Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1999-2000
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The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Tuesday 21 March 2000

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 21 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.

TUESDAY 21st MARCH

1
   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the practice of firing National Hunt horses' tendons.

(115804)

2
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if his Department's officials discussed the weather and sea conditions with the Master of the 'Cap Afrique' on the night of 2nd March; and if he will make statement.

(115241)

3
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many times section 18(2a) of the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997 has been invoked in the last six months; and if he will make a statement.

(115274)

4
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the timetable for the proposed Directive on Food Supplements; whether he has received a copy of the Draft Directive; what policy objectives he intends to pursue in connection with that Directive; and what steps is he taking to promote those objectives in discussions with other member states.

(115798)

5
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when he expects to receive the report of the Expert Advisory Group on Vitamins and Minerals; and if he will arrange for the provisional findings of the Group to be made available for comment to consumer, retailer, practitioner and manufacturer representative groups prior to its publication.

(115794)

6
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the responses of European Union member states to the consultation exercise undertaken by the European Commission in connection with the forthcoming Directive on Food Supplements; and what assessment he has made of such responses in terms of their (a) consistency with and (b) opposition to United Kingdom policy and practice.

(115796)

7
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to review food labelling regulations to ensure that consumers of food supplements and other health food products are given accurate, relevant infomation about these products, their safety, use and effectiveness in maintaining good health.

(115795)

8
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what is his policy in relation to the availability on general retail sale of safe vitamin and mineral supplements.

(115797)

9
N   Mr Andrew George (St Ives):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to announce the arrangements and criteria for the allocation of tuna licences for the current year.

(115629)

10
N   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on how many occasions since 2nd May 1997 news releases were distributed by the Central Office of Information by courier to (a) national, (b) regional and (c) local newspapers and media organisations; and what was the total cost of using couriers for each of the above categories.

(115638)

11
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with Sport England concerning the availability of £60 million to fund world-class athletics facilities.

(115734)

12
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which sites are still under consideration as possible venues for the 2005 World Athletics Championships.

(115735)

13
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his Answer of 15th March, Official Report, columns 245-50W, if he will list political affiliations, where known, of the members of each regional cultural consortium.

(115725)

14
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the maximum daily capacity of the Millennium Dome is between 21st March and 31st December.

(115273)

15
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his Answer of 14th March, Official Report, column 153W, on the Millennium Dome, for what reason the total number of available tickets varies on a daily basis.

(115726)

16
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what procedures have been put in place to ensure that overbreeding of animals at Porton Down is minimized; and if he will make a statement.

(115272)

17
N   Dr Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Inverclyde):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussion he has had with other NATO countries about allowing members of the armed services to become members of trade unions; and if he will make a statement.

(115145)

18
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to publish the numbers of weapons and items of equipment being exported from the United Kingdom in the next Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls on a country by country basis; and if he will make a statement.

(115425)

19
   Mr Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many blankets have been declared surplus to requirements by each of the armed forces in each of the last 10 years.

(115805)

20
   Mr Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many surplus blankets have been (a) sold, (b) destroyed and (c) donated to aid agencies and charitable organizations in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

(115806)

21
N   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the powers and functions of Islington Local Education Authority following the award of the contract for the provision of education services to Cambridge Education Associates.

(115628)

22
N   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list (a) the percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals in each of the grammar schools in England and (b) the average percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals in each local education authority where there are one or more grammar schools.

(115505)

23
N   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will place in the Library a copy of the contract between Islington Local Education Authority and Cambridge Education Associates for the provision of education services.

(115637)

24
N   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the average percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals in the (a) 100 and (b) 200 schools with the (i) highest and (ii) lowest proportion of pupils achieving five grade A*-C passes at GCSE in the last year for which figures are available.

(115533)

25
   Jackie Ballard (Taunton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if the grant which teachers can claim towards computer purchase, as part of the Computer for Teachers initiative, is taxable as a benefit in kind.

(115790)

26
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what, in relation to the current assessment of academic teaching quality is (a) the annual cost to public funds in each of the last three years, (b) the estimated cost of compliance by the higher education sector and (c) the assessed benefits of the process.

(115767)

27
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on progress in developing the e-university concept.

(115766)

28
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has to facilitate rationalisation of provision for agricultural education at higher and further levels to reflect changing economic conditions in that industry.

(115760)

29
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what actions he will take in connection with the Prime Minister's recent Internet initiative to forward the interests of disabled people, with particular reference to (a) access to public buildings housing Internet terminals, (b) provision of sufficient large screens for those with reading difficulties, (c) availability of computers on a personal basis for rehabilitation and employment advisers and (d) the creation of a website for disabled jobseekers.

(115759)

30
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if special arrangements are made to equalise the level of support for disabled students who have to cross from one part of the United Kingdom to another to study on account of their disability.

(115768)

31
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what proportion of the adult population is computer-literate to at least basic level; and what was the annual percentage increase in that figure over the last three years.

(115765)

32
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what appraisal he has made of disparities in respect of (a) remuneration, (b) conditions and (c) access to Government professional development initiatives for (i) teachers and (ii) further education lecturers.

(115764)

33
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his Answer of 27th January, Official Report, column 310W, on special needs, what progress he has made with the setting up of an emotional and behavioural difficulties advisory group; and if he will publish the names and relevant expertise of its members.

(115801)

34
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many and what percentage of (a) primary and (b) secondary pupils who have statements of special needs have statements which are not being fully met in each education authority in London and the South East.

(115792)

35
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many and what percentage of (a) primary and (b) secondary pupils have statements of special educational needs in each education authority in London and the South East.

(115785)

36
N   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment he has made of recent developments in fresh start schools; and if he will make a statement.

(115289)

37
N   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, in how many secondary schools fewer than 15 per cent. of pupils achieved five A-C grades at GCSE in 1999.

(115291)

38
N   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the average improvement in science at Key Stage 2 in (a) schools in education action zones and (b) all schools between 1998 and 1999.

(115293)

39
N   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what proportion of pupils in schools in education action zones obtained five A-C grade GCSEs in (a) 1998 and (b) 1999.

(115295)

40
N   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the rate of truancy of pupils in schools in education action zones, expressed as a proportion of the number of pupils on roll, in (a) 1998 and (b) 1999.

(115297)

41
N   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many fresh start schools (a) have increased pupil numbers and (b) are oversubscribed.

(115290)

42
N   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many education action zones have attracted maximum matched funding from his Department as a result of funds raised from business or other partners.

(115292)

43
N   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the businesses involved in the leadership of each education action zone.

(115294)

44
N   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many pupils were excluded from schools in education action zones, expressed as a proportion of the number of pupils on roll, in (a) 1998 and (b) 1999.

(115296)

45
N   Mr Kenneth Clarke (Rushcliffe):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what differences there will be in legal status and powers between his proposed new academies and existing city technology colleges; and if he will facilitate the creation of more city technology colleges.

(115727)

46
N   Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster and Wyre):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the schools in Lancaster and Wyre which have had major capital improvements since 1st May 1997.

(115636)

47
   Mr Robert Maclennan (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the expenditure incurred by his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies on (a) the setting up and (b) the operation of web sites, indicating the cases in which the expenditure has been above that budgeted; and if he will list for each web site (i) the topics which have been covered, (ii) the current average number of hits per months and (iii) the estimated expenditure on each web site for each of the next three years.

(115803)

48
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the education standard spending assessments for (a) each primary pupil and (b) each secondary pupil for each English local education authority for 2000-01.

(115849)

49
N   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to seek an amendment to the Treaty of Rome to allow the continuation of the gap funding mechanism of the Partnership Investment Programme; and if he will make a statement.

(115504)

50
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what controls exist in respect of the methods used to cull diseased stock at (a) zoos and (b) safari parks; and if he will make a statement.

(115276)

51
N   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the Environment Agency has approved the variation in the operating licence of the Byker Heat Station; and what assessment he has made of the possibility of consequential health effects to the people of Shieldfield, Newcastle Quayside or Lower Heaton.

(115502)

52
N   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what breaches of the present operating license for the Byker Heat Station, Newcastle, have recently been reported to him; and what is the outcome of his investigations.

(115501)

53
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what are the total running costs of his Department's Press Office, including staff salaries, for the year 1999-2000; and what is the estimated cost for the next two years.

(115761)

54
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many press officers, at what civil service grades, are employed in his Department's Press Office.

(115762)

55
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many of his Department's press officers have been replaced in each of the last three years.

(115763)

56
N   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to the letter to him from the honourable Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham dated 18th February on sewerage agency agreements, if he will ensure that regulations are introduced to preserve local authority employees' pension entitlements; and if he will make a statement.

(115730)

57
N   Mr Robert Syms (Poole):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will give an itemised breakdown of the £1,550,000 Budget of the Commission for Integrated Transport in 1999-2000.

(115635)

58
N   Mr Robert Syms (Poole):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will publish an itemised breakdown of the £27 million additional expenditure for aviation on Page 55 of the supply estimates 1999-2000.

(115634)

59
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to introduce a marine environment bill to protect the United Kingdom's marine environment from oil spills

(115784)

60
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Government's policy is on the European Commission's proposals to compel member states to impose a tax on aviation fuel.

(115288)

61
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the Ecofin meeting of 13th March; and what discussions took place concerning taxation of aviation fuel.

(115287)

62
   Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the percentage of full-time workers in (a) Scotland, (b) each of the unitary local authority areas in Scotland and (c) Great Britain whose earnings on the basis of gross pay, (a) including and (b) excluding overtime were less than (i) £272.07 per week, (ii) £249.53 per week, (iii) £187.15 per week and (iv) £140 per week for the categories: (1) male manual, (2) male non-manual, (3) all male workers, (4) female manual, (5) female non-manual, (6) all female workers, (7) all manual, (8) all non-manual and (9) all workers at the latest date for which figures are available.

(115789)

63
   Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the average weekly earnings on the basis of gross pay (a) including and (b) excluding overtime for full-time workers in (i) Scotland, (ii) each of the unitary local authority areas in Scotland and (iii) Great Britain for (1) all manual, (2) all non-manual and (3) all workers at the latest date for which figures are available.

(115788)

64
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will provide assistance to NGOs from less developed countries to enable them to participate in the Millennium Civil Society Forum in May.

(115146)

65
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many diseases non-human primates are known to carry; how many of these are screened for when such animals are brought into the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

(115275)

66
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of available acute psychiatric beds were used in (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) the first two quarters of 1999-2000.

(115786)

67
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of 24 hour staffed beds for people with severe and enduring mental illness were used in each health authority in London and the South East since 1998-99.

(115787)

68
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the progress made by the Pharmaceutical Committee of the European Union in establishing a secure route to market for herbal remedies.

(115793)

69
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects the Medicines Control Agency next to meet representatives of consumer, retailer and practitioner organizations.

(115800)

70
   Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the impact of the coming into force of the Human Rights Act 1998 on the provision of children's services.

(115847)

71
   Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons he was unable to act prior to publication of the Waterhouse Report in extending the consultancy index to include people named in that report.

(115848)

72
N   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons he cancelled his visit to Worcester on 17th March to top-out the new hospital building; what plans he has to reinstate this visit; and if he will ensure that honourable Members whose consitutents will be served by the hospital are given adequate notice of such visits.

(115630)

73
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what powers are available to him governing the movement of monkeys from holding centres to research establishments; what documentation must be provided to allow such movements; and if he will make a statement.

(115731)

74
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many investigations were carried out in 1999 under the Animal Scientific Procedures Act 1986; how many of these revealed that a criminal offence had been committed; and if he will make a statement.

(115732)

75
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to establish what will happen to monkeys held at the Shamrock Farm once that establishment is closed; and if he will make a statement.

(115729)

76
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will order a report from the Chief Constable of the Yorkshire Constabulary on the reasons why Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer were afforded special arrangements to attend their court hearing on 17th March by entering the court building via the neighbouring police station; and if he will make a statement.

(115807)

77
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the number of entrants to the Metropolitan Police Service on intake start date 13th March.

(115758)

78
N   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to reply to the letters to him dated 13th December 1999 and 13th January and 17th February with regard to Mr M. Ahmad.

(115631)

79
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what approaches he has made to the Spanish Government regarding sharing the costs to the UK taxpayer of the legal action brought against Senator Pinochet.

(114048)

80
N   Mr Paul Stinchcombe (Wellingborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the average number of hours per week spent by prisoners on purposeful activity in 1990.

(115757)

81
N   Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many investigations were carried out between 1st April 1998 and 31st March 1999 by the South West Area Major Investigation Pool of the Metropolitan Police; how many of those investigations concerned one or more deaths; how many officers worked in the pool; and what was the total sum available to the pool in that period for overtime payments.

(115728)

82
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee, what plans the Committee has to review the design of the parliamentary website.

(115248)

83
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee, if he will make a statement concerning the continued provision of free remote access to the parliamentary e-mail and Internet service.

(114055)

84
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, who will be attending the June UNGASS meeting on the implementation of the World Summit for Social Development.

(115147)

85
   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what percentage of United Kingdom aid to developing countries is for basic education.

(115791)

86
N   Mr Ben Bradshaw (Exeter):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what recent representations he has received about the future of magistrates' courts in Devon; and if he will make a statement.

(114044)

87
N   Mr Alan Williams (Swansea West):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what arrangements have been put in place to monitor the financial affairs of people who lack capacity and who no longer come within the protective jurisdiction of the Court of Protection since the capital threshold was raised to £10,000; what plans he has to raise the threshold further; and what further safeguards he plans to enable ministers to exercise their responsibility for the protective oversight of the financial affairs of the people affected.

(115724)

88
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many applications were made under Article 73 of the Roads (NI) Order 1993 for permission to erect arches over roadways between 16th June and 11th July 1999; if he will list those applications (a) granted and (b) refused; of those granted, what level of public liability insurance against claims in respect of injury was required in each case; how many arches were erected where no application was made; and how many prosecutions were brought for breach of Article 73 of the Roads (NI) Order 1993 during 1999.

(115277)

89
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what support was offered by British Army and Royal Irish Regiment units to the Royal Ulster Constabulary to assist in respect of the civil disturbance in Portadown town centre on 27th April 1997.

(115279)

90
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, in the most recent year for which records are available, how many cases of sexual assault were reported to the Royal Ulster Constabulary; in how many of these cases the identity of the alleged perpetrator was known to the police; how many cases were referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions; how many prosecutions were brought; and how many convictions were secured.

(115278)

91
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his Answer of 14th March, Official Report, column 124W, on RUC (Compensation Claims), what procedures are in operation recording expenses arising from compensation claims against the RUC; and for how long such records have been kept.

(115799)

92
N   Mr Ben Bradshaw (Exeter):    To ask the President of the Council, what further plans she has to modernise sitting times of the House.

(114062)

93
N   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    To ask the Prime Minister, what representations were made to him by (a) Ministers and (b) officials in the Department of Trade and Industry regarding the Diamond Synchrotron Project.

(115756)

94
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):    To ask the Prime Minister, what representations he has received calling for an independent judicial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the murder of Mrs Rosemary Nelson on 15th March 1999; and if he will make a statement.

(115280)

95
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will meet Mr Hans von Sponeck, on his return from Baghdad to discuss (a) sanctions against Iraq, (b) water problems and (c) the effects on the children of Iraq of trauma in relation to bombing.

(115633)

96
N   Mr Robert Maclennan (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his Answer of 29th February, Official Report, column 260W, on assisted areas, what are the problems of population sparsity affecting the Inverness travel-to-work area.

(115781)

97
N   Mr Robert Maclennan (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his Answer of 29th February, Official Report, column 260W, on assisted areas, if he will place in the Library the representations he has received from Highlands and Islands Enterprise about the assisted area map proposals.

(115782)

98
   Mr Robert Maclennan (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the expenditure incurred by his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies on (a) the setting up and (b) the operation of web sites, indicating the cases in which the expenditure has been above that budgeted; and if he will list for each web site (i) the topics which have been covered, (ii) the current average number of hits per months and (iii) the estimated expenditure on each web site for each of the next three years.

(115802)

99
N   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will make a statement on the claimant count rate of unemployment in Scotland (a) currently and (b) a year ago.

(114026)

100
N   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, when the honourable Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central will receive a reply from the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency to his request for details of the implications of the outcome of the Lawrence inquiry for the recruitment and career development procedures of the Benefits Agency.

(115503)

101
   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will make a statement on the impact of the results of the ONE pilots on the proposed restructuring of the Benefits Agency in Liverpool, Mersey District.

(115845)

102
   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will make a statement on the progress made with ONE pilots.

(115846)

103
N   Mr Michael Jack (Fylde):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his Answer of 8th March, Official Report, columns 731-2W, what notification of interest changes he has received from the Office for National Statistics since 11th May 1999.

(114821)

104
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his oral statement of 15th March, Official Report, column 309, if he will list his Department's key client groups other than children, people of working age and pensioners.

(115851)

105
N   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the cost of exempting all persons who have reached pension age by April 2000 from the proposed 50 per cent. cut in inherited SERPS entitlement, on a basis consistent with his estimate of a cost of £2,500 million for his proposed deferral of the cut until October 2002, assuming that this policy was implemented in place of his proposals announced on 15th March.

(115528)

106
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if the benefits of lone parents will in future be administered by the new agency dealing with people of working age.

(115850)

107
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what was the budget allocation for renewable energy research made by his Department for each year from 1989-90 to 1999-2000; and what is his Department's expected expenditure for 2000-01.

(115382)

108
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his Answer of 10th March, Official Report, column 839, what consultations, on what dates, he held with consumer groups concerning the decision to remove the provisions concerning telecommunications and water industries from the Utilities Bill; on what date or dates he received representations from the National Consumer Council and the Consumers' Association; and if he will make a statement.

(115383)

109
N   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is the Government's policy on gas and electricity consumers' advocacy, complaints and representation in each region.

(115500)

110
N   Helen Southworth (Warrington South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if, when he wrote to the Wellcome Trust on 4th October 1999 to inform them that he was minded to locate Diamond at Daresbury, he wrote similarly to the French Government.

(115632)

111
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the timing of the licensing of the White Zone.

(115733)