Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1999-2000
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The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Thursday 23 March 2000

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Thursday 23 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.

THURSDAY 23rd MARCH

1
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee, if she will list those honourable Members who currently have passes for temporary research assistants from overseas.

(116018)

2
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the EU countries that have detected BSE in their cattle.

(116247)

3
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what was the (a) amount and (b) value of beef imported from the Argentine to the UK in 1999.

(116211)

4
   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what restrictions exist on use of land and the movement of livestock as a result of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident; and if he will estimate the cost to United Kingdom farmers of the restrictions introduced because of radioactive pollution from Chernobyl.

(116269)

5
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what representations he has recently received concerning the future of small abattoirs; and what action he is taking to ensure their survival.

(116251)

6
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what EU funds have been made available to Spanish fishermen to compensate them for the loss of access to Moroccan fisheries water.

(116249)

7
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the exemptions agreed in respect of farmers and growers in other EU countries to the Waste Incineration Directive.

(116253)

8
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to close regional service centres; and if he will make a statement.

(116264)

9
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what is the estimated number of fishing vessels affected by the absence of a new fisheries agreement between the EU and Morocco.

(116250)

10
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what representations he has received concerning the potential impact of the Waste Incineration Directive upon farmers; and if he will make a statement.

(116248)

11
   Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will support the lifting of the ban on the Fleetwood inshore fishing fleet from fishing in their traditional waters in zone VIIa; if he will act to curtail the activities of Belgian and Irish beam trawlers catching cod in the same zone; and if he will compensate the Fleetwood inshore fleet for the time they have been laid-up under the ban under Article 16 of the Structures Regulation.

(116094)

12
   Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what representations he has received from the inshore fisherman at Hastings and Rye with regard to illegal fishing in their traditional waters by boats of over 10 metres in length which hold licences for 10 metres and under.

(116090)

13
   Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what harbour grants were granted for each of the last five years broken down by amount and location; when harbour grants were discontinued; and how many schemes were pending at that juncture.

(116108)

14
   Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what representations he has received from fishing organisations regarding the impact of the changes to minimum landing sizes for various species of fish; and what assessment he has made of the effect on fish stocks.

(116093)

15
   Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the extent of illegal fishing in inshore waters along the South Coast of England by boats with under 10 metre licences but which are above 10 metres in length; how many such boats are involved; and what action his Department is taking and planning to take.

(116092)

16
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how much Government funding is available to match local authority funding in Somerset, Devon and Cornwall for flood defences; how much has been available in each of the last three years; and how much has been taken up by each local authority in Devon.

(115772)

17
   Mr Neil Turner (Wigan):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress has been made towards establishing the central government national training organisation; and if she will make a statement.

(116120)

18
   Ms Rosie Winterton (Doncaster Central):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what research the Cabinet Office has undertaken into equality proofing of performance management in the Civil Service.

(116121)

19
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his Answer of 17th March, Official Report, column 370W, on Wembley Stadium, how many revised proposals were received by January 2000.

(116042)

20
N   Mr John Greenway (Ryedale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with interested parties about establishing a lottery for London.

(115942)

21
N   Mr John Greenway (Ryedale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to extend the current regulatory provisions relating to the promotion of the National Lottery to regionally-based lotteries.

(115933)

22
N   Mr John Greenway (Ryedale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what undertakings in respect of exclusivity were given to applicants for the national lottery franchise renewal.

(115934)

23
N   Mr John Greenway (Ryedale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will undertake an assessment on the likely impact of a lottery for London on the funds available to the National Lottery distribution bodies.

(115935)

24
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if UK military personnel provided advice to the Indonesian Armed Forces in respect of their 9th May 1996 assault on the village of Geselama to rescue foreign and Indonesian hostages held by West Papuan rebels; and what UK military personnel were (a) present at and (b) took part in the assault.

(116106)

25
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what land is still owned by his Department in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.

(116213)

26
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what was the estimated acreage of military land in the UK surplus to requirements on 1st March.

(116212)

27
   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proposals have been made by the United States Department of Defense to use the communications bases at Menwith Hill and Fylingdales as part of the planned United States National Missile Defense Strategy.

(116271)

28
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is his policy for effecting the disposal of the families quarters at RAF Halton which are surplus.

(115980)

29
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will state the locations of the families' quarters at RAF Halton which are surplus.

(115988)

30
   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what land and property his Department owns in Torquay.

(116198)

31
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of Lockheed Martin's safety record in nuclear work undertaken in the United States; and if he will list the identified shortcomings.

(116240)

32
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date he was informed of Lockheed Martin's safety record at the sites it managed for the Department of Energy in the USA.

(116241)

33
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what role BNFL will play in maintaining the UK's Trident programme at AWE.

(116244)

34
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the criticality non-compliances recently reported to his Department for which Lockheed Martin was responsible in the USA which his Department deemed significant.

(116243)

35
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to reconsider the decision to award the Aldermaston and Burghfield contract to AWE Management Ltd.

(116245)

36
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what were the principal concerns expressed by AWE staff in relation to the potential takeover of sensitive work responsibilities by an American company.

(116242)

37
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on (a) participation in, (b) the costs to United Kingdom and European funds and (c) the educational benefits of the first Socrates programme; and what his plans are for the second Socrates programme.

(116017)

38
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many full-time higher education students took an ERASMUS year of study in another European country (a) outwards from the UK and (b) inwards to the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.

(116016)

39
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the permanent exclusion rate (a) per 1,000 pupils, (b) per 1,000 white pupils and (c) per 1,000 black pupils in each local education authority in (i) 1996-97, (ii) 1997-98 and (iii) 1998-99.

(116075)

40
   116243Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will require local early years development plans to include data on the actual costs of nursery places and child minding places in each local authority.

(116073)

41
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many childcare places for under-8s have been available in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and what was the breakdown of places available through (a) day nurseries, (b) pre-school playgroups and (c) child minders.

(116083)

42
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has for further rounds of education action zones.

(116082)

43
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many teachers have been dismissed under the fast track provisions.

(116091)

44
N   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many (a) men and (b) women were in an apprenticeship scheme in England and Wales on 1st March.

(114594)

45
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his Answer of 17th March, Official Report, column 349W, on Sure Start, what proportion of children in households with incomes below half average household income will be covered by the Sure Start programme by March 2002.

(116056)

46
N   Mr Patrick Hall (Bedford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has to tackle literacy problems among secondary school pupils.

(114604)

47
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list by spending initiative for each local education authority in Hampshire (a) the number and value of funding bids submitted to his Department and (b) the number and value of grants made by his Department from (i) the Standards Fund, (ii) class size reduction funds and (iii) other sources of direct funding for schools since May 1997.

(115966)

48
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if employment service staff issuing equipment for the blind are required to declare interests in companies providing this equipment.

[R] (115960)

49
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list for each local education authority in Hampshire the (a) number and (b) value of funding bids made to his Department in (i) the financial year 1979-80, (ii) the financial year 1990-91 and (iii) each financial year from 1992-93 to 1998-99 for the repair of school buildings.

(116021)

50
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list for (a) England and (b) each local education authority in Hampshire the number of three year olds with free early years education places providing five or more sessions of education per week in (i) 1979, (ii) 1990 and (iii) each year from 1992 to 1999.

(115964)

51
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list for (a) England and (b) each local education authority in Hampshire the number of additional free early years education places that would be required to meet the Government's target of free places being available for 66 per cent. of three year olds by 2002.

(115965)

52
N   Mr A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when details of the new code of practice governing passenger-carrying pleasure boats which come into force on 1st April were sent to (a) local authorities with enforcement responsibilities and (b) skippers of vessels affected by the code of practice.

(116044)

53
   Mr Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many park and ride schemes have been introduced by local authorities since May 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(116074)

54
   Mr Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what proportion of houses built in London in each of the past four years has been classified as affordable; and what research his Department has undertaken to determine if this proportion meets local demand for such housing.

(116084)

55
   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many quangos operate (a) nationwide (b) with a regional remit and (c) within the North West region.

(116071)

56
   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the creation of directly-elected regional assemblies in England.

(116072)

57
   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps he plans to take to ensure that the EU Court of Auditors' decision permitting release of agricultural support to farmers on condition that they minimise the width of hedges between fields, does not undermine the EU directives on biodiversity in the countryside.

(116266)

58
   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment has been made of the ways in which it is possible to recover pollen dispersed from GM plants in field trials in the event of the experiment demonstrating environmental harm.

(116267)

59
N   Mr Michael Jack (Fylde):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, for what reasons the Local Government Bill [Lords] is not compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights; and if he will make a statement.

(115655)

60
   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to develop transport links in areas of new housing development in greenfield sites.

(116236)

61
N   Mr David Rendel (Newbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what change there was in the number of second homes owned between January 1995 and January 2000; and if he will make a statement.

(115940)

62
N   Mr David Rendel (Newbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the change in the prevalence of second home ownership England and Wales over the next (a) five and (b) 10 years.

(115939)

63
   Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions he had with the Dutch Transport Minister during her recent visit concerning policies to (a) increase the distance cycled and (b) to reduce cycling fatalities; and if he will make a statement.

(116081)

64
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to place conditions in the contracts for biodiversity research relating to farm-scale trials of GM crops to ensure there are no conflicts of interest amongst contractors which might undermine the credibility of research.

(116208)

65
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the criteria used to assess the scientific independence of scientific contractors working on farm-scale evaluations of GM crops before contracts were awarded.

(116207)

66
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of potential conflicts of interest relating to the contract given to the Institute of Arable Crop Research for farm-scale evaluation of GM crops following the recruitment of staff involved by CropGen.

(116209)

67
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what information he has collated on the manufacture in the United Kingdom of methyl tertiary butyl ether; when he expects the Environment Agency to complete its research project on the incidence of methyl tertiary butyl ether; and if this report will be published.

(116237)

68
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many tonnes of methyl tertiary butyl ether were imported into the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.

(116246)

69
   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will calculate in percentage terms the difference between his Department's most recent standard spending assessment in education for the counties of (a) Cheshire and (b) Hertfordshire; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the difference.

(116122)

70
   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will calculate the value of his Department's most recent (a) standard spending assessment for education for the county of Cheshire and (b) average standard spending assessment for the shire counties.

(116117)

71
   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will calculate the value of his Department's most recent (a) standard spending assessment per pupil for the county of Cheshire, (b) average standard spending assessment per pupil for shire counties and (c) average standard spending assessment per pupil for the Metropolitan and London authorities; and if he will make a statement.

(116118)

72
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what action he is taking to slow the rise in house prices; and if he will make a statement.

(115840)

73
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact on the economy of the recent rise in house prices; and if he will make a statement

(115841)

74
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is his policy on requiring the National Insurance Contributions Office to pay interest on the late payment of the age-related element of NIC rebates to contracted-out money purchase schemes; how much has been paid in such interest payments for (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-2000 to date; and if he will make a statement.

(115984)

75
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to subject the National Insurance Contributions Office to legal obligations equivalent to those imposed on employers by the Pensions Act 1995.

(115982)

76
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what target he has set the National Insurance Contributions Office for the prompt payment to the contracted-out money purchase pension schemes of the age-related element of NIC rebates; what proportion of payments met that target in (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-2000 to date; and if he will make a statement.

(115983)

77
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the amount of money which the National Insurance Contributions Office will pay in the age-related element of the NIC rebate to contracted-out money purchase schemes for the financial year 1999-2000; how much of that sum has so far been paid into schemes by the National Insurance Contributions Office; and if he will make a statement.

(115981)

78
   Mr Richard Ottaway (Croydon South):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the full-year cost to the Exchequer from April 2000 of transferring an unused personal tax allowance to an earning spouse.

(116067)

79
   Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the levels of duty on unleaded petrol and lead replacement petrol.

(116119)

80
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received about how many refugees have been returned from West Timor to East Timor and how many refugees remain in West Timor.

(116105)

81
   Mr Tony Colman (Putney):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6th December, Official Report, column 539W, on the Joint Environmental Markets Unit, when he will implement his commitment to second staff from his Department to work for the Unit.

(116069)

82
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the countries with which the UK has no diplomatic relations.

(116210)

83
   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what correspondence has taken place between the British Embassy in Washington DC and Her Majesty's Government since October 1982 in respect of the export and import of special nuclear materials between the United Kingdom and the United States; and if he will place in the Library copies of correspondence with any national-security-sensitive information redacted.

(116268)

84
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the future of Oxted and Limpsfield Community Hospital.

(116043)

85
   Mrs Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, in which health authority (a) more than 10 per cent. and (b) less than one per cent. of patients have been waiting for in-patient treatment for more than one year.

(116068)

86
   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to discover what proportion of the energy supplied to his Department by utility companies comes from renewable sources.

(116270)

87
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the incidence of (a) ME, (b) MS and (c) HIV/AIDS, and what was the level of public expenditure, in each of the past five years in respect of each category.

(116254)

88
N   Alice Mahon (Halifax):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on genetic testing relating to women who may be pre-disposed to develop breast cancer; and to what extent the results of such tests will be confidential.

(115938)

89
   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he has begun to consider the conclusions of the review of the Capital Prioritisation Process; and when he expects to make an announcement on the outcome.

(116116)

90
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the total NHS spending per head of population (a) nationally and (b) in Hampshire, including the unitary authorities of Southampton and Portsmouth and (c) in each health authority in Hampshire, including the unitary authorities of Southampton and Portsmouth, in each year since 1979 for which figures are available.

(116020)

91
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were on NHS inpatient waiting lists in each year since 1979 for which figures are available (a) nationally and (b) in each health authority (i) fully and (ii) partially in Hampshire, including the unitary authorities of Southampton and Portsmouth.

(116019)

92
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what target times his Department set for appeal of new (a) products and (b) pharmaceuticals to be available on NHS prescription.

[R] (115959)

93
   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the annual expenditure allocated by his Department to (a) the Christie Hospital and (b) the Royal Marsden Hospital for cancer care and treatment, in the last three years for which figures are available.

(116109)

94
   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of the annual income of (a) the Christie Hospital and (b) the Royal Marsden Hospital was derived from the provision of private health care services, in the last three years for which figures are available.

(116112)

95
   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many distinction awards were made to hospital consultants and at what total value in the last year for which figures are available.

(116113)

96
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will set out (a) baseline data for 1997 and (b) data for subsequent years for his Department's measurement of fear of crime amongst the elderly as included in the poverty audit, Opportunity for All.

(116025)

97
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many failed asylum seekers had (a) deportation and (b) enforcement action initiated against them in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and, of those, how many left the United Kingdom.

(115972)

98
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many failed asylum seekers are unlawfully at large in the United Kingdom.

(115975)

99
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 17th March, Official Report, column 376W, on the Global Cultural Diversity Congress, what Ministerial policy issues related to the production of the accountants' report into the financial affairs of Global Cultural Congress 2000 Ltd.

(115993)

100
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of persons subject to immigration control who have been employed in contravention of section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 in each of the last three years; how many prosecutions have been brought; what is his policy in respect of such prosecutions; and if he will make a statement.

(115974)

101
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of offenders released on the home detention curfew scheme have re-offended after completing the scheme; and if he will make a statement.

(115967)

102
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list, for each of the last five years for which figures are available, the criminal offences committed by (a) asylum seekers whose applications had not been determined and (b) failed asylum seekers, indicating the (i) maximum and (ii) average sentence passed in respect of each type of offence.

(115987)

103
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which local authorities have applied to his Department to be placed on the list of authorities which will not be required to accept further asylum seekers; which of those local authorities have had their applications accepted; and if he will make a statement.

(115979)

104
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the average waiting time for an initial decision in respect of claims for political asylum in (a) 1996, (b) 1997, (c) 1998, (d) 1999 and (e) 2000 to date.

(116023)

105
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his Answer of 17th March, Official Report, columns 380-1W, on the Press Office, for what reason disproportionate costs would be involved in calculating the average number of persons employed in the Home Office Press Office in 1998-99 and 1999-2000; what was the cost of the calculation of the statistics for 1996-97 and 1997-98; and if he will make a statement.

(115990)

106
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many appeals were lodged by him against the granting of judicial review of asylum decisions in each of the last five years for which figures are available; how many appeals were upheld; what was the total cost to public funds in each year of such appeals; on how many occasions Queen's Counsel were employed by (a) him and (b) the respondent; and if he will make a statement.

(115970)

107
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the amount (a) spent, (b) claimed and (c) allocated to each council in the United Kingdom in respect of expenditure on asylum seekers in (i) 1998-99 and (ii) 1999-2000.

(115977)

108
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many appeals against asylum decisions were (a) lodged and (b) heard in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(115968)

109
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers left the United Kingdom in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(115978)

110
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the monthly cost of maintaining (a) adult asylum seekers, (b) child asylum seekers and (c) asylum seeking families (i) in detention, (ii) under the new support arrangements to be brought in from 3rd April and (iii) under the interim arrangements made under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

(115973)

111
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 17th March, Official Report, column 381W, on special advisers, if a record is kept of the contact with the Press that Mr Ed Owen has in connection with his role to support Ministers in the presentational aspects of policy.

(115989)

112
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 17th March, Official Report, column 376W, on the Global Cultural Diversity Congress, what level of Government funding he understood would be discussed at the Commission for Racial Equality's meeting on 7th February; whether that actual level was discussed; and if he will make a statement.

(115991)

113
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the average time taken, in each of the last three years, to determine (a) an initial application for asylum and (b) an appeal from asylum seekers to whom the special appeals procedure in paragraph 5 of Schedule 2 to the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 was applied.

(115985)

114
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 17th March, Official Report, column 376W, on the Global Cultural Diversity Congress, from what Government funds he understood that the potential sources of additional funding for the Global Cultural Diversity Congress to be discussed at the Commission for Racial Equality's meeting on 7th February were to be sourced; who gave authorisation for the Government funding to be discussed at the Commission's meeting; when he was informed that additional funding from Government funds would be discussed at the meeting; and if he will make a statement.

(115992)

115
   Mr Douglas Alexander (Paisley South):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans she has to support calls from developing countries to extend the deadline for compliance with the Uruguay Round agreements.

(116111)

116
   Mr Douglas Alexander (Paisley South):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans Her Majesty's Government has to encourage the establishment of mechanisms to monitor the impact of the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreements on (a) poor people's access to essential drugs, (b) technology transfer and (c) local manufacturing capacity.

(116110)

117
N   Mr Kenneth Clarke (Rushcliffe):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when he expects to receive the report of the Inquiry into the activities of unqualified claims advisers who contract on a no-win, no-fee basis to pursue claims for compensation for personal injury in return for a percentage of any sum recovered; if he will publish the report as soon as he receives it; and if he will make a statement.

(115936)

118
   Mr Tony Colman (Putney):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when he will announce future arrangements for the Public Trust Office.

(116123)

119
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what qualifications are required for appointment as an Immigration Appeals adjudicator; and if he will make a statement.

(115986)

120
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many applications for judicial review of asylum decisions were made in each of the last five years for which figures are available; how many were granted a substantive hearing; how many applications were granted (a) initially and (b) on appeal; what was the total cost to public funds of such applications and appeals in each year; on how many occasions Queen's Counsel were employed by (i) him and (ii) the applicant; and if he will make a statement.

(115971)

121
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, during the last five years for which figures are available, what was the (a) longest and (b) average time an ultimately (i) unsuccessful and (ii) successful application for judicial review of an asylum decision was before the courts.

(115976)

122
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) deaths and (b) injuries have been attributable to paramilitary groups since the start of the ceasefire in July 1997; and what was the number in the three years before the ceasefire.

(116070)

123
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, at what time and on what date the RUC Special Branch's Tasking and Co-ordinating Group was informed by any branch of the security forces or services of security operations associated with incidents in the Forfar Street area of Belfast on 9th September 1987, the Newington Street area of Belfast on 16th May 1988, the Waterville area of Belfast on 23rd September 1988 and the Forterllian Drive area of Belfast on 12th February 1989.

(114593)

124
   Mr John D. Taylor (Strangford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many dwellings are proposed in Planning Application No. X/2000/0001/0 for a residential development known as Camperdown Garden Village; what proposals there are for a foul sewage system for this development; how many new primary school places will be required for this development; what proposals there are to improve the existing road system at the site; and if he will make a statement.

(116085)

125
   Mr John D. Taylor (Strangford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what is the estimated cost of his plans to pump foul sewage from Crossgar to Killyleagh; what percentage of the capacity of Killyleagh Sewage Works is available; what percentage of Killyleagh Sewage Works would still be available if the sewage were pumped from Crossgar into Killyleagh Sewage Works; what representations he has received concerning the plans to pump sewage from Crossgar to Killyleagh; what consultation there has been with the residents and elected representatives of Killyleagh; and if he will make a statement.

(116088)

126
   Mr John D. Taylor (Strangford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if a Union Flag was provided for, if arrangements were made to fly the Union Flag on the designated dates at, and if the Union Flag was flown on 17th March at (a) Department of Agriculture, The Mall, Armagh, (b) Department of Agriculture, Newry Road, Armagh, (c) Southern Education and Library Board, The Mall, Armagh, (d) Southern Education and Library Board, Market House, Armagh, (e) Crown Buildings, Alexander Road, Armagh, (f) RUC Station, Newry Road, Armagh, (g) Department of Environment, Ballinakone, Armagh and (h) Vehicle Testing Station, Hamiltonstown Road, Armagh; and if he will make a statement.

(116089)

127
   Mr John D. Taylor (Strangford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if an application for a nursery unit at Kircubbin Integrated Primary School would be eligible for financial support from the childhood funds; and if he will make a statement.

(116087)

128
   Mr John D. Taylor (Strangford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, at which locations nursery units have been provided with financial support from the childhood funds; how many of these units are associated with the Council of Catholic Maintained Schools; how many children of (a) Catholics and (b) Protestant background attend each of the units associated with the CCMS; and if he will make a statement on the impact of the EU package for peace and reconciliation on provision of cross-community nursery units.

(116086)

129
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the President of the Council, how many applicants were identified as being suitable for appointment as Chairman of the Appointments Commission; when the appointment will be made; and if she will make a statement.

(116125)

130
N   Mr A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed):    To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions he has had about the displaying of the Lindisfarne Gospels in (a) Durham, (b) Newcastle and (c) Holy Island; and if he will make a statement.

(115941)

131
   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Prime Minister, with what frequency he examines the comments posted by members of the public on the No. 10 interactive web site he established in February; and what criteria he uses to judge whether comments should be deleted.

(116265)

132
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Prime Minister, which government ministers will attend the forthcoming United Nations Millennium Summit.

(116252)

133
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral Answer of 8th March, Official Report, column 999, what steps he is taking to fulfil his commitment to assist pig farmers.

(116239)

134
   Mr Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many (a) national insurance number applications and (b) benefit applications are awaiting processing due to delays in clarification being received by the Benefits Agency from the Immigration and Nationality Directorate; and if he will make a statement.

(116078)

135
   Mr Jeff Ennis (Barnsley East and Mexborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many pensioners will benefit from the minimum income guarantee in (a) Barnsley and (b) Doncaster.

(116080)

136
   Mr Jeff Ennis (Barnsley East and Mexborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many mothers he estimates will benefit from the Sure Start maternity grant in (a) Barnsley and (b) Doncaster.

(116079)

137
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his Answer of 9th March, Official Report, column 811W, on the Departmental Programme Protection Fund, if he will disaggregate the budget by type of expenditure.

(116057)

138
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his Answer of 9th March, Official Report, column 810W, on fraudulent housing benefit claims, if he will list the new powers given to local authorities to (a) control direct payments of housing benefit more tightly, (b) to recover overpayments more easily and (c) to require landlords to provide information.

(116058)

139
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many years of experience in counter-fraud work the head of the new National Benefits Intelligence Unit is required to have.

(116026)

140
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what grade of civil servant will head the National Benefits Intelligence Unit.

(116024)

141
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many pensioners there are in (a) Hampshire and (b) each local authority in Hampshire, including the unitary authorities of Southampton and Portsmouth, indicating the age distribution, broken down by the number aged (i) 75 to 79 and (ii) 80 and older in each area.

(116022)

142
   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what means he will use to ensure that the information collected by local authorities to meet the reporting requirements of the housing benefit best value performance indicators for 2000-01 is (a) verifiable and (b) accurate.

(116114)

143
   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what action he will take to rectify the performance of local authorities where such performance is judged unsatisfactory by benefits fraud inspectors.

(116115)

144
N   Rachel Squire (Dunfermline West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what financial assistance is available to the widow of a war veteran to cover funeral costs.

(115937)

145
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance Limited as verification agents of British Nuclear Fuel's environmental, health and safety policies and practices at Sellafield.

(114823)

146
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the (a) standard and (b) open individual export licences for export to Pakistan that have been granted since 12th October 1999, showing in each case the Military List rating; and how many applications for each category of licence are awaiting a decision.

(116124)

147
   Mr Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what percentage of first class mail was delivered the next day by the Royal Mail by constituency, in (a) 1996, (b) 1997, (c) 1998 and (b) 1999.

(116077)

148
N   Mr Clive Efford (Eltham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the financial difficulties caused to public utility ETM customers when extra emergency credit is given to them without advanced notification; and what is being done to safeguard their interests in the future.

(114627)

149
N   Mr Richard Livsey (Brecon and Radnorshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the capacity of the workforce of the electricity supply companies to maintain supplies to consumers following severe weather conditions.

(115385)

150
N   Mr Richard Livsey (Brecon and Radnorshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will refer the Electricity Distribution Price Review to the scrutiny of the Health and Safety Executive; and if he will make a statement.

(115386)

151
N   Mr Richard Livsey (Brecon and Radnorshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will place in the Library the consultant's report to the Regulator of OFFGEN on the Electricity Distribution Price Review.

(115426)

152
   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will investigate alternative methods of providing electricity other than the proposed Lackenby-Picton transmission line; and if he will make a statement.

(116238)

153
N   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the number of jobs which are dependent on Rover dealerships.

(115962)

154
N   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much regional aid he plans to spend in the budget year 2000-01 in (a) the North-East, (b) Devon, (c) Cornwall and (d) the West Midlands.

(115963)

155
N   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if regional aid can be paid prior to the regional aid map being approved.

(115961)

156
   David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will commission research into the causes and treatment of arachnoiditis; and if he will make a statement.

(116107)

157
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary concerning the New Deal in Wales, with particular reference to (a) the under 25s, (b) the over 25s and (c) the over 50s; and if he will make a statement.

(116234)

158
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of the prospects for the steel industry in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

(116232)

159
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary concerning the state of the Welsh economy; and if he will make a statement.

(116231)

160
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the First Secretary concerning the prospects for the aerospace industry in Wales, with specific reference to Airbus, Broughton; and if he will make a statement.

(116233)

161
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what estimate he has made of the number of people who have moved from benefits into work in Wales since May 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(116235)

162
N   Mr Ernie Ross (Dundee West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on continuing professional development for teachers.

[Question Unstarred] (114617)

163
N   Mr Bill Michie (Sheffield, Heeley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what representations he has received in respect of (a) school closures, (b) school mergers and (c) changes in schools' catchment areas affecting the constituency of Sheffield, Heeley.

[Question Unstarred] (114623)

164
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Solicitor General, what is his policy on the employment of Queen's Counsel in applications for judicial review.

[Transferred] (115969)

165
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many households currently in receipt of the child care tax credit component of the working families tax credit will gain from the amendment of housing benefit regulations introducing a disregard of the childcare component; what will be the average gain; and what is the total cost.

[Transferred] (116076)