 House of Commons |
Session 1998-98 Publications on the internet The Order Book |
| Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Thursday 11 February 1999
Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Thursday 11 February 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 Thursday 11 February, of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order of Business. For Written and Oral Questions for answer from Monday 15 February, see Part 2 of this Paper. |
| Notes: * Indicates a Question for Oral Answer. + Indicates a Question not included in the random selection process but accepted because the quota for that day had not been filled. [N] Indicates a Question for Written Answer on a named day, i.e. the Member has indicated under S.O. No. 22(4) the day on which he wishes the Question to be answered. [R] Indicates that a relevant interest has been declared. |
| |
| 1 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the occasions since 29th July 1998 when (a) he, (b) his colleagues and (c) his officials have met representatives of biotechnology or seed companies, stating in each case (i) what matters were discussed, (ii) what the outcome of the meeting was and (iii) the names of those at the meeting. |
| (70555) | |
| 2 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the items sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies from those listed in the National Assets Register of November 1997; if he will give in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total cash raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70414) | |
| 3 | Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what representations he has received from the Federation of Fresh Meat Wholesalers about (a) their views on and (b) the willingness of their members to participate in, the date-based export scheme; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70867) | |
| 4 | Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in his Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. |
| (70776) | |
| 5 | Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what (a) plans he has for and (b) representations he has received on the incorporation of existing farm assurance schemes into the new Meat and Livestock Commission quality standard mark for pig meat. |
| (70924) | |
| 6 | Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the (a) timescale and (b) budget for extending the new Meat and Livestock Commission quality standard mark on pig meat to other meat products. |
| (70923) | |
| 7 | Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what is the annual budget for the Meat and Livestock Commission's new quality standard mark for pig meat; and if he will make a statement on how the success of the scheme will be measured. |
| (71036) | |
| 8 N | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what estimate he has made of the annual cost of increasing the maximum weight limit under the over thirty month scheme by (a) 100 kg and (b) 200 kg. |
| (70638) | |
| 9 N | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many abattoirs have indicated that they are prepared to be dedicated to the date-based export scheme. |
| (70631) | |
| 10 N | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what would be the annual cost of removing the weight limit under the over thirty month scheme. |
| (70636) | |
| 11 N | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what is the monthly cost of the revised calf processing aid scheme and the proportion paid by (a) the Treasury and (b) the EU |
| (70634) | |
| 12 N | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what was the cost over the last year of the over thirty month scheme; and what proportions are funded by (a) the Treasury and (b) the EU. |
| (70635) | |
| 13 N | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has for controlling TB in cattle in the areas outside the study areas identified by Professor Bourne for the duration of that study. |
| (70633) | |
| 14 N | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if the European Commission's criteria for the lifting of the export ban on British beef require dedicated abattoirs or dedicated slaughter and cutting lines within larger abattoirs. |
| (70632) | |
| 15 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will introduce cross-compliance measures which would prevent agricultural subsidies and other public money going to landowners who block public rights of way. |
| (70889) | |
| 16 N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when he will give producer organisations an allocation of effort for beam trawlers for the 1999 fishing year; and if he will make a statement on the factors which have given rise to delay. |
| (69865) | |
| 17 | Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the meat hygiene (a) charges to and (b) costs borne by the (i) UK and (ii) EU member states' livestock industries which result from EU regulations. |
| (70920) | |
| 18 | Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the meat hygiene costs borne by the livestock industry in England and Wales in (a) 1996-97 and (b) 1997-98. |
| (70944) | |
| 19 | Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which meat hygiene costs in other member states of the EU are borne by (a) public authorities and (b) the relevant livestock industry; and in cases where costs are shared, if he will indicate the proportions paid. |
| (70922) | |
| 20 | Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in his Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. |
| (70786) | |
| 21 | Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants in each Government department have been invited to waive the Working Time Directive requirement to work less than 48 hours a week on 17 consecutive weeks; how many civil servants in each department have refused to waive the requirement; and what is the total cost, broken down by department, of compliance with the Directive. |
| (70994) | |
| 22 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list the items sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies from those listed in the National Assets Register of November 1997; if he will give in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total cash raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70408) | |
| 23 | Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in his Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. |
| (70775) | |
| 24 | Mr Peter L. Pike (Burnley): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proposals the Government has made to encourage those on low incomes to visit museums and art galleries. |
| (70787) | |
| 25 N | Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the implications are for other elements of the defence programme of the public sector pay award; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70406) | |
| 26 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the items sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies from those listed in the National Assets Register of November 1997; if he will give in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total cash raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70415) | |
| 27 | Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many female chartered engineers by discipline there are in the regular element of the (a) Royal Navy, (b) Army, (c) Royal Air Force and (d) Royal Fleet Auxiliary; and what proportion they represent of the total number of chartered engineers in each service. |
| (70706) | |
| 28 N | Valerie Davey (Bristol West): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, who authorised the use of HMS 'York' and the Special Boat Squadron to monitor the motor vessel 'Simon de Danser' in May 1997; and what their use for this purpose cost. |
| (70630) | |
| 29 N | Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on (a) the plans to convert the Staff College, Camberley into luxury flats, (b) the status of the Staff College, Camberley as a war memorial and (c) its security position. |
| (70542) | |
| 30 | Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in his Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. |
| (70784) | |
| 31 | Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to have a medal struck for British military personnel who served in Egypt protecting the Canal Zone between 1951 and 1954. |
| (70925) | |
| 32 N | Mr Malcolm Savidge (Aberdeen North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of reports that the US Defense Department hopes to have resolved millennium bug problems in relation to the Trident missile system by 15th December. |
| (70647) | |
| 33 | Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement about the future of the Territorial Decoration. |
| [R] (70752) | |
| 34 | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimates he has made of the costs of (a) building new military hospital facilities to replace Royal Hospital, Haslar and (b) implementing improved security arrangements in the new establishment. |
| (70872) | |
| 35 | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations he has received calling for the retention of Royal Hospital, Haslar as the tri-service medical centre. |
| (70875) | |
| 36 | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason it has been determined that the Royal Hospital, Haslar will remain open until 2002. |
| (70874) | |
| 37 | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what security clearance will be required for the NHS representative on Defence Medical Services management boards established under the review of defence medical services. |
| (70897) | |
| 38 | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what will be the cost of creating a new chief of staff post on the Surgeon General's staff; and if he will make a statement on the nature of the employment that will be covered under that part of his remit which involves the implementation of the changes following the strategic review of Defence Medical Services. |
| (70879) | |
| 39 | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 14th December 1998, Official Report, column 329, if the harmonising of different conditions of service within the Defence Medical Services will extend to civilian employees and co-workers. |
| (70877) | |
| 40 | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the shortlisted candidates for NHS hospitals to be associated with the Centre for Defence Medicine. |
| (70870) | |
| 41 | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he informed the Secretary of State for Health of his policy of direct targeting of nurses and specialist registrars for recruitment into the Defence Medical Services. |
| (70880) | |
| 42 | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the effect of the closure of the Royal Hospital, Haslar on local employment. |
| (70871) | |
| 43 N | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to reply to the letter from the honourable Member for Gosport to the Minister of State for the Armed Forces on 12th January, requesting an urgent meeting with him and the Minister for Health to discuss the future of the Royal Hospital, Haslar. |
| (70628) | |
| 44 | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the reasons for choosing to establish a new Defence Medical Services Hospital Unit in Portsmouth rather than expanding the Royal Hospital, Haslar. |
| (70878) | |
| 45 | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the costs of upgrading NHS facilities to replace the services supplied by Royal Hospital, Haslar to the civilian population. |
| (70873) | |
| 46 | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 14th December 1998, Official Report, column 329, concerning the Defence Medical Services, if he will provide a breakdown of the funding to be provided over the next four years for investment in additional medical personnel and equipment. |
| (70898) | |
| 47 | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (i) civilian and (ii) military personnel have been treated at the Royal Hospital, Haslar since 1995 (a) in total and (b) for accident and emergency cases. |
| (70869) | |
| 48 | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 14th December 1998, Official Report, column 329, how he intends to identify overstretch in the Defence Medical Services; and what deadlines he has set for this. |
| (70876) | |
| 49 N | Charlotte Atkins (Staffordshire Moorlands): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment he has made of the Linux computer operating system and its potential for reducing the costs of school computer systems. |
| (70178) | |
| 50 | Mrs Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when he last met the Chief Executive or Chairman of Childline to discuss funding. |
| (70708) | |
| 51 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the items sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies from those listed in the National Assets Register of November 1997; if he will give in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total cash raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70412) | |
| 52 N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what opportunities are available for objectors to plans to sell school playing fields to make known to him their opposition to a sale prior to a decision being taken. |
| (70360) | |
| 53 N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on the procedures that schools have to pursue before selling school playing fields under the regulations governing such sales. |
| (70361) | |
| 54 N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what applications he has received from the Governors of Rainsford School, Chelmsford, to sell part of their school playing fields. |
| (70359) | |
| 55 N | Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the average budget allocated to continuing professional development in further education colleges (a) in cash terms and (b) as a percentage of the total budget in each of the last three years. |
| (69044) | |
| 56 N | Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many further education colleges have not provided a pay increase to (a) teaching and (b) support staff in each of the last three years. |
| (69045) | |
| 57 N | Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many staff in further education colleges were employed on senior lecturer grades in each of the last five years. |
| (69046) | |
| 58 N | Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has to increase the responsibilities of education welfare officers in respect of absenteeism and truancy. |
| (68910) | |
| 59 | Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what resources for access funds will be made available for engineering students in further and higher education in England in 1998-99. |
| (70702) | |
| 60 | Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what estimate he has made of the percentage of female engineering graduates with (a) first degrees and (b) second degrees who gain employment related to their field of study. |
| (70701) | |
| 61 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement of the number of students studying physics, indicating those studying (a) radioactivity and (b) nuclear physics. |
| (68999) | |
| 62 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list by local authority from information supplied in early years development and childcare plans submitted to his Department, how many additional 0-2 years childcare places there will be overall, and, of these, how many will be (a) full-time, (b) part-time, (c) fully funded from the National Childcare Strategy and (d) dependent on other sources of funding; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70667) | |
| 63 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the targets his Department has set for each local authority for nursery provision for three year olds. |
| (70643) | |
| 64 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list by local authority, from information supplied in early years development and childcare plans submitted to his Department, how many additional before and after school places may be expected overall, and, of these, how many will be (a) fully subsidised from central government funds, (b) partly subsidised from central government funds and (c) unsubsidised. |
| (70668) | |
| 65 N | Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many New Deal participants who moved into subsidised employment have left that employment within nine months. |
| (70556) | |
| 66 N | Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many New Deal participants who moved into subsidised employment have left that employment within six months. |
| (70557) | |
| 67 N | Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many New Deal participants who had moved into employment were no longer in employment on 31st January. |
| (70551) | |
| 68 N | Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when he proposes to publish the outcome of the review of TECs and CCTEs. |
| (70552) | |
| 69 N | Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what estimate he has made of the number of students over the age of 25 years applying for university places for the academic years (a) 2000-01 and (b) 2001-02. |
| (70547) | |
| 70 N | Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what money was spent on advertising and publicity (a) in total and (b) on television for the New Deal by December 31st 1998. |
| (70548) | |
| 71 N | Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what money he plans to spend on advertising and publicity for the New Deal in 1999. |
| (70549) | |
| 72 N | Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what money was spent on producing and distributing, The New Deal: From Policy to Practice, Ideas in Action. |
| (70550) | |
| 73 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how much money will be allocated to further education colleges in Portsmouth from funds designed to replace the money previously paid as discretionary grants. |
| (70988) | |
| 74 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will estimate how many colleges will receive money in 1999-2000 to replace discretionary awards previously made by local education authorities, the local authority for which has discontinued discretionary awards. |
| (70983) | |
| 75 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if the money allocated to further education colleges in 1999-2000 from funds designed to replace discretionary grants previously paid to students by local education authorities will be ring-fenced for that purpose. |
| (70985) | |
| 76 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how much was the total allocation of discretionary awards to students in further education by each local education authority in each of the last five years; and what is the budgeted figure for 1998-99 for each authority. |
| (70986) | |
| 77 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how much further education colleges in each local authority area will receive in 1999-2000 from funds designed to replace discretionary grants previously paid to students by local education authorities. |
| (70982) | |
| 78 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what criteria will be used to allocate money to further education colleges in 1999-2000 from funds designed to replace discretionary grants previously paid to students by local education authorities. |
| (70987) | |
| 79 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if all further education colleges will receive an allocation of money from funds designed to replace discretionary grants previously paid to students by local education authorities. |
| (70981) | |
| 80 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many discretionary awards were made by each local education authority for students in further education in each of the last five years. |
| (70984) | |
| 81 | Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will describe the procedure followed by the Employment Service for tracking claimants of job seekers allowance who are (a) unemployed for more than two years (i) in the 18 to 24 age group and (ii) aged over 25 years and (b) lone parents. |
| (70740) | |
| 82 | Ms Ruth Kelly (Bolton West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if carers in receipt of invalid care allowance are entitled to receive a maintenance grant when entering higher education. |
| (70799) | |
| 83 | Ms Ruth Kelly (Bolton West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how the fact that invalid care allowance is a taxable benefit affects the assessment of a carer's entitlement to an educational award and its value. |
| (70796) | |
| 84 | Ms Ruth Kelly (Bolton West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if carers in receipt of invalid care allowance have to pay tuition fees. |
| (70797) | |
| 85 | Ms Ruth Kelly (Bolton West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what support is available for carers who wish to enter further or higher education; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70794) | |
| 86 | Ms Ruth Kelly (Bolton West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is the maximum educational award available to (a) a carer in receipt of invalid care allowance, (b) a disabled student and (c) students released from employment. |
| (70795) | |
| 87 | Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in his Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. |
| (70774) | |
| 88 | Dan Norris (Wansdyke): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many young unemployed people aged 18 to 25 years within each local enterprise company area in Wansdyke have entered the New Deal Gateway. |
| (71071) | |
| 89 | Dan Norris (Wansdyke): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment he has made of the impact on standards of literacy in infant, junior and primary schools of the literacy hour. |
| (71067) | |
| 90 | Dan Norris (Wansdyke): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many pupils aged five to 16 years are being educated in schools in the (a) Bath and North East Somerset and (b) South Gloucestershire Council area which have benefited directly from capital building projects under the Government's New Deal for Schools programme. |
| (71074) | |
| 91 | Dan Norris (Wansdyke): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many schools in the (a) Bath and North East Somerset and (b) South Gloucestershire Council area have benefited directly from capital building projects under the Government's New Deal for Schools programme. |
| (71073) | |
| 92 | Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what steps he is taking to compensate future pensioners of the Astra pension scheme for their loss of benefits. |
| (70757) | |
| 93 N | Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is his Department's policy on the introduction of five-term years in secondary schools; and if he will make a statement. |
| (68888) | |
| 94 | Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on progress in (a) developing offset crash testing of cars and (b) agreeing the appropriate height for side crash testing. |
| (70929) | |
| 95 | Mrs Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which body is responsible for drawing up the proposal for the A3 improvements at Hindhead; and if he will publish the schedule for the necessary decisions and announcements relating to that proposal. |
| (70809) | |
| 96 | Mrs Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he plans to visit Hindhead to examine the A3 and its effects on business and the environment. |
| (70808) | |
| 97 | Mrs Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which parliamentary constituencies he has visited in the past year to discuss road proposals. |
| (70807) | |
| 98 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the items sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies from those listed in the National Assets Register of November 1997; if he will give in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total cash raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70419) | |
| 99 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will estimate the current number of people sleeping on the streets in (a) London, (b) the south east of England and (c) other major cities in England. |
| (70724) | |
| 100 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will estimate the current number of young persons aged (a) 16 to 18 years and (b) 18 to 25 years in hostel accommodation in London. |
| (70725) | |
| 101 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to improve access for disabled people to London Underground services. |
| (70726) | |
| 102 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many of those railway stations which have been (a) refurbished and (b) restructured in the last five years do not have access for the disabled. |
| (70802) | |
| 103 | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he received on possible exemptions from charges for essential car users in response to his consultation paper, Breaking the Log Jam. |
| (70727) | |
| 104 N | Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many RDA board members have worked in business. |
| (70545) | |
| 105 N | Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many RDA board members are trades union officials. |
| (70543) | |
| 106 N | Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how much RDA board members are to be paid per annum. |
| (70624) | |
| 107 N | Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many RDA board members are members of the (a) Liberal Democrat, (b) Conservative and (c) Labour parties. |
| (70544) | |
| 108 N | Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will give the (a) remuneration paid to and (b) the number of days per week required of RDA chairmen. |
| (70623) | |
| 109 N | Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what methods he used to ensure that there was appropriate party political balance in the membership of each RDA board. |
| (70546) | |
| 110 | Mr Alan Johnson (Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make the need for new retail and leisure developments a material consideration to be taken into account by local planning authorities in determining planning applications. |
| (70744) | |
| 111 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will amend the guidelines on avicultural purposes in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to ensure that birds bred or reared in captivity cannot be (a) sold for profit or personal gain, (b) used for medical experimentation and (c) used for any other purpose except the propagation of the species under English Nature approved conditions. |
| (70906) | |
| 112 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received regarding the issuing of a licence to take 60 redwings from the wild for avicultural purposes; and if he will make a statement regarding their treatment and potential release. |
| (70905) | |
| 113 | Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in his Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. |
| (70772) | |
| 114 | Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will assess the advantages of introducing a national road speed limit of 30 mph through rural villages with the option of 20 mph speed limit in specific villages; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70946) | |
| 115 | Mr Andrew Rowe (Faversham and Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to change the regulations governing the flying of civil aircraft while under the influence of drink or drugs; and if he will make a statement. |
| (71050) | |
| 116 N | Mrs Gillian Shephard (South West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he plans to publish the guidance to the Groundwater Regulations 1998. |
| (70422) | |
| 117 | Angela Smith (Basildon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many people have been granted exemption certificates from the wearing of seatbelts in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. |
| (70881) | |
| 118 N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many (a) new housing units were built and (b) existing housing units were cleared in each calendar year from 1993 to 1998 in the local authority areas of (i) Plymouth, (ii) Teignbridge, (iii) Torbay and (iv) the South Hams. |
| (69861) | |
| 119 | Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions have taken place between his Department and the DTI regarding oil extraction in the UK's world heritage sites; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70753) | |
| 120 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the items sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies from those listed in the National Assets Register of November 1997; if he will give in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total cash raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70418) | |
| 121 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is his estimate of the additional full-year yield to the Exchequer which will result from the abolition of the system of duty-free goods; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70441) | |
| 122 | Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the engineering profession since May 1998 on investment in the UK's engineering base. |
| (70704) | |
| 123 N | Valerie Davey (Bristol West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will require HM Customs and Excise to pay compensation to the police authorities for the waste of police time in connection with the 'Simon de Danser' case. |
| (70641) | |
| 124 N | Valerie Davey (Bristol West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement concerning the unlawful activities of senior officers of HM Customs and Excise in connection with the seizure of the 'Simon de Danser' vessel; and what action he will take as a result. |
| (70640) | |
| 125 N | Valerie Davey (Bristol West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, who made the decision to ask for the Special Boat Squadron to be involved in the boarding and seizure of the 'Simon de Danser' vessel in May 1997. |
| (70639) | |
| 126 | Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland and Melton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list all life offices fined by (a) the Life Assurance and Unit Trust Regulatory Authority, (b) the Personal Investment Authority, (c) the Financial Services Authority and (d) other statutory financial regulatory bodies since the Financial Services Act 1986 came into force, stating (i) the nature of the offence, (ii) the amount of the fine, (iii) the date it was imposed and (iv) the value of any costs awarded against the firm. |
| (70928) | |
| 127 | Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland and Melton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list all fund management firms fined by (a) the Investment Management Regulatory Organisation, (b) the Financial Service Authority and (c) other statutory financial regulatory bodies since the Financial Services Act 1986 came into force, stating (i) the nature of the offence, (ii) the amount of the fine, (iii) the date it was imposed and (iv) the value of any costs awarded against the firm. |
| (70927) | |
| 128 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what were the proceeds to the Treasury, exclusive of VAT, of (a) each penny of beer duty and (b) total beer duty for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. |
| (70904) | |
| 129 N | Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many 18 to 24 year olds were registered as unemployed and claiming benefit in the Cambridge travel to work area in (i) April 1997, (ii) April 1998 and (iii) October 1998. |
| (70424) | |
| 130 | Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in his Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. |
| (70771) | |
| 131 | Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what evidence he has obtained of non-charging of VAT by businesses whose potential VAT receipts are of a scale which would oblige VAT registration. |
| (70788) | |
| 132 N | Ms Rosie Winterton (Doncaster Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate for each of the last five years how many people were self-employed, broken down by (a) occupation and (b) region. |
| (70432) | |
| 133 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the recent crackdown on dissidents in China and Tibet; and what impact this will have on the human rights dialogue between the EU and China. |
| (70625) | |
| 134 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps are being taken to review the results of the human rights dialogue between the EU and China in advance of the forthcoming session of the UN Commission on Human Rights. |
| (70554) | |
| 135 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the current state of the EU's human rights dialogue with China. |
| (70553) | |
| 136 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the items sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies from those listed in the National Assets Register of November 1997; if he will give in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total cash raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70410) | |
| 137 | Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on anti-semitism in Russia. |
| (70949) | |
| 138 | Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations were made to the Russian Government consequent upon anti-semitic attacks on Marina Roshcha synagogue and Vostryakovskoye cemetery last year. |
| (70950) | |
| 139 | Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Russian Government concerning statements on Zionism made in December 1998 by the leader of the Communist Party. |
| (70951) | |
| 140 | Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Russian Government on anti-semitism in Russia. |
| (70948) | |
| 141 | Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the nature of the involvement of (i) the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the Baroness Simons and (ii) the honourable Member for Rotherham in the Rotherham Euro Experiment; if (a) ministerial transport and (b) departmental equipment were available to them over the period of their involvement; and what reports have been made by them subsequently. |
| (70789) | |
| 142 | Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in his Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. |
| (70773) | |
| 143 | Fiona Mactaggart (Slough): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what is the average length of time a person applying for entry clearance for settlement at each post in the Indian subcontinent and in (1) Manila, (2) Bangkok, (3) Lagos, (4) Abuja, (5) Accra, (6) St. Petersburg and (7) Moscow who was interviewed in (i) December 1997, (ii) June 1998 and (iii) December 1998 waited before interview, in each queue; and how long a person who applied in (A) June 1998, (B) September 1998, (C) December 1998 and (D) January 1999 can be expected to wait, at the same posts and in each queue. |
| (70743) | |
| 144 | Mr Andrew Miller (Ellesmere Port and Neston): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action he is taking to encourage the Thai government to increase the security of refugee camps along the Burmese border during the current dry season Burmese military offensive. |
| (70748) | |
| 145 | Mr Andrew Miller (Ellesmere Port and Neston): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action he is taking to put pressure on the Burmese military regime to cease ethnic cleansing actions against ethnic minorities in Burma. |
| (70749) | |
| 146 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the dates of future meetings of Conventional Arms Working Group. |
| (71066) | |
| 147 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish the conclusions of the Conventional Arms Working Group meetings for December and January. |
| (71048) | |
| 148 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the numbers of arms brokers operating in the UK. |
| (71045) | |
| 149 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish the agendas of the Council of Ministers' Conventional Arms Working Group working group meetings for December and January. |
| (71047) | |
| 150 | Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the qualifications which will apply to applicants for employment as inspectors of residential care homes by commissions for care standards. |
| (70866) | |
| 151 | Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what criteria will be used in the appointment of inspectors of residential care homes by commissions for care standards. |
| (70865) | |
| 152 | Mrs Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much financial assistance he has provided to Childline in the past three years; and how much he is making available to Childline for the next three years. |
| (70712) | |
| 153 | Mrs Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to fund Childline's special services for children in care. |
| (70711) | |
| 154 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the items sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies from those listed in the National Assets Register of November 1997; if he will give in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total cash raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70416) | |
| 155 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the comparative (a) clinical effectiveness and (b) cost effectiveness of azathiaprine and betainterferon in treating (i) relapsing remitting MS and (ii) secondary progressive MS. |
| (70644) | |
| 156 | Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what sources of data are used in compiling the National Reference Cost tables for NHS trusts. |
| (71064) | |
| 157 N | Mr David Hinchliffe (Wakefield): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of the approval of major capital schemes for the provision of new hospital facilities on sites away from existing hospitals. |
| (70645) | |
| 158 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the use of the drug methylphenidate hydrochloride in the treatment of children with attention deficit disorder; what research his Department is funding into side effects of methylphenidate hydrochloride; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70909) | |
| 159 | Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the provision of dental services in Herefordshire by the National Health Service. |
| (70742) | |
| 160 | Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the current number of fully-trained nurses in hospitals in Herefordshire. |
| (70741) | |
| 161 | Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in his Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. |
| (70782) | |
| 162 | Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will abolish charges for patients to access their medical records; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70945) | |
| 163 N | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many students on nursing and midwifery degree courses are in receipt of disabled students' allowances; and what proportion they are of the total number of students on nursing and midwifery degree courses. |
| (70435) | |
| 164 N | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many students on nursing and midwifery diploma courses are disabled; and what proportion they are of the total number of students on nursing and midwifery diploma courses. |
| (70436) | |
| 165 N | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proposals he has to extend the powers of the Medicines Control Agency. |
| (70637) | |
| 166 | Mr A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the progress of work on the draft Freedom of Information Bill. |
| (70864) | |
| 167 | Mrs Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much (a) core and (b) project funding he is providing in the current financial year for (i) Parentline and (ii) Childline; and how much he is providing for Childline's work on bullying in schools. |
| (70707) | |
| 168 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the items sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies from those listed in the National Assets Register of November 1997; if he will give in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total cash raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70411) | |
| 169 | Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proposals he has to introduce payments for special constables. |
| (70947) | |
| 170 | Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to recruit more special constables. |
| (70952) | |
| 171 | Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the total number of special constables currently serving in each police authority area; and what is the cost. |
| (70953) | |
| 172 | Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish the number of (1) new instructions and (2) disposals in (a) asylum and (b) immigration appeals undertaken by (i) the Immigration Advisory Service and (ii) the Refugee Legal Centre for 1997-98 and the number of appeals in both categories disposed of by the Immigration Appellate Authority in the same period together with the unit cost in both categories. |
| (70755) | |
| 173 | Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the (a) average, and (b) longest time taken by his Department to grant leave to enter or remain to a person whose asylum appeal had been allowed in 1998; and if applicants were entitled to (i) benefits and (ii) family reunion as a refugee pending the grant of such leave. |
| (70718) | |
| 174 | Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many decisions to deport made under section 3(5)(6) of the Immigration Act 1971 with a right of appeal not limited by section 5 of the Immigration Act 1998 have been (a) made, (b) withdrawn after an appeal against the decision was allowed and (c) withdrawn in other circumstances since the introduction of section 5 of the 1998 Act. |
| (70728) | |
| 175 | Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is (a) the average and (b) the longest time taken to determine applications for European Economic Area residents' permits in each year from 1995 to date. |
| (70761) | |
| 176 | Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many persons claimed asylum (a) at the port of entry and (b) at his Department in each of the years 1993 to 1998, broken down by (i) successful application, (ii) unsuccessful application and (iii) application as yet undecided. |
| (70731) | |
| 177 | Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will introduce a requirement that the officer signing a decision on an asylum case states their grade. |
| (70732) | |
| 178 | Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were removed as illegal entrants in each year from 1993 to date. |
| (70736) | |
| 179 | Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for further leave to remain have been (a) made in the prescribed form and (b) treated as invalid because they were not made in the prescribed form for each quarter since prescribed forms were introduced. |
| (70729) | |
| 180 | Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the Civil Service grade of the staff who make decisions to deport under (i) section 3(5)(a), (ii) section 3(5)(b) and (iii) section 3(5) of the Immigration Act 1971. |
| (70730) | |
| 181 | Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on his policy on granting family reunion to persons with exceptional leave to remain for less than four years in the United Kingdom where they are unable to maintain and accommodate family members. |
| (70734) | |
| 182 | Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many final decisions on asylum applications were taken by an officer of administrative officer grade in 1997 and 1998, broken down by (i) successful and (ii) unsuccessful applications. |
| (70733) | |
| 183 | Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for European Economic Area residents' permits were (a) granted and (b) refused for each month in the years from 1995 to 1998; and how many such applications are currently outstanding. |
| (70719) | |
| 184 | Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prosecutions there have been under section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1995; and how many have resulted in convictions. |
| (70735) | |
| 185 N | Valerie Davey (Bristol West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what were the costs of (a) police and security, including convoys between prison and court, and (b) holding the defendants in prison, in connection with the 'Simon de Danser' drugs case. |
| (70648) | |
| 186 | Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria he uses to assess the appropriate locations for the postings of airline liaison officers. |
| (71060) | |
| 187 | Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what records are kept of action taken by other governments as a result of assistance given by airline liaison officers. |
| (71061) | |
| 188 | Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, to which locations further airline liaison officers have been posted since 27th July 1998; and to what additional locations he plans to post further officers during 1999. |
| (71063) | |
| 189 | Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimates he has made of the number of prospective passengers who have not travelled to the United Kingdom in the past 12 months as a result of the work of airline liaison officers. |
| (71062) | |
| 190 N | Mr David Hinchliffe (Wakefield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what are the reasons for the delay in the release of prisoner DK 5193 from HM Prison, Leeds under the early release scheme; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70646) | |
| 191 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received regarding the proposed changes to the Bookmakers Committee. |
| (70991) | |
| 192 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the impact on the competitiveness of small and independent bookmakers of replacing the existing scheme by an increased flat percentage rate of levy payable on each bookmaking shop. |
| (70992) | |
| 193 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the impact which delays to the development of the new casework system are having on the processing of asylum claims and other services provided by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. |
| (70908) | |
| 194 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what compensation his Department has (a) requested and (b) received from Siemens plc following delays to the development of a new casework system by Siemens for the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. |
| (70907) | |
| 195 | Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in his Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. |
| (70785) | |
| 196 | Fiona Mactaggart (Slough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the average length of time (a) European Union nationals and (b) non-European Union nationals who have not applied for asylum have spent on temporary admission in each year from 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available. |
| (70747) | |
| 197 | Fiona Mactaggart (Slough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for how many people detained under the Immigration Act powers he has (i) demanded and (ii) received the expenses of detention under (a) Schedule 2 paragraph 19(1) and (b) Schedule 2 paragraph 20(1) of the Immigration Act 1971 from the carrier, in each year since 1993 to the latest convenient date in 1998; and what is the annual total of monies received. |
| (70709) | |
| 198 | Fiona Mactaggart (Slough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the average length of time between lodging an out-of-country appeal against refusal of entry and removal from the UK and the date of hearing of the appeal in (a) asylum and (b) non-asylum cases, for those (i) removed on the latest convenient date and (ii) who had appeal hearings on the latest convenient date. |
| (70746) | |
| 199 | Fiona Mactaggart (Slough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many nationals of each European Union country have been given temporary admission on arrival in the UK, in each year from 1993 to the latest date for which figures are available. |
| (70745) | |
| 200 | Fiona Mactaggart (Slough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for leave to remain for an indefinite period on the grounds of marriage to a British or settled spouse from (a) women and (b) men were (i) granted and (ii) refused in (x) 1996, (y) 1997 and (z) 1998 to the latest convenient date; and of those refused, for each year, how many were refused because his Department was not satisfied (1) that the couple intended to stay together permanently as husband and wife, (2) that there was adequate accommodation available, (3) that there was adequate maintenance available and (4) other grounds; and of those refused for reason (1), in how many cases domestic violence was alleged. |
| (70710) | |
| 201 | Fiona Mactaggart (Slough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people of which nationalities holding airside transit visas were (a) permitted to transit at a UK airport and (b) refused entry to the UK in (i) 1996, (ii) 1997 and (iii) 1998. |
| (70739) | |
| 202 | Fiona Mactaggart (Slough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people of which nationalities arriving in the UK holding airside transit visas did not leave the UK as required and how many of these (a) applied for asylum, (b) were recognised as refugees, (c) were granted exceptional leave and (d) were refused entry to the UK in (i) 1996, (ii) 1997 and (iii) 1998. |
| (70738) | |
| 203 | Fiona Mactaggart (Slough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people of which nationalities required to hold an airside transit visa were (a) granted and (b) refused such visas in (i) 1996, (ii) 1997 and (iii) 1998. |
| (70737) | |
| 204 | Mr Richard Page (South West Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prosecutions have been brought under the Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1998 regarding conspiracy in this country to commit terrorist attacks abroad. |
| (70750) | |
| 205 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list those police authorities that have disbanded their mounted divisions since 1990. |
| (70886) | |
| 206 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the bloodhound in helping to track down suspects and detect criminal activity. |
| (70885) | |
| 207 | Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received over the future use of motor-cycles by the Essex Police Force; and if he will make a statement. |
| (71038) | |
| 208 | Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a special grant to the Essex Police Force to enable the mounted section to be retained. |
| (71041) | |
| 209 | Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received over the future of the mounted section of the Essex Police Force. |
| (71039) | |
| 210 | Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make additional grants to the the Essex Police Force to prevent cuts in services; and if he will make a statement. |
| (71040) | |
| 211 | Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers were serving in the Essex Police Force on 31st December (a) 1992, (b) 1997 and (c) 1998; and what is the projected figure for 1999 excluding officers in that part of the Metropolitan Police area to be transferred to Essex. |
| (71037) | |
| 212 | Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list those police forces which have mounted sections; how many horses there are in each case; and what plans he has to ensure that present numbers are maintained. |
| (71042) | |
| 213 N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the cost to public funds at the time of the compulsory purchase of land from the Squire family in order to build the Regional Headquarters for the South West near Malborough, South Devon; and what was the cost of constructing and equipping the Headquarters for use. |
| (69862) | |
| 214 N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects to reply to the letter of 31st December 1998 from the honourable Member for Totnes about the future of the Regional Government Headquarters for the South West near Malborough, South Devon. |
| (69863) | |
| 215 N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure that the land on which the former Regional Government Headquarters for the South West, Soan Mill, near Malborough, South Devon stood, is returned to the Squire family from whom it was compulsory purchased. |
| (69864) | |
| 216 N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has for the future use of the site of the former proposed Regional Government Headquarters for the South West at Soan Mill Cove, Malborough, Kingsbridge, South Devon; and will he make a statement. |
| (69866) | |
| 217 N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to demolish the former proposed Regional Government Headquarters at Soan Mill near Malborough, South Devon. |
| (69867) | |
| 218 | Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to encourage further investment in closed circuit television systems intended to reduce crime. |
| (70751) | |
| 219 | Mrs Ann Winterton (Congleton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of his Department's budget has been allocated to implementing the Government's Drugs Misuse Programme. |
| (70806) | |
| 220 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the items sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies from those listed in the National Assets Register of November 1997; if she will give in each case the amount of money realised; if she will estimate the total cash raised from such sales to date; and if she will make a statement. |
| (70421) | |
| 221 | Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in her Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. |
| (70770) | |
| 222 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs about the ASSIST programme. |
| (71057) | |
| 223 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when proposals for her Department's involvement in security sector reform will be published. |
| (71046) | |
| 224 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many meetings of the Ministerial Committee on Defence and Overseas Policy she has attended since May 1997. |
| (71053) | |
| 225 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if the Ministerial Committee on Defence and Overseas Policy discussed the issue of arms export licensing during those meetings that she attended. |
| (71070) | |
| 226 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what budget line will be used to fund the activities proposed in the Joint Action on the European Union's contribution to combating the spread of small arms and light weapons adopted by the Council of Ministers on 17th December 1998. |
| (71056) | |
| 227 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, on how many occasions the full interdepartmental working group on overseas development cooperation has met at ministerial level since 25th September 1998; and what discussions it has held on arms exports. |
| (71043) | |
| 228 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many arms export licence applications her Department (a) has examined and (b) advised against granting since September 1997; and how many arms export licence applications have been granted by the Department for Trade and Industry since September 1997 against the advice of her Department. |
| (71055) | |
| 229 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the subjects discussed at the meetings of the Ministerial Committee on Defence and Overseas Policy which she attended. |
| (71072) | |
| 230 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Defence about the new Defence Diplomacy Mission. |
| (71058) | |
| 231 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on her Department's policy on using the European Community Development Budget funds to finance security sector reform activities and initiatives to remove small arms from circulation. |
| (71044) | |
| 232 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the Ministry of Defence's outreach assistance programme and the use of the British Military Assistance Fund. |
| (71059) | |
| 233 N | Valerie Davey (Bristol West): To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, what were the total costs of the trial in connection with the 'Simon de Danser' drugs case. |
| (70642) | |
| 234 | Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North): To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, what steps he is taking to increase public awareness of the work of his Department. |
| (70756) | |
| 235 | Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border): To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in his Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. |
| (70777) | |
| 236 | Mr John M. Taylor (Solihull): To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many of the post-1920 census returns have been transferred to the Public Record Office; and what would be the impact on staffing and accommodation at the Public Record Office of the transfer of all decennial census returns to the Office 30 years after their creation. |
| (70993) | |
| 237 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will list the items sold by her Department, its agencies and associated public bodies from those listed in the National Assets Register of November 1997; if he will give in each case the amount of money realised; if she will estimate the total cash raised from such sales to date; and if she will make a statement. |
| (70417) | |
| 238 | Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in her Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. |
| (70780) | |
| 239 | Mr William Ross (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will list for the week ended Saturday 6th February the number of (a) violent incidents involving paramilitary groups, (b) punishment beatings and (c) punishment shootings which took place in Northern Ireland, indicating how many involved (i) Loyalist and (ii) Republican groups. |
| (70902) | |
| 240 | Mr William Ross (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will list for the week ended Saturday 30th January the number of (a) violent incidents involving paramilitary groups, (b) punishment beatings and (c) punishment shootings which took place in Northern Ireland, indicating how many involved (i) Loyalist and (ii) Republican groups. |
| (70901) | |
| 241 | The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what directions she has given to her officials in the Road Service of the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland to comply with best practice with regard to the needs of disabled people in the implementation of pedestrianisation in Belfast. |
| (70723) | |
| 242 | The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps she is taking to ensure that the standards with regard to vehicular access for disabled people to the centre of Belfast match those recommended by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. |
| (70721) | |
| 243 | The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what representations she has received from the Disabled Drivers Assocation regarding the proposals for pedestrianisation of parts of central Belfast; and what plans she has to meet representatives of the association. |
| (70722) | |
| 244 | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make it his policy to allow members of the security services to plead a public interest defence in respect of any disclosure they may make. |
| (70903) | |
| 245 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the items sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies from those listed in the National Assets Register of November 1997; if he will give in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total cash raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70420) | |
| 246 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Prime Minister, how he intends to mark the accession to NATO membership of (a) Poland, (b) Hungary and (c) the Czech Republic. |
| (70423) | |
| 247 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the members of the Ministerial Committee on Defence and Overseas Policy and publish the agendas of its meetings; and if he will make a statement on the circumstances under which other Ministers may be invited to participate in its meetings. |
| (71052) | |
| 248 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimate he has made of total capital investment in Scotland's schools for (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99, (c) 1999-2000, (d) 2000-01 and (e) 2001-02; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70355) | |
| 249 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimate he has made of the annual cost of reducing primary school class sizes to a maximum of 30 pupils for all children in primary schools; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70354) | |
| 250 N | Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the possible impact on Scottish colleges of new scholarship arrangements in England for students of further and higher education courses in dance, drama and stage management; what plans he has for similar arrangements in Scotland; what body will have responsibility for accrediting dance schools in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70362) | |
| 251 N | Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when he expects to receive the conclusions of the reporter to the public inquiry into the proposals for a superquarry at Lingerbay on the Isle of Harris; when he will make a decision; what assessment he has made of the costs of retaining the reporter since her retirement; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70353) | |
| 252 | Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in his Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. |
| (70779) | |
| 253 | Mr Robert Maclennan (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list (i) the successful applications (a) by location and (b) by value and the (ii) the total value of the awards made in the most recent round of the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance scheme. |
| (70714) | |
| 254 | Mr Robert Maclennan (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the number of eligible applications received by location which were not grant aided in the most recent round of the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance scheme, indicating which had been carried forward from one or more earlier rounds. |
| (70716) | |
| 255 | Mr Robert Maclennan (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what advice he has sought from the LECs in determining which projects to assist under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance scheme. |
| (70715) | |
| 256 | Mr Robert Maclennan (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when the next round of the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance scheme will open. |
| (70717) | |
| 257 | Mr Robert Maclennan (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the selection criteria and priorities of the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance scheme against which projects are selected. |
| (70713) | |
| 258 | Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when the Forestry Commission met Mr Roger Harris to discuss hunting; and what action is to be taken as a result of this meeting. |
| (70926) | |
| 259 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list the items sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies from those listed in the National Assets Register of November 1997; if he will give in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total cash raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70409) | |
| 260 N | Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what representations he has received about allegations concerning the claiming of UK housing benefit by non-EU citizens residing in EU member states; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70426) | |
| 261 | Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in his Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. |
| (70783) | |
| 262 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the number of people in families with someone in full-time work receiving amounts of housing benefit of less than (a) £10 per week, (b) £15 per week, and (c) £20 per week. |
| (70627) | |
| 263 | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his Answer of 11th January, Official Report column 222, what assumptions about post-retirement indexation of (i) the basic state pension, (ii) the state second pension and (iii) the minimum income guarantee underlie his estimates of the numbers of pensioners on income support. |
| (70803) | |
| 264 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the value of the total income from basic state pension and stakeholder pensions relative to the value of the minimum pension guarantee of someone earning £10,000 per annum through their working life assuming (i) price indexation of the minimum pension guarantee and (ii) earnings indexation of the minimum pension guarantees, and, in each case, that the only sums paid into the stakeholder pension were National Insurance rebates. |
| (70626) | |
| 265 N | Ms Rosie Winterton (Doncaster Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the cost of allowing national insurance class 4 contributors to be entitled to (a) incapacity benefit and (b) retirement pension. |
| (70433) | |
| 266 N | Ms Rosie Winterton (Doncaster Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the cost of extending entitlement to jobseeker's allowance to national insurance (a) class 2 contributors and (b) class 4 contributors. |
| (70434) | |
| 267 N | Ms Rosie Winterton (Doncaster Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many absent parents in each of the last three years filed returns with the Child Support Agency stating that they were self-employed. |
| (70430) | |
| 268 N | Ms Rosie Winterton (Doncaster Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the additional income to public funds if (a) class 2 contributions and (b) class 4 contributions were levied at the same rate as class 1 contributions. |
| (70427) | |
| 269 N | Ms Rosie Winterton (Doncaster Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what were the total receipts from (a) class 2 contributions and (b) class 4 contributions in each of the last five fiscal years expressed (i) in cash terms and (ii) at September 1998 prices. |
| (70428) | |
| 270 N | Ms Rosie Winterton (Doncaster Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many self-employed persons had earnings of (a) less than £9,000, (b) £9,000 to £12,000, (c) £12,000 to £15,000, (d) £15,000 to £18,000 and (e) over £18,000, in the last year for which figures are available. |
| (70431) | |
| 271 N | Ms Rosie Winterton (Doncaster Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many persons made national insurance (a) class 2 contributions and (b) class 4 contributions in each of the last five fiscal years. |
| (70429) | |
| 272 N | Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on minimum levels of redundancy payments. |
| (68906) | |
| 273 N | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many Parliamentary Questions have been tabled to his Department for answer on a named day in (a) the current and (b) the last session of Parliament; and what proportion received a substantive answer on that day in each case. |
| (70629) | |
| 274 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the items sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies from those listed in the National Assets Register of November 1997; if he will give in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total cash raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70413) | |
| 275 | Mr Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has had from the Birmingham Economic Development Partnership concerning the future of Rover's Longbridge plant. |
| (70911) | |
| 276 | Mr Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the future of Rover's Longbridge plant. |
| (70910) | |
| 277 | Mr Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions he has had with BMW on the future of their investment in the United Kingdom. |
| (70913) | |
| 278 | Mr Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has had from the trade unions representing employees at Rover. |
| (70914) | |
| 279 | Mr Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the importance of Rover's Longbridge plant to manufacturing industry in the Midlands. |
| (70912) | |
| 280 | Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what initiatiaves his Department has taken since 1st May 1997 to support the engineering profession in the United Kingdom. |
| (70703) | |
| 281 N | Mr Cynog Dafis (Ceredigion): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what environmental and sustainable development safeguards are employed in granting export credit guarantees and insurance to British exporters; if he will place the relevant documents in the Library; and if he will make a statement. |
| (69523) | |
| 282 N | Mr Cynog Dafis (Ceredigion): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what environmental and social impact studies have been required by the Export Credit Guarantee Department in respect of the granting of export credit insurance to Balfour Beatty arising from that company's involvement in the Ilisu Dam project in Turkey. |
| (69524) | |
| 283 N | Mr Cynog Dafis (Ceredigion): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will propose the establishment of common environmental standards among the G8 nations in respect of these countries' export credit agencies. |
| (69525) | |
| 284 N | Mr Cynog Dafis (Ceredigion): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the export credit guarantees and insurance agreements reached with British firms in each year since 1995-96. |
| (69578) | |
| 285 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, for what reasons he was not able to provide a figure for expenditure on public opinion research in his Answer to the honourable Member for Bath of 28th January, Official Report, column 315; and for what reasons this did not apply to his Answer to the honourable Member for Gordon of 17th February, Official Report, columns 565-6. |
| (70669) | |
| 286 | Mr Bruce George (Walsall South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has received from (a) trading standards officers and (b) the BSI on introducing a requirement for the identity of the manufacturer or importer to be marked on each cigarette lighter; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70790) | |
| 287 | Mr Bruce George (Walsall South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the assistance which the introduction of a requirement for cigarette lighters to bear the identity of the manufacturer or importer would provide to the work of trading standards officers; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70804) | |
| 288 | Mr Nigel Griffiths (Edinburgh South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will estimate the number of people injured by fireworks in 1998; and if he will make a statement. |
| (71065) | |
| 289 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is the average length of time taken by his Department to issue export licences; if he will estimate the impact on the value of export orders of the length of time taken; and what representations he has received from exporters. |
| (70759) | |
| 290 | Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make it his policy to accept applications for export licences by means of telephone and e-mail. |
| (70758) | |
| 291 | Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment has been made of the potential impact on the natural environment around St. Kilda following the decision to grant a licence for oil exploration. |
| (70990) | |
| 292 | Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in his Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. |
| (70781) | |
| 293 | Mrs Ray Michie (Argyll and Bute): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he has responded to the request from the UN for an explanation of the licensing of oil developments around St. Kilda; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70868) | |
| 294 | Dan Norris (Wansdyke): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he expects details to be announced of the scheme to enable corporate subscribers to opt out of receiving unsolicited direct marketing faxes. |
| (71068) | |
| 295 | Dan Norris (Wansdyke): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to remove the right of (a) water, (b) electricity and (c) gas suppliers to make standing charges payable by (i) pensioner households and (ii) households receiving income support; and if he will make a statement. |
| (71054) | |
| 296 | Dan Norris (Wansdyke): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to regulate unsolicited direct marketing telephone calls to private individuals. |
| (71069) | |
| 297 | Mr Peter L. Pike (Burnley): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has received about takeovers and regional integration in the travel industry; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70921) | |
| 298 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which companies the Minister for Science and Technology has met (a) in his Department and (b) elsewhere since becoming a minister to discuss genetically modified foods. |
| (70440) | |
| 299 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many meetings (a) he and (b) the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science and Technology have held to discuss genetically modified foods. |
| (70439) | |
| 300 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many representations his Department has received in favour of the commercial exploitation of genetically modified foods. |
| (70438) | |
| 301 N | Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which companies have made representations to his Department in favour of the commercial exploitation of genetically modified foods. |
| (70437) | |
| 302 | The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the development of global rules for tobacco marketing and on the resources he plans to commit to developing such rules. |
| (70760) | |
| 303 N | Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list the items sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies from those listed in the National Assets Register of November 1997; if he will give in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total cash raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70407) | |
| 304 | 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 by the local education authorities of Wales, indicating separately (a) professional and (b) ancillary employees. |
| (70918) | |
| 305 | Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what plans the Welsh Development Agency has for environmental enhancement works for (a) the urban corridors from Queensferry to Connahs Quay, Deeside and (b) Buckley, Flintshire; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70917) | |
| 306 | Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many people are employed in the mining industry in Wales; and if he will make a statement. |
| (70916) | |
| 307 | Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what measures he is taking to accelerate the provision of central heating in older social housing in Wales. |
| (70919) | |
| 308 | Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in his Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. |
| (70778) | |
| 309 N | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will estimate the annual cost of providing nursery provision in Wales for all three year olds whose parents want it, over and above the cost of the Government meeting its own target in this respect. |
| (70246) | |
| 310 N | Mr Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many shares the Government holds in BP; and if he will make a statement. |
| [Transferred] (69722) | |
| 311 N | Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions have taken place between his Department and the Government of Indonesia in the past year on torture. |
| [Transferred] (70425) | |
| 312 | Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what evidence he has assessed that genetically-modified crops have caused (a) deaths and (b) health damage to humans. |
| [Transferred] (70754) | |
| 313 | Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions have been held by the Women's Unit with the Engineering Council to discuss ways of increasing the number of women entering the profession. |
| [Transferred] (70705) | |
| 314 | Ms Ruth Kelly (Bolton West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the number of carers who are currently pursuing (i) part-time and (ii) full-time courses of further or higher education in (a) Bolton, (b) the North West and (c) England. |
| [Transferred] (70793) | |
| 315 | Ms Ruth Kelly (Bolton West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the factors which prevent those carers who wish to enter further or higher education from so doing. |
| [Transferred] (70801) | |
| 316 | Ms Ruth Kelly (Bolton West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is his estimate of the number of carers in (a) Bolton, (b) the North West and (c) England. |
| [Transferred] (70791) | |
| 317 | Ms Ruth Kelly (Bolton West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of carers have gross incomes in the lowest (a) 20 per cent. and (b) 50 per cent. of the population. |
| [Transferred] (70798) | |
| 318 | Ms Ruth Kelly (Bolton West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is his estimate of the number of carers over the age of 25 years in (a) Bolton, (b) the North West and (c) England. |
| [Transferred] (70792) | |
| 319 | Ms Ruth Kelly (Bolton West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to enable carers to pay for substitute care when pursuing a course of further or higher education. |
| [Transferred] (70800) | |
| 320 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what evidence he has obtained that employers offering low-paid work are cutting the hours of employees in advance of the introduction of the minimum wage. |
| [Transferred] (70884) | |
| 321 | Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will assess the benefits of providing television licences free of charge for (a) pensioners and (b) disabled people; and if he will make a statement. |
| [Transferred] (70989) | |
| 322 | Mr Bruce George (Walsall South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he expects the report of the findings of the recent European Commission investigation into imported cigarette lighters which purport to be refillable in order to circumvent the anti-dumping duty to be published. |
| [Transferred] (70805) | |
| 323 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he intends to dispose of the fruit, flower and vegetable market at New Covent Garden. |
| [Transferred] (70888) | |
| 324 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the United Kingdom companies currently under investigation by Customs and Excise for alleged breaches of (a) United Kingdom, (b) European Union and (c) mandatory UN arms embargoes. |
| [Transferred] (71049) | |
| 325 | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many United Kingdom companies have been found guilty of breaching (a) United Kingdom and (b) mandatory UN arms embargoes in the periods (i) January 1996 to January 1997, (ii) January 1997 to January 1998 and (iii) January 1998 to January 1999. |
| [Transferred] (71051) | |
| 326 | Mr John M. Taylor (Solihull): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement about the failure of Registrars General, during the period 1969 to 1985, to transfer census returns to the Public Record Office not later than 30 years after their creation; and (a) when and (b) by whom this failure was first brought to the attention of a Lord Chancellor. |
| [Transferred] (70995) | |
| 327 | Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the defence establishments in Wales, indicating the number of people employed at each; and if he will make a statement. |
| [Transferred] (70915) | |
| |
| © Parliamentary copyright 1999 | Revised 11 February 1999 |