Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1999-2000
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The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Wednesday 1 March 2000

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 1 March of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

Notes:
* Indicates a Question for Oral Answer.
+ Indicates a Question not included in the random selection process but accepted because the quota for that day had not been filled.
[N] Indicates a Question for Written Answer on a named day, i.e. the Member has indicated under S.O. No. 22(4) the day on which he wishes the Question to be answered.
[R] Indicates that a relevant interest has been declared.

WEDNESDAY 1st MARCH

1
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the members of SEAC, indicating which (a) are and (b) have been involved in the production of vaccines, and listing their declared commercial interests.

(111899)

2
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what recent research his Department has conducted into the welfare standards for racing greyhounds raised in the UK in Vietnam; and if he will make a statement.

(112389)

3
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many licences have been issued for the export of racing greyhounds to Vietnam in the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

(112390)

4
   Mr Tony Baldry (Banbury):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when he will reply to the letter from the honourable Member for Banbury dated 23rd December concerning Mr C. Lane of Village Farm, Bletchingdon.

(112654)

5
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what representations he has received from the European Commission on further action against discrimination in the awarding of fishing quotas, with reference to OJ C354/67, vol 42, 7.12.99; and if he will make a statement.

(112648)

6
   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997.

(112658)

7
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what is his policy on the methods used for slaughtering day-old chicks; and if he will make a statement.

(112638)

8
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many male day-old chicks were destroyed in the last year for which figures are available; what method was used for killing; and if he will take action to end the use of the present method and level of slaughtering.

(112637)

9
   Mr Jim Dobbin (Heywood and Middleton):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans she has to oversee the introduction of major Government IT projects into government departments.

(112615)

10
   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will list the new public bodies established by her Department since May 1997.

(112673)

11
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his Answer of 16th February, Official Report, column 544W, on broadcasting, if he will make a statement on the views expressed by the European Commission in respect of (a) News 24 and (b) future funding options for the BBC.

(111900)

12
   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent representations his Department has made to the European Commission regarding the rules allowing professional footballers from any EEA country to play football in any other EEA country.

(112514)

13
   Mr Jim Dobbin (Heywood and Middleton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to create a single regulator for the communications industry.

(112616)

14
   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997.

(112665)

15
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what is his basis for estimating the number of people who are employed in sport; and if he will make a statement.

(112639)

16
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what action he is taking to promote the importance of sport in association with tourism; and if he will make a statement.

(112640)

17
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 21st February, Official Report, column 729W, concerning Bagshot Park, what payment was made on surrender of the property; and what its value was at that time.

(111941)

18
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many animal experiments were carried out at Porton Down in the last year for which figures are available.

(111940)

19
   Mr Mike Gapes (Ilford South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions have taken place involving (a) officials and (b) ministers from his Department on arrangements for ballistic missile submarines from the French Navy to visit the UK.

(112650)

20
N   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to transfer test pilots from DERA's Aircraft Test and Evaluation Sector at Boscombe Down to RAF Strike Command; and if he will make a statement.

(112450)

21
N   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what editorial control the MoD Publications Clearance Branch exercises over the Royal Air Force Yearbook.

(112451)

22
N   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the integration of ASRAAM missiles into Jaguar GR3A to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

(112436)

23
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what has been the outcome of the investigation by the officer in command into the appearance in photographs of members of the Royal Irish Regiment in uniform with banners of the Orange Order.

(112686)

24
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if members of the Royal Irish Regiment have been disciplined as a result of their appearance in photographs in uniform with banners of the Orange Order.

(112685)

25
   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997.

(112660)

26
   Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for how long the main gates at Victory Gate, Royal Naval Yard, Portsmouth, are to remain closed.

[R] (112689)

27
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many children are receiving free school meals in the Greater London area.

(112619)

28
N   Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster and Wyre):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, How many ex-ASTRA civil servants have been re-employed in the Civil Service under the re-instatement initiative; of those re-instated what were their grades (a) before privatisation and (b) on re-instatement; and how many have subsequently left the Civil Service and on what terms.

(112152)

29
   Mr Jim Dobbin (Heywood and Middleton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has to review the pattern of school terms and school holidays; and if he will make a statement.

(112691)

30
   Mr Peter Lilley (Hitchin and Harpenden):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many foundation schools are within each of the education authorities identified as failing by the Schools Inspectorate.

(112649)

31
   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997.

(112662)

32
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what progress he has made in establishing summer activity camps; when and where the first ones will be held; how many young people will be taking part; what is the expected cost; and if he will make a statement.

(112641)

33
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is his policy in respect of the addition of methyl tertiary butyl ether to petrol; and if he will make a statement.

(111892)

34
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the maximum concentration of methyl tertiary butyl ether allowed in petrol.

(111893)

35
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the locations where methyl tertiary butyl ether has been found in groundwater supplies in excess of maximum safe levels in the past three years.

(111894)

36
   Mr Jim Dobbin (Heywood and Middleton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to give local authorities more control over land development.

(112614)

37
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how he plans to evaluate the effectiveness of the current three year spending programme on rural transport services.

(112513)

38
N   Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list, for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available, the total amount NATS has (a) borrowed from and (b) repaid to the Civil Aviation Authority and HM Treasury and (c) the total amount of capital investment made by NATS.

(112393)

39
N   Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what profits NATS has made in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(112392)

40
   Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he plans to extend bus lanes on congested motorways and trunk roads; what plans he has to introduce priority lanes on motorways and trunk roads for lorries; and if he will make a statement.

(112706)

41
   Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what appraisals his Department has undertaken of the time that lorries are delayed on congested motorways and trunk roads; if he intends to take action to reduce delays by lorries and other heavy vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

(112705)

42
   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997.

(112661)

43
   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what reports he has requested under section 139A of the Social Security Act 1992; and if he will make a statement.

(112652)

44
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the total number of fines (a) owed and (b) paid under Article 228(2) by each EU member state; and how much debt in respect of such fines, broken down by country, has been written off.

(112505)

45
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what arrangements he has to review prudential upper limits on loan-to-value ratios by mortgage lenders; what are the rules of the Treasury in setting prudential limits; if he will obtain and publish copies of the rules of the Bank of England and the Financial Services Authority relating to setting prudential limits; and when the prudential limits were last reviewed.

(112516)

46
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate for the last 20 years the total revenue yield from local domestic taxation (a) in cash terms and (b) as a share of national income distingushing between those periods when the revenue base was (i) domestic rating, (ii) community charge and (iii) council tax.

(112515)

47
   Mrs Anne Campbell (Cambridge):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue would have been raised by one penny on the basic rate of income tax in (i) May 1997, (ii) May 1998 and (iii) May 1999; and if he will estimate the amount for May 2000.

(112746)

48
N   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the impact on tax revenue of giving bio-diesel produced through recycling waste edible oils parity with fossil-based low petroleum gas; and if he will make a statement.

(112452)

49
   Ms Ruth Kelly (Bolton West):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the additional cost to the Exchequer of providing the working families tax credit to couples with children if couples split their total earnings in half and the credit was calculated on each half assuming the 55 per cent. taper started cutting in at (a) &£163;45, (b) &£163;50, (c) &£163;60, (d) &£163;70 and (e) &£163;80.

(112475)

50
   Mr Denis MacShane (Rotherham):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what would be the equivalised net disposable incomes, using conventional assumptions of (a) a dual-earner couple with two children under 11, both earning the minimum wage, where one works full-time and the other 16 hours a week, (b) a single-earner couple with two children aged under 11 earning the national minimum wage where one works (i) full-time and (ii) 16 hours a week and (c) a single parent with two children aged under 11 earning the minimum wage and working (i) full-time and (ii) 16 hours a week.

(112503)

51
   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997.

(112671)

52
   Mr Phil Woolas (Oldham East and Saddleworth):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce a rolling deadline for individuals for the submission of self assessment tax forms.

(112613)

53
   Mr Tony Colman (Putney):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the (a) projects carried out in each year since 1992 and (b) work in progress under part or full funding by his Department by the Carter Center, Atlanta, United States of America.

(112749)

54
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the ecological value of (a) reptiles, (b) grasshoppers, (c) beetles, (d) carned flies, (e) scorpions and (f) lizards on the Island of Sombrero.

(111172)

55
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds about the development of Sombrero Island near Anguilla.

(111171)

56
   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations have been made to him by the United States Secretary of State, about the progress made in implementing the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe.

(112483)

57
   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received from the head of UNMIK, about the rate at which contributions are being made to the resources of UNMIK.

(112487)

58
   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received from the European Commissioner, Mr Javier Solana about the numbers of international police officers in Kosovo.

(112485)

59
   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations have been made to him by Kosovo Police Commissioner Sven Fredriksen about resources needed to train local police in Kosovo.

(112484)

60
   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations have been made to him by the head of UNMIK, about the numbers of international police officers in Kosovo.

(112488)

61
   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received from the UN Secretary-General about the numbers of international police officers in Kosovo.

(112486)

62
   Laura Moffatt (Crawley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received of difficulties experienced by former Pakistani politicians returning to Pakistan from the UK; and what monitoring the High Commission is carrying out.

(112489)

63
   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997.

(112670)

64
   Mr Robert Syms (Poole):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans the British Government has to raise the human rights situations in (a) China, (b) Mexico and (c) Burma at the forthcoming session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission.

(112674)

65
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he plans to take in respect of the survey published recently by the MSF union on levels of pay and morale of medical technical officers in the NHS.

(112443)

66
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the real terms change in remuneration for NHS Trust Board members over the last three years (a) nationally and (b) for each region.

(112449)

67
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the current situation in respect of recruiting and retaining pharmacists in the NHS.

(112446)

68
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what basis he calculated the number of biomedical staff who will benefit from a 26 per cent. pay increase from April 1999.

(112445)

69
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the NHS spent on employing agency staff in (a) pathology and (b) technical support in the last financial year.

(112448)

70
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to increase the pay of medical technical staff in the NHS.

(112444)

71
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) health visitors (b) district nurses, and (c) school nurses will become eligible to retire at age 55 years within the next five years; and what proportion of the current workforce in each case this represents.

(112453)

72
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what will be the percentage increase in the NHS pay bill as a result of implementing the Pay Review Body report on nursing, midwives and health visitors.

(112447)

73
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what date the Committee on Dental Surgical Materials required that no materials containing United Kingdom bovine material be used.

(111895)

74
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department made of the risk of transmission of BSE from the use of bovine material in (a) surgical catgut and (b) cosmetic products in deciding whether or not to prohibit the use of such material.

(111896)

75
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will set out his Department's assessment of the hierarchy, by method of transmission, of likelihood of risk of transmission of BSE.

(111897)

76
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason his Department sought exemption for medicines from the ban on specified bovine offals when this was introduced for the food chain.

(111898)

77
   Mrs Anne Campbell (Cambridge):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the budget per head of population for each health authority area in England for 1999-2000.

(112747)

78
N   Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS vacancies there are for (a) doctors, (b) health visitors and (c) the professions allied to medicine; and how many such posts in each category have been vacant for longer than six months.

(112456)

79
N   Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many managers and administrators were employed by the NHS in each of the last five years; at what cost; what was the total cost to the NHS of management and administration in each of those years; and if he will make a statement.

(112400)

80
N   Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the (a) numbers of and (b) cost to the NHS of employing locum doctors in (i) general practice and (ii) hospital medicine for each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

(112395)

81
N   Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people, who do not qualify for free examinations, have received (a) dental and (b) eye examinations in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

(112398)

82
N   Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many operations have been cancelled in breach of the patient's charter in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

(112460)

83
N   Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many vacancies there are in the NHS for managerial and administrative staff; how many have been vacant for longer than six months; and if he will make a statement.

(112459)

84
N   Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the (a) numbers of and (b) cost to the NHS of employing agency nurses (i) nationally and (ii) by region for each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

(112396)

85
N   Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list those (a) NHS community hospitals and (b) other NHS hospitals which have closed since May 1996; and if he will make a statement.

(112399)

86
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the papers relating to Integrate Services in Warrington which are currently held by the North-West Regional Executive.

(111822)

87
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the total number of midwifery vacancies in (a) England and (b) the North-West Region.

(111816)

88
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of practising midwifes are aged under 30 in (a) England, (b) the North-West Region and (c) North Cheshire Health Authority.

(111817)

89
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to review the legal status of holiday assets currently owned by Integrate Services in Warrington and purchased from section 64 grant; and if he will make a statement.

(111818)

90
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will set up an inquiry into the destruction of papers relating to Integrate Services by the Warrington Community Healthcare Trust; and if he will make a statement.

(111819)

91
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with the North Cheshire Health Authority on ways of ensuring that residents currently cared for by Integrate Services in Warrington continue to benefit from assets purchased with money given for their care; and if he will make a statement.

(111820)

92
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that all organisations in receipt of section 64 grants comply with the requirements of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.

(111821)

93
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with (a) the North-West Regional Executive and (b) North Cheshire Health Authority on the case of Integrate Services since 9th February; and if he will make a statement.

(111823)

94
N   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, What funding there is in the current year for medical activities relating to (a) prostate, (b) breast and (c) testicular cancer; if he will break down each figure into (i) treatment, (ii) prevention, (iii) detection and (iv) research; and if he will make a statement.

(112331)

95
   Sir Nicholas Lyell (North East Bedfordshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have suffered injury as a result of having been injected with myodil.

(112478)

96
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support the Government is providing to organisations catering for the needs of adult suffers of Asperger's Syndrome.

(112688)

97
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support the Government is providing for research into the causes and treatment of Asperger's Syndrome.

(112690)

98
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the actions being taken by the Government with the London health authorities to reduce the deficits of the London hospital health trusts.

(112684)

99
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many formal complaints were made by (a) patients and (b) their families against each of the London hospitals for the years (i) 1996, (ii) 1997, (iii) 1998 and (iv) 1999.

(112683)

100
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate the Government has made of the number of sufferers of Asperger's Syndrome (a) below and (b) above the age of 18 years.

(112687)

101
   Laura Moffatt (Crawley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in the West Sussex Health Authority area receive long-term round the clock nursing care at home funded by the NHS.

(112474)

102
N   Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, If he will make a statement on the effects which staging the fee increases to general dental practitioners for the financial years 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99 will have on general dental practitioners' pensions.

(112031)

103
   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997.

(112663)

104
   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many adoption breakdowns there have been in each of the last five years; and what plans he has for greater funding of post-adoption support and advice.

(112750)

105
   Mr Shaun Woodward (Witney):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what has been the number of general practitioners per 1,000 population in (a) Oxfordshire, (b) England and (c) the United Kingdom in each year since 1990.

(112647)

106
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what safeguards exist concerning the welfare of racing greyhounds (a) during their working lives at (i) registered tracks and (ii) independent tracks and (b) after they retire; and if he will make a statement.

(112391)

107
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will place in the Library a copy of the general principles governing the payment of informers as part of the Schengen process; and what guidelines have subsequently been passed to UK agencies.

(112507)

108
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list those items of information to be shared by the UK on accession to elements of the Schengen system.

(112512)

109
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will place the Schengen Manual on Bogus Drug Deals in the Library.

(112506)

110
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff were employed in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on 1st February.

(112620)

111
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions his Department has had on possible sites for the construction of new prison establishments in England and Wales; and if he will list the areas in which such establishments may be built.

(112618)

112
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the enforcement of European Union legislation in the UK regarding animal experimentation.

(112692)

113
   Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance he has issued to immigration officers at ports regarding the issue of SAL1 and SAL2 documents; and if he will place a copy of the guidance in the Library.

(112707)

114
   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what powers his Department (a) has and (b) will have after 1st April compulsorily to acquire local government properties used to house asylum seekers, (i) if it needs further such accommodation for such purposes and (ii) if it needs such accommodation on a longer basis than the local authority plans to use it for such purposes.

(112477)

115
   Ms Ruth Kelly (Bolton West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many assaults on prison staff were carried out in the latest year for which figures are available by prisoners in (a) PFI prisons and (b) non-PFI prisons; and if he will make a statement.

(112497)

116
   Ms Ruth Kelly (Bolton West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the welfare of prisoners who are held in (a) PFI-prisons and (b) non-PFI-prisons; and if he will make a statement.

(112476)

117
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will establish an independent public inquiry into the collapse of the Global Cultural Diversity Congress.

(112464)

118
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects the report of the Chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality into the collapse of the Global Cultural Diversity Congress to be completed; and if he will place the report in the Library when it is available.

(112463)

119
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action he plans to take in respect of the civil servants and members of the Commission for Racial Equality who are directors of Global Cultural Diversity Congress 2000 Ltd; and what role his Department and the Commission for Racial Equality had in their appointment.

(112462)

120
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 22nd February to the honourable Member for Stafford, Official Report, column 863W, if he will place the accountants' report on Global Cultural Diversity Congress 2000 Ltd in the Library.

(112465)

121
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which ministers and officials in his Department were responsible for supervising the organisation of the Global Cultural Diversity Congress by Global Cultural Diversity Congress 2000 Ltd; what was the nature of that supervision; and if he will make a statement.

(112461)

122
   Sir Nicholas Lyell (North East Bedfordshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the functioning of his Department's computer systems relating to control of immigration and asylum.

(112479)

123
   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997.

(112669)

124
   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement about his plans to monitor the use of mobile telephones for criminal purposes.

(112501)

125
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the change in the total number of police officers in the Metropolitan Police Service over the next three financial years; and if he will make a statement.

(112394)

126
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the Government's policy regarding freepost mailings at local government elections; and if he will make a statement.

(112457)

127
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if it is his policy that there should be more police officers in the Metropolitan Police Service at the end of this Parliament than at the start; and if he will make a statement.

(112458)

128
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many press officers were employed in his Department on (a) 1st May 1997, (b) 1st January 1998, (c) 1st January 1999 and (d) 1st January 2000; at what grades they were employed; and what was the cost to public funds of their employment.

(112397)

129
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his Answer of 14th February, Official Report, columns 419-20, and his letter to the Right honourable Member for Maidstone and the Weald of 18th February, what assessment he has made of the compatability of his instruction to admit Mike Tyson under paragraph 1(3) of Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971 with the Immigration Rules.

(112401)

130
N   Mr Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she made of the human rights record of the People's Republic of China before her Department became involved in the exchange arrangements between the Scottish Police College and the State Police of the People's Republic of China.

(112455)

131
N   Mr Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement about the role of her Department in the exchange arrangements between the Scottish Police College and the State Police of the People's Republic of China.

(112454)

132
   Mr Tony Colman (Putney):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the (a) projects carried out since 1997 and (b) work in progress under part or full funding by her Department by the Carter Center, Atlanta, United States of America.

(112748)

133
   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the new public bodies established by her Department since May 1997.

(112657)

134
   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make it her policy to establish a single number disaster telephone line for public responses to events such as the floods in Southern Africa; and if she will make a statement.

(112744)

135
   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make it her policy to procure the services of all available lifting helicopters in the armed services for deployment in relief operations in Mozambique; and if she will make a statement.

(112745)

136
   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997.

(112672)

137
   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will propose an amendment of the law to allow local authorities in Northern Ireland to redeem outstanding long term loans; and if he will make a statement.

(112655)

138
   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997.

(112668)

139
   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    To ask the Prime Minister, when he will reply to the letter dated 12th January which was sent to him by the Chairman of the Royal Society of St. George.

(112482)

140
   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd February, Official Report, column 852W, with which Israeli political figures Lord Levy has held talks on behalf of the Prime Minister or in pursuit of British interests in the Middle East.

(112511)

141
   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd February, Official Report, column 852W, on what occasions during Lord Levy's visits to Israel, Lord Levy has conducted business on behalf of the Prime Minister.

(112510)

142
   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997.

(112667)

143
   Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, when payments will be made to those people under the age of 65 years entitled to receive winter fuel payments.

(112656)

144
   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997.

(112659)

145
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people were awarded a penalty payment for the late processing of retirement pension forecasts in each of the last five years for which figures are available; what were the total sums awarded in each year; and if he will make a statement.

(112644)

146
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people were waiting for a decision on their retirement pension forecast at the last date for which figures are available; how many had been waiting for (a) in excess of three months, (b) six months and (c) a year; and if he will make a statement.

(112645)

147
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to improve the time taken to issue retirement pension forecasts; and if he will make a statement.

(112643)

148
   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will make it his policy to provide housing benefit to tenants of registered social landlords on the same basis as tenants of local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

(112622)

149
   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what reports he has requested under section 139A of the Social Security Act 1992; and if he will make a statement.

(112704)

150
   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what proportion of housing benefit claimants are (a) tenants of registered social landlords and (b) tenants of private landlords affected by the four weeks in arrears rule.

(112621)

151
   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what was the average weekly level of housing benefit paid to (a) tenants of registered social landlords and (b) tenants of private landlords affected by the four weeks in arrears rule in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

(112653)

152
   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list the (a) local authorities which have contracted out the administration of housing benefit and (b) companies contracted by each authority for this work.

(112651)

153
   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will make it his policy to allow registered social landlords to verify new tenant claims for housing benefit.

(112623)

154
   Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if the payment of compensation for mining-related illness to ex-coal miners will result in a reduction of social security benefits currently paid to them.

(112502)

155
   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he has received a copy of the report prepared by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. for Lloyds Register Quality Assurance Ltd; and if he will place a copy of the report in the Library.

(112567)

156
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, If he will make a statement in respect of the supply of MOX fuel by BNFL to Germany.

(112032)

157
   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997.

(112664)

158
   Mr Alan W. Williams (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is the total of payments made to date to NACODS South Wales area as reimbursement of costs incurred in the compensation claims for (a) chest disease and (b) vibration white fingers.

(112481)

159
   Mr Alan W. Williams (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the total payments made to date to each firm of solicitors in South Wales involved in the compensation claims for (a) chest disease and (b) vibration white finger.

(112480)

160
   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997.

(112666)

161
N   Sir Peter Tapsell (Louth and Horncastle):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 1st March.

[Question Unstarred] (111213)

162
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the cost in the next financial year of the increase in remuneration, pensions and other financial entitlements to Europol employees of December 1999.

[Transferred] (112509)

163
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what progress has been made towards the provision of computers on loan as outlined in his speech of 28th October 1999 to the United Kingdom Internet Summit.

[Transferred] (112642)

164
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many (a) men and (b) women were in receipt of a state retirement pension in each of the parliamentary constituencies in the Greater London area on 1st February.

[Transferred] (112617)

165
   Mr Ian Stewart (Eccles):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many awards have been made under the Vaccine Damage Payment Act 1979 in respect of children who have died following vaccination.

[Transferred] (112624)

166
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on planned use of the Community Action Programme to combat discrimination 2000-2006 in (a) the armed forces, (b) schools, (c) the police force, (d) the NHS and (e) the social security system; what media campaigns are planned; and what the target audience is for planned publications.

[Transferred] (112508)

167
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of jobs that are dependent on continued UK membership of the European Union.

[Transferred] (112504)