Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1998-98
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Monday 24 May 1999

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Monday 24 May 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.

MONDAY 24th MAY

1
   Mr Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many cattle passports have been produced at the Cattle Traceability Centre in Workington in each week in the last six months.

(85564)

2
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what recent discussions he has had with EU partners on the subject of bovine somatotropin in milk.

(85058)

3
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans the Government has to change the membership of food advisory groups; and when it expects these changes to take effect from.

(85059)

4
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans the Government has to ensure that consumer interests are represented on food advisory groups.

(85060)

5
N   Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):    To ask Mr Attorney General, if he will place in the Library copies of the external legal advice taken by Her Majesty's Government on the legality of the present NATO operations against Serbia.

(85076)

6
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will set out the terms of reference of the Biotechnology Presentation Group.

(85284)

7
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will set out the objects of the central co-ordinated rebuttals strategy in respect of genetic modification.

(85279)

8
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what purposes he proposes to make alterations prior to publication to the report of the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Adviser on genetic modification.

(85281)

9
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what date he decided to establish the Biotechnology Presentation Group.

(85282)

10
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what dates the Biotechnology Presentation Group has met; and who was present on each occasion.

(85283)

11
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he has contacted the National Consumer Council to seek its endorsement of the Government's approach to genetic modification; and if he will make a statement.

(85280)

12
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when site work on the redevelopment of Wembley Stadium will commence; and if he will make a statement.

(85300)

13
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the Arts Council on improving the performance of their building monitors.

(85291)

14
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much of the Arts Council of England's grant-in-aid for the current year remains unallocated.

(85289)

15
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department took to promote Britain's millennium celebrations at the European Incentive and Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition in Geneva.

(85297)

16
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to change the legal status of national museums and galleries; and if he will make a statement.

(85292)

17
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list the organisations which have received Arts Council stabilisation grants indicating the sums involved in each case; and what criteria the Council used in making its decisions on the allocation of the grants.

(85298)

18
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what are the funding arrangements for the Britain Visitor Centre; and what will be its annual running costs.

(85299)

19
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what funds have been allocated by his Department for the consumer marketing of the harmonised accommodation rating scheme.

(85296)

20
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he last had discussions with the Broadcasting Standards Commission; and if he will make a statement about its future role in the regulation of taste, decency and impartiality.

(85290)

21
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to support the development of the English Tourism Council.

(85295)

22
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will publish the aims and objectives of the English Tourism Council.

(85293)

23
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the Arts Council regarding the finances of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art; and if he will make a statement.

(85288)

24
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the deficit at the Royal Opera House in (i) 1999-2000 and (ii) 2000-01.

(85287)

25
   Jackie Ballard (Taunton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list the local authorities which have applied for funding from (a) the Capital Modernisation Fund for IT facilities in public libraries and (b) the National Lottery Opportunity Fund for funding for libraries, in each case since its introduction; and what sums were awarded.

(85315)

26
N   Mr Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much money he has spent to date in support of England's bid to host the 2006 World Cup.

(84990)

27
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has to co-ordinate further Government support for training programmes in the hospitality sector.

(85294)

28
   Mrs Anne Campbell (Cambridge):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the decisions which have come before him since May 1997 on school closure; and the outcome of each of those decisions.

(85356)

29
   Mrs Anne Campbell (Cambridge):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what the additional amount of money is which Cambridgeshire County Council would have delegated to schools in 1998-99, if the proportion delegated had been at the level of the local education authority which delegated the highest proportion.

(85357)

30
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what steps his Department is taking to develop the use of IT in schools in inner city areas.

(85332)

31
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what success the New Deal has had in reducing the number of unemployed young people.

(85335)

32
   Mr Damian Green (Ashford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what guidance he has given the Further Education Funding Council on the future of franchising activity by colleges; and if he will make a statement.

(85466)

33
N   Mr Patrick Nicholls (Teignbridge):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many NVQ Levels III have been de-accredited since 1st September 1998; what is his estimate of the number of small and medium-sized businesses which no longer have their preferred NVQ available to them for modern apprenticeships; and if he will make a statement.

(85125)

34
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the effect of genetically-modified pollen on butterflies.

(85285)

35
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the objectives of the standard spending assessment review.

(84968)

36
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what meetings he has had with ministers of other departments in connection with the review of standard spending assessments.

(84969)

37
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the (a) benefits and (b) disadvantages of exempting lorry and bus drivers from European Union eye sight standards.

(85261)

38
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what measures his Department has taken to develop mechanisms for sharing (a) information and (b) best practice between local authorities in the West Midlands.

(85273)

39
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when the Road Safety Strategy will be published; and what representations he has received on the inclusion of casualty reduction targets.

(85262)

40
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what measures the Government is taking to increase walking and cycling in urban areas.

(85260)

41
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many road fatalities there were among (a) cyclists and (b) pedestrians in (i) Coventry, (ii) the United Kingdom and (iii) each EU member state in the last year for which figures are available.

(85259)

42
   Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow, Pollok):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to ban the import of all forms of asbestos; if he has received the Health and Safety Commission's recommendation on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

(85473)

43
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he will make a decision on London Transport's proposals for changes in their bye laws concerning busking.

(85319)

44
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to consult buskers on the proposed London Transport bye law changes relating to busking; and if he will make a statement.

(85321)

45
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what criteria London Transport intends to apply when giving permission for individuals to busk on London Underground.

(85320)

46
   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Chatham and Aylesford of 22nd March, Official Report, columns 50-1, on road noise mitigation if tunnel roads include motorways; over what period the 80dB(A) noise level will be measured; and whether local authorities will be provided with the noise level predictions for the design years of the roads which may qualify in their area.

(85439)

47
   Caroline Flint (Don Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will report on the work of the Peat Working Group.

(85436)

48
   Mr Bill Olner (Nuneaton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on his Department's support for full implementation of EU Directive 94/57 on the freedom to provide classification and other shipping services; and what progress has been made by EU member states in implementing this Directive.

(85307)

49
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the percentage of households receiving assistance under the (a) new home energy efficiency schemes and (b) new home energy efficiency plus schemes which will be removed from his Department's definition of fuel poverty.

(85470)

50
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many of the households included in the (a) new home energy efficiency plus schemes and (b) new home energy efficiency schemes will be in (i) England, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Wales.

(85472)

51
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how much money is available to be spent on new home energy efficiency schemes and new home energy efficiency plus schemes in the next two years; and what proportion of this will be spent on (a) grants to households and (b) administration and other costs.

(85467)

52
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of (i) the number of homes to be improved, (ii) what the average new grant will be and (iii) the average improvement in terms of the standard assessment procedure rating of homes under the (a) new home energy efficiency schemes and (b) new home energy efficiency plus schemes.

(85468)

53
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he had made of the average change in the proportion of income spent on heating by households who receive home improvements under the (a) new home energy efficiency schemes and (b) new home energy efficiency plus schemes.

(85469)

54
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what proportion of the expenditure announced in Fuel Poverty: The New Home Energy Efficiency Schemes to alleviate fuel poverty will be allocated to (a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales.

(85471)

55
   Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what issues were discussed at the first meeting of the Advisory Group on Motorcycling; when its next meeting will be held; and what procedures exist for members of the public to make representations to the Group.

(85338)

56
   Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the membership of the Advisory Group on Motorcycling.

(85337)

57
N   Mr Tony Worthington (Clydebank and Milngavie):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what regulations exist concerning the frequency with which air is circulated in planes; and what changes there have been to these in the past three years.

(84790)

58
N   Mr Tony Worthington (Clydebank and Milngavie):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received about air circulation in planes; and what proposals he has to change the regulations relating to the circulation of air on planes.

(84791)

59
N   Mr Tony Worthington (Clydebank and Milngavie):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what health risks are associated with inadequate air circulation on planes; and what monitoring activity he undertakes.

(84792)

60
N   Mr Tony Worthington (Clydebank and Milngavie):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on progress being made on banning the importation, sale and use of white asbestos.

(84877)

61
N   Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 4th May, Official Report, column 348, on endowment policies, on the basis of what evidence he stated that the prices offered for second-hand endowment policies are tending to converge with surrender values.

(85122)

62
N   Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the Government's policy on the functionality of secondary markets in financial services; and what plans he has to ensure that consumers are made aware of the existence of secondary markets in financial services.

(85124)

63
N   Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 4th May, Official Report, columns 348-9, on endowment policies, what estimate he has made of the size of the traded endowment market.

(85123)

64
N   Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 4th May, Official Report, column 348, on endowment policies, what estimate he has made of the cost of extending the scope of the Financial Services Act 1986 to include all dealings in traded endowment policies.

(85121)

65
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the relocation of the headquarters or other offices of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions to the United Kingdom.

(85127)

66
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has held with the International Organisation of Securities Commissions on the relocation of its headquarters to the United Kingdom.

(85126)

67
N   Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the average weekly earnings (a) including and (b) excluding overtime for part-time workers in (i) Scotland, (ii) each of the unitary local authority areas in Scotland and (iii) Great Britain, broken down for men and women in manual employment and non-manual employment and for all workers.

(85051)

68
N   Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the percentage of workers on adult rates of pay in part-time employment whose hourly earnings (a) including and (b) excluding overtime pay are less than (i) £4.79, (ii) £6.38, (iii) £6.90 and (iv) £3.60 in (1) Scotland, (2) each of the unitary local authority areas in Scotland and (3) Great Britain, broken down by (A) male manual, (B) male non-manual, (C) female manual, (D) female non-manual, (E) all manual, (F) all non-manual and (G) all workers.

(85050)

69
   Dr Desmond Turner (Brighton, Kemptown):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will discuss with the Director General of Fair Trading the operation of the Rules of the London Stock Exchange as they relate to the publication of information affecting employees of listed companies.

(85318)

70
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of Russia about the supply of weapons to countries in the Middle East.

(85333)

71
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to promote trade with Angola.

(85329)

72
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Governments of Pakistan and India concerning their signing of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

(85331)

73
   Mr Andrew Rowe (Faversham and Mid Kent):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps Her Majesty's Government is taking to support an improvement in relations between India and Pakistan; and if he will make a statement.

(85304)

74
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 18th May, Official Report, column 321, concerning long-term care, if his Department will assist interested bodies in promoting a full public debate on the findings of the Royal Commission.

(85057)

75
   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress is being made in the development of services for (a) the prevention and (b) the treatment of prostate cancer.

(85323)

76
   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has for developments in the treatment of prostate cancer.

(85325)

77
   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to educate men about the possible early signs of prostate cancer.

(85324)

78
   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of likely trends in the incidence of prostate cancer in men over the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

(85322)

79
N   Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland and Melton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice is issued by his Department to local education authorities over the treatment of children of school age suffering anaphylactic allergic reactions.

(85264)

80
N   Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland and Melton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice his Department has received on the appropriate treatment of anaphylactic allergic reactions in school children, from (a) the Anaphylaxis Campaign and (b) professional bodies.

(85265)

81
N   Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland and Melton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidelines his Department has issued to local health authorities on the provision of advice to local education authorities in developing care plans for pupils suffering from potentially life-threatening medical conditions.

(85266)

82
N   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to co-ordinate a meeting to discuss new cancer treatment initiatives.

(85078)

83
N   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to publish his list of new medical student places.

(85079)

84
   Mr Stephen Hesford (Wirral West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of current levels of health inequalities in England; and if he will make a statement.

(85316)

85
   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list, by region, the (a) mean and (b) median waiting times for (i) ordinary care and (ii) day care patients since 1991.

(85303)

86
   Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to answer the letter from the honourable Member for South East Cambridgeshire dated 12th November 1998 regarding his constituent Mr D Coombes and the drug Beta Interferon.

(85336)

87
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what reasons underlay the refusal of the bid for funding under the Investing in Dentistry scheme submitted by Paul Carlin of Shipley Bridge, South Brent, Devon.

(84078)

88
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dental practices in England and Wales have received funding under the Investing in Dentistry project in each year since its inception; and if he will provide a breakdown of what it has been spent on.

(84206)

89
N   Mr David Tredinnick (Bosworth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many enforcement officers the Medicines Control Agency currently employs; what changes there have been in this number in the past year; and what plans there are to increase this number.

(85222)

90
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to encourage liaison between the Prison Education Service and the University for Industry.

(85267)

91
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much money has been spent to date by (a) the Crown Prosecution Service, (b) the police and (c) his Department on investigations into electoral malpractice in Hackney Borough; and if he will make a statement.

(85361)

92
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action he is taking to enhance the recruitment, retention and promotion of black and Asian police officers in the Metropolitan Police Force.

(85334)

93
N   Mr Richard Livsey (Brecon and Radnorshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on developments in the investigation of the case of murdered private investigator Daniel Morgan.

(85052)

94
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answers of 22nd February, Official Report, column 103, on young offenders and 2nd March, Official Report, column 636, on persistent offenders, when he plans to write to the Right honourable Member for Penrith and the Border.

(85433)

95
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will request the Police Complaints Authority to report to him on the circumstances of the death of Diarmuid O'Neill under section 97(1) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984; and if he will lay the report before Parliament.

(85340)

96
   Mr Bill Olner (Nuneaton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures have been implemented at airports to check children's passports.

(85327)

97
   Mr Bill Olner (Nuneaton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children's passports have been issued within the last 12 months.

(85326)

98
   Mr Bill Olner (Nuneaton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps have been taken in respect of the endorsement of children's passports with relevant court orders.

(85328)

99
   Mrs Diana Organ (Forest of Dean):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many call outs were responded to by the Gloucestershire Fire Brigade in (a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999 to date.

(85440)

100
   Mrs Diana Organ (Forest of Dean):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many deaths caused by fire occurred in Gloucestershire in (a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999 to date.

(85441)

101
   Mr Stephen Twigg (Enfield, Southgate):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to publish the statistics on central Government department grants to the voluntary sector for the last two years.

(85355)

102
   Mrs Ann Winterton (Congleton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many drug-free units there are in prisons in England and Wales; and if he will list the prisons in which they operate.

(85443)

103
   Jacqui Smith (Redditch):    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department, when the consultation paper setting out the proposals for the Community Legal Service will be published.

(85442)

104
   Mrs Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey):    To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral Answer of 19th May, Official Report, column 1060, if he will list the Cabinet meetings he has not attended; and for what reasons he did not rearrange those Cabinet meetings.

(85438)

105
   Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):    To ask the Prime Minister, what progress has been made in drawing up concordats between UK departments, the National Assembly for Wales and the Scottish Executive.

(85435)

106
   Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the responsibilities of each Scottish Office Minister after 1st July.

(85434)

107
N   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):    To ask the Prime Minister, what plans he has to co-ordinate a meeting to discuss new cancer treatment initiatives.

(85077)

108
   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):    To ask the Prime Minister, how many public interest immunity certificates have been issued by Ministers or their officials since 1st May 1997; and if he will list the occasions on which such certificates have been issued.

(85359)

109
N   Mr Tony Worthington (Clydebank and Milngavie):    To ask the Prime Minister, what undertakings were given to the Government of Macedonia during his recent visit to Macedonia, with respect to (a) levels of aid from the United Kingdom, (b) the willingness of the United Kingdom to accept refugees from Macedonia, (c) assistance and the speed of delivery of assistance from the European Union and (d) help from international financial institutions; and what progress has been made in fulfilling these undertakings.

(84788)

110
N   Mr Tony Worthington (Clydebank and Milngavie):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement about progress made in providing assistance to Macedonia and Albania as an outcome of the Donors' Meeting held in Paris on 5th May.

(84789)

111
N   Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what are the distribution figures across (i) higher and further education institutions in Scotland and (ii) higher and further education courses in Scotland for the Government's target of (a) 750,000 higher and further education places in Scotland, (b) increasing the number of higher and further education places in Scotland by 42,000 and (c) 40,000 full time equivalent places in Scotland by 2001-02.

(84876)

112
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will make a statement on the minimum pension guarantee.

(84028)

113
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what proportion of his Department's payment books issued in Essex in the last 12 months were produced (a) manually and (b) by computer.

(85253)

114
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what assessment he has made of the reliability of IT systems in his Department's offices in Essex.

(85257)

115
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many complaints were received in the last 12 months by his Department's offices in Essex relating to (a) delays in payment book issue and (b) breaches of confidentiality.

(85256)

116
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if the computer system in his Department's office in Chelmsford is compatible with that in his Department's office in Southend.

(85254)

117
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what action he is taking to improve IT provision in his Department's offices in Essex.

(85255)

118
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what procedures are followed to ensure the delivery of a high-quality service in his Department's offices in Essex.

(85252)

119
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if his Department's offices in Essex are linked via a Wide Area computer network.

(85258)

120
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, to which companies the Government has made payments for consultancy regarding the computerisation of the Benefits Agency in the last three years; how much was paid to each company; what the current status of the project is; and if he will make a statement.

(85437)

121
   Mr Martin Caton (Gower):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to remove the three month limit for backdating payments unders successful posthumous applications for disablement benefit introduced in the Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 1997.

(85302)

122
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what proportion of local authorities have agreements in place with the Post Office to prevent redirection of housing benefit girocheques.

(85227)

123
N   Mr John M. Taylor (Solihull):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what was the ratio of persons working and paying income tax to persons in receipt of state retirement pension in (i) 1978-79, (ii) 1988-89 and (iii) 1998-99.

(85286)

124
N   Mr David Winnick (Walsall North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will make a statement on the amount which widows are due to receive under SERPS from 2000.

(84019)

125
   Mr David Amess (Southend West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to encourage the use of the new BSI BS8600 for customer complaints.

(85339)

126
   Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list those purposes for which his Department and its executive agencies require a birth certificate to be furnished by (a) employees, (b) contractors, (c) those applying for employment or contracts and (d) other persons.

(85317)

127
   Mr Michael Foster (Worcester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his Answer of 28th April, Official Report, column 194, on raw cow's milk, if he will list the honourable Members who wrote to him in April regarding the Monopoly and Mergers enquiry.

(85360)

128
   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has made for a British delegation to the World Science Congress in Budapest.

(85305)

129
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions he has had with UK retailers concerning their sourcing policies for clothing and textiles; and if he will make a statement.

(85330)

130
   Mr Bill Rammell (Harlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what was the outcome of the Research Council held in Brussels on 20th May; and if he will make a statement.

(85358)

131
N   Mr Gerry Steinberg (City of Durham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what protocols have been agreed between his Department and the Scottish Office in relation to the expenditure of European Structural Funds in Scotland and compliance with rules and conditions imposed by the European Union; and how he intends to apply such protocols to the funding of the proposed funicular railway on the Cairngorm.

(85263)

132
   Mr John Cryer (Hornchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the nature and basis of the statutory regulations relating to safety in connection with repair or construction work on bridges and other structures over tidal water on the River Thames upstream of Gravesend, with particular reference to those applying to the specification of safety boats and the qualifications of their crews.

[Transferrred] (85306)