Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1999-2000
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Friday 3 March 2000

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Friday 3 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.

FRIDAY 3rd MARCH

1
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee, what was the total expenditure in each of the last three years for treating and controlling rat infestations in the Palace of Westminster.

(113068)

2
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee, how many House of Commons current passes were held by former honourable Members on 31st December 1999.

(113081)

3
   Ms Candy Atherton (Falmouth and Camborne):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the labelling of farmed sea bass.

(113079)

4
   Mr Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the impact of the review of MAFF grant in aid on fisheries work undertaken by the Environment Agency and other fisheries protection work.

(113343)

5
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how much was paid in subsidies to pig farmers in the UK for the year 1999.

(113082)

6
   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what requests he has made to the EU Commission in respect of state aid for restructuring the United Kingdom pig sector.

(113160)

7
   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what progress his Department has made in respect of state aid to restructure the UK pig industry.

(113162)

8
   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what measures he is proposing to reduce the impact of the BSE-equivalent levy on UK pig farmers.

(113161)

9
   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list by coastal area the number of (a) dolphins, (b) whales and (c) basking sharks caught by coastal drift nets within six miles of the UK coast for each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement.

(113274)

10
   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his Answer of 28th February, Official Report, column 19W, on peat compost, (a) what percentage of and (b) how much compost used in his Department's estate gardens is peat; when peat compost will be phased out by his Department's estates; and if he will make a statement.

(113346)

11
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, on how many occasions ministers in his Department have held meetings with ministers and officials of the Irish Government since 17th June 1999, indicating the dates and locations, the ministers involved, and the names of the Irish ministers and officials at each meeting.

(113089)

12
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what is his latest assessment of the adequacy of the Fertiliser Regulations, following the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee's recommendation on the use of liquid condensate as a fertiliser on grazing land.

(113041)

13
   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what representations the Performance and Innovation Unit has received in relation to its recommendation that a new unit be set up to co-ordinate the Government's approach to the regions.

(113159)

14
   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which of her Department's regional initiatives will come under the remit of the new unit to co-ordinate the Government's approach to the regions.

(113154)

15
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people are board members of non-departmental public bodies in the United Kingdom; broken down between (a) England, (b) Northern Ireland, (c) Scotland and (d) Wales.

(113311)

16
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will make it a requirement for non-departmental public bodies that they should record the matters discussed and agreements reached in meetings held with other NDPBs in the form of minutes.

(113302)

17
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of non-departmental public bodies hold open meetings.

(113307)

18
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what is the nature of the co-operation between the United Kingdom Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator and the United States Office of National Drug Control Policy; in what ways the United Kingdom Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator co-operates with the United States Office of National Drug Control Policy; and what agreements the United Kingdom Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator has signed with the United States Office of National Drug Control Policy.

(113088)

19
   Mr Peter Brooke (Cities of London and Westminster):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if the subsequent beneficiaries of the £32 million to be repaid by the New Millennium Experience Company to the Millennium Commission have been advised of these forthcoming benefits.

(113026)

20
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list by constituency the number of pensioner households which (a) will and (b) will not be eligible for the free television licence in November.

(113018)

21
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what is his estimate of the (a) number and (b) percentage of households in (i) Northern Ireland, (ii) Wales (iii) Scotland and (iv) England that are evading payment of the television licence fee.

(113024)

22
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if a household exempt from having to pay for a television licence from November by virtue of including a pensioner aged 75 years or over will be required to hold a licence document.

(113020)

23
   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if it remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government to seek an efficient not-for-profit operator for the National Lottery as set out in his oral statement of 4th February 1998, Official Report, column 1052.

(113171)

24
   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list the post code areas of Worcestershire in which digital terrestrial television services are not currently available.

(113067)

25
   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of (a) the percentage of households in Worcestershire that live in an area covered by digital terrestrial television signals and (b) when the signals will be available in all parts of the country.

(113066)

26
   Mr Eric Martlew (Carlisle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will assess the benefits of granting partially sighted people a reduced television licence fee.

(113268)

27
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what is his policy on the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.

(113163)

28
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of when it will be possible to receive digital terrestrial transmissions in all parts of Pendle; and if he will make a statement.

(113029)

29
   Angela Smith (Basildon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list those organisations that have received grants from English Heritage together with the amounts or the purpose of the grants, in the last five years.

(113172)

30
   Mr Gareth R. Thomas (Harrow West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of his Department's electricity is generated from renewable sources; and what target his Department has for meeting its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2010.

(113053)

31
   Mr Gareth R. Thomas (Harrow West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to promote closer links between school sports activities and local community sports clubs.

(113059)

32
   Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West and Penistone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what was the total number of service personnel diagnosed to be suffering with asbestosis or asbestos-related diseases in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many deaths occurred in each service branch from asbestos-related diseases over the same period.

(113327)

33
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assistance his Department is giving to aid the flood victims in Mozambique; and at what cost.

(113342)

34
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many military transporters that can carry helicopters are in service; and if he will estimate the journey time for them to travel to Mozambique.

(113086)

35
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department is making in negotiations with the Greek Government on the verification of service to allow the award of Greek commemorative medals to British servicemen and women.

(112965)

36
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what quantities of strategic nuclear material have been declared surplus to military requirements in the last 10 years; when, and in what form, the material was transferred to civilian facilities and in which locations; on what date the material was notified to Euratom and IAEA safeguards authorities as non-military; when the first visits were paid by inspection teams from each body respectively to verify the notification; and what costs have been incurred to date in the transfer of status of the nuclear material.

(113285)

37
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many military helicopters have been sent to Mozambique and South Africa to provide humanitarian aid for flood victims.

(113300)

38
   Mr Jim Dobbin (Heywood and Middleton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what recent progress has been made on the Sure Start projects introduced to date.

(113174)

39
   Mr Paul Goggins (Wythenshawe and Sale East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will provide (a) the full list of schools and (b) the total number of eligible parents for each school which has been used to set the petition threshold in connection with a parental ballot on selection in Trafford.

(113025)

40
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many people with a mental illness have attended for a voluntary ONE interview across the pilot sites in England.

(113292)

41
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make it his policy that people with a mental illness will not be required to attend a ONE interview, if they do not wish to, for a period of three months following discharge from a psychiatric hospital.

(113291)

42
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if clients will have the choice of an interview at home with ONE personal advisers.

(113295)

43
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if the training of personal advisers and start-up personnel involved in the ONE project has involved directly people with a mental illness; and if he will make a statement.

(113294)

44
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if ONE personal advisers will visit places of work to check their suitability for clients with a mental illness prior to placement.

(113293)

45
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when he was informed of the cancellation of the Global Cultural Diversity Congress and the collapse of Global Diversity Congress 2000 Ltd, and by whom; and if he will make a statement.

(112797)

46
   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, which of his Department's regional initiatives will come under the remit of the new unit to co-ordinate the Government's approach to the regions.

(113155)

47
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will extend the Computers for Teachers Programme to teachers in sixth form colleges.

(112822)

48
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has to ensure sixth form colleges get the same level of financial support as secondary schools implementing the new A level curriculum.

(112823)

49
   Mr Gareth R. Thomas (Harrow West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, by what means his Department monitors the quality and range of (a) sports teaching and (b) sports provision in schools; and if he will make a statement.

(113058)

50
   Mr Gareth R. Thomas (Harrow West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what proportion of his Department's electricity is generated from renewable sources; and what target his Department has for meeting its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2010.

(113052)

51
   Mr Andrew F. Bennett (Denton and Reddish):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what percentage of local planning authorities' local plans or unitary development plans include provision for sites for travelling showpeople, of the type provided for in the guidance contained in paragrah 6 of Department of the Environment Planning Circular 22/91.

(113267)

52
   Mr Andrew F. Bennett (Denton and Reddish):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many applications for planning permission for living accommodation for travelling showpeople were received by local authorities in each year since 1985; and how many of the above applications were (a) granted by local planning authorities, (b) turned down by local planning authorities, (c) granted on appeal, (d) turned down on appeal and (e) called in by the Secretary of State, broken down into figures relating to the regions corresponding to each regional planning conference.

(113266)

53
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the impact on the housing benefit budget of the judgement in the Court of Appeal in R v Secretary of State ex parte Spath Holme Ltd.

(113339)

54
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what was the average weekly difference between rent officer determinations of registered fair rents during the period that the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 was in force (a) before the cap was applied and (b) after the cap had been applied (i) in England and (ii) by region.

(113338)

55
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what was the average weekly registered fair rent paid by regulated private tenants during the period that the Rent Acts (Maximum Fair Rent) Order 1999 was in force in (a) England and (b) by regions where (i) the rent was capped under the Order and (ii) the rent was not capped under the Order.

(113337)

56
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what was the average weekly registered fair rent paid by regulated private tenants (a) in England and (b) by each region in (i) 1994-95, (ii) 1995-96, (iii) 1996-97, (iv) 1997-98 and (v) 1998-99.

(113336)

57
   Mr Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received in respect of the application of the Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations to staff affected by the termination by water companies of Sewerage Agency arrangements; and what response he will make.

(113344)

58
   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what guidance his Department offers about resolving conflicts arising from the EU requirement to restore heathland habitats in Dorset and to retain trees as a habitat for woodland birds and as an amenity and landscape feature.

(113036)

59
   Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West and Penistone):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many licensed asbestos removal companies are operating in the UK in the last year for which figures are available; and how many had their licence revoked.

(113325)

60
   Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West and Penistone):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many Health and Safety Executive inspections were made to sites operated by licensed asbestos removal companies in the last year for which figures are available; and how many were found to be breaking the law.

(113326)

61
   Mr David Lepper (Brighton, Pavilion):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the status of land owned by Railtrack and Rail Property Ltd. in use as allotments.

(113076)

62
   Mr David Lepper (Brighton, Pavilion):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the legal relationship between his Department and Rail Property Ltd.

(113075)

63
N   Mr Terry Lewis (Worsley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the signalling system involved in the Ladbroke Grove rail accident was designed and engineered on the assumption that all trains using the system would be equipped with automatic train protection.

(112550)

64
   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when the Health and Safety Executive's Railway Inspectorate will carry out inspections on services between Shrewsbury and Birmingham; and if he will make a statement.

(113272)

65
   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 28th February, Official Report, column 13W, on peat compost, if he will list the locations of the gardens of his Department including executive agencies and government offices for the regions.

(113347)

66
   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which Ministers have responsibility for the new unit to co-ordinate the Government's approach to the regions; and how often the Ministerial board of the unit will meet.

(113153)

67
   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many civil servants have been assigned to the new unit to co-ordinate the Government's approach to the regions.

(113156)

68
   Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to review the distribution of resources generated by the landfill tax; and if he will make a statement.

(113290)

69
   Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list those items of (a) special, (b) toxic and (c) liquid wastes that will be excluded from landfill sites when the new directives are introduced in 2005.

(113287)

70
   Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to commission research into the potential health effects of landfill sites; and if he will make a statement.

(113288)

71
   Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received about the proposed increases in charges by the Environmental Agency; and if he will make a statement.

(113289)

72
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many incidents classified as air rage have been reported in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

(113027)

73
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what recent steps he has taken to ensure the aircraft flying over London into Heathrow have sufficient fuel on board.

(113039)

74
N   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will publish the amounts allocated to homelessness over the past 10 years and the amounts allocated to rough sleeping over the past 10 years.

(112810)

75
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what the arrangements are for assisting (a) disabled and (b) elderly passengers when London Underground escalators are taken out of service.

(113078)

76
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how long the London Underground escalators to the Victoria Line from Kings Cross railway station will be out of commission.

(113077)

77
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what requirements exist for non-departmental public bodies responsible to his Department to carry out an environmental impact statement for their respective activities.

(113306)

78
   Mr Gareth R. Thomas (Harrow West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what action he is taking to encourage the expansion of combined heat and power generation capacity.

(113057)

79
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, further to his Answer of 24th January, Official Report, column 130W, on rats, if he will commission a more detailed assessment of the conditions of drains and sewers near dwellings and their relationship to rat infestations as part of the 2001 English House Condition Survey.

(113062)

80
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, further to his Answer of 24th January, Official Report, column 130W, on rats, if cracked or defective drain covers would render a dwelling unfit.

(113061)

81
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, further to his Answer of 24th January, Official Report, column 130W, on rats, if dwellings that are unfit as the result of lack of effective drainage are more likely to have rat infestations than those that are unfit on other counts; and if he will make a statement.

(113060)

82
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on what dates in the last year officials and Ministers of his Department have met representatives of the (a) British Road Federation, (b) Road Haulage Association, (c) Freight Transport Association, (d) RAC, (e) AA, (f) Cyclists Touring Club, (g) Pedestrians Association and (h) Transport 2000.

(113051)

83
   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many Connex train services have (a) run on time, (b) been delayed and (c) been cancelled in the last month.

(113173)

84
N   Mr Peter Atkinson (Hexham):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry over the staging of a regional economic conference for the North.

(112921)

85
   Mr Denzil Davies (Llanelli):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list those third countries and dependent or associated territories which the EC Commission intends to consult pursuant to ECOFIN's report to the European Council on Reinforced Tax Policy Cooperation.

(113071)

86
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many individuals he calculates will be affected by the introduction of IR35.

(112990)

87
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the maximum amount of (a) national insurance and (b) personal taxation that an individual will pay under the changes caused by the introduction of IR35.

(112989)

88
   Mr Michael Foster (Worcester):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what were the youth unemployment figures on (a) 1st May 1997 and (b) 1st February 2000 for the following wards within the City of Worcester (i) St. Johns, (ii) St. Clement, (iii) Bedwardine, (iv) Claines, (v) St. Stephen, (vi) St. Barnabas, (vii) St. Martin, (viii) Holy Trinity, (ix) Nunney, (x) St. Peter, (xi) All Saints and (xii) St Nicholas; and if he will make a statement.

(113271)

89
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he was informed of the cancellation of the Global Cultural Diversity Congress and the collapse of Global Cultural Diversity Congress 2000 Ltd, and by whom; and if he will make a statement.

(112792)

90
   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list for (a) each ward and (b) the total in Shrewsbury and Atcham the number of (i) long-term unemployed, (ii) youth unemployment and (iii) total unemployed for each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement.

(113275)

91
   Mr Gareth R. Thomas (Harrow West):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what are the (a) aims, (b) objectives and (c) work programme of the Social Investment Taskforce; and if he will make a statement.

(113055)

92
N   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the number of recipients of the working families tax credit who currently receive payment at a post office who will from April 2000 receive payment through the wage packet.

(112791)

93
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to allow the off-setting for tax purposes of the expenses incurred by (a) receivers in furtherance of their official duties and (b) the Public Trust officers' fees, if he will allow these costs to be available for off-setting against the gross income of persons, incapable of dealing with their own affairs, who require the assistance of receivers and the Public Trust Office; and if he will make a statement.

(113269)

94
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what change in the UK's bilateral relations with Austria has resulted from the resignation of the Leader of the Freedom Party of Austria; and if he will make a statement.

(113015)

95
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the decisions under the Iraq oil for food scheme to allocate money from the relevant United Nations escrow account for items other than food and medicine for the Iraqi people; what was the amount in each case; and what position the UK representative at the UN took on each matter.

(113064)

96
   Valerie Davey (Bristol West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he will introduce a Bill offering British citizenship to the people of the British Overseas Territories.

(113270)

97
   Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow, Pollok):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions the Government has had with the new Argentine administration about the Falkland Islands.

(113340)

98
N   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the death sentences imposed on three Iranian Baha�'i�s in the city of Mashad on 3rd February; and what representations Her Majesty's Government has made to the Iranian Ambassador about them.

(113014)

99
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Nigeria concerning the Christian-Muslim conflicts in the north of the country.

(112988)

100
N   Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many visa applications have been submitted to the Deputy High Commission in (a) Delhi, (b) Mumbai and (c) Calcutta during February 2000; and what were the figures for February 1999.

(112790)

101
   Alice Mahon (Halifax):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on what basis the EU flight ban on Yugoslavia has been extended; and what criteria are being applied to decide its extent.

(113265)

102
N   Dr John Marek (Wrexham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent developments there have been in the revision of the St Helena constitution.

(113019)

103
   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he received reports of the death sentences passed on three Iranian Bahai's; what representations he has made relating to this; and if he will make a statement.

(113273)

104
   Mr Peter Temple-Morris (Leominster):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received concerning the claims by the Iranian exile group, the National Council of Resistance, about the turnout for the recent Iranian Majlis elections and falsification of results.

(113069)

105
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment has he made of the extent of disruption to NHS Direct Services caused by the failure of computers in the week beginning 20th February; and what action is being taken to ensure complete reliability in the telecommunications infrastructure for NHS Direct.

(113180)

106
   Mr John Horam (Orpington):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much each NHS trust paid to the NHS Litigation Authority's clinical negligence scheme in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000; what was each trust's total budget; what proportion the clinical negligence scheme payment was of each trust's total budget in each of those years; and what are the estimated figures for 2000-01.

(113151)

107
   Mr John Horam (Orpington):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many payments and interim payments were made for births asphyxia by each NHS trust for (a) 1998-99, (b) 1999-2000, and (c) his estimate for 2000-01; and how much in total was paid out by each trust for this type of claim in (i) 1998-99, (ii) 1999-2000 and (iii) his estimate for 2000-01.

(113150)

108
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he was informed of the cancellation of the Global Cultural Diversity Congress and the collapse of Global Cultural Diversity Congress 2000 Ltd, and by whom; and if he will make a statement.

(112793)

109
   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received about the secondary waiting list for multiple sclerosis sufferers in need of Beta Interferon; and if he will make a statement.

(113348)

110
   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the adequacy of Shropshire Health Authority's allocation for 1999-2000, with reference to population growth.

(113345)

111
   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what standard his Department sets as the maximum acceptable travel time for an ambulance to reach the nearest accident and emergency department.

(113264)

112
   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the NHS hospitals offering full acute services which have (a) mixed sex wards and (b) shared toilets; and what targets he has set for the NHS to eliminate mixed sex wards.

(113152)

113
   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS hospitals providing full acute services have wards which do not reach the HBN 4 minimum stipulation for (a) bed space in multi-bedded wards and (b) ratio of toilets to patients in 24 bed wards.

(113158)

114
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 29th February, Official Report, column 226, how many persons diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorders received treatment which involved amputation or other surgical intervention in 1997-98.

(113030)

115
   Mr Andrew Reed (Loughborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) in-patients and (b) out-patients were treated in Leicestershire in each year between 1992-93 and the last year for which figures were available.

(113167)

116
   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many residence orders are in place for children who might otherwise be looked after; and what plans he has to increase such provision for children and young people for whom adoption is not the right answer.

(113040)

117
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the expenditure in each of the last three financial years on controlling and treating rat infestation in (a) hospitals and (b) other NHS premises.

(113042)

118
N   Mr David Winnick (Walsall North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the petition handed in to the New Opportunities Fund on 16th February for an MRI scanner in Walsall has been received by his Department.

(112821)

119
   Mrs Ann Winterton (Congleton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of the prescriptions for emergency contraceptive drugs made during 1997-98 he estimates to have prevented unwanted pregnancies.

(113164)

120
   Mrs Ann Winterton (Congleton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the cost to the NHS of emergency contraceptive drugs in each of the years 1990 to 1997.

(113166)

121
   Mrs Ann Winterton (Congleton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the annual cost to the NHS of paying general practitioners an item of service fee for prescribing emergency contraceptive drugs in each of the years 1990 to 1997.

(113165)

122
   Audrey Wise (Preston):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his reply of 14th February, Official Report, column 387, if he will list for the years for which they are available the estimated numbers of women diagnosed as receiving hospital care for miscarriage grossed to allow for missing, incomplete and inaccurate records; and if he will give an indication of the accuracy and completeness of this information.

(113093)

123
   Audrey Wise (Preston):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 14th February, Official Report, column 387, what attempts his Department has made to link data from the birth registration system with the data from the Hospital Episode Statistics in order to provide data of the type requested.

(113094)

124
   Audrey Wise (Preston):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 14th February, Official Report, column 388, what was the source of his Department's estimate that the risk of cerebral palsy among babies born weighing less than 1,500 grammes is 70 times higher than among babies weighing 2,500 grammes or more at birth; and what was the year and geographical area to which it applies.

(113096)

125
   Audrey Wise (Preston):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 14th February, Official Report, column 388, what steps his Department is taking to monitor trends in cerebral palsy in England, in relation to the rate of low birthweight.

(113097)

126
   Audrey Wise (Preston):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 14th February, Official Report, column 387, what information is recorded by general practitioners on claims submitted to health authorities for fees for giving care to women who have miscarried; and what statistics are derived from this information by (a) health authorities and (b) his Department.

(113092)

127
   Audrey Wise (Preston):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 14th February, Official Report, column 387, what are the estimated numbers of records in the Hospital Episode Statistics for 1997-98 which relate to a delivery of a baby, the numbers of these which have maternity tails and the numbers of maternity tails which contain the data required; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that trusts which do not submit complete maternity data do so in the future.

(113095)

128
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of racially aggravated offences have resulted in acquittals since the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force; and how many defendants this involved, broken down by ethnic group.

(113367)

129
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many charges relating to racially aggravated offences as defined by section 28 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 have been made since the Act came into force; and how many victims were alleged to be affected by the offences broken down by ethnic group.

(113332)

130
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many complaints of racially aggravated offences have been made against police officers since the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force.

(113335)

131
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many racially aggravated offences charged by the police have been discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service (a) before and (b) after the case reached a magistrate's court; and how many victims, broken down by ethnic group, were alleged to be affected by the offences charged.

(113333)

132
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many racially aggravated offences have been added as further offences to other charges preferred against defendants by the Crown Prosecution Service since the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into effect; and how many victims were alleged to be affected by the offences charged, broken down by ethnic group.

(113334)

133
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what responses he has received to the consultation paper, New Measures to Control Prostitutes' Cards in Phone Boxes; and if he will make a statement.

(113331)

134
   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many officers were serving in (a) the Dorset Constabulary and (b) the Hampshire Constabulary on 31st March 1997; and how many were serving on the latest date for which figures are available.

(113037)

135
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is his projection for the level of recorded crime from April 1999 to March 2000 for the Metropolitan Police area in relation to (a) burglary of dwellings and (b) robbery against which the five-year crime reduction target has been set.

(113023)

136
N   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish statistics for (a) crime rates broken down by categories of offences and (b) clear up rates in (i) the areas transferring out of the Metropolitan Force and (ii) London boroughs for each of the last two years.

(112761)

137
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers were living in the Greater London area on 1st February.

(113085)

138
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many appeals against refusal to grant political asylum were waiting to be heard on 1st February.

(113084)

139
   Mr Denzil Davies (Llanelli):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what are the domestic legislative implications of the individual reasons identified in the Portuguese Presidency's Programme of Work in the Field of Justice and Home Affairs.

(113070)

140
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what increase there will be in the number of offenders eligible for release under the home detention curfew scheme if the Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) (No. 2) Bill is enacted; and if he will make a statement.

(112795)

141
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners released on the home detention curfew scheme have been convicted (a) summarily and (b) on indictment of a further offence committed whilst on the scheme; and what (i) original and (ii) further offences were committed and what sentences received in each case.

(112794)

142
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will investigate the reasons why the accounts of Global Cultural Diversity Congress 2000 Ltd for the last financial year have not been filed at Companies House; and if he will make a statement.

(112796)

143
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in what ways organisations offering balloting services are regulated; and if he will make a statement.

(113032)

144
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many members of the Royal Family currently receive protection from officers of the Royal and Diplomatic Protection Squad; and what is the cost.

(113049)

145
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many officers of the Royal and Diplomatic Protection Squad are assigned to protect members of the Royal Family.

(113048)

146
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list those members of the Royal Family who have received protection from officers of the Royal and Diplomatic Protection Squad in the past five years but no longer do so.

(113050)

147
   Mr Andrew Reed (Loughborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers Leicestershire Police Authority area has had in post in each year between 1992-93 and the last year for which figures are available.

(113168)

148
   Mr Andrew Reed (Loughborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the percentage of police officer time in Leicestershire spent on paperwork in the last year for which figures are available.

(113169)

149
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the total expenditure in each of the past three financial years on controlling and treating rat infestations in prisons.

(113043)

150
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much of her Department's budget has been allocated to (a) crisis management and (b) crisis prevention in the current financial year; what the figures were five years ago; and if she will make a statement.

(113063)

151
N   Dr John Marek (Wrexham):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the provision of supplies to St. Helena by the RMS 'St. Helena'.

(112922)

152
N   Dr John Marek (Wrexham):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the provision of an airstrip on St. Helena.

(112966)

153
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many meetings of the G8 Development Ministers ministers in her Department have attended since 1st May 1997, indicating the Minister involved and the date and location of each meeting.

(113090)

154
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what meetings (a) she and (b) other ministers in her Department held with members and officials of the United States Government during the visit to the United States between 25th and 29th September 1999; what was the date and location of each meeting; and who was present from the United States Government at each meeting.

(113091)

155
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the occasions when heads of foreign governments have made representations to him relating to the allocation of a particular government contract; who the head of government was in each case; and in each case if the contract allocation was in accord with the representations made.

(113065)

156
   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire):    To ask the Prime Minister, what plans he has to attend the World Education Forum in Dakar, Senegal; and if he will make a statement.

(113087)

157
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Prime Minister, which of the task-forces created since he came into office have had their lifetime extended beyond the original envisaged wind-up date, indicating the reason for such extensions

(113303)

158
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Prime Minister, what evaluation he has made of the mechanisms presented in the Prior Options Review for opening up the operation of non-departmental public bodies.

(113304)

159
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the (a) non-departmental public bodies and (b) task forces for which he holds sole responsibility for making appointments.

(113286)

160
   Mr Douglas Alexander (Paisley South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people in Paisley South constituency are in receipt of (a) job seeker's allowance and (b) incapacity benefit.

(113175)

161
   Mr Douglas Alexander (Paisley South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what measures he proposes to encourage the take-up of income support unclaimed by those already in receipt of the state pension but entitled to additional benefit.

(113176)

162
   Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West and Penistone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many workers and former workers in the power industry were made awards for asbestos-related diseases in the last year for which figures are available; and how many deaths from asbestos-related diseases occurred in this sector for the same period.

(113330)

163
   Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West and Penistone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is the total number of disablement awards made in the UK to sufferers of asbestos-related diseases over the last five years for which figures are available broken down by (a) region and (b) occupation.

(113329)

164
   Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow, Pollok):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many winter fuel payments were not made before Christmas (a) for the UK and (b) by region.

(113341)

165
   Mr Denzil Davies (Llanelli):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what, in the latest financial year for which figures are available, were the total savings accruing from hospital downrating.

(113074)

166
   Mr Denzil Davies (Llanelli):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what was the total cost, in the latest financial year for which figures are available, of the provision of income support for persons from abroad.

(113073)

167
   Mr Denzil Davies (Llanelli):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many persons in Wales at the latest available date received assistance under the New Deal for Lone Parents.

(113072)

168
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people were employed in the Benefit Fraud Investigation Service on 1st March in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000.

(112789)

169
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will make a statement on the level of fraudulent claims for family credit in the last five years.

(113296)

170
   Mr Paul Stinchcombe (Wellingborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, when he will answer the letter from the honourable Member for Wellingborough of 29th June 1999 and provide the breakdown requested of the £22 million stated by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the honourable Member for the City of York, to have been paid in respect of war pensions for psychiatric illness in 1939, Official Report, 24th February 1999, column 518.

(113170)

171
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list the pilot areas for enhanced medical assessment for incapacity benefts in respect of incapability information; and on what basis they were selected.

(113046)

172
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, when Benefits Agency leaflet GL24 superseded leaflet N1246.

(113080)

173
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assurances have been given by Barclays and other banks committed to installing cash terminals in branch post offices as regards (a) access and (b) charges for customers belonging to banks and mutuals which do not have the same outlets; and what impact the decision of the LINK group of banks to allow ATM charging will have on the assurances.

(113179)

174
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which British (i) banks and (ii) companies are involved in the following ECGD supported projects: (a) ACESITA stainless steel strip mill in Timoteo, (b) the nuclear power project in Qinshan, China, (c) the coal handling export terminal in Tianjin, China, (d) the coal fired power station in Manjung, Malaysia, (e) the Janamanjung Plant in Malaysia, (f) the development loan to the Korean Development Bank and (g) the seventh Airbus A330-200 to the United Arab Emirates.

(112473)

175
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his Answer of 28th February, Official Report, column 50W, on Austria, what is the intended effect of the agreed bilateral measures to which he referred.

(113022)

176
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his Answer of 28th February, Official Report, column 50W, on international price comparisons, which national Sunday newspapers were not represented at the briefing session on 11th February.

(113021)

177
   Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West and Penistone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his Answer of 11th January, Official Report, column 109W, on the nuclear industry, if he will list (a) the installation concerned, (b) the name of the company and (c) the date the reactor shutdown began and the duration of it along with the reasons for the shutdown.

(113350)

178
   Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West and Penistone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his Answer of 11th January, Official Report, column 109W, on the nuclear industry, for what percentage of time each nuclear reactor which was involved in the 78 unplanned shutdowns was in use in 1999 out of its possible maximum operating time.

(113351)

179
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the right to full employment protection of individuals who become direct employees under IR35.

(112987)

180
   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will implement measures to deal with the activities of 21st Century Faxes Ltd.

(113038)

181
   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which of his Department's regional initiatives will come under the remit of the new unit to co-ordinate the Government's approach to the regions.

(113157)

182
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what was the value of flowers imported into the UK from non-EU sources in each year since 1990.

(113028)

183
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the reportable accidents and incidents that occurred at (a) BNFL Chapel Cross, (b) BNFL Calderhall, (c) BNFL Springfield and (d) BNFL Capenhurst since 1992-93; and if he will breakdown the figures by (i) fatalities, (ii) major injuries, (iii) other injuries, (iv) dangerous occurrences and (v) disease.

(113309)

184
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what was the budget allocation to atomic energy research made by his Department for each financial year from 1989-90 to 1999-2000; and what is his Department's anticipated expenditure for 2000-01.

(113299)

185
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make it his policy to collect figures on expenditure by (a) catering establishments, (b) farms and agricultural holdings, (c) water and sewerage companies, (d) other business and (e) local authorities of (i) treating rat infestations and (ii) remedying damage caused by rats.

(113047)

186
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what proportion of candidates for appointment to non-departmental public bodies since 1st May 1997 were not appointed due to their political affiliations.

(113308)

187
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will estimate the cost to public funds of the erection of Welsh language road signs in Wales for each of the years 1990 to 1999.

(113301)

188
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, on how many occasions (a) he and (b) his predecessors met with (i) the Chairperson and (ii) the board of non-departmental public bodies in Wales since May 1997; and on how many occasions a press statement was issued on the matters discussed and agreed at the meeting.

(113312)

189
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the President of the Council, how many hours have been spent by Parliamentary Counsel in preparing (a) government legislation announced in the Queen's speeches, (b) private members' bills, (c) Law Commission work and (d) private legislation, and what proportion of Parliamentary Counsel's time was spent on each, in each of the parliamentary sessions (i) 1997-98, (ii) 1998-99 and (iii) 1999-2000 to date.

[Transferred] (113349)

190
   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what tree felling licences have been granted in respect of Avon Heath Country Park; how many trees are affected; how many trees have been felled; and how many have been felled in breach of the licence.

[Transferred] (113033)

191
   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, on how many occasions in each of the last five years breaches of tree felling licences have been brought to the notice of the Forestry Commission; and what enforcement or remedial action has resulted.

[Transferred] (113034)

192
   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what action the Forestry Commission is taking in response to reports that the RSPB is in breach of a tree felling licence granted in respect of Avon Heath Country Park in Dorset; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (113035)

193
   Mr Gareth R. Thomas (Harrow West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on progress in developing a domestic emissions trading scheme.

[Transferred] (113054)

194
   Mr Gareth R. Thomas (Harrow West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action he is taking to encourage the promotion of renewable energy; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (113056)

195
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what further progress has been made on the establishment of a fund to assist those eligible under the vaccine damage payment scheme; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (113044)

196
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) men and (b) women were (i) charged, (ii) convicted and (iii) imprisoned for drug smuggling offences in the UK during 1999.

[Transferred] (113083)

197
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will ensure that organisations offering balloting services to (a) trade unions and (b) political parties which involve contested elections count votes in the presence of the candidates should they wish this.

[Transferred] (113031)

198
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans she has to increase the accountability to parliament of (a) non-departmental public bodies and (b) taskforces.

[Transferred] (113305)

199
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what was the total expenditure for each of the past three years for treating and controlling rat infestations in buildings and land occupied by Government departments.

[Transferred] (113045)

200
   Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West and Penistone):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the total number of deaths from asbestos-related diseases in the UK for each of the last five years for which figures are available broken down by (a) region and (b) occupation.

[Transferred] (113328)

201
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what measures he has taken to prevent fraudulent claims for working families tax credit.

[Transferred] (113298)

202
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the level of fraudulent claims as a result of the replacement of family credit with working families tax credit.

[Transferred] (113297)