Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1998-98
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The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Wednesday 10 November 1999

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 10 November 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.

WEDNESDAY 10th NOVEMBER

1
N   Caroline Flint (Don Valley):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how much of the meat served in government departments is British; and how much of the meat served in government departments complies with United Kingdom animal welfare regulations.

(98033)

2
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how much his Department spent on external consultants and advisors in each of the last four financial years.

(97416)

3
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many British fishing licences were frozen in 1998 pending investigation of alleged fisheries offences.

(98168)

4
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many written warnings were issued by the Chief Fisheries Inspector in 1998.

(98167)

5
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, on how many occasions the Chief Fisheries Inspector has abandoned investigations in the past three years.

(98188)

6
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many cautions under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 were issued by British sea fisheries officers to skippers and/or owners of British-registered fishing vessels in 1998.

(98169)

7
   Mr Damian Green (Ashford):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many animals were discovered carrying (a) ticks and (b) tapeworms when entering the United Kingdom in (i) 1997, (ii) 1998 and (iii) 1999 to the end of October.

(98086)

8
   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what provisions of (a) the Treaty of Rome and (b) World Trade Organisation rules govern the banning of imports of (i) beef, (ii) sheepmeat, (iii) pork, (iv) venison and (v) poultry on the basis of animal welfare standards.

(98069)

9
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will make it her policy to encourage (a) utility and (b) other sector regulators to adopt the principles contained in her Department's Regulatory Impact Assessment guidelines in respect of their regulatory decisions.

(98051)

10
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many proposals to impose new regulations on business have been dropped as a result of the application of Regulatory Impact Assessment.

(98049)

11
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the costs (a) reduced and (b) avoided as a result of the use of Regulatory Impact Assessments for the last year for which figures are available.

(98043)

12
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will set (a) departmental and (b) overall targets for reducing the burden of regulation, measured by (i) volume of regulatory requirements and (ii) costs imposed by those requirements.

(98550)

13
   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will list the special advisors currently employed by each government department, including the Prime Minister's Office, and their previous employment.

(98192)

14
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will instruct the Anti-drugs Co-ordinator to include within the remit of the drugs action teams the problem of drugs and driving.

(98116)

15
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much her Department spent on external consultants and advisors in each of the last four financial years.

(97423)

16
   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):    To ask the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the Church Commissioners, what progress has been made with the Government's application under Annex H of the 6th VAT EU Directive to exempt labour-intensive work from VAT.

(98081)

17
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what his policy is on providing funding for films made and produced outside the South East of England.

(97297)

18
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much his Department spent on external consultants and advisors in each of the last four financial years.

(97425)

19
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will break down the total cost of establishing the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council.

(97992)

20
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many sports are currently supporting scholarships in higher and further education; and if he will list them.

(97993)

21
N   Mr John Wilkinson (Ruislip-Northwood):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make a statement on the use to which the Millennium Dome will be put after the millennium celebrations are completed.

(97190)

22
   Mr Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the efficiency savings made as a result of the closure of RAF Locking and the transfer of personnel to RAF Cosford.

(98123)

23
   Mr Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) civilian and (b) military personnel were made redundant following the closure of RAF Locking.

(98122)

24
   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list those schools in the United Kingdom which run (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) Royal Air Force cadet training centres, indicating which are comprehensive schools.

(98189)

25
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department spent on external consultants and advisors in each of the last four financial years.

(97418)

26
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions his Department held with English Heritage in respect of proposed developments and disposals of buildings at Colchester Garrison.

(98161)

27
   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what discussions he has had with the Further Education Funding Council about the funding of persons studying with the University for Industry.

(98141)

28
   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when he expects the specifications for Curriculum 2000 to be published.

(98142)

29
   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if the proposed Learning and Skills Council will have any responsibility for funding students learning with the University for Industry.

(98143)

30
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when he intends to introduce the scheme to provide for the low cost rental of computers to low income families.

(97914)

31
N   Caroline Flint (Don Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what proportion of people employed by each local authority in Yorkshire and Humberside are registered disabled.

(98032)

32
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how much his Department spent on external consultants and advisors in each of the last four financial years.

(97428)

33
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what percentage increase in education SSA has been set for Shropshire for the forthcoming financial year.

(98164)

34
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what the estimated increase is in the cost of teachers' pensions in Shropshire for 2000-01 compared with 1999-2000; and how this will be funded.

(98165)

35
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what the education SSA is for a pupil of (a) primary and (b) secondary school age in (i) the London Borough of Southwark and (ii) Shropshire.

(98163)

36
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what the estimated cost is of performance-related pay for teachers in Shropshire in 2000-01; and how this will be funded.

(98166)

37
   Mr Damian Green (Ashford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has for the future funding of the Kent Education Business Partnership; and if he will make a statement.

(98083)

38
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many students participate in sports scholarship schemes in further and higher education.

(97994)

39
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many higher and further educational establishments run sports scholarship schemes in the United Kingdom; and if he will list them.

(97990)

40
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is his estimate of the total value in cash terms of sports scholarships in further and higher education per annum.

(97991)

41
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, for what reasons the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the honourable Member for Barking, has not answered the letters of 5th July, 23rd September and 21st October to her from the honourable Member for Totnes regarding meetings between herself and a constituent of the honourable Member for Totnes; and if she will make a statement.

(97705)

42
N   Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the recommendation in the SERPLAN report relating to the area around Gatwick Airport and Crawley.

(97829)

43
N   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the fairness of the allocation to Nottinghamshire County Council of education standard spending assessment.

(97870)

44
N   Caroline Flint (Don Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the daily volume of traffic on the M18; what is the capacity of the motorway; and what is the projected traffic volume for 2000, 2005 and 2010.

(98026)

45
N   Caroline Flint (Don Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the funds received from the Single Regeneration Budget by organisations (a) within the Doncaster Borough and (b) within Dearne Valley in each of the last five years.

(98029)

46
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how much his Department spent on external consultants and advisors in each of the last four financial years.

(97427)

47
N   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the impact of water price reductions upon the provision of subsidised bill payment facilities.

(98012)

48
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the impact of proposed reductions in charges for water on (a) water company operations, (b) sewage treatment activities and (c) water company investment.

(98140)

49
   Mr Damian Green (Ashford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what car mileage was travelled on official business by staff of the Environment Agency in (a) 1996-97 and (b) 1997-98; and if he will make a statement.

(98084)

50
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the number of people who regularly take a motor vehicle on the public highway without a valid driving licence.

(98039)

51
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many road vehicles in use in the UK (a) do not have an up-to-date road tax disc, (b) are not registered in the name of the present keeper of the vehicle and have not been so for more than one month and (c) do not have valid insurance.

(98038)

52
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the DVLC is millennium compliant for all of its operations; and if he will make a statement.

(98036)

53
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the extent of delays by the Driving Standards Agency in arranging approved driving instructor tests.

(98070)

54
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received about waiting times in arranging approved driving instructor tests for members of the armed forces preparing for resettlement.

(98071)

55
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many (a) private, (b) council and (c) registered social landlord houses have been built in each of the last 10 years in (i) England and Wales, (ii) Greater London and (iii) the London Borough of Enfield.

(98052)

56
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to include guidance in the modernised planning regime on the need for affordable rented accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

(98054)

57
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when the Housing Green Paper will be published; and if he will make a statement.

(98053)

58
   Mr Jonathan R. Shaw (Chatham and Aylesford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many representations his Department has received from local authorities asking for greater powers to enforce high standards of work when companies are laying cables in residential areas.

(98124)

59
   Mr Jonathan R. Shaw (Chatham and Aylesford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what measures are in place to prevent cable-laying companies causing disruption in residential areas.

(98125)

60
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the members of local forums set up to oversee the National Countryside Access Forum; what are the terms of reference of these forums; and if he will make a statement.

(98104)

61
   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the total amount of compensation paid following the cancellation of the Polegate bypass project.

(98068)

62
   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when work on the Polegate bypass will begin.

(98064)

63
   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the total amount of greenfield land in respect of which developers have been granted options, broken down by regions.

(98065)

64
   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he plans to publish statistics for new development on (a) greenfield and (b) brownfield sites.

(98063)

65
   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the total amount of greenfield land in respect of which planning permission for new development has been granted, broken down by region.

(98066)

66
   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the total amount of greenfield land in respect of which applications for planning permission are currently pending, broken down by region.

(98067)

67
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he intends introducing changes to the tax rules that will allow employees to make use of workplace computers for personal use without being liable for their taxation as a benefit in kind.

(97913)

68
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the problems posed by anonymous numbered bank accounts in dealing with large-scale purveyors of drugs and the financing of the provision of chemical precursors to those who process coca leaves and other raw materials for drugs.

(96885)

69
   Mr Denzil Davies (Llanelli):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what was the total cost to public funds of printing and publishing Building Trust in Statistics (Cm 4412).

(98040)

70
N   Caroline Flint (Don Valley):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he will take to ensure that recipients of working families tax credit are able to make provision for a retirement pension.

(98030)

71
N   Caroline Flint (Don Valley):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many calls have been received by the Working Families Tax Credit Hotline since its inception (a) nationally and (b) in the Yorkshire and the Humberside Region.

(98031)

72
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much his Department spent on external consultants and advisors in each of the last four financial years.

(97415)

73
   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many category-lines of duty there are on imported goods and services under the integrated tariff of the United Kingdom.

(98162)

74
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what rate of VAT applies to (a) building repairs and (b) energy-saving materials in France.

(98138)

75
N   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of loss of revenue consequent upon bookmakers moving their business offshore.

(98011)

76
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many independent financial advisers have been prevented by the regulators from offering financial advice to the public, and for what reasons, since the start of phase 1 of the Pensions Mis-selling Review.

(98077)

77
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many independent financial advisers have applied to the pass scheme for professional indemnity insurance and have not obtained such insurance.

(98078)

78
   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received as to the fairness and legality of the tax treatment of former tenants of the Land Settlement Association in respect of the settlement of their litigation against the Ministry of Agriculture in 1991; and if he will make a statement.

(98082)

79
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has held with the Financial Services Authority on the subject of financial exclusion; and if he will make a statement.

(98057)

80
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the deficit and surplus of the National Insurance Fund in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

(98059)

81
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the number of bonded labourers working in (a) India, (b) Pakistan and (c) Nepal.

(97997)

82
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action his Department is taking to enforce Article 1 of the United Nations Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade, and Institutions and Practices Similar to Slavery, 1956.

(97999)

83
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much his Department spent on external consultants and advisors in each of the last four financial years.

(97417)

84
   Mr Damian Green (Ashford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Norwegian Government on the resumption of Minke whale hunting by Norwegian whalers.

(98085)

85
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the Government's current assessment of the political situation in Sri Lanka.

(98060)

86
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the authorities in the north of Cyprus regarding the situation of the Greek Cypriot community; and if he will make a statement.

(98058)

87
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what was the value of armaments exports to (a) Greece, (b) Turkey and (c) Cyprus in each of the last 10 years; on what occasions a licence for the export of arms to each country was refused during that time; and if he will make a statement.

(98061)

88
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the services available on the NHS for arachnoiditis sufferers.

(97411)

89
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the total number of people in the United Kingdom suffering from arachnoiditis.

(97410)

90
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance he has issued to health authorities on the use of (a) Depo-medrone and (b) Kenalog.

(97412)

91
N   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had or plans to have with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions to ensure that planning permissions given to new nursing homes take account of the impact such consents have on local medical services.

(97867)

92
N   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has commissioned or evaluated into arachnoiditis; and what plans he has to introduce a compensation scheme for people who developed arachnoiditis following the administration to them of myodil lumbar myelography.

(97996)

93
   Mr Jim Dobbin (Heywood and Middleton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the criteria in the new guidelines for granting status as a designated cancer hospital.

(98115)

94
   Mr Jim Dobbin (Heywood and Middleton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the cancer hospitals that meet the criteria in the new guidelines for status as a designated cancer hospital.

(98106)

95
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department spent on external consultants and advisors in each of the last four financial years.

(97421)

96
N   Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has received of the likely cost of prescribing statins to (a) all secondary prevention patients and (b) all primary prevention patients with an annual risk of coronary event of 3 per cent. or more.

(98009)

97
N   Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he intends to publish the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease on 18th November.

(98010)

98
N   Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the in-patient waiting list figures announced monthly by his Department include patients on the Booked List who have been given a date for treatment, but have not yet received it.

(98008)

99
   Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the financial surplus and deficit of (a) each NHS region in England and Wales, (b) each health authority and (c) each hospital trust after the first six months of financial years (i) 1999-2000 and (ii) 1998-99; and what was the target for the end of 1999-2000.

(98074)

100
   Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the political balance of members of community health councils; and if he will make a statement.

(98075)

101
   Mr John M. Taylor (Solihull):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what continuing responsibility his Department has for ensuring that commitments relating to accrued NHS pension rights are honoured by the QA Business Services; and if he will make a statement.

(98080)

102
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate for each of the last three years the number of flu vaccinations given to the over (a) 60s and (b) 75s; and if he will make a statement on the availability of flu vaccinations for those aged between 60 and 75 years.

(98105)

103
N   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure that police forces and local authorities use the powers available to them under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

(97868)

104
   Mr Michael Colvin (Romsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the constabularies of England showing (a) their establishments and (b) the numbers of constables they are short of.

(98121)

105
   Mr Michael Colvin (Romsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average earnings are of police constables in England, excluding the Metropolitan Police.

(98120)

106
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of cases of corruption involving (a) police, (b) prison and (c) customs officers which have involved illegal drugs in each of the last five years.

(97509)

107
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much his Department spent on external consultants and advisors in each of the last four financial years.

(97424)

108
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what evaluation his Department's assessors made of the proposals for prison regimes of the separate bidders for the contract to manage HMP Doncaster; and if he will make a statement.

(97728)

109
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information relating to the competitive tendering process for the management of prison contracts is made publicly available; and if he will make a statement.

(97732)

110
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what costs will be incurred, and who will be responsible for them, as a result of the transfer of the management of HMP Buckley Hall from Group 4 to the Prison Service; and if he will make a statement.

(97735)

111
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on his plans to market-test prisons which fail to meet performance standards; and if he will make a statement.

(97737)

112
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what powers are available to his Department to ring-fence funding for the recruitment of police officers; and if he will make a statement.

(97739)

113
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish the bid evaluation documents relating to the competitive tendering process for (a) HMP Doncaster and (b) HMP Buckley Hall; and if he will make a statement.

(97726)

114
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the criteria are for evaluating bids for the management of prisons; and if he will make a statement.

(97730)

115
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the reason is for extending the period of new private prison contracts to 10 years from the previous limit of five years; and if he will make a statement.

(97734)

116
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish the results of HMP Doncaster and HMP Buckley Hall on key performance indicators in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(97727)

117
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what overall evaluation his Department's assessors made of the separate bids for the contract to manage HMP Doncaster; and if he will make a statement.

(97729)

118
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information is considered commercially confidential by his Department in relation to the competitive tendering process for private prison contracts; and if he will make a statement.

(97733)

119
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the financial penalties which can be imposed on the managers of prisons are capped; and if he will make a statement.

(97736)

120
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the new Crime Fighting Fund will be ring-fenced for (a) the recruitment of new police officers and (b) general front-line policing responsibilities; and if he will make a statement.

(97738)

121
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how the Crime Fighting Fund will be distributed between police forces; and if he will make a statement.

(97740)

122
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if (a) Ministers and (b) Prison Service managers can overrule the assessment of those evaluating the bids for contracts to manage prisons; and if he will make a statement.

(97731)

123
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police authorities in England and Wales use horse-mounted police officers as part of their regular complement.

(98076)

124
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what action her Department is taking to end the practice of bonded labour.

(97998)

125
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department spent on external consultants and advisors in each of the last four financial years.

(97422)

126
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how much the Lord Chancellor's Department spent on external consultants and advisors in each of the last four financial years.

(97419)

127
   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what the cost was of the reorganisation of London's magistrates' courts pursuant to the Access to Justice Act 1999; and how many permanent jobs will be (a) lost or (b) created within the court service by virtue of the reorganisation.

(98139)

128
   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what his Department's procedure is for appointing General Commissioners of Taxation; and for what period his committee on appointments of General Commissions of Taxation has been without a chairman.

(98101)

129
   Mr Gareth Thomas (Clwyd West):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans he has for a comprehensive review of the Criminal Justice System; and if he will make a statement.

(98102)

130
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many security force personnel from the (a) RUC and (b) British Army were deployed in Portadown on the evening of 25th September for the duration of a band parade; and what was the cost of the security operation, including the deployment of helicopters.

(97761)

131
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many arches over roadways were erected between 1st and 15th June in respect of which no applications had been made to the road service in Northern Ireland under Article 73 of the Roads (NI) Order 1993; and what prosecutions have taken place for breach of Article 73 of the Roads (NI) Order 1993.

(97760)

132
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many applications were made to the road service in Northern Ireland under Article 73 of the Roads (NI) Order 1993 between 1st and 15th June for arches over roadways; how many such applications were (a) refused and (b) granted; and if he will list them.

(97758)

133
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what level of public liability insurance indemnifying his Department against claims in respect of injury was required in each successful application for arches over roadways made to the road service in Northern Ireland under Article 73 of the Roads (NI) Order 1993 between 1st and 15th June.

(97759)

134
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much his Department spent on external consultants and advisors in each of the last four financial years.

(97426)

135
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral Answer of 19th October, Official Report, column 261, what agreement he has reached with participants at the Tampere Summit to draw up a list of action to take against secrecy and illegality in matters related to actual and suspected drug transactions.

(96884)

136
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Prime Minister, what plans he has for the appointment of an official to coordinate the Government's policies on combatting homelessness.

(97598)

137
N   Mr Archy Kirkwood (Roxburgh and Berwickshire):    To ask the Prime Minister, what proposals he has for the parliamentary scrutiny of the Social Exclusion Unit.

(96788)

138
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much his Department spent on external consultants and advisors in each of the last four financial years.

(97414)

139
   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people are currently waiting for their pension application to be processed by Newcastle Benefit Office; and when the Office expects to process applications from people who reached the age of 60 in September.

(98190)

140
N   Caroline Flint (Don Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people in receipt of family credit have (a) private and (b) occupational pension arrangements.

(98023)

141
N   Caroline Flint (Don Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many (a) single people and (b) couples with dependent children have received earnings top up in each of the pilot areas.

(98027)

142
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, when the proposed new measures to trace pensioners entitled to the minimum income guarantee will be introduced; and for what reason the measures were not taken in April.

(97510)

143
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how much his Department spent on external consultants and advisors in each of the last four financial years.

(97413)

144
N   Helen Jackson (Sheffield, Hillsborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what progress he is making towards coordinating departmental policy towards financial support for pensioners.

(96800)

145
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate how many pensioners in each of the last 10 years were in receipt of occupational and other pensions additional to the state retirement pensions and the percentage of those pensioners who were receiving (a) up to £10, (b) £10 to £20, (c) £20 to £50, (d) £50 to £100, (e) £100 to £200 and (f) over £200 per week from such sources.

(98055)

146
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many pensioners are not claiming the minimum income guarantee; what is the average resulting loss of income to those pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

(98062)

147
   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many benefit claimants received a social fund (a) grant or (b) loan in each of the last five years in (i) Greater London, (ii) Leaside district and (iii) Edmonton constituency; what was the total amount of (A) grant and (B) loan in (i), (ii), and (iii); and if he will make a statement.

(98056)

148
   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, which software providers have responded to Stakeholder Pension Consultation Brief 6.

(98119)

149
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his Answer of 4th November, Official Report, column 310, if in response to his Department continuing to make payments direct to lenders, lenders have undertaken under the 1991 agreement to continue not to take possession; and if the agreement relates only to cases where income support covers 100 per cent. of the mortgage interest.

(98191)

150
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps are being taken to reduce the cost of access to the Internet through flat-rate pricing.

(97971)

151
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the information technology projects currently being undertaken by his Department and agencies responsible to his Department, indicating the (a) start date, (b) planned completion date, (c) expected completion date, (d) planned cost and (e) estimated cost; and if he will make a statement.

(98042)

152
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to encourage flat-rate pricing to reduce the cost of access to the Internet.

(97995)

153
N   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has received regarding the exclusion of Netherfield within the Gedling Borough Council area from the Objective 2 map for European funding; and if he will make a statement.

(97869)

154
N   Caroline Flint (Don Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many employers have been found to be in contravention of national minimum wage legislation since its inception.

(98037)

155
N   Caroline Flint (Don Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what has been the volume of inward investment in the Doncaster area for each of the last five years; and how many companies have made such investments.

(98028)

156
N   Caroline Flint (Don Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many calls have been received by the Minimum Wage Hotline (a) nationally and (b) from the Yorkshire and the Humberside Region since it was opened.

(98024)

157
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much his Department spent on external consultants and advisors in each of the last four financial years.

(97420)

158
N   Mr Andrew George (St Ives):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the cross-department co-ordination of plans for EU Objective 1 matched funding.

(96779)

159
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has received on the impact on the world's forests of steps to reduce and eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers to the trade in wood products.

(98073)

160
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the impact on the world's forests of steps to reduce and eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers to the trade in wood products.

(98072)

161
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what proposals he has to fund research in respect of the possible long-term effects of prolonged exposure to extremely low-intensity radiation from telecommunication masts; and if he will make a statement.

(98103)

162
   Mr Denzil Davies (Llanelli):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what percentage of the work force in Wales was employed in the public sector at the latest available date.

(98041)

163
   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales regarding obtaining matched funding for Objective 1 funding; and what assessment he has made of the sources this funding will come from.

(98194)

164
   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales concerning how funding approved under Objective 1 criteria is to be spent.

(98193)

165
N   Mr Robert Walter (North Dorset):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list for 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2001-02, the departmental expenditure limits of the Wales Office (a) as they were before the negotiation of Objective 1 status for West Wales and the Valleys and (b) as they are now; what amounts are available to meet that expenditure from (i) the block grant, (ii) local authority credit approvals, (iii) European Union grants broken down by programme and (iv) the private sector element of matched funding.

(97699)

166
N   Caroline Flint (Don Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the amounts of money received under European Union programmes (a) within the Doncaster Borough and (b) within Dearne Valley for each year since 1979 to the most recent available date.

[Transferred] (98025)

167
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussion he has held with the Anti-drugs Co-ordinator on the dangers of taking (a) illicit and (b) prescription drugs and driving.

[Transferred] (98117)

168
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment she has made of the report, Ecstacy Use in Northern Ireland: a Qualitative Study, with particular reference to its conclusions, on drugs and driving.

[Transferred] (98118)