Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1999-2000
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The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Tuesday 8 February 2000

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 8 February 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.

TUESDAY 8th FEBRUARY

1
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what was the average cost of issuing a media release from his Department in the last 12 months.

(108890)

2
N   Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what pesticide approvals for glufosinate ammonium have been given in respect of trials of genetically-modified crops carried out under Part B of Council Directive 90/220 on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically-modified organisms.

(109221)

3
N   Mr John Swinney (North Tayside):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will estimate the impact of increasing the minimum wage (a) in line with average earnings, (b) to £4 per hour and (c) to £4.20 per hour on the cost of salaries of the Civil Service (i) in total and (ii) for each nation of the United Kingdom in the next financial year.

(108654)

4
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what was the average cost of issuing a media release from his Department in the last 12 months.

(108892)

5
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what authority the US Government sought from his Department before commencing the construction of an anti-ballistic missile system at RAF Menwith Hill.

(108893)

6
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department permits the use of MoD land by the United States for activities contrary to the terms of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.

(108896)

7
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations his Department has received from the French Government in respect of anti-ballistic missile developments at RAF Menwith Hill.

(108897)

8
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the anti-ballistic missile defence system being constructed at RAF Menwith Hill will provide protection from attack for the United Kingdom.

(108895)

9
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list for the financial year 1998-99 the number and total value of contracts let by his Department with external consultants and advisors that have (a) been put out to competitive tender, (b) not been put out to competitive tender and (c) been let on a non-commercial basis, stating in each case the names of the individuals or organisations that have carried out the work.

(109065)

10
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what evidence was used by his investigators to determine the weather conditions affecting the coastline on the Mull of Kintyre in the last 40 seconds before impact of RAF Chinook ZD 576.

(109119)

11
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what reports he has received about whether the Mull of Kintyre was covered or only partly covered in cloud as RAF Chinook ZD 576 made its final approach on 2nd June 1994.

(109121)

12
N   Mr Robert Maclennan (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what supervisory arrangements are operated to monitor the use by foreign military forces of Garvie Island, Sutherland, as a target.

(108992)

13
N   Mr Robert Maclennan (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he has approved the use of Garvie Island in Sutherland for shelling by US warships; and if he will make a statement.

(108991)

14
N   Mr Robert Maclennan (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if depleted uranium-based ammunition is authorised for use at Garvie Island, Sutherland, by (a) UK forces and (b) overseas forces; and if he will make a statement.

(108993)

15
N   Mr Robert Maclennan (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, under what arrangements exercises by non-UK forces are conducted involving the (a) shelling and (b) bombing of Garvie Island, Sutherland; and if he will make a statement.

(108990)

16
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff were seconded from the private sector to his Department from (a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999 and (c) May 1999 to the latest date for which figures are available, stating in each case the companies from which staff have been seconded.

(109074)

17
   Mr Jamie Cann (Ipswich):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what progress he has made on reforming teachers' pay.

(109246)

18
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will publish an annual report on the performance, costs and profit of the contractor appointed to run Islington's education service.

(108875)

19
N   Mr Terry Davis (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what steps are being taken to reduce the time taken to rectify pensions mis-selling to teachers in England and Wales.

(109222)

20
N   Mr Terry Davis (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many staff have been allocated by (a) the Teachers Pensions Agency and (b) the Government Actuary's Department solely to rectify the mis-selling of pensions to teachers.

(109224)

21
N   Mr Terry Davis (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is the time currently taken, in the context of pensions mis-selling, for the Teachers Pensions Agency to complete the reinstatement process once the Agency has been notified; and if he will make a statement.

(109223)

22
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list for the financial year 1998-99 the number and total value of contracts let by his Department with external consultants and advisors that have (a) been put out to competitive tender, (b) not been put out to competitive tender and (c) been let on a non-commercial basis, stating in each case the names of the individuals or organisations that have carried out the work.

(109068)

23
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment he has made of the cost of the teachers' pay rise to West Sussex Education Authority.

(109059)

24
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment the Government has made of regional variations in the performance of the New Deal; and if he will make a statement.

(109280)

25
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will provide a breakdown of the number of persons who have been taken on by the Employment Service as personal advisers on the New Deal from each of the New Deal schemes; and at what cost.

(109284)

26
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what has been the total cost of issuing letters to lone parents inviting them to participate in the New Deal for Lone Parents.

(109276)

27
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what proportion of New Deal participants who have undertaken an option have moved into the employment option; to what extent Government targets in exercise of the employment option have been achieved; and if he will make a statement.

(109283)

28
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many people have stopped claiming (a) jobseekers' allowance and (b) national insurance credits as a result of moving onto a New Deal option since April 1998.

(109271)

29
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what estimate the Government has made of the cost to businesses of participating in the New Deal in (a) the UK as a whole and (b) Cumbria.

(109285)

30
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what proportion of those participants who had left the New Deal for Lone Parents for jobs were still in employment at the latest date for which information is available.

(109278)

31
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment the Government has made of the level of retention in employment of those on the New Deal employment option; and if he will make a statement.

(109282)

32
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment he has made of the impact of each New Deal scheme on unemployment in Cumbria.

(109286)

33
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what percentage of those lone parents who have been sent a letter inviting them to join the New Deal for Lone Parents have gone on to find jobs on the scheme; how this figure relates to Government targets; and if he will make a statement.

(109277)

34
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, for what reason information relating to whether employment is sustained is not provided in the Government's statistics concerning participants leaving the New Deal for Lone Parents to enter work; and if he will make a statement.

(109275)

35
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will provide a breakdown by destination of those who have left each New Deal scheme in Cumbria between the start of each scheme and up to the latest date for which figures are available.

(109287)

36
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will provide a breakdown of the total expenditure on each of the New Deal schemes.

(109279)

37
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the (a) names, (b) departments and (c) educational establishments of the assessors employed by the Quality Assurance Agency for its subject review for universities.

(109206)

38
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is the annual cost of the Quality Assurance Agency Subject Review for Universities.

(109207)

39
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is the total number of person hours that the Quality Assurance Agency Subject Review assessors spent away from their own universities and colleges on work for the review in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

(109204)

40
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the total number of person hours spent by Quality Assurance Agency Subject Review assessors on work for the Review in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

(109205)

41
   Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to increase accessibility to bus and rail services for the (a) elderly and (b) disabled elderly.

(109248)

42
   Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to increase the availability of suitable housing to the elderly.

(109247)

43
N   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans his Department has in place to protect coasts from oil slicks.

(107317)

44
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list for each London borough the number of (a) families on the housing waiting list, (b) families on the transfer list and (c) his estimates of the number of single people who need housing but are not accepted onto waiting lists.

(108874)

45
N   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, whether the target in draft PPG 3 of 60 per cent. of homes on brownfield sites is a target for (a) each planning authority, (b) each planning region and (c) the country as a whole; and how he intends to ensure that authority and regional targets will achieve the national target.

(109013)

46
N   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what research his Department is funding into the potential severity of 100 year climatic events due to global warming; and if the Environment Agency will take this into account in commenting on planning applications.

(109012)

47
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to develop the safety management system operated by National Air Traffic Control Ltd.

(108525)

48
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to develop the working relationship between National Air Traffic Control Ltd. and Military Air Traffic Control.

(108526)

49
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to maintain safe levels in the volume of air traffic.

(108527)

50
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, to what extent repairs and maintenance to equipment used by National Air Traffic Control Ltd. will be determined by (a) need and (b) cost; and if he will make a statement.

(108528)

51
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 cost of road congestion to business.

(108529.)

52
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what recent representations he has had from representatives of the British Association of Airline Pilots and the Institute of Professional and Managerial Staffs on proposed changes in the status and organisation of air-traffic controllers; and if he will make a statement.

(107552)

53
   Mr Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received concerning the Government's planning guidance issued to local authorities relating to mobile phone masts over the past three years; and if he will make a statement.

(109288)

54
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what progress has been made in implementing the recommendation of the Social Exclusion Unit to allow housing authorities to accept as being vulnerable under the provisions of homelessness legislation 16 and 17 year olds who have no family support.

(108520)

55
N   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he intends to issue a licence allowing the de-zoning of the existing hackney carriage zones to form a single zone in Herefordshire; and if he will make a statement.

(109075)

56
N   Mr John Swinney (North Tayside):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many (a) miles of track and (b) railway junctions in Scotland are controlled by (i) colour light signal systems, (ii) radio-electronic token signals and (iii) mechanical semaphore signals.

(108652)

57
N   Mr John Swinney (North Tayside):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the track mileage in Scotland which has electronic train protection, broken down by mileage of the system used; and how many (a) miles of track and (b) junctions in Scotland are not covered by electric or electronic train protection.

(108653)

58
N   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is his estimate of the number of sub post-offices which receive (a) 50 per cent. rates relief and (b) 100 per cent. rates relief; and what would be the estimated cost of extending rates relief at (i) 50 per cent. and (ii) 100 per cent. to all sub post-offices; and if he will make a statement.

(108906)

59
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many staff were seconded from the private sector to his Department from (a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999 and (c) May 1999 to the latest date for which figures are available, stating in each case the companies from which staff have been seconded.

(109071)

60
N   Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place a copy of the transcript of the hearings of the appeals against the judgements of the Securities and Futures Authority's disciplinary tribunal in the case of Bertram Fleurose in the Library, together with a set of the papers available to the appeals tribunal.

(109117)

61
   Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the possible effect of the introduction of surcharges for cash machine withdrawals on financial exclusion.

(108436)

62
N   Mr Terry Davis (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the average time taken for the Government Actuaries Department to complete the headroom check where a pensions mis-selling case involves excess contributions; and if he will make a statement.

(109220)

63
N   Mr Michael Jack (Fylde):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish details of the calculations which determined the present indicated rates for the Climate Change Levy.

(108468)

64
N   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if it his policy that the Comprehensive Spending Review to be announced this year will set Government spending plans up to and including 2004-05; and if he will make a statement.

(108903)

65
N   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if it is his policy to adhere to the existing planning total for overall government spending in 2001-02; and if he will make a statement.

(108976)

66
N   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is his estimate of the number of people earning (a) over £100,000 per annum, (b) over £500,000 per annum and (c) over £1 million per annum, for each year from 1979-80 to 1999-2000; and if he will make a statement.

(108978)

67
N   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will present his Budget Statement for 2000; and if he will make a statement.

(108977)

68
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received concerning the arrest and detention of Christians in Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement.

(108889)

69
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government has received from (a) Russia and (b) other EU states in respect of the anti-ballistic missile defence system being constructed at RAF Menwith Hill.

(108894)

70
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what is his Department's estimate of the total expenditure of the United Nations in East Timor since its staff returned there in late 1999; of this expenditure, how much is (a) on UN staff costs and (b) distributed to the people of East Timor.

(108887)

71
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish the recent representations which he has received on the issue of arm sales to Indonesia; and if he will make a statement.

(108886)

72
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what actions are being taken by his Department to ensure that the Chagos Islands can be re-occupied by the Ilois people.

(108873)

73
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has received from the different forces in Sri Lanka concerning a possible peace process; and if he will make a statement.

(108884)

74
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effects on the armed forces in Pakistan of the recent suspension of British arms sales to Pakistan.

(108905)

75
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has received concerning the sale of British arms to Pakistan.

(108879)

76
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what meetings British officials have held with human rights groups in Pakistan in the past 12 months.

(108888)

77
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received on the proposed financial bond scheme for visitors to the UK from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh; and what reports he has received on reactions to the proposal in those countries.

(108876)

78
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list his Department's ministerial meetings that were held with representatives of the people of Chechnya in the last 12 months.

(108885)

79
N   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will establish the Shipman inquiry under Salmon rules to allow open hearings at which the parties can be represented and cross-examined.

(109118)

80
N   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 2nd February, Official Report, column 629W, concerning funding of the Christie Hospital and the Royal Marsden Hospital, if he will provide a breakdown of the other sources mentioned in his Answer.

(109219)

81
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the incidence of (a) serious kidney disease, (b) prostate cancer and (c) cervical cancer (i) in the last twelve months for which figures are available and (ii) five years ago.

(108524)

82
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will give a substantive answer to the question from the Right honourable Member for Birkenhead on the birth weight of babies, tabled on 12th January (ref. 105430).

(109122)

83
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list for the financial year 1998-99 the number and total value of contracts let by his Department with external consultants and advisors that have (a) been put out to competitive tender, (b) not been put out to competitive tender and (c) been let on a non-commercial basis, stating in each case the names of the individuals or organisations that have carried out the work.

(109066)

84
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made by his Department in developing a joint strategy with the Home Department to provide services for children who run away from home.

(108521)

85
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to introduce central monitoring of the number of children running away from local authority care; and if he will make a statement.

(108522)

86
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made in identifying care placements which have a high rate of children running away; and if he will make a statement.

(108523)

87
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will investigate the advantages of general screening of men over a certain age for prostate cancer; and if he will make a statement.

(109120)

88
N   Miss Geraldine Smith (Morecambe and Lunesdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many representations he has received on the consultation document, Fit for the Future.

(109217)

89
N   David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to publish the bed availability statistics for the year to 31st March 1999 in England.

(109058)

90
N   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what has been the average pay rise for NHS nurses in each of the years 1985-86 to 1999-2000; and what has been the average pay rise for the same years for NHS ancillary staff, including (a) hospital porters, (b) catering staff, (c) cleaning staff, (d) finance staff and (e) other ancillary staff; and if he will make a statement.

(108900)

91
N   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to establish a pay review body for ancillary staff in the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

(108901)

92
N   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people work for the NHS, broken down by (a) doctors, (b) nurses, (c) managers, (d) porters, (e) catering staff, (f) finance staff, (g) cleaning staff, (h) maintenance staff and (i) others.

(108902)

93
N   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many employees working within the NHS earn (a) the national minimum wage, (b) between the national minimum wage and £3.80 per hour, (c) between £3.80 per hour and £4.00 per hour, (d) between £4.00 per hour and £4.20 per hour, (e) between £4.20 per hour and £4.40 per hour and (f) less than £5.00 per hour; what the number of staff in (a) to (f) represent as a percentage of total NHS staff; and if he will make a statement.

(108899)

94
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff were seconded from the private sector to his Department from (a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999 and (c) May 1999 to the latest date for which figures are available, stating in each case the companies from which staff have been seconded.

(109073)

95
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many licence applications involving the administration of tobacco smoke to conscious animals were granted in (a) 1996, (b) 1997 and (c) 1998; how many animals, broken down by species, were involved in the research in each year; into which severity banding the research fell; and how many animals died as a result of the research in each year.

(109078)

96
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what account he took of section 5(4) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 before deciding to grant project licence applications PPL/70 04972 and PPL/70 04956; and if he will make a statement.

(109079)

97
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many animals broken down by species were involved in PPL 170 04972 and PPL170 04956; how the tobacco smoke is administered to the animals; how many convulsive spasms each animal is expected to suffer; into which severity banding his research falls; how many animals have died to date as a result of the research; and if he will make a statement.

(109077)

98
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make it his policy to ban live testing for the effects of tobacco smoke; and if he will make a statement.

(109080)

99
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will withdraw licences authorising companies to conduct live animal testing into the effects of tobacco smoke; and if he will make a statement.

(109076)

100
N   Jackie Ballard (Taunton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will complete the review into sexual offences; and if he will list those offences which are under review.

(109057)

101
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his estimate is of the number of asylum seekers held in detention.

(108878)

102
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish the responses to his Department's consultation document on the proposed financial bond scheme for visitors.

(108882)

103
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of administering a financial bond scheme for visitors to the UK.

(108881)

104
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will place in the Library all correspondence between his officials and the legal representatives of General Pinochet.

(108872)

105
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will make a statement on the introduction of a bond scheme for visitors to the United Kingdom under sections 12 and 13 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1999.

(108883)

106
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on recent initiatives local authorities have taken to improve community safety.

(107340)

107
   Mr Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will estimate the cost of graffiti to public and private property owners over the past four years; what plans he has to tackle the problem of graffiti on public and private property; and what recent guidance he has given to paint spray manufacturers and retailers concerning age limits on the sale of their products.

(109249)

108
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list for the financial year 1998-99 the number and total value of contracts let by his Department with external consultants and advisors that have (a) been put out to competitive tender, (b) not been put out to competitive tender and (c) been let on a non-commercial basis, stating in each case the names of the individuals or organisations that have carried out the work.

(109063)

109
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer to the Right honourable Member for Maidstone and the Weald of 2nd February, Official Report, column 599W, on his proposals to restrict the right to elect trial by jury, (a) if it is his intention to allow (i) either the prosecution or defence, or both, to petition the Crown Court for an oral hearing of an appeal against the determination of mode of trial by magistrates, where an oral hearing is not requested by the judge and (ii) only circuit judges to hear appeals in the Crown Court against the determination of mode of trial by magistrates, and (b) if the prosecution and defence will be able to adduce additional evidence, over and above that presented to the magistrates, during the course of an appeal to the Crown Court against the determination of mode of trial by magistrates, and if they will be able to call witnesses and expert witnesses to give oral testimony.

(109208)

110
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of police funding was spent on pensions for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and what estimate he has made of the proportion to be so spent in each of the next 10 years.

(109214)

111
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish the text of the amendment to the motion considered by the House on 2nd February 2000 which was approved by Ministers but not tabled, to which he referred in his oral statement of 2nd February, Official Report, column 1048.

(109215)

112
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his oral Answer of 17th January to the honourable Member for Ryedale, Official Report, column 541, on what estimate he has made of the amount, for each police force in England and Wales and for each year of the project, to be deducted from the central police grant to be spent on the Public Safety Radio Communications Project.

(109239)

113
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of asylum seekers whose applications for asylum were refused who (a) were removed from the United Kingdom as a result of enforcement action, (b) left the United Kingdom voluntarily after enforcement action had been initiated, (c) left the United Kingdom voluntarily otherwise than as a result of enforcement action and (d) absconded, in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

(109213)

114
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions he has had with chief officers of police regarding his proposals to amend the Race Relations (Amendment) Bill to make public authorities subject to legislation forbidding indirect discrimination.

(109212)

115
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 2nd February, Official Report, column 599W, what parts of criminal proceedings in the Crown Court may at present be heard in chambers by a single judge; what estimate he has made of the number of Crown Court sitting days that would be taken up by the hearing of appeals against the determination of mode of trial by magistrates, what items are included in the cost of (i) a written and (ii) an oral appeals; and on what basis he reached his estimate of the number of defendants who would appeal against magistrates' decisions on mode of trial.

(109209)

116
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prosecutions there have been under section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 in each of the last three years; how many were successful; and what penalties were imposed in each case.

(109211)

117
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects the backlog of unprocessed asylum applications to be cleared.

(109210)

118
N   Mr Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to give formal notice to the Department of Social Security that Mrs B (HO Ref:-- B 1009308) has been given exceptional leave to remain; why this was not done in July 1999; what were the reasons for the delay between July and late December 1999; what steps were taken following representations by the honourable Member for Manchester Central; and what the reasons were for the further delay in taking action since December.

(108600)

119
N   Mr William Ross (East Londonderry):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will place in the Library copies of the written representations he has received on the Disqualifications Bill.

(109061)

120
N   Mr William Ross (East Londonderry):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the persons and organisations he consulted before the Disqualifications Bill was published, giving the dates and times of oral consultations.

(109060)

121
N   Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funds will be made available to assist in the Asylum Seekers Dispersal Programme with regard to (a) recurring revenue and (b) capital costs to local authorities.

(108877)

122
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the projects and their costs in the reconstruction programme for East Timor.

(108904)

123
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list for the financial year 1998-99 the number and total value of contracts let by her Department with external consultants and advisors that have (a) been put out to competitive tender, (b) not been put out to competitive tender and (c) been let on a non-commercial basis, stating in each case the names of the individuals or organisations that have carried out the work.

(109067)

124
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many staff were seconded from the private sector to her Department from (a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999 and (c) May 1999 to the latest date for which figures are available, stating in each case the companies from which staff have been seconded.

(109069)

125
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will list for the financial year 1998-99 the number and total value of contracts let by his Department with external consultants and advisors that have (a) been put out to competitive tender, (b) not been put out to competitive tender and (c) been let on a non-commercial basis, stating in each case the names of the individuals or organisations that have carried out the work.

(109064)

126
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many staff were seconded from the private sector to his Department from (a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999 and (c) May 1999 to the latest date for which figures are available, stating in each case the companies from which staff have been seconded.

(109072)

127
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's response to The White Paper, Legislation Against Terrorism.

(108530)

128
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his reply to the honourable Member for Kingston Upon Hull North of 24th January, Official Report, column 5W, if he will list the responsibilities of the Chief Constable of the RUC when he was a detective superintendent at RUC Headquarters.

(108429)

129
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Prime Minister, what has been the total cost so far of the Strategic Communications Unit, broken down by (a) salaries, (b) capital equipment and (c) other costs.

(108898)

130
N   Mr Harold Best (Leeds North West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what assessment he has made of the initiatives local government authorities have taken to improve the administration of benefits.

(107342)

131
N   Mr John Swinney (North Tayside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the impact on benefit payments in the next financial year of a single minimum wage for all age groups of (a) £4.00 per hour, (b) £4.20 per hour and (c) £4.50 per hour.

(108674)

132
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what was the average cost of issuing a media release from his Department in the last 12 months.

(108891)

133
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the serious issues mentioned in his press release of 20th January regarding the collapse of Trans Tec which the public interest requires to be investigated by independent inspectors.

(109218)

134
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will place in the Library the criteria by which civil servants are financed by his Department for courses and related expenses that are not connected with their departmental employment.

(109216)

135
N   Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the effect on competition in the banking service sector of the break-up of the Link network.

(108780)

136
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list (a) the total number of contracts and their value relating to arms exports to Pakistan for each of the last five years, (b) the value of ECGD support and (c) what payments were made under the ECGD scheme.

(108880)

137
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list, for the financial year 1998-99, the number and total value of contracts let by his Department with external consultants and advisors that have (a) been put out to competitive tender, (b) not been put out to competitive tender and (c) been let on a non-commercial basis, stating in each case the names of the individuals or organisations that have carried out the work.

(109062)

138
N   Mr Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the life span of British natural gas resources at the current rate of depletion, and taking into account the consents for gas-powered electricity generating stations which have been granted but not implemented.

(109115)

139
N   Mr Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the accessible coal reserves in each of the collieries in Yorkshire; what is their current rate of depletion; and what is his estimate of the life of each colliery at current rates of depletion.

(109116)

140
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many staff were seconded from the private sector to his Department from (a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999 and (c) May 1999 to the latest date for which figures are available, stating in each case the companies from which staff have been seconded.

(109070)

141
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide a breakdown of the number of people who have left the unemployment count since May 1997 as a result of transferring to benefits which do not qualify the claimant for inclusion on the unemployment count in the categories of (a) all leavers from the count, (b) those aged over 25 and unemployed for over two years and (c) those aged 18 to 24 and unemployed for over six months.

[Transferred] (109272)

142
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide a breakdown of the average monthly flow from the unemployment count for claimants aged 18 to 24 and unemployed for over six months for (a) each year from 1990 to 1999, (b) April 1993 to May 1997, (c) October 1997 to March 1998 and (d) April 1998 to the latest available month.

[Transferred] (109273)

143
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide a breakdown of the average monthly offlow from the unemployment count for claimants aged over 25 and unemployed for over two years for the periods (a) April 1993 to May 1997, (b) May 1997 to June 1998 and (c) June 1998 to the latest available month.

[Transferred] (109274)

144
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many 18 to 24 year olds who had been unemployed for over six months left the unemployment count for work destinations during (a) March 1998, (b) the period between April 1993 and May 1997 and (c) the period between April 1998 and the latest date for which figures are available.

[Transferred] (109281)