) for widowers for (i) 2001-2, (ii) 2002-3, (iii) 2003-4 and (iv) 2020, excluding savings resulting from the abolition of the widow's pension. |
| (62592) | |
| 310 N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if the single gateway process will (a) permit routes to independence other than work, and (b) include advice on full take up of benefits. |
| (62625) | |
| 311 N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what steps his Department will take to ensure that claimants subject to the single gateway are offered early interviews to allow prompt payment of benefit. |
| (62620) | |
| 312 N | Mr Terry Rooney (Bradford North): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many lifetime awards of disability living allowance are in payment for (a) lower, (b) middle and (c) higher rate of care component and (i) lower and (ii) higher rate of mobility component. |
| (62540) | |
| 313 N | Mr Terry Rooney (Bradford North): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many lifetime awards of attendance allowance are in payment for (a) lower and (b) higher rate of benefit. |
| (62538) | |
| 314 | Mr Malcolm Savidge (Aberdeen North): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many initial letters inviting lone parents to participate in the New Deal for Lone Parents have been issued; how many initial interviews have been (i) booked; and (ii) carried out; how many lone parents have agreed to participate; and how many lone parents participating in the New Deal for Lone Parents have found jobs. |
| (63091) | |
| 315 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list each of the measures which limit the rent which may be covered by housing benefit; and if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of removing each one. |
| (62349) | |
| 316 N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what agreements exist between the New Millennium Experience Company and IMG in relation to IMG's work on attracting sponsors for the Millennium Exhibition. |
| (62777) | |
| 317 N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has received from the tourist industry about the timing of the announcement of travel and entry ticket packages for visitors to the Dome. |
| (62776) | |
| 318 N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much has (a) been paid or (b) been agreed to be paid by the New Millennium Experience Company to IMG. |
| (62779) | |
| 319 N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions he has had with (a) the New Millennium Experience Company, (b) London Underground and (c) the Department of Culture, Media and Sport about travel and entry ticket packages for visitors to the Dome. |
| (62775) | |
| 320 N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is the value of sponsorship money for the Millennium Exhibition raised by IMG. |
| (62703) | |
| 321 N | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent consultations he has held with the Council of Registered Gas Installers concerning the interests of gas consumers; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62399) | |
| 322 N | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when the Director General of Fair Trading will complete his review of the undertakings given by oil companies in 1966; and if he will arrange to publish this review when he receives it. |
| (62402) | |
| 323 N | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what conclusions he has reached on the Director General of Fair Trading's report on the wholesale and retail petrol market, published on 18th May. |
| (62403) | |
| 324 N | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what criteria he adopts in (a) selecting and (b) carrying out or aborting export missions. |
| (62401) | |
| 325 N | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, for what reason the pricing behaviour of petrol retailers on motorways was not included in the report into the retail petrol industry by the Director General of Fair Trading published on 18th May; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62404) | |
| 326 | Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps the Government is taking to return to victims of Nazi persecution assets which were confiscated in the United Kingdom by Her Majesty's Government under trading with the enemy legislation. |
| (63042) | |
| 327 | Yvette Cooper (Pontefract and Castleford): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he is yet in a position to make his decision on Yorkshire CoGen Ltd's application to construct a combined heat and power generating station at Castleford in West Yorkshire. |
| (62932) | |
| 328 | Mr Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the businesses and organisations which have refused invitations to join the Better Payment Practice Group. |
| (63112) | |
| 329 | Mr Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many businesses and organisations to date have joined the Better Payment Practice Group. |
| (63111) | |
| 330 | Mrs Joan Humble (Blackpool North and Fleetwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what factors led him to set the accommodation deductor in the draft national minimum wage regulations at its current level. |
| (62939) | |
| 331 | Mrs Joan Humble (Blackpool North and Fleetwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has received on the issue of the draft national minimum wage regulations accommodation deductor; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62940) | |
| 332 | Mrs Joan Humble (Blackpool North and Fleetwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he expects to lay before the House the statutory instrument regarding the national minimum wage regulations. |
| (62938) | |
| 333 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the special advisers in his Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. |
| (62832) | |
| 334 | Mr Robert Jackson (Wantage): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list (a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups his Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. |
| (62817) | |
| 335 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what proportion of the purchase price for 24 Hawk aircraft (a) remains to be repaid by the Indonesian government and (b) has subsequently been included in the rescheduling of Indonesia's international debts. |
| (62971) | |
| 336 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make it his policy to issue to each school child in the United Kingdom a commemorative coin to mark the millennium. |
| (62968) | |
| 337 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to introduce minimum standards for electronic book formats; and what representations he has received regarding the development of the XML and PDF formats. |
| (62963) | |
| 338 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what evaluation his Department is carrying out into the potential damage to transistors in microchips from background alpha and neutron radiation, following the recent report to the International Test Conference in Washington; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62967) | |
| 339 N | Mr Ian Pearson (Dudley South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to issue guarantees under the Loan Guarantee Scheme in euros for loans made in euros; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62253) | |
| 340 | Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has had from British Activities Holidays Association in respect of the minimum wage; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62979) | |
| 341 | Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he will publish the results of the consultation on the draft regulations implementing the minimum wage which ended on 6th November. |
| (62978) | |
| 342 | Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to reduce the minimum wage payable by those employers who make full board and lodging available to their employees. |
| (62982) | |
| 343 | Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the fees charged by the Insolvency Service. |
| (63095) | |
| 344 N | Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he expects to make an announcement on the future of regional selective assistance. |
| (62393) | |
| 345 | Mr Cynog Dafis (Ceredigion): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of action being taken within the Welsh Office to deal with the problem of the millennium bug. |
| (63094) | |
| 346 | Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what was the amount of Government funding given to the farming industry in each of the last three years. |
| (62912) | |
| 347 | Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what estimate he has made of the number of people employed in (a) the bus industry and (b) the rail industry in Wales; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62911) | |
| 348 | Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what measures he proposes to take to improve morale amongst nurses. |
| (62697) | |
| 349 | Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when he proposes to announce the names of the chairmen of the NHS trusts in Wales; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62695) | |
| 350 | Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make a statement on NHS waiting lists in Wales. |
| (62696) | |
| 351 | Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make a statement on the size of the sheep flock of Wales in (a) 1993, (b) 1996 and (c) currently. |
| (62916) | |
| 352 | Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when he proposes to abolish GP fundholding; and if he will make a statement on his proposed alternative arrangements. |
| (62698) | |
| 353 | Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what is the sum currently allocated to the farming industry for each of the next three financial years, including extra monies announced this autumn; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62913) | |
| 354 | Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many people are employed by the Welsh Development Agency. |
| (62914) | |
| 355 | Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many farms there are in Wales. |
| (62915) | |
| 356 | Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the Chairman of British Steel plc concerning imports of steel products from the Far East; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62699) | |
| 357 N | Mr Richard Livsey (Brecon and Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list the amounts of funding allocated by the Welsh Office for rough sleepers' initiatives in Wales for winter (a) 1997-98 and (b) 1998-99. |
| (62641) | |
| 358 | Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what estimate he has made of the losses that will be made by local authority direct labour departments in this financial year. |
| (62681) | |
| 359 | Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make a statement about the allocation of of funds to grant maintained schools in Wales in 1999-2000. |
| (62981) | |
| 360 N | Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if it is his intention to publish the report drawn up by the European Forum on Wales and the European Union; and if he will make a statement. |
| (62394) | |
| 361 | Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much money is currently planned to be spent on the regeneration of coal field communities in Wales. |
| (62619) | |
| 362 N | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what studies he has carried out into the impact on (i) competitiveness and (ii) UK employment of a pesticide tax. |
| [Transferred] (62614) | |
| 363 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what monitoring his Department has carried out regarding redevelopments of school playing fields called in under the statutory consultee process. |
| [Transferred] (62972) | |
| 364 | Mr Cynog Dafis (Ceredigion): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans the Government has to assess the cumulative impact of oil developments in the Atlantic Frontier on the breeding, feeding and migration of whales and dolphins in the area. |
| [Transferred] (63054) | |
| 365 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to ensure that Hawk aircraft recently sold to Indonesia will not be used for the purposes of internal repression; and if he will make a statement. |
| [Transferred] (62970) | |
| 366 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received regarding the sale of 16 Hawk aircraft to Indonesia. |
| [Transferred] (62969) | |
| 367 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects the annual report on strategic arms exports to be published. |
| [Transferred] (63093) | |
| 368 | Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what percentage of total CAP expenditure will go to British farmers in the current year; and to which sectors. |
| [Notice originally given for Tuesday 8th December] (63105) | |
| 369 | Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many miles of motorway were (a) completed and (b) under construction in (i) 1979 and (ii) 1997. |
| [Notice originally given for Tuesday 8th December] (63101) | |
| 370 | Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the latest estimate of the total EU budget for the current year; and what percentage of it he estimates will be allocated to CAP expenditure. |
| [Notice originally given for Tuesday 8th December] (63104) | |
| 371 | Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been raised in levies on British exports to non-EU countries in each of the last five years; and what is the estimated figure for the current year. |
| [Notice originally given for Tuesday 8th December] (63102) | |
| 372 | Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is his latest estimate of the yield from VAT in the current financial year; and what is his estimate of its yield in 1999-2000. |
| [Notice originally given for Tuesday 8th December] (63100) | |
| 373 | Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been raised from duties on imports from non-EU countries in each of the last five years; and what is the estimated figure for the current year. |
| [Notice originally given for Tuesday 8th December] (63103) | |
| 374 | Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) amount and (b) proportion of revenues raised by VAT have been earmarked for financing the EU budget. |
| [Notice originally given for Tuesday 8th December] (63099) | |
| 375 | Mr Chris Mullin (Sunderland South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to amend the Criminal Appeal Act 1995 to ensure that the Criminal Cases Review Commission can deal with cases where a person is found not guilty by reason of insanity; and if he will make a statement. |
| [Notice originally given for Tuesday 8th December] (63106) | |
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| © Parliamentary copyright 1998 | Revised 7 December 1998 |