Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1998-98
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The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Thursday 18 March 1999

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Thursday 18 March of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

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.

THURSDAY 18th MARCH

1
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what proportion of the retail price for milk in the United Kingdom was accounted for by the raw milk price in January (a) 1997, (b) 1998, and (c) 1999.

(77451)

2
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what impact he expects the agreed Agenda 2000 package to have on (a) consumer prices for milk and (b) other dairy products in the United Kingdom.

(77453)

3
   Mr Jimmy Hood (Clydesdale):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 15th and 16th March; and if he will make a statement.

(77550)

4
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will provide further support to farmers in the North West.

(77528)

5
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will apply the proposed Food Standards Agency levy to food producers.

(77533)

6
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will introduce a minimum size below which shops will be exempt from paying the proposed Food Standards Agency levy.

(77531)

7
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the impact of the proposed Food Standards Agency levy on farm shops.

(77530)

8
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will introduce a quality charter mark for farm produce from the North West Region.

(77527)

9
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to introduce protection for meadowland.

(77529)

10
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to visit farmers in Chorley and Bolton.

(77526)

11
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will replace the proposed flat rate for the proposed Food Standards Agency levy with a sliding scale based on size of operation.

(77532)

12
   Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how much was spent, in each of the financial years since 1989-90, by local authorities in relation to (i) food sampling and (ii) food analysis.

(77536)

13
N   Sir Brian Mawhinney (North West Cambridgeshire):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when the Right honourable Member for North West Cambridgeshire can expect a reply to his letter of 19th October 1998 on behalf of his constituent, Mr Moston.

(77444)

14
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to assess the report of the Council for the Protection of Rural England concerning the disappearance of meadow and grasslands.

(77667)

15
   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask Mr Attorney General, what factors underlay the decision of the Solicitor General to intervene in the Hamilton v Al Fayed case.

(77739)

16
   Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to introduce a regulator to oversee the activities of professional football clubs in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

(77795)

17
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much per capita has been allocated from the Millennium Fund to each region of the United Kingdom.

(77663)

18
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list the sports recognised by the Sports Council.

(77879)

19
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations he has received from organisations which have been refused recognition by the Sports Council; and if he will list the activities involved.

(77880)

20
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what efforts Her Majesty's Government is making to obtain medicinal and scientific data about the effects of depleted uranium-based ammunition in Iraq.

(77258)

21
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answers of 16th February, Official Report, column 739, and 15th March, Official Report, column 511, from whom he received the account of the episode relating to the 16 year old Iraqi youth.

(77353)

22
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the response of Mr Alan Casson of the Gulf Veterans Illness Unit to the letter of Mr Bill Griffin of Templeuisce, Glanmire, (reference D/GVIV/a/I) of 23rd February, regarding depleted uranium.

(77326)

23
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the strategy underlying the current bombing of Iraq.

(77357)

24
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the basis for the statement of 15th February by Mr Alan Casson of his Department's Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Unit that it is highly unlikely that local populations would have been exposed to any significant amount of respirable dust.

(77257)

25
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Paveway III laser-guided bombs and Harm anti-radar missiles have been dropped on Iraq since Desert Fox.

(77329)

26
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what testing of depleted uranium weapons has taken place in Southern Scotland.

(77356)

27
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which of the following Territorial Army units are classified as infantry units (a) Bn HQ RRW, (b) RHQ Tpt Regiment, (c) RHQ 104 Regt RA and (d) Bn HQ, Wales.

(77535)

28
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will estimate the number of service personnel in receipt of social security benefits in each of the last five years.

(77449)

29
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what are the (a) current and (b) planned future locations, including counties, of the following TA headquarters (a) Bn HQ RRW, (b) RHQ Tpt Regiment, (c) RHQ 104 Regt RA and (d) Bn HQ, Wales.

(77534)

30
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of his Department's contracts for uniforms for the armed forces were awarded to United Kingdom textile companies in each of the last five years.

(77468)

31
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on procurement of uniforms for the armed forces in the last three years.

(77465)

32
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many overseas homes are owned by his Department; what proportion are occupied; and what plans he has to improve the quality of overseas service homes.

(77450)

33
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information and guidance his Department gives to the United Kingdom textile industry when planning procurement of uniforms and textiles for the armed forces.

(77464)

34
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the expenditure by his Department on uniforms for the armed forces during the last three years went to companies in the United Kingdom.

(77466)

35
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans has he to increase the proportion of United Kingdom manufactured textiles used by the armed forces.

(77467)

36
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what facilities the new cadet centre in Chorley will provide for cadets; and if these will be the same as at the existing centre on Devonshire Road in Chorley.

(77474)

37
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the countries whose textile companies have been awarded contracts from his Department for armed forces uniforms for the last five years.

(77469)

38
   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations he has received concerning the loss of widow's and widower's pensions on post-retirement re-marriage; and if he will make a statement on the progress of his review of widow's and widower's pensions.

(77863)

39
N   Mr John Maples (Stratford-on-Avon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the consequences for overstretch in the Army of the proposed deployment in Kosovo of British troops.

(77302)

40
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what percentage of his Department's budget is spent on education in schools about the dangers caused by smoking; and if he will make a statement.

(77588)

41
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on the impact of the New Deal on the number of unemployed young people.

(77829)

42
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement about the teaching in schools of the history of the backgrounds of ethnic minorities in the United Kingdom.

(77644)

43
   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if his current review of the delivery of high-quality further education, training and workforce development includes consultation at a regional level.

(77824)

44
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what estimate his Department has made of the number of schoolchildren who would be eligible for free school meals, but whose parents provide packed lunches instead.

(77665)

45
N   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what proportion of headteachers has been awarded a nine per cent. pay rise.

(77322)

46
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has to limit the amounts (a) individuals and their families and (b) employers can invest in individual learning accounts free of tax; and if he will make a statement.

(77884)

47
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, which financial institution will handle individual learning accounts; and what will be the administration fee for each separate account.

(77883)

48
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has to allow students in further and higher education to pay (a) tuition fees and (b) maintenance from individual learning accounts that have been enhanced by the student's family or employer.

(77881)

49
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, for each of the years from 1997-98 to 2000-01, what is the total resource allocation awarded to universities and other higher education institutions from public funds; what is the total number of actual and projected full-time equivalent higher education students; and what is the average level of resource allocation from public funds to each student.

(77882)

50
   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to ratify the Convention on Environmental Rights signed at the Aarhus Conference in Denmark on 25th June 1998.

(77656)

51
   Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received with regard to the opening of new stations on the West London line at (a) Chelsea Harbour and (b) Stamford Bridge.

(77792)

52
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he made during his visit to India of the prospects for the future of the Bengal tigers and the steps India is taking to protect them.

(75690)

53
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what evidence he obtained about global warming during his visit to the Maldives; and what conclusions he has drawn from it.

(75691)

54
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on his discussion with Vice-President Gore about protecting the world's oceans.

(75692)

55
   Mr Keith Darvill (Upminster):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when the Government plans to consult on the proposal contained in the consultation paper, Residential Leasehold Reform in England and Wales, to give to leaseholders of houses a similar right of first refusal to that of qualifying tenants in blocks of flats.

(77650)

56
   Mr Keith Darvill (Upminster):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what form the consultation about the technical details of the Government's proposal to create a new right for a majority of the leaseholders in a block of flats to take over the management of the block will take; and when that consultation will take place.

(77651)

57
   Mr Keith Darvill (Upminster):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he plans to publish the result of the financial management and policy review of rent assessment panels in England.

(77653)

58
   Mr Keith Darvill (Upminster):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to resurface the M25 between Junctions 29 and 30 with a low noise surface.

(77654)

59
   Mr Keith Darvill (Upminster):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what research his Department has carried out on the numbers of former local authority tenants who have acquired leasehold flats under the right to buy legislation and are now unable to resell their homes on the open market; and if he will publish the results of that research.

(77649)

60
   Mr Keith Darvill (Upminster):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many representations he has received about noise from the M25 between Junctions 29 and 30.

(77655)

61
   Mr Keith Darvill (Upminster):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects to complete his consideration of the future of the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal following the financial management and policy review of rent assessment panels in England.

(77652)

62
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects to make a decision on the planning application for the RAF East Camp site, Colindale.

(77865)

63
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects to make a decision on the planning application for Barnet Football Club at Copthall Stadium.

(77873)

64
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects the major works at Fiveways Corner, Mill Hill, (a) to commence and (b) to be completed.

(77864)

65
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to review the Motor Insurers' Bureau agreements in relation to (a) untraced and (b) uninsured motorists.

(77577)

66
   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what criteria are used to assess bids for agencies seeking appointment to installerships under the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme with particular reference to (a) pricing of measures, (b) quality of work, (c) customer care provisions and (d) training opportunities; and if he will make a statement.

(77657)

67
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how much his Department spent per capita of population on transport infrastructure investment in (a) Greater London, (b) Docklands and (c) the North West of England during the most recent five years for which figures are available.

(77666)

68
   Sir Alastair Goodlad (Eddisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received about the need for (a) reducing traffic volume, (b) lowering traffic speed and (c) decreasing the number of heavy goods vehicles on the A51 in Cheshire; and if he will make a statement.

(77607)

69
   Sir Alastair Goodlad (Eddisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received about the need for by-passes around villages on the A51 in Cheshire; and if he will make a statement.

(77608)

70
   Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the estimated annual reduction in CO�of6�2 emissions in (a) 2000, (b) 2005 and (c) 2010 from continuing the duty escalator on road fuels.

(77839)

71
   Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the estimated annual reduction in CO�of6�2 emissions in (a) 2000, (b) 2005 and (c) 2010 from the increase in hydrocarbon duties on road fuels implemented in the 1999 Budget.

(77838)

72
N   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the housing policy Green Paper will consult on proposals to help homeless people; and if he will make a statement.

(77303)

73
N   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects to publish the housing policy Green Paper; and if he will make a statement.

(77304)

74
   Mr Peter L. Pike (Burnley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the purpose of the medical examination required by Regulation 16(2) of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 as amended by the Control of Asbestos at Work (Amendment) Regulations 1998.

(77876)

75
   Mr Peter L. Pike (Burnley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what controls will be applied to contractors licensed only to remove asbestos insulation board to prevent them from undertaking any other type of asbestos stripping work.

(77877)

76
   Mr Peter L. Pike (Burnley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the Health and Safety Executive plans to license contractors who only remove asbestos insulation board under the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1993, as amended by the Asbestos (Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 1998.

(77874)

77
   Mr Peter L. Pike (Burnley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the medical examination certificates issued to workers exposed to asbestos under the amended Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 are intended to fulfil the requirements of asbestos laws in all European Union member states.

(77875)

78
   Mr Peter L. Pike (Burnley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he plans to ban the import, marketing and use of Chrysotile asbestos.

(77878)

79
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what use is made of recycled material from car tyres in road surfaces; and if he will make a statement.

(77825)

80
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the cost per mile of the Jubilee Line extension; when he expects it to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

(77826)

81
N   Mr William Ross (East Londonderry):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list for each airport in the United Kingdom, in rank order, the schedule of passenger service charges for passengers (i) arriving and (ii) departing from and to destinations within (a) the United Kingdom, (b) the EU and (c) elsewhere.

(77297)

82
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if his Department, in conjunction with the Ministry of Defence, will carry out an audit of sites within the ownership of the Crown which could be made available for the temporary encampment of travellers over the period of Christmas 1999 and the millennium celebrations.

(77478)

83
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many authorised sites for travellers exist within England and Wales large enough to accommodate more than 150 caravans and several hundred people over the period of Christmas 1999 and the millennium celebrations.

(77477)

84
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what arrangements are in hand within his Department, the Home Office and the Welsh Office jointly to identify sites which could offer temporary provision for large gatherings of travellers over the period of Christmas 1999 and the millennium celebrations.

(77476)

85
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what arrangements his Department and the Welsh Office have made to use (a) the National Gypsy Council and (b) other bodies to ensure that travelling families are made aware of facilities that the Government proposes to make available to travellers over the period of Christmas 1999 and the millennium celebrations.

(77475)

86
   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what research his Department has commissioned to study the level of halon 1202 emissions to the atmosphere.

(77595)

87
   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what action his Department is taking to help developing countries fulfil the Montreal Protocol ban on halon 1211 production by 2005.

(77592)

88
   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what action his Department will take to encourage the international community to include halon 1202 in the list of chemicals controlled by the Montreal protocol.

(77594)

89
   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps his Department is taking to help the Chinese Government fulfil the Montreal Protocol ban on halon 1211 production by 2005.

(77593)

90
N   Mr Gerry Sutcliffe (Bradford South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the request by the British Carpet Manufacturers Association for a delay in making a decision on the European Classifications of Floorcoverings for reaction to fire.

(77298)

91
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 2nd December, Official Report, columns 180-1, on ENTRUST, if he will list the 33 projects for the remediation of contaminated land and the sort of remediation undertaken.

(77645)

92
   Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what proportion of the net yield of the landfill levy was from local authority payments in each year since it was introduced.

(77675)

93
   Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the additional financial contribution which will be made by local authorities for each of the years to which the Government has committed itself to escalate the landfill levy by £1 per annum.

(77676)

94
   Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what modelling he has done of local authority costs incurred in implementing the procedures for localising elements of the business rate as set out in the Local Government White Paper.

(77677)

95
   Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions have been held between his Department and local authority licensing departments on the licensing of vehicles for private hire where the construction of the vehicle allows for the potential carriage of more than eight passengers.

(77673)

96
   Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many prosecutions of operators of licensed private hire vehicles for operating vehicles with the potential to carry more than eight passengers where those vehicles have previously been licensed by a local authority taxi licensing department have been undertaken in the last year.

(77678)

97
   Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what statistics his Department collates of the level of (a) commercial fly-tipping and (b) domestic fly-tipping.

(77672)

98
   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to use revenue gained from the abolition of duty free to reduce excise duty on beer.

(77603)

99
   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the proposal to reduce indicative limits contained in the Customs and Excise review of alcohol and tobacco duties.

(77604)

100
N   Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what departmental guidelines govern the content of the Treasury publication, Budget 99, Building a Stronger Economic Future for Britain; and if he will make a statement.

(77301)

101
N   Mr Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many copies of Her Majesty's Treasury Budget Summary--Budget 99, Building a Stronger Economic Future for Britain, have been (a) printed and (b) sent out by his Department; what was the cost of (i) printing and (ii) postage to where they have been sent; and if he will make a statement.

(77299)

102
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what criteria were used in setting the current interest rate for pensioner bonds.

(77546)

103
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what has been the average real interest rate on pensioner bonds in each quarter since they were introduced, using the CPI to measure inflation.

(77547)

104
   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to encourage the attachment of environmental and social conditions to the provision by official bodies of (a) international loans and (b) other financial assistance to Indonesia.

(77643)

105
N   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the titles of the documents which his Department has issued to Ministers to explain the Budget to the press and general public.

(77323)

106
N   Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to repay the Government's overdraft on the Ways and Means account at the Bank of England; and if he will make a statement.

(77473)

107
N   Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if it is an EU treaty requirement that countries applying to join the euro should repay any overdraft that they may have with their domestic central bank.

(77472)

108
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the cost to his Department of the loss of revenue from (a) fuel and (b) road tax, from overseas haulage companies operating in the UK.

(77443)

109
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to combat the smuggling of petrol into the UK.

(77481)

110
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the advantages and disadvantages of reducing VAT on hotel room charges.

(77479)

111
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the amount of revenue lost to HM Treasury from petrol smuggling during the most recent period for which figures are available.

(77482)

112
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to use the taxation system to promote the UK tourist industry.

(77480)

113
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the adoption of the euro would involve the physical movement of any proportion of UK gold reserves to the European Central Bank.

(77543)

114
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the measures, and their objectives, which require, under article 109(5) of the Treaty of Union, the unanimous agreement of the United Kingdom and those states already participating in the euro area.

(77661)

115
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps are being taken to ensure that euro coins minted throughout the EU can be used in vending machines.

(77647)

116
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reasons Her Majesty's Government has not ratified the Convention of the Council of Europe on illicit traffic by sea; and if he will make a statement.

(77605)

117
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the explanation given to the UN by the Iraqis for the non-distribution of $275 million worth of medicinal supplies; and what reports he has received concerning incomplete apparatus and quality control tests on these supplies.

(77254)

118
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action the British delegation at the UN has taken to implement UN resolutions in regard to the children in Iraq.

(77327)

119
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received concerning the killing by Western aircraft of an oil-for-food programme monitor.

(77358)

120
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the basis is in international law for the concept of no-fly zones.

(77354)

121
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information he has obtained on the categories of information exchanged between the US and UNSCOM.

(77260)

122
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received about possible external involvement in the murder of Ayatollah Muhammed Saddiq al Sadr at Najaf.

(77253)

123
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reasons (a) disinfectant and (b) coffins are included in UN sanctions on Iraq.

(77328)

124
N   Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the overseas trade services provided to companies in the last year to which figures are available together with the revenue received by his Department (a) by service and (b) by company.

(77489)

125
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how the role of Ambassadors for British Business will change following the creation of British Trade International; and what changes there have been in the list of these ambassadors in the past year.

(77551)

126
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the Rambouillet negotiations.

(77754)

127
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects to announce the appointments of British ambassadors to (a) Bahrain and (b) Yemen.

(77755)

128
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the refusal by the Entry Clearance Officer, in Bombay in the case of Agnes Helen Lopez (Reference R/98/9784).

(77641)

129
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many applications for the post of consul-general in New York were from ethnic minorities; and how many ethnic minority candidates were interviewed.

(77756)

130
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many people applied for the post of consul-general in New York and how many applicants came from (a) private sector and (b) public sector backgrounds.

(77753)

131
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has received concerning the shortage of nurses in the United Kingdom.

(77837)

132
   Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on what date (a) he and (b) his Department received the leaked copy of the Foreign Affairs Committee First Report of Session 1998-99 on Foreign Policy and Human Rights (HC100); and by what method it was received.

(77760)

133
   Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on what date (a) he and (b) his Department received the leaked copy of the Foreign Affairs Committee Third Report of Session in 1998-99 on European Union Enlargement (HC 86); and by what method it was received.

(77835)

134
N   Mr Harry Barnes (North East Derbyshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many beds dealing with incontinence are available in England and Wales in (a) all service hospitals, (b) general hospitals, (c) specialist hospitals, (d) teaching hospitals and (e) hospitals in other categories.

(77031)

135
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to reply to the letter of 11th January from the honourable Member for Tiverton and Honiton in respect of Mr N Peed and dentistry in Crediton.

(77452)

136
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of his budget was spent on education in schools about the dangers caused by smoking in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(77549)

137
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were on the waiting list in Barnet Health Authority's area on 31st March 1998.

(77578)

138
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) inpatients and (b) outpatients were treated by Welhouse Hospital Trust in (a) each month since April 1998 and (b) the same period in the previous two years.

(77579)

139
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the contruction of Phase 1b of Barnet Hospital is expected to (a) commence and (b) be completed.

(77585)

140
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to be able to make an announcement in response to the Edgware Community Hospital full business case.

(77861)

141
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what additional funds (a) have been made available, and (b) have been allocated for future use, to Barnet Health Authority since November 1998; and for what purposes these funds have been allocated.

(77580)

142
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the total capital cost of the approved scheme for Phase 1b at Barnet Hospital.

(77581)

143
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the prevalence of (a) HIV and (b) AIDS in young adults in each region.

(77664)

144
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list for each health authority the expenditure on (a) damages for negligence and (b) out-of-court settlements for each of the last five years.

(77305)

145
   Mr Nigel Griffiths (Edinburgh South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action he is taking to promote the Healthy Workplaces Initiative.

(77772)

146
   Mr Stephen Hesford (Wirral West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what investment the Government plans to make over the next three years for helping children with (a) mental health problems, (b) attention deficit disorder, (c) phobias and (d) depression.

(77752)

147
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many consultant anaesthetists posts are currently vacant in each NHS trust in the North West Region.

(77360)

148
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has commissioned into the possible benefits of multi-skilling for operating department practitioners and theatre nurses; and if he will make a statement.

(77359)

149
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many whole-time equivalent anaesthetists are employed by each NHS trust in the North West Region; and what is the average number of clinical sessions scheduled per week by each trust.

(77361)

150
   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on permitting pharmacists to prescribe drugs; and if he will make a statement.

(77842)

151
   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on the right of doctors to dispense drugs; and if he will make a statement.

(77862)

152
   Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the total amount spent in the current financial year by the Northumbria Healthcare Trust on agency staff.

(77671)

153
   Mr David Tredinnick (Bosworth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the results of studies into the use of complementary therapies in the treatment and alleviation of certain conditions will contribute to the database that the National Institute for Clinical Excellence will make available to NHS medical practitioners.

(77614)

154
   Mr David Tredinnick (Bosworth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many deaths occurred last year from (i) prostate, (ii) breast, (iii) lung and (iv) colon cancer; and what was the amount of Government funding for (a) treatment and (b) research allocated to each of those cancers.

(77572)

155
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to place a health warning on mobile phones.

(77642)

156
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the decision to allow a prisoner to have a sex-change operation paid for by the NHS.

(77670)

157
   Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the investigation of the death of Diurmid O'Neil in Hammersmith.

(77794)

158
   Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on progress in implementing the changes at the Immigration Nationality Directorate offices in Croydon.

(77834)

159
   Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers were stationed at (a) Hammersmith and (b) Fulham police stations (i) on 1st May 1997 and (ii) at the latest available date.

(77793)

160
   Mr Robin Corbett (Birmingham, Erdington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of Northamptonshire into the release of the name of a person who declined to assist with enquiries into suspected breaches of employment and immigration law at the Thai House and Sian sauna in November.

(77659)

161
   Mr Robin Corbett (Birmingham, Erdington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the procedure by which convicted prisoners may apply for permission to visit close relatives in other penal institutions in England.

(77639)

162
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisons in England and Wales have had more than three principal governors within the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

(77587)

163
   Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Canning Town):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much his Department has spent in each of the last three years on funding research into fire-related issues.

(77610)

164
   Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Canning Town):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support has been offered by his Department for the Arson Prevention Bureau for (a) the next financial year and (b) the last three financial years.

(77609)

165
N   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons Thomas Tangney was considered suitable for transfer to Ford Open Prison.

(77321)

166
   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green and Bow):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will introduce a concession to the Immigration Rules granting asylum seekers from Sierra Leone immediate exceptional leave to remain in the United Kingdom.

(77548)

167
N   Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of the West Mercia Police Force police officer posts for 1998-99 were vacant at the latest available date; and what was the average length of such vacancies.

(77324)

168
N   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if each of the prisoners appearing in the BBC1 documentary, Jailbirds: Through the Gates, on 15th March, had individually given permission to be filmed; and if he will make a statement.

(77463)

169
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 2nd March, Official Report, column 637, what plans he has to make available to the public the data upon which the benchmark figure of 142 days from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders was based.

(77544)

170
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 12th March, Official Report, columns 379-80, if he will make a statement on the nature of his Department's concerns about the provisions on interception of telecommunications in Council Document 13144/98.

(77542)

171
N   Sir Brian Mawhinney (North West Cambridgeshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects to make an announcement about his proposal to build a new prison in Peterborough.

(77446)

172
N   Sir Brian Mawhinney (North West Cambridgeshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on whose authority labour councillors in Peterborough have been informed that an announcement on a proposed new prison in Peterborough will be delayed until after the European election in June.

(77447)

173
N   Sir Brian Mawhinney (North West Cambridgeshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Right honourable Member for North West Cambridgeshire can expect a reply to his letter of 19th January on behalf of his constituent, Sir Stephen Hastings.

(77445)

174
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if votes will be published by constituencies as well as by regions in the European elections.

(77758)

175
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list those Schengen provisions which will be adopted by the United Kingdom, stating for each provision the reasons why it is considered necessary.

(77640)

176
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the Conventions of the European Union (a) agreed and (b) in draft relating to (i) police co-operation and (ii) judicial and court procedures together with their Treaty base, their purpose and scope.

(77613)

177
   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many instances have been reported to the police of gypsies trespassing on private property in the last year in England and Wales.

(77828)

178
   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to assist in (a) the development of sustainable forest management and (b) the preservation of orangutan habitats in Indonesia; and if she will make a statement.

(77646)

179
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will meet Karol Sikova, Chief of the WHO Cancer Programme and Professor of International Cancer Medicine, to discuss the cancer situation in Iraq.

(77256)

180
N   Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will place a copy of the agreement made in February 1999 between her Department and the Organisation of African Unity in the Library.

(77490)

181
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans he has to review the retirement age of judges; and if he will make a statement.

(77868)

182
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, what arrangements are in place to monitor judicial competence and performance; what plans he has to review these arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

(77869)

183
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans he has to promote alternative dispute resolution; and if he will make a statement.

(77872)

184
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, what arrangements are in place to provide continuing education for judges; what plans he has to review those arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

(77870)

185
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, what is the average (i) age and (ii) length of professional experience on appointment of (a) High Court and (b) circuit judges currently serving.

(77867)

186
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, what formal training (a) House of Lords judges, (b) Court of Appeal judges, (c) High Court judges, (d) circuit judges, (e) district judges, (f) High Court masters and (g) part-time judges in categories (c) to (f) have in each case received on the new civil justice system to be introduced in April 1999.

(77871)

187
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many (a) House of Lords judges, (b) Court of Appeal judges, (c) High Court judges, (d) circuit judges, (e) District judges and High Court masters and (f) stipendiary magistrates are presently serving; and of those, how many and what percentage in each case (i) are women, (ii) are from ethnic minorities, (iii) have Oxbridge degrees, (iv) had public school education and (v) were Queen's Counsel before appointment.

(77866)

188
   Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test):    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, what guidelines have been issued to magistrates in respect of appropriate sentences and fines for those committing environmental offences.

(77674)

189
N   Mr Harry Barnes (North East Derbyshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many beds dealing with incontinence are available in Northern Ireland in (a) all service hospitals, (b) general hospitals, (c) specialist hospitals, (d) teaching hospitals and (e) hospitals in other categories.

(77032)

190
   Mr Robert McCartney (North Down):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will make it her policy that no information from the Patten Commission on policing which is not in the public domain will be shared with (a) any other government and (b) any private group.

(77582)

191
   Mr William Ross (East Londonderry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will list the (i) dates, (ii) times, and (iii) location of each bomb alert in Northern Ireland since 1st September 1998, of which the RUC are aware.

(77749)

192
   Mr John D. Taylor (Strangford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what was the greatest approved expenditure during the past five years for the provision of CCTV security equipment at (a) a controlled school, (b) a maintained school and (c) a voluntary grammar school; and if she will make a statement on the criteria used for approval of expenditure on CCTV security systems at schools.

(77611)

193
   Mr John D. Taylor (Strangford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many staff are presently employed at Dundonald Training Centre; how many trainees are involved there; and what proposals she has to increase training opportunities in the boroughs of Ards, Castlereagh and North Down.

(77796)

194
   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 20th January, Official Report, column 484, when he expects to issue an updated report on the results of military action against Iraq.

(77589)

195
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library his reply to the letter from K. M. Kirk of Paphos, Cyprus, of 20th December 1998, about Iraq.

(77355)

196
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the relationship between the Number 10 Policy Unit and the Social Exclusion Unit.

(76675)

197
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the working groups which report to the Social Exclusion Unit.

(76676)

198
   Mr Michael Howard (Folkestone and Hythe):    To ask the Prime Minister, when he expects to reply to the letters sent to him by the Right honourable Member for Folkestone and Hythe on 14th January and 3rd March.

(77662)

199
   Mr Robert McCartney (North Down):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make it his policy that no information from the Patten Commission on policing which is not in the public domain will be shared with (a) any other government and (b) any private group.

(77583)

200
N   Mr Harry Barnes (North East Derbyshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many beds dealing with incontinence are available in Scotland in (a) all service hospitals, (b) general hospitals, (c) specialist hospitals, (d) teaching hospitals and (e) hospitals in other categories.

(77009)

201
   Mr Donald Gorrie (Edinburgh West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what is the estimated cost of the furnishings and fittings of the new Scottish Parliament buildings, indicating separately the cost of information technology and television facilities; and which of these are included in the £50 million cost referred to his Answer of 28th January to the honourable Member for Linlithgow, Official Report, column 385.

(77798)

202
   Mr Donald Gorrie (Edinburgh West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what is the estimated cost of the conversion of the Church of Scotland assembly hall and nearby City of Edinburgh Council office buildings, for use as a temporary home of the Scottish Parliament, broken down in to costs in respect of (i) VAT, (ii) fees, (iii) furnishings and fittings, (iv) information technology and TV facilities, (v) returning the Assembly Hall to its original state and (vi) compensating the Church of Scotland for disruption and the hire of the Edinburgh International Conference Centre as its meeting place.

(77799)

203
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list (a) the recipients, (b) the project and (c) the amount of lottery funding awarded in Scotland since May 1997 for projects costing more than £50,000.

(77748)

204
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many homeless people there were in Scotland in each year since 1992.

(77766)

205
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the cost of the New Deal in Scotland has been (a) per job created and (b) per person completing the scheme to date.

(77827)

206
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many home repossessions there were in Scotland in each year since 1992.

(77765)

207
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many business (a) insolvencies and (b) starts there were in Scotland in each year since 1992.

(77768)

208
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the number of people claiming legal aid for each year since 1992.

(77830)

209
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many people (a) entered and (b) completed the New Deal scheme in (i) 1997 and (ii) 1998.

(77832)

210
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list, by local authority area, the level of (i) nursery and (ii) secondary education funding per pupil in (a) cash terms and (b) 1998-99 prices in each year since 1992.

(77743)

211
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what was the cost of the New Deal in Scotland in (a) 1997 and (b) 1998; and what the budget cost for (i) 1998-99, (ii) 1999-2000 and (iii) 2000-01.

(77831)

212
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many road (a) building and (b) improvement projects were cancelled in 1997.

(77763)

213
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many and what percentage of young people aged 15 to 25 years attended (a) a further and (b) a higher education course in each year since 1992.

(77741)

214
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many individuals were made bankrupt in Scotland in each year since 1992.

(77767)

215
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the total amount of EU subsidies paid to farmers in each year since 1992 in (a) cash terms and (b) 1998-99 prices.

(77762)

216
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many applicants there were for places at Scottish universities in each year since 1992.

(77761)

217
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much agrimonetary compensation was paid in Scotland in each year since 1992 in (a) cash terms and (b) 1998-99 prices.

(77751)

218
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many people have obtained full-time employment as a result of the New Deal scheme.

(77833)

219
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many people (a) aged 15 to 25 years, (b) aged 26 to 40 years, (c) aged 41 to 65 years and (d) in total received a means tested benefit in Scotland in each year since 1992.

(77771)

220
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will make a statement on the distribution of the funds raised from the £1,000 tuition fee paid by university students.

(77740)

221
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many farmers were made bankrupt in each year since 1992.

(77797)

222
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimate he has made of the costs of the introduction of his land reform proposals.

(77750)

223
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the (a) road building and (b) motorway and trunk road improvement proposals and their total cost for each year from 1997 to 2001.

(77764)

224
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many and what percentage of young people aged 15 to 25 years were in full-time education in each year since 1992.

(77742)

225
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when the Boundary Commission concluded its review of the boundaries of each local authority area in Scotland; and if these have been approved.

(77747)

226
   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what representations he has received from the medical profession on exempt categories relating to prescription charges in Scotland.

(77596)

227
   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if the next prescription charge review in Scotland will include a review of exempt categories.

(77597)

228
   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when he will next review prescription charges in Scotland.

(77598)

229
   Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many pensioners in Hammersmith and Fulham currently have incomes above the minimum income guarantee but below the income tax threshold.

(77836)

230
   Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many residents in Hammersmith and Fulham are in receipt of disability living allowance; and of those how many have had their benefits (a) reduced and (b) removed by the Benefits Integrity Project.

(77841)

231
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people aged over 50 years in Hendon are in receipt of incapacity benefit.

(77574)

232
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many pensioners in Hendon are above the level of the minimum income guarantee and below the income tax threshold.

(77576)

233
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how may people in Hendon are in receipt of (a) disability living allowance and (b) incapacity benefit.

(77573)

234
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate he has made of the number of women for each year from 1999-2000 to 2009-10 who will receive (a) reduced SERPS pensions and (b) reduced widow's pensions as a result of the changes in payments to beneficiaries being introduced in April.

(77757)

235
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what interest rate has been paid to persons who opted out of SERPS and who normally receive a lump sum for investment in their private pension scheme, during the delay in issuing payments by his Department's computer systems.

(77658)

236
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what proportion of respondents to the Green Paper, Support in Bereavement, expressed opposition to the replacement of widow's pension with a time-limited bereavement allowance; and what proportion expressed support.

(77300)

237
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people responded to the consultation paper on support for disabled people; if he will list those who (a) supported, (b) opposed the proposal to make New Deal interviews compulsory and (c) opposed taking into account income for which people have already contributed against a benefit earned through the payment of contributions.

(77539)

238
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list those respondents to the Welfare Reform Green Paper, New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare, who (a) requested the abolition of means testing and (b) called for means testing to be extended to all benefits.

(77540)

239
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list the cost of (a) all means tested benefits in Scotland, (b) means tested benefits for people aged 15 to 25 years in Scotland, (c) means tested benefits for people aged 26 to 40 years in Scotland and (d) means tested benefit for people aged 41 to 65 years in Scotland in each year since 1992 in (i) cash terms and (ii) 1998-99 prices.

(77770)

240
N   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, at how many cases in the past 12 months his Department has failed to be represented at a scheduled hearing causing the tribunal to stand adjourned; and what percentage of the total number of hearings were so adjourned.

(77098)

241
N   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what the cost was to the public purse of the adjourned Independent Tribunal Service hearing into case No. S/45/167/1998/00627 at Aldershot on 10th March.

(77099)

242
N   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, for what reasons his Department was not represented at the Independent Tribunal Service hearing into case No. S/45/167/1998/00627 at Aldershot on 10th March.

(77100)

243
N   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what powers the Independent Tribunal Service has to make an award in favour of the applicant when the Department fails to be represented or present at hearings.

(77102)

244
N   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will review the guidance given to the tribunal chairmen as to what award may be made when the Department of Social Security fails to appear and advance a reason to the tribunal for absence; and if he will make a statement.

(77101)

245
N   Mr David Rendel (Newbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what reviews will be carried out, and which evaluation measures will be used, in assessing the success of the pilots of the Single Gateway.

(77425)

246
N   Mr David Rendel (Newbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has for additional information technology resources following the introduction of the new Single Gateway.

(77431)

247
N   Mr David Rendel (Newbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many housing benefit claims, in the last year for which figures are available, were subject to each rate of non-dependent deduction; at each rate how many claimants were living in (a) local authority properties, (b) housing association properties and (c) private properties; and what each figure represents as a percentage of total housing benefit claims.

(77325)

248
N   Mr David Rendel (Newbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, on what subjects, other than employment opportunities, advice will be provided by the Single Gateway personal advisers.

(77426)

249
N   Mr David Rendel (Newbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what training will be given to the personal advisers who will conduct the new Single Gateway interviews; and if this training will be specific to particular claimant groups.

(77429)

250
N   Mr David Rendel (Newbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, at what grade the personal advisers who will conduct the new Single Gateway interviews will be recruited.

(77428)

251
N   Mr David Rendel (Newbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what targets the Government has set in order to evaluate the success nationwide of the Single Gateway interview.

(77427)

252
N   Mr David Rendel (Newbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what changes to working practices in the Benefits Agency and the Employment Service will be required in order to implement the Single Gateway.

(77430)

253
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the governments his Department made representations to in 1998 on the use of prison labour in the manufacture of goods imported into the United Kingdom.

(77600)

254
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the visits made to the Argentine in 1998 by Ministers in his Department.

(77599)

255
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what checks are made on goods imported into the United Kingdom to ensure they were not manufactured in the occupied area of Northern Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

(77601)

256
   Mr Keith Darvill (Upminster):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his Answer of 24th February, Official Report, column 316, on travel companies, when he expects the Director General of Fair Trading to complete his discussions with the major travel groups.

(77791)

257
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what help his Department is providing to the United Kingdom textile industry to assist it to compete.

(77470)

258
   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has received on the future of Milk Marque; and if he will make a statement.

(77843)

259
   Dan Norris (Wansdyke):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps he will take to regulate unsolicited direct mail sent to individuals' homes.

(77669)

260
   Dan Norris (Wansdyke):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to introduce measures to protect (a) the elderly (b) people with mental health problems and (c) mentally disabled people from the impact of unsolicited direct mail.

(77668)

261
N   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the impact of the minimum wage on organisations which offer board and lodging as part of their remuneration package.

(75577)

262
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps he is taking to support the cashmere industry.

(77648)

263
   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the impact of each one per cent. increase in sterling against the euro on (a) industrial profits and (b) jobs in manufacturing.

(77591)

264
N   Mr Terry Rooney (Bradford North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his Answer of 10th March to the honourable Member for Bristol West, Official Report, columns 263-4, concerning the mortgage market, how he defines unjust interest rates in relation to the provisions on extortionate credit in the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

(77448)

265
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many visits abroad have been made by officials in the Export Promotion Department since 1st January.

(77746)

266
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on his Department's export promotion activities in (a) Oman, (b) Bahrain, (c) Saudi Arabia and (d) the UAE.

(77744)

267
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action has been taken regarding the complaints made in respect of a company referred to in the correspondence between the honourable Member for Leicester East and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Competition and Consumer Affairs dated 12th June 1998.

(77586)

268
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many staff are employed in his Department's Export Promotion Directorate; and of these how many are (a) women and (b) from ethnic minorities.

(77745)

269
N   Mr Richard Livsey (Brecon and Radnorshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many Round 7 EAGGF Objective 5b rural development grants have to date received matched funding.

(76302)

270
N   Mr Richard Livsey (Brecon and Radnorshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, on what date (i) the Welsh Office Internal Review will be completed and (ii) rural development grants will be allocated.

(76303)

271
N   Mr Richard Livsey (Brecon and Radnorshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much money has been allocated in rural development grants in each of the last four years.

(76304)

272
N   Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the size of the Government's overdraft on the Ways and Means account at the Bank of England.

[Transferred] (77471)

273
N   Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what unlicensed genetically-modified soya has formed part of the ingredients of products on sale in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (77261)

274
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons he did not seek UN approval for changing the rules of engagement on bombings of Iraq.

[Transferred] (77259)

275
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reasons the supply of radiotherapy equipment, chemotherapy drugs and analgesics to Iraq has been blocked by British advisers.

[Transferred] (77255)

276
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people aged over 50 years in Hendon are in receipt of jobseeker's allowance.

[Transferred] (77575)

277
   Mr Keith Vaz (Leicester East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to amend the housing benefit system.

[Transferred] (77738)

278
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for what reasons Her Majesty's Government has not ratified the Convention of the Council of Europe for the protection of animals for slaughter; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (77606)

279
   Mr Robert McCartney (North Down):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make it her policy that no information from the Patten Commission on policing which is not in the public domain will be shared with (a) any other government and (b) any private group.

[Transferred] (77584)

280
   Mr Phil Sawford (Kettering):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he expects to announce the 1998 figures for firework injuries from all hospital casualty units in Great Britain.

[Transferred] (77602)

281
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the remit and powers of (a) the European Community Court of Justice in Luxembourg and (b) the Court in Strasbourg relating to the European Convention of Human Rights.

[Transferred] (77612)

282
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask the President of the Council, what assessment she has made of the 9.9.99 computer bug in formulating government policy on the millennium bug.

[Transferred] (77545)

283
   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the cost of benefit fraud in Scotland in each year since 1992 in (a) cash terms and (b) 1998-99 prices.

[Transferred] (77769)

284
   Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many lone parents in the unit of delivery covering Hammersmith and Fulham (a) are currently in receipt of benefit, (b) have been requested to attend interviews with respect to the New Deal, (c) have undergone such interviews and (d) have secured employment as a consequence.

[Transferred] (77840)

285
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what (i) general training is provided for personal advisers on New Deals and (ii) specific training is provided for personal advisers assisting (a) young people, (b) lone parents, (c) people with disabilities and (d) older people.

[Transferred] (77541)

286
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of companies in the financial services sector which offer critical illness insurance cover; and what steps he is taking to ensure that exclusions are brought to the attention of policy holders.

[Transferred] (77660)

287
   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is his assessment of the effects on United Kingdom employment of the change in the value of the (a) Deutschmark and (b) euro relative to the pound sterling since 1st May 1997.

[Transferred] (77590)