 House of Commons |
Session 1999-2000 Publications on the internet The Order Book |
| Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Monday 3 April 2000
Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Monday 3 April, 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. |
| |
| 1 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how much has been spent on (a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in his Department for each financial year since 1992. |
| (117478) | |
| 2 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what (a) number and (b) percentage of properties in his charge are empty; and what steps are being taken by his Department to reduce the number of such properties. |
| (116919) | |
| 3 | Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans the Government has to use the provision under the EU Rural Development Regulations to introduce cross-compliance, where direct payments in support of agricultural production are conditional on the carrying out of measures to protect wildlife, in cases where cross-compliance may have a detrimental effect on competitiveness. |
| (117594) | |
| 4 | Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to use the provision under article 13(b) of EU Rural Development Regulations to introduce schemes of management for areas where environmental restrictions apply. |
| (117593) | |
| 5 | Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to extend the provisions of the Special Area Project for the Forest of Bowland to other areas within England that contain sites of international importance for wildlife. |
| (117611) | |
| 6 | Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for what reason the Action Plan for Farming published on 30th March contains no commitment to the maintenance of his Department's regional service centres; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117698) | |
| 7 | Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will set a target date for the introduction of the increase in the maximum weight per animal on which compensation is payable under the over-thirty-months scheme. |
| (117687) | |
| 8 | Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what steps he is taking to reduce the costs of implementation of agri-environment schemes including Countryside Stewardship. |
| (117686) | |
| 9 | Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the likely location of the European Centre for organic fruit and nursery stock. |
| (117688) | |
| 10 | Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assistance is available to small growers and farmers for their payroll systems under schemes operated by (a) his and (b) other government departments. |
| (117689) | |
| 11 | Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for what reason the Action Plan for Farming published on 30th March contains no proposals to reduce the impact of the Climate Change Levy on horticulture; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117695) | |
| 12 | Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for what reason the Action Plan for Farming published on 30th March contains no proposals to assist the re-establishment of abbatoir facilities in areas that have lost such facilities; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117697) | |
| 13 | Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the benefits which the roll-out of mobile phone networks in rural areas will bring to farmers. |
| (117690) | |
| 14 N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what steps he has taken since March 1999 to ensure that British pork is labelled so that it can be distinguished from imported pork packaged in the United Kingdom. |
| (117397) | |
| 15 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many farms have been converted to organic farming in each of the past 10 years. |
| (117541) | |
| 16 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what was the total value of UK organic farm produce in each of the past 10 years. |
| (117542) | |
| 17 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many organic farms there were in the UK in each of the past 10 years. |
| (117540) | |
| 18 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what proportion of United Kingdom demand for organic food was met by domestic production in each of the past 10 years. |
| (117543) | |
| 19 N | Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what applications have been made to him for clearance of Aventis T25 maize for use as animal feed; and if he will place in the Library the details of all clearances granted. |
| (117276) | |
| 20 | Mr Peter Bradley (The Wrekin): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will make a statement on the future arrangements for the Centre for Management and Policy Studies and the Civil Service College. |
| (117612) | |
| 21 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much has been spent on (a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in her Department for each financial year since 1992. |
| (117469) | |
| 22 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) number and (b) percentage of properties in her charge are empty; and what steps are being taken by her Department to reduce the number of such properties. |
| (116909) | |
| 23 N | Mr Michael Jack (Fylde): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, in what (a) paid and (b) unpaid capacity Mr Peter Wyman of PricewaterhouseCoopers, has assisted Her Majesty's Government during the period 1987 to 2000. |
| (117039) | |
| 24 | Ms Linda Perham (Ilford North): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to his Answer of 28th March, Official Report, column 76W, if he will list the issues discussed at the meeting of the Inter-ministerial Group for Older People and the Advisory Group of the Better Government for Older People Programme on 27th March, indicating what further meetings are planned. |
| (117702) | |
| 25 N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he plans to commence his Department's review of BBC News 24. |
| (117241) | |
| 26 N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make a statement on the future of the London Film Commission. |
| (117571) | |
| 27 N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations he has received regarding the suitability of the Charleroi Stadium for hosting the England v Germany football international. |
| (117242) | |
| 28 N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had concerning safety issues at Charleroi Stadium. |
| (117275) | |
| 29 N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with (a) the Football Association, (b) UEFA, (c) the Official England Supporters Club and (d) the Belgian Police Federation regarding the suitability of the Charleroi Stadium for holding major international football matches; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117243) | |
| 30 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much has been spent on (a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in his Department for each financial year since 1992. |
| (117476) | |
| 31 | Mr Tony Colman (Putney): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what action he is taking to ensure that communal aerials in social housing are upgraded to enable the tenants to purchase and use digital television and receive an adequate digital signal. |
| (117585) | |
| 32 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what (a) number and (b) percentage of properties in his charge are empty; and what steps are being taken by his Department to reduce the number of such properties. |
| (116920) | |
| 33 | Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make a statement on National Lottery funding for historic engineering projects. |
| (117595) | |
| 34 | Miss Geraldine Smith (Morecambe and Lunesdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much National Lottery funding projects in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency have received since the National Lottery began. |
| (117313) | |
| 35 | Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will establish a lottery-supported fund available to organisations promoting sporting events of international status in the United Kingdom which could share the risks associated with such projects with this fund. |
| (117633) | |
| 36 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been spent on (a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in his Department for each financial year since 1992. |
| (117475) | |
| 37 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent reports he has received about the presence of radioactive dust as a result of NATO bombing in Serbia. |
| (117109) | |
| 38 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will obtain a copy of the study by the Institute of Health Protection in Nis, concerning the measurement of the levels of radioactivity in soil samples. |
| (117110) | |
| 39 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent reports he has received about concentrations of radioactive heavy metal in (a) Pljackovica, (b) Bratoselce, (c) Cerenovac and (d) Rehjan. |
| (117111) | |
| 40 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with the United States about the use of depleted uranium-tipped shells in Serbia. |
| (117112) | |
| 41 N | Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the Israeli Arrow missile system. |
| (117561) | |
| 42 N | Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had in the last year with his Israeli counterpart on ballistic missile defence; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117559) | |
| 43 N | Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans has he to send British forces to Israel for joint training exercises. |
| (117562) | |
| 44 N | Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many visits have been made by Defence Procurement Agency personnel to Israel in the last year. |
| (117560) | |
| 45 N | Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what meetings have been held with Israeli Government officials and his Department in the United Kingdom in the last year. |
| (117563) | |
| 46 N | Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people (a) left and (b) joined the (i) Army, (ii) Royal Navy, (iii) Royal Air Force, (iv) Royal Marines, (v) Territorial Army, (vi) Royal Naval Reserve and (vii) Royal Auxiliary Air Force in each of the last six months. |
| (117564) | |
| 47 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) number and (b) percentage of properties in his charge are empty; and what steps are being taken by his Department to reduce the number of such properties. |
| (116917) | |
| 48 | Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what British military personnel (a) currently employed by his Department and (b) on the Reserve List have been on secondment to Sri Lanka (i) military training establishments and (ii) units since 1st January 1997. |
| (117644) | |
| 49 | Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made in updating guidance to the services on the values and standards expected of service personnel; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117640) | |
| 50 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made in re-roling an armoured regiment into an armoured reconnaissance regiment; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117498) | |
| 51 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on progress with long-range precision munitions; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117487) | |
| 52 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made in forming two new regular engineer squadrons; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117492) | |
| 53 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made in re-roling an armoured regiment into a joint nuclear, biological and chemical weapons regiment; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117490) | |
| 54 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made in the creation of the sixth AS 90 regiment; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117497) | |
| 55 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Challenger II tanks are in Kosovo; and how many miles they have covered. |
| (117485) | |
| 56 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on the Lightweight Mobile Artillery Weapon System; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117495) | |
| 57 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made in restructuring the armoured regiments; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117488) | |
| 58 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made in providing increased engineer support to the air manoeuvre brigade; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117489) | |
| 59 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made in forming the two new regular signals squadrons; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117491) | |
| 60 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on the reconfiguring of infantry battalions to form a third mechanised brigade; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117496) | |
| 61 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made in converting the 5th Airborne Brigade into a mechanised brigade; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117493) | |
| 62 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made in the establishment of the sixth close support engineer regiment; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117494) | |
| 63 N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made in developing the 24 Airmobile Brigade into a high-capability air manoeuvre formation; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117499) | |
| 64 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on which occasions (a) Vice Admiral Alan West and (b) Major Peter Hicks have met Roger Crooks since 1995. |
| (116930) | |
| 65 N | Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when, during the past six months, he, his ministers or the Chief of Defence Procurement have met the chairman or chief executive of (a) Aerospatiale, (b) BAE Systems, (c) Boeing, (d) Daimler Chrysler Aerospace, (e) General Dynamics, (f) Lockheed Martin, (g) Raytheon and (h) Rolls Royce. |
| (117152) | |
| 66 N | Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Sheffield, Hallam, of 27th March, Official Report, column 40W, on the New Deal for 18 to 24 year-olds, how many (a) 18 to 24 year-olds have left the New Deal for Young People to jobs lasting less than 13 weeks and (b) 18 to 24 year-olds have left the full-time education and training option of the New Deal for Young People to jobs lasting less than 13 weeks, broken down by unit of delivery. |
| (117246) | |
| 67 N | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is the current annual level of public expenditure on the statutory and voluntary youth services, guidance and educational welfare; and if he will make a statement on the amount of such spending to be (a) retained, (b) transferred to the Connexions service and (c) made available to Connexions as additional public expenditure. |
| (117245) | |
| 68 N | Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many people are currently waiting for individual learning accounts; and what is the average period between application and allocation. |
| (117244) | |
| 69 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how much has been spent on (a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in his Department for each financial year since 1992. |
| (117467) | |
| 70 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has to ensure that schools have sufficient accommodation to meet the pressures on class sizes when the cohorts of children currently benefitting from the class size reduction initiative turn eight years old. |
| (116736) | |
| 71 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment he has made of the impact of the class size reduction initiative on smaller schools where site constraints limit expansion and published admission numbers are reduced as a result. |
| (116737) | |
| 72 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what (a) number and (b) percentage of properties in his charge are empty; and what steps are being taken by her Department to reduce the number of such properties. |
| (116911) | |
| 73 N | Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the local education authorities in which no schools provide hot school meals. |
| (117145) | |
| 74 N | Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what estimate he has made of the number of families eligible to claim free school meals which do not do so. |
| (117144) | |
| 75 N | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many external assessors for the performance-related pay scheme for teachers have been recruited and how many remain to be recruited; and by what date they will be recruited. |
| (117510) | |
| 76 N | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the number of staff and the budget for the Standards and Effectiveness Unit at the end of (a) September 1999 and (b) December 1999. |
| (117507) | |
| 77 N | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what the breakdown is of the £837 million extra spending on schools in England announced in the Budget. |
| (117512) | |
| 78 N | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what requirements secondary schools have to meet to receive the extra funding announced in the Budget, as referred to in the Red Book. |
| (117513) | |
| 79 N | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what mechanism will be used to deliver the extra funds announced in the Budget to schools; when the schools will receive the money; and what the basis will be for determining the relevant sum for each school. |
| (117514) | |
| 80 N | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on the future of local education authorities. |
| (117511) | |
| 81 N | Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is (a) the breakdown for the financial year 1999-2000 and (b) the forecast breakdown for 2000-01, of funding for schools between the Standards Fund, local education authority expenditure, and other government grants. |
| (117506) | |
| 82 | Mr Ian Pearson (Dudley South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has to allow private companies to offer foundation degree courses; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117347) | |
| 83 | Mr Phil Sawford (Kettering): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what steps he is taking to ensure that local education authorities are able to provide the necessary matched funding to enable schools to take advantage of money provided through the standards fund. |
| (117648) | |
| 84 | Mr Phil Sawford (Kettering): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what the average capitation allowance is for (a) secondary school pupils and (b) pupils at city technology colleges. |
| (117647) | |
| 85 | Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his announcement on 30th March of an extension of education maintenance allowance to further areas, on what criteria these areas were chosen; and what are the staying-on rates (a) in each of these areas and (b) as a national average. |
| (117632) | |
| 86 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how much has been spent on (a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in his Department for each financial year since 1992. |
| (117483) | |
| 87 N | Mr Robin Corbett (Birmingham, Erdington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what research his Department is carrying out or evaluating on the effect of the use of toxic substances in shot. |
| (117523) | |
| 88 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what housing improvement projects are being financed by his Department in the Greater London area; and if he will list the boroughs where these projects are. |
| (117407) | |
| 89 | Mr Geraint Davies (Croydon Central): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he will publish the Government's strategy for more sustainable construction. |
| (117619) | |
| 90 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is his estimate of the potential number of residential units which could be formed in empty or under-used space above shops; and what his target is for the number of such units to be formed in the next five years. |
| (116906) | |
| 91 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what his target is for reducing the number of empty homes over the next five years. |
| (116907) | |
| 92 | Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what proposals he has to introduce a licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117586) | |
| 93 N | Mr Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 14th March, Official Report, columns 118-9W, on London Underground, what is the nature of the plans that are in hand to bring the lifts at Westminster Underground Station into service. |
| (117101) | |
| 94 | Jane Griffiths (Reading East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the avenues open to members of the public, whose accommodation has no rateable value and who therefore cannot have a water meter installed, when they cannot reach agreement with a water company on the level of their bill. |
| (117314) | |
| 95 | Mr Jimmy Hood (Clydesdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what was the outcome of the Environment Council held in Brussels on 30th March; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117691) | |
| 96 | Helen Jackson (Sheffield, Hillsborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on progress on developing the national strategy for neighbourhood renewal. |
| (117570) | |
| 97 N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list his Department's expenditure limits, including any revisions following the Budget, for the years 1997-98 to 2001-02 on a consistent basis in the format of table 8.1 of the report, Modern Public Services for Britain (Cm 4011), in (a) cash terms and (b) current prices. |
| (117500) | |
| 98 | Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he plans to release his urban White Paper. |
| (117767) | |
| 99 | Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will describe the research being undertaken during farm-scale trials of genetically-modified crops with particular respect to (a) potential cross-pollination with (i) other non-genetically-modified crops and (ii) wild flora, (b) the viability of such cross-pollination, (c) the impact on insect life in areas adjacent to the trial, and (d) the duration of the study. |
| (117301) | |
| 100 | Mr Ian Pearson (Dudley South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he plans to publish revisions to PPG 17. |
| (117346) | |
| 101 N | Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the balance of advantage and disadvantage in establishing a fuel duty rebate for dial-a-ride services. |
| (117149) | |
| 102 N | Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how much funding was received by the Marine Investigation Branch in each of the last six years; and if he will make a statement on the resourcing of the Marine Investigation Branch. |
| (116734) | |
| 103 | Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list his targets for asset sales for each local authority in the next financial year, listed alphabetically by Government Office region. |
| (117296) | |
| 104 | Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the 10 largest connurbations in England not linked to the trunk road network. |
| (117596) | |
| 105 | Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the criteria used for determining which roads are (a) trunked and (b) de-trunked; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117597) | |
| 106 | Mr John Smith (Vale of Glamorgan): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the single vehicle approval limits have been lifted; and what the schedule is for their total abolition. |
| (117558) | |
| 107 | Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will meet Plantlife to discuss its proposals to prevent the spread of invasive species; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117587) | |
| 108 | Ms Rosie Winterton (Doncaster Central): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to make housing adaptations more affordable for families with disabled children; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117650) | |
| 109 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been spent on (a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in his Department for each financial year since 1992. |
| (117482) | |
| 110 N | Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the take-up of the child care credit in the working families tax credit. |
| (115876) | |
| 111 | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will disaggregate by income decile the number of people in receipt of each tax credit since its introduction. |
| (117503) | |
| 112 N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what action he proposes to take to stimulate development of credit unions following the Cruickshank Report. |
| (117106) | |
| 113 N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will disaggregate by income decile the number of families claiming the childcare component of the working families tax credit. |
| (117502) | |
| 114 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) number and (b) percentage of properties in his charge are empty; and what steps are being taken by his Department to reduce the number of such properties. |
| (116921) | |
| 115 | Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library a copy with excisions of matters of operational sensitivity to Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, of Martin Taylor's report on the Government's strategy to combat tobacco smuggling and any accompanying correspondence. |
| (117680) | |
| 116 N | Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the loss of tax revenue if all those companies at present benefiting from rules to be changed by the Budget proposals on (a) double taxation relief and (b) controlled foreign companies were to move away from United Kingdom tax jurisdiction. |
| (117398) | |
| 117 | Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what inflation index and period of measurement was used to calculate the increases in excise duties in the Budget. |
| (117638) | |
| 118 N | Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the estimated yield from the Budget proposals for (a) double taxation relief for companies and (b) controlled foreign companies if all off-setting behavioural changes are ignored. |
| (117400) | |
| 119 | Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) remuneration, (b) fee and (c) expenses were paid out of public funds to Mr Martin Taylor for his report on the Government's strategy to combat tobacco smuggling. |
| (117649) | |
| 120 N | Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the number of companies likely to be affected by the Budget proposals for (a) double taxation relief and (b) controlled foreign companies. |
| (117399) | |
| 121 | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many households with children there were in (a) 1970, (b) 1980 and (c) 1999 where (i) both parents were married and the children were born to those parents and (ii) stepchildren formed part of the households. |
| (117536) | |
| 122 | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the number of households with children where the parents are not married and are cohabiting. |
| (117529) | |
| 123 | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many single mothers with dependent children in (a) 1970, (b) 1980 and (c) 1999 were (i) widows and (ii) divorcees. |
| (117537) | |
| 124 | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) single parent and (b) single mother households there were in (i) 1970, (ii) 1980 and (iii) 1999. |
| (117546) | |
| 125 | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate for (a) 1970, (b) 1980 and (c) 1999 how many dependent children lived in households where the parents were not married and were cohabiting. |
| (117535) | |
| 126 | Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if Martin Taylor received remuneration, a fee or out-of-pocket expenses paid out of public funds for his report on the Government's strategy to combat tobacco smuggling; and who owns the copyright of his report. |
| (117504) | |
| 127 | Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the report by Martin Taylor on the Government's strategy to combat tobacco smuggling concluded about (a) the significance of the difference in the levels of tobacco taxation between the United Kingdom and other nations and (b) the likelihood, without a closer alignment of national tobacco tax levels, of other measures to combat smuggling having a substantial effect. |
| (117505) | |
| 128 | Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library a copy, with appropriate excisions of matters of operational sensitivity to Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, of the Taylor Report on the Government's strategy to combat tobacco smuggling and the accompanying correspondence. |
| (117544) | |
| 129 | Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if Martin Taylor's Report on the Government's strategy to combat tobacco smuggling has been made available to the senior officers of HM Customs and Excise at policy and operational levels who are responsible for the control of tobacco smuggling. |
| (117501) | |
| 130 N | Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact on people who will be of pensionable age in the next five years of the ending of the married person's tax allowance. |
| (115896) | |
| 131 | Mr Patrick Nicholls (Teignbridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if a decision on the aviation fuel tax proposed by the European Commission will be made under qualified majority voting or unanimity procedure. |
| (117299) | |
| 132 | Mr Patrick Nicholls (Teignbridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is his assessment of the cost implications for the United Kingdom aviation industry of the aviation fuel tax proposed by the European Commission. |
| (117300) | |
| 133 | Mr Patrick Nicholls (Teignbridge): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the Government's policy in respect of the European Commission's proposed aviation fuel tax; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117298) | |
| 134 N | Mr Michael Portillo (Kensington and Chelsea): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received from business organisations concerning the proposed changes to double taxation relief and to controlled foreign companies outlined in his Budget Report; how many such representations he has received; from whom such representations have been received; what estimates have been given by business organisations conerning the cost to United Kingdom-based multinationals of the proposed changes; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117284) | |
| 135 N | Mr Michael Portillo (Kensington and Chelsea): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the oral statement by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, of 27th March, Official Report, column 121, if he will list the companies named in representations by Mr Peter Wyman of PricewaterhouseCoopers as likely to be adversely affected by the proposed changes to double tax relief and to controlled foreign companies outlined in his Budget Report. |
| (117281) | |
| 136 N | Mr Michael Portillo (Kensington and Chelsea): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he proposes to revise the estimated revenue to be produced by the changes to double taxation relief and to controlled foreign companies outlined in his Budget Report following the representations made by business organisations. |
| (117285) | |
| 137 N | Mr Michael Portillo (Kensington and Chelsea): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, within what range of cost to individual UK-based multinationals the proposed changes to double taxation relief and to controlled foreign companies outlined in his Budget Report will fall. |
| (117280) | |
| 138 N | Mr Michael Portillo (Kensington and Chelsea): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the oral statement by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, of 27th March, Official Report, column 121, what representations have been made to the Treasury by Mr Peter Wyman of PricewaterhouseCoopers concerning the proposed changes to double taxation relief and to controlled foreign companies outlined in his Budget Report. |
| (117282) | |
| 139 N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will assess the benefits of introducing tax incentives for new companies which operate below the threshold of turnover above which they would receive exemption certificates; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117338) | |
| 140 | Mr William Ross (East Londonderry): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is his estimate of the loss to public revenues in each of the last three years and the current year to end of March consequent on the smuggling of (a) petrol, and (b) other fuel oils from the Irish Republic into Northern Ireland. |
| (117677) | |
| 141 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the smuggling of alcohol and tobacco on the retail sector, with particular reference to newsagents. |
| (117551) | |
| 142 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the amounts of alcohol and tobacco smuggled into the UK for each of the past 10 years; and what estimate he has made for the next three years. |
| (117552) | |
| 143 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the current penalties are for smuggling tobacco and alcohol; and what plans he has to revise them. |
| (117550) | |
| 144 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many customs officers were employed on anti-smuggling activities in each of the past 10 years. |
| (117549) | |
| 145 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he has taken to advertise the Bootlegging Hotline; and what the budget was for advertising it. |
| (117554) | |
| 146 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many calls the Bootlegging Hotline has received in each month since its introduction; and how many successful prosecutions have resulted from the Bootlegging Hotline. |
| (117553) | |
| 147 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many successful prosecution there were for smuggling (a) tobacco products and (b) alcohol in each of the past 10 years. |
| (117548) | |
| 148 N | Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what was the estimated tax lost to the Treasury in smuggled (a) cigarettes, (b) rolling tobacco and (c) alcohol in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117547) | |
| 149 | Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to combat the rise in smuggling of alcohol. |
| (117348) | |
| 150 | Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the changes in business taxes since May 1997. |
| (117343) | |
| 151 | Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what further plans he has to introduce measures to assist small businesses. |
| (117311) | |
| 152 | Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what measures he plans to introduce to assist the haulage industry. |
| (117315) | |
| 153 | Mr Marsha Singh (Bradford West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many operations were carried out by officers of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise concerning heroin imported from Pakistan in controlled deliveries; and how much heroin was imported in respect of each operation, in each year between 1st January 1990 and 1st January 2000. |
| (117321) | |
| 154 | Mr Marsha Singh (Bradford West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many operations involving controlled imports of illegal drugs by officers of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise there were in (a) each year between 1st January 1990 and 1st January 2000 broken down by quantities and types of illegal drugs and (b) between 1st January 1997 and 1st January 1998, involving heroin imported from Pakistan and if he will specify the quantities. |
| (117345) | |
| 155 | Angela Smith (Basildon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will grant tax relief on the costs of conversion of minibuses and coaches to allow for wheelchair and disabled access. |
| (117639) | |
| 156 | Mr John Smith (Vale of Glamorgan): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will instruct HM Customs & Excise to provide the same information on the relevant background of imported motor vehicles to independent importers as it does to major car manufacturers and suppliers. |
| (117568) | |
| 157 | Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what was the percentage increase in road fuel duty announced in the Budget, in relation to the rate of inflation; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117576) | |
| 158 | Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress the Government has made to date with regard to relieving Third World debt; and what further initiatives the UK plans to take to help tackle the remaining significant debt problem. |
| (117685) | |
| 159 | Mr Donald Anderson (Swansea East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the result of the Government's latest discussions with the Spanish Government on the subject of Gibraltar. |
| (117396) | |
| 160 | Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to ban investment in Burma by United Kingdom-owned companies; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117508) | |
| 161 | Sir Richard Body (Boston and Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many European Union Directives have been incorporated into the law of the United Kingdom. |
| (117582) | |
| 162 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much has been spent on (a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in his Department for each financial year since 1992. |
| (117481) | |
| 163 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the present position is as regards delays faced by motor vehicles at the Gibraltar/Spain border; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117410) | |
| 164 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his letter to the honourable Member for Linlithgow, concerning his willingness to debate Government policy on Iraq, if he will do so at Kensington Town Hall on 6th May with Denis Halliday and Hans von Sponeck. |
| (117247) | |
| 165 N | Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the visiting rights available to (a) members of the family and (b) legal advisers, in respect of the 13 Jews detained in Iran. |
| (117251) | |
| 166 N | Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the availability of legal representation for the 13 Jews detained in Iran. |
| (117252) | |
| 167 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) number and (b) percentage of properties in his charge are empty; and what steps are being taken by his Department to reduce the number of such properties. |
| (116918) | |
| 168 | Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in the Norwegian Government about Sri Lanka. |
| (117641) | |
| 169 | Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what contribution Britain is making to support initiatives for peace in Sri Lanka. |
| (117642) | |
| 170 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on which occasions Roger Crooks was present at meetings referred to in (a) Sir Thomas Legg's Report, Session 1997-98, HC 1016, (b) the First Special Report of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee sessions 1997-98, HC 760, (c) the Second Special Report of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee session 1997-98, HC 852 and (d) the Second Report of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee sessions 1998-99, HC116-I; and if he will make a statement. |
| (116932) | |
| 171 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who selects honourable Members to attend the Oxford Forum. |
| (116929) | |
| 172 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if Mr Roger Crooks was present at the official meeting held on 3rd December 1997 between his Department's officials, and representatives of the (i) Cabinet Office, (ii) Department for International Development and (iii) Ministry of Defence; and if he will make a statement. |
| (116925) | |
| 173 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the occasions on which Mr Peter Penfold had meetings with Roger Crooks (a) in Sierra Leone, (b) in Conakry, (c) in the United Kingdom and (d) on board a Royal Naval vessel. |
| (116928) | |
| 174 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 16th March, Official Report, column 287W, for what purposes his Department has had discussions on the general situation in Sierra Leone; and if he will make a statement. |
| (116968) | |
| 175 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on which occasions John Flynn, the Foreign Secretary's Special Representative for Sierra Leone, met Mr Roger Crooks. |
| (116931) | |
| 176 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 16th March, Official Report, column 287, if his Department knew of Roger Crooks' dual US/Sierra Leone citizenship at the time of their discussions; and if these discussions have continued since Roger Crooks' expulsion from Sierra Leone. |
| (116962) | |
| 177 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on which occasions (a) Miss Ann Grant, (b) Mr Richard Dales, (c) Craig Murray, (d) Mr Tim Andrews, (d) Mr John Everad and (f) Lynda St. Cooke met Roger Crooks. |
| (116927) | |
| 178 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who were (a) the three officials from other Foreign and Commonwealth Office departments, (b) the official from the Cabinet office and (c) the official from the Department for International Development who attended the meeting referred to in the Second Report of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Session 1998-99 (HC 116) at footnote 163, page xxi. |
| (116926) | |
| 179 | Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if, pursuant to his Answer of 20th January, Official Report, column 536, on the Helsinki Council, the terms of reference, guidance and accountability of the standing committees have been determined. |
| (117486) | |
| 180 | Mr Patrick Nicholls (Teignbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has received about the Your Britain, Your Europe, roadshow; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117335) | |
| 181 | Mr Patrick Nicholls (Teignbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the contribution of the Your Britain, Your Europe, roadshow to his Department's performance target of increasing public support for EU activities. |
| (117334) | |
| 182 | Mr Patrick Nicholls (Teignbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many of the commissioners from the former European Commission are in receipt of EU allowances. |
| (117312) | |
| 183 | Mr Patrick Nicholls (Teignbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what costs were incurred by the Your Britain, Your Europe, roadshow on (a) travel and (b) publicity and promotional material. |
| (117322) | |
| 184 N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Government of Kazakhstan about freedom of the press. |
| (117113) | |
| 185 N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with European foreign ministers on human rights in Kazakhstan. |
| (117114) | |
| 186 | Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment has been made of the implications for non-proliferation of United States' plans to establish a National Missile Defence Shield Programme, involving forward bases in the United Kingdom |
| (117675) | |
| 187 N | Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what was the (a) total cost and (b) cost per passenger of the jets used to fly Ministers and officials to the Lisbon Summit; and if he will break down the cost by government department. |
| (117042) | |
| 188 N | Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who took the decision that three separate jets would be used to fly Ministers and officials to the Lisbon Summit. |
| (117040) | |
| 189 N | Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many (a) officials and (b) political advisers accompanied Ministers to the Lisbon Summit. |
| (117041) | |
| 190 | Mr Tony Worthington (Clydebank and Milngavie): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to involve non-governmental organisations in consultation as part of the preparation of the Government's position for the Social Summit in Geneva in June. |
| (117326) | |
| 191 | Mr Tony Worthington (Clydebank and Milngavie): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which department is the lead department for preparing for the Social Summit in Geneva in June; and which other departments are involved in the preparation. |
| (117325) | |
| 192 | Mr Tony Worthington (Clydebank and Milngavie): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who will represent Her Majesty's Government at the United Nations Social Summit in Geneva in June. |
| (117324) | |
| 193 | Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the progress of recent negotiations between Israel and Syria. |
| (117598) | |
| 194 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been spent on (a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in his Department for each financial year since 1992. |
| (117473) | |
| 195 | Mr Tony Clarke (Northampton South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have entered student nurse training in Northamptonshire since May 1997. |
| (117607) | |
| 196 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many student nurses were employed in the Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth Health Authority area on 1st March. |
| (117408) | |
| 197 | Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of salmonella were reported during 1999 in the United Kingdom. |
| (117409) | |
| 198 N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 8th March, Official Report, column 760W, concerning animal testing and medicines, for what reasons the Government will not introduce a statutory requirement that labels on medicines include a statement providing information enabling those who oppose the use of animals in medical and veterinary research to make an informed judgement as to whether they should use these products on themselves and their pets. |
| (116735) | |
| 199 N | Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress the Government has made in implementing the WHO (Europe) proposals for national and local food and nutrition action plans following the Malta 1999 consultation. |
| (117527) | |
| 200 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what (a) number and (b) percentage of properties in his charge are empty; and what steps are being taken by his Department to reduce the number of such properties. |
| (116912) | |
| 201 N | Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much of the £2 billion announced for the NHS is from the Capital Modernisation Fund. |
| (116679) | |
| 202 N | Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the total cost to the NHS of (a) instituting charges per script and (b) allowing prescription charges to be paid by instalments; and if he will make a statement. |
| (116680) | |
| 203 N | Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of (a) the cost to the NHS of providing a nationwide meningitis vaccination programme and (b) the total number of people for whom such a programme would be clinically appropriate; and if he will make a statement. |
| (116681) | |
| 204 N | Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the spending on cleaning services and how many cleaning staff were employed in the NHS in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. |
| (116682) | |
| 205 N | Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the cost to the NHS of hospital-acquired infections in the last five years; what measures his Department is taking to tackle such infections and at what cost; and if he will make a statement. |
| (116683) | |
| 206 | Mr Andrew Hunter (Basingstoke): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) babies and (b) school children aged 15 to 17 years have been vaccinated with meningococcal group C conjugate vaccine under the current immunisation programme. |
| (117637) | |
| 207 | Mr Andrew Hunter (Basingstoke): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will provide funding within the allocation for the breast screening service for self-referrals for women above the age of 65 years. |
| (117634) | |
| 208 | Mr Andrew Hunter (Basingstoke): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the current review into vaccine usage, including wastage, which his Department has commissioned will be completed; if he will publish its findings; what the precise terms of reference of the review are; and if the review will receive representations from manufacturers of equipment for storing vaccines. |
| (117635) | |
| 209 N | Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many health care assistants are seconded into nurse education. |
| (117147) | |
| 210 N | Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many trainee nurses are (a) seconded on salary, (b) receiving his Department's bursary and (c) in receipt of a student loan. |
| (117146) | |
| 211 N | Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of student nurses left training before completing their course in each year since 1996. |
| (117148) | |
| 212 N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 27th January, Official Report, column 346W, on intensive care beds, when the honourable Member for New Forest East will receive the information promised. |
| (117151) | |
| 213 | Fiona Mactaggart (Slough): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the audit of NHS and independent sector abortion services carried out by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists; and if he will make a statement on the measures he proposes to take on the results of the audit. |
| (117682) | |
| 214 | Fiona Mactaggart (Slough): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the evidence-based guidelines, published on 13th March, by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, on the care of women seeking abortion will be implemented. |
| (117684) | |
| 215 | Fiona Mactaggart (Slough): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the next audit of abortion services will be carried out. |
| (117683) | |
| 216 N | Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received from organisations on age discrimination against elderly patients in the NHS. |
| (117294) | |
| 217 N | Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will initiate an inquiry into age discrimination against elderly patients in the NHS. |
| (117293) | |
| 218 | Laura Moffatt (Crawley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements have been made to ensure nurses are represented on the five project areas to modernise the NHS. |
| (117349) | |
| 219 N | Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the funding of (a) children's hospices and (b) adult hospices. |
| (117150) | |
| 220 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) walking sticks, (b) wigs, (c) crutches, (d) zimmer frames and (e) other aids were issued to NHS patients in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many, and what percentage, were returned to the NHS following the patients' recovery or death. |
| (117605) | |
| 221 N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many copies of Fit for the Future were (a) printed and (b) requested; if he will increase the number of copies available; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117344) | |
| 222 N | Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make funding available to health authorities to ensure that children with severe brittle bone disease will be able to receive biophospharate treatment. |
| (117102) | |
| 223 N | Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will reply to the Question tabled on 27th January (ref. 107991) by the honourable Member for Meriden concerning vaccinations. |
| (117108) | |
| 224 | Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was paid to the private healthcare industry for procedures carried out on behalf of NHS patients, broken down by health authority for each of the last three years. |
| (117701) | |
| 225 | Mr John M. Taylor (Solihull): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the extent of the use of private sector health facilities by the NHS in the last year. |
| (117404) | |
| 226 | Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what tests are undertaken to ensure the safety of beef imported into the United Kingdom from countries where BSE infections have been notified. |
| (117708) | |
| 227 | Sir Richard Body (Boston and Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in what circumstances officers in Europol will be authorised to carry arms when engaged in operations in the United Kingdom. |
| (117577) | |
| 228 | Sir Richard Body (Boston and Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what operations have been carried out jointly by Europol and police in the United Kindgom. |
| (117584) | |
| 229 | Sir Richard Body (Boston and Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, where the training college for Europol will be established. |
| (117579) | |
| 230 | Sir Richard Body (Boston and Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement about the purpose of the training college for Europol. |
| (117578) | |
| 231 | Sir Richard Body (Boston and Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if Europol officers operating in the United Kingdom will wear a uniform. |
| (117583) | |
| 232 | Sir Richard Body (Boston and Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, under what circumstances a United Kingdom police force can refuse to carry out an operation proposed to be carried out under provisions of the Treaty of Amsterdam. |
| (117575) | |
| 233 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been spent on (a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in his Department for each financial year since 1992. |
| (117477) | |
| 234 | Mr Colin Burgon (Elmet): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what responses he has received to his consultation letter regarding proposals to extend the opening hours of casinos in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117693) | |
| 235 N | Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Metropolitan Police PFI contract for vehicle supply and maintenance. |
| (117333) | |
| 236 N | Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent representations he has received from the Nottinghamshire Police about the effectiveness of the Metropolitan Police PFI contract for vehicle supply and maintenance. |
| (117332) | |
| 237 N | Mr Robin Corbett (Birmingham, Erdington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the average time taken for (a) issuing and (b) renewing firearm certificates and shotgun licences in (i) Devon and Cornwall, (ii) Avon and Somerset, (iii) South Wales, (iv) Northumberland, (v) West Midlands and (vi) Cambridgeshire; and what the figures were in each of the previous five years. |
| (117525) | |
| 238 N | Mr Robin Corbett (Birmingham, Erdington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) police officers and (b) civilians are involved in the administration of firearm and shotgun controls; and what the figures were in each of the previous five years in (i) Devon and Cornwall, (ii) Avon and Somerset, (iii) Northumberland, (iv) West Midlands and (v) Cambridgeshire. |
| (117539) | |
| 239 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) number and (b) percentage of properties in his charge are empty; and what steps are being taken by his Department to reduce the number of such properties. |
| (116915) | |
| 240 | Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applications were received in 1999; and what proportion of those applicants came from Sri Lanka. |
| (117643) | |
| 241 | Dr Stephen Ladyman (South Thanet): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the operation of the confidentiality agreement between his Department and the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection in relation to offences committed under the Protection of Animals Act 1911. |
| (117710) | |
| 242 N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers and dependents are being held at Oakington Detention Centre. |
| (117099) | |
| 243 N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have been held at Oakington Detention Centre since it opened; and in how many of those cases the initial decision on an application was made during the asylum seeker's stay at Oakington. |
| (117248) | |
| 244 N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects to receive the report of the Liquidator of Global Cultural Diversity Congress Ltd; and when he expects that report to be available to members of the Commission for Racial Equality. |
| (117250) | |
| 245 N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is his policy on allowing detainees at Oakington temporarily to leave the centre. |
| (117100) | |
| 246 N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many detainees have been permitted temporarily to leave Oakington Detention Centre; how many have failed to return; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117098) | |
| 247 N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have been dispersed from Oakington Detention Centre before a decision on their case has been made; where they have dispersed to; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117249) | |
| 248 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) serving and (b) retired police officers who took part in the Rachel Nickel murder inquiry have had documents seized by the Metropolitan Police; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117107) | |
| 249 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 16th March, Official Report, column 268, what was the purpose and cost of Operation Nightshade; and when it was completed. |
| (116965) | |
| 250 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 16th March, Official Report, column 269 on Mr Keith Green, if the officer who interviewed Mr Keith Green in the hospital wing of Brixton Prison on 16th December 1997 was the officer referred to in his Answer relating to the interview of 9th December 1997; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117014) | |
| 251 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when (a) the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and (b) the PCA received the report of the investigating officer into the complaint of Keith Green; and what has been the cause of delay in its completion. |
| (117017) | |
| 252 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 16th March, Official Report, column 268, for what purpose Roger Crooks was interviewed by SO13 on 24th June 1994; and if he will make a statement. |
| (116964) | |
| 253 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, under what powers manuscripts and other documents belonging to former detective Keith Pedder were (a) seized and (b) continue to be held; and if Keith Pedder is entitled to have access to them. |
| (117016) | |
| 254 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 16th March, Official Report, column 268, on the CIB/Kent police investigation, what was the purpose and cost of the CIB/Kent police investigation; and when it was completed. |
| (116966) | |
| 255 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) serving and (b) retired police officers who had been involved in the investigation of the Rachel Nickell murder inquiry have (i) been subject to disciplinary action and (ii) been interviewed by (A) CIB and (B) SO13. |
| (116967) | |
| 256 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the estimated cost, to date, of Operation Cornwall. |
| (117015) | |
| 257 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will write to the honourable Member for Thurrock when the inquiry into the complaint of former detective Keith Pedder is completed. |
| (117013) | |
| 258 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 16th March, Official Report, column 268, on which occasions, subsequent to 24th June 1994, Roger Crooks has been interviewed by SO13; and if he will make a statement. |
| (116963) | |
| 259 | Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 26th November, Official Report, columns 238-9W, on Title IV of the Treaty of the European Community, what (a) further measures have been brought forward and (b) decisions have been taken by the United Kingdom concerning opting into measures brought forward under Title IV since 26th November 1999. |
| (117484) | |
| 260 | Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if participation in the Schengen information system by the United Kingdom will require the United Kingdom to opt into an agreement based on (a) Title IV of the Treaty of the European Community or (b) other European treaties. |
| (117406) | |
| 261 N | Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many women are employed in the Prison Service; and what proportion this represents of the total workforce. |
| (116850) | |
| 262 | Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the report of the Police Foundation Inquiry into the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117606) | |
| 263 | Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what mechanism is used for reimbursing local authorities for costs incurred in resect of the dispersal of asylum seekers. |
| (117297) | |
| 264 | Mr Gerry Steinberg (City of Durham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners have been released on the tagging system since it was introduced; how many have reoffended whilst being tagged; and if he will list the crimes that they have committed. |
| (117699) | |
| 265 | Mr Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures are being taken by the Immigration and Nationality Department to speed up the processing of applications for indefinite leave to remain. |
| (117330) | |
| 266 | Mr Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria are used in assessing claims for indefinite leave to remain made by foreign nationals. |
| (117331) | |
| 267 | Mr Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was (a) the average and (b) the longest time taken by the Immigration and Nationality Department to process applications for indefinite leave to remain first lodged in (i) January 1996, (ii) January 1997, (iii) January 1998, (iv) January 1999 and (v) January 2000. |
| (117329) | |
| 268 N | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to legislate to allow DNA samples given voluntarily by members of the public in the course of a police investigation to be retained by the police provided consent has been given by the donor. |
| (117283) | |
| 269 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much has been spent on (a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in her Department for each financial year since 1992. |
| (117468) | |
| 270 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what (a) number and (b) percentage of properties in her charge are empty; and what steps are being taken by her Department to reduce the number of such properties. |
| (116910) | |
| 271 | Maria Fyfe (Glasgow, Maryhill): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with her international colleagues concerning humanitarian aid to Burma via non-governmental organisations. |
| (117608) | |
| 272 | Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what annual contribution Britain has made to aid for Sri Lanka since 1964. |
| (117674) | |
| 273 | Mr John M. Taylor (Solihull): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what is her policy in relation to cancellation of third world debt on discrimination in favour of aid recipients which have exercised good stewardship of aid received. |
| (117405) | |
| 274 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how much has been spent on (a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in the Lord Chancellor's Department for each financial year since 1992. |
| (117480) | |
| 275 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what (a) number and (b) percentage of properties in his charge are empty; and what steps are being taken by his Department to reduce the number of such properties. |
| (116916) | |
| 276 | Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many awards were made available, and at what cost, to Northern Ireland students undertaking courses at residential institutions for adult education in Great Britain in each of the last 10 years. |
| (117581) | |
| 277 | Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what (a) amount and (b) percentage of money from the education budget was devoted to transport in (i) 1991, (ii) 1995 and (iii) 1999. |
| (117342) | |
| 278 | Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what (a) amount and (b) percentage of funding was retained by his Department from the education budget in (i) 1991, (ii) 1995 and (iii) 1999. |
| (117341) | |
| 279 | Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what was the total amount allocated to the education budget for Northern Ireland in 1991. |
| (117339) | |
| 280 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much has been spent on (a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in his Department for each financial year since 1992. |
| (117479) | |
| 281 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what (a) number and (b) percentage of properties in his charge are empty; and what steps are being taken by his Department to reduce the number of such properties. |
| (116908) | |
| 282 | Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many companies were invited to tender for the development of the 1999 Management Trainee Assessment Centre; to which company the contract was awarded; what use was made of the materials developed by the contractor; what plans he has for future use of those materials; how much was paid to the contractor for work relating to the 1999 Management Trainee Assessment Centre as a percentage of the initial quoted costs; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117316) | |
| 283 | Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many companies were invited to tender for the development of the 1998 Management Trainee Assessment Centre; to which company the contract was awarded; what use was made of the results of the Assessment Centre; what plans he has to re-use the materials developed by the contractor; how much was paid to the contractor for work relating to the 1998 Management Trainee Assessment Centre as a percentage of the initial quoted costs; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117317) | |
| 284 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress has been made in reducing the backlog of cases waiting to be heard by the Fair Employment Tribunal. |
| (117353) | |
| 285 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what measures he has taken to integrate the statutory equality duty into the new Targeting Social Need initiative. |
| (117362) | |
| 286 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps have been taken to increase the representation of Roman Catholics in the Senior Civil Service. |
| (117355) | |
| 287 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to ensure the adherence of the national security certificate system to the quality scheme under the Northern Ireland Act 1998. |
| (117361) | |
| 288 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to establish an Equality Unit within the Northern Ireland Office. |
| (117356) | |
| 289 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to utilise contract compliance and public procurement as a mechanism for promoting greater employment equality. |
| (117354) | |
| 290 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress has been made in developing a memorandum of understanding between the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and the Equality Commission. |
| (117357) | |
| 291 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he has taken to ensure adequacy of funding and resources for the Fair Employment Tribunal. |
| (117352) | |
| 292 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will accept the recommendation of the Northern Ireland Commission on Fair Employment to conduct the next analysis of unemployment differentials before the 2011 Census. |
| (117359) | |
| 293 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress has been made in reducing community differentials in unemployment; what targets he has set for reducing community differentials; and what initiatives are planned to remedy community differentials. |
| (117351) | |
| 294 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he plans to circulate final guidelines on fair employment practices. |
| (117360) | |
| 295 N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to monitor the effectiveness of the New Deal programme in Northern Ireland in terms of religious affiliation. |
| (117358) | |
| 296 | Mr Stephen Pound (Ealing North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he last met European Commissioners to discuss EU structural funds allocated to Northern Ireland. |
| (117524) | |
| 297 | Mr David Prior (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what has been the cost to date of the Saville Inquiry; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117700) | |
| 298 | Mr William Ross (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if an extradition warrant has been issued for Liam Averill. |
| (117679) | |
| 299 | Mr William Ross (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance given to valuation officers when determining the rateable value of buildings in Northern Ireland. |
| (117678) | |
| 300 | Mr William Ross (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what statutory provisions govern the private security industry in Northern Ireland, including nightclub doormen; and who is responsible for their enforcement. |
| (117350) | |
| 301 | Mr William Ross (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many petrol stations in each council area which abut the Irish Republic ceased to trade in motor vehicle fuel in each of the four years prior to 31st March; and what was the rateable value of those stations in each council area in total. |
| (117676) | |
| 302 N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the dates on which meetings were held between Her Majesty's Government and the French Government on the Synchrotron project; and if he will make a statement on the nature of the French Government's representations on the siting of the Synchrotron. |
| (117103) | |
| 303 N | Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the personnel who attended the European Council in Lisbon on 23rd to 24th March, indicating their functions in each case. |
| (117115) | |
| 304 N | Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Prime Minister, using what mode of travel, and when, (a) he, (b) the Chancellor of the Exchequer and (c) the Foreign Secretary returned to the UK from the European Council in Lisbon on 24th and 25th March. |
| (117141) | |
| 305 N | Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Prime Minister, if Mr Geoff Mulgan of his Policy Unit is involved in policy relating to voting systems. |
| (117153) | |
| 306 N | Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Prime Minister, in what form records are kept of persons visiting 10 Downing Street for meetings (a) with him and (b) with officials; and for how long such records have been maintained. |
| (116924) | |
| 307 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much has been spent on (a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in his Department for each financial year since 1992. |
| (117474) | |
| 308 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what (a) number and (b) percentage of properties in his charge are empty; and what steps are being taken by his Department to reduce the number of such properties. |
| (116923) | |
| 309 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how much has been spent on (a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in his Department for each financial year since 1992. |
| (117470) | |
| 310 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how much it would have cost his Department if he had amended the standard rate for paying mortgage interest in January when the January rate of 6.29 per cent. was more than the 0.25 per cent. point change required to trigger a change. |
| (117028) | |
| 311 N | Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will lay the necessary regulations to amend the standard rate for income support mortgage interest payments. |
| (117038) | |
| 312 N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his oral statement of 27th March, Official Report, column 42, concerning 400 new fraud investigators, how many of the new investigators will be recruited to each relevant organisation. |
| (117278) | |
| 313 N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to public funds arising from compensation to those who were misinformed about SERPS entitlement, other than the cost of postponing the change to surviving spouses entitlement to SERPS. |
| (117104) | |
| 314 | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the cost of (a) 5 to 10 per cent., (b) 10 to15 per cent., (c) 15 to 20 per cent., (d) 20 to 25 per cent., (e) 25 to 30 per cent., (f) 30 to 35 per cent., (g) 35 to 40 per cent., (h) 40 to 45 per cent., (i) 45 to 50 per cent., (j) 50 to 55 per cent., (k) 55 to 60 per cent. and (l) 60 to 65 per cent. of those currently in SERPS producing satisfactory evidence that they have been misled over surviving spouses' entitlement. |
| (117538) | |
| 315 N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, by what percentage the budget for housing benefit has increased in real terms (a) in each year since the introduction of housing benefit and (b) in total since the introduction of housing benefit. |
| (117279) | |
| 316 N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many families have been in receipt of (a) family credit but not the working families tax credit, (b) working families tax credit but not family credit and (c) family credit and working families tax credit for each month since February 1999. |
| (117105) | |
| 317 N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his oral statement of 27th March, Official Report, column 42, concerning 400 new fraud investigators, what the net increase in fraud investigation staff will be for each of the organisations relevant to his announcement when the recruitment is completed. |
| (117277) | |
| 318 | Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if the three months' extension of the time limit for claiming income support will be allowed in the case where a pensioner's failure to claim earlier can be ascribed to the delay in launching the Government's take-up campaign. |
| (117591) | |
| 319 | Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how much higher the income of (a) a single pensioner and (b) a pensioner couple not receiving income support would be in the year 2000-01 if the basic retirement pension had been uprated in (i) 1998, (ii) 1999 and (iii) 2000 in line with average earnings. |
| (117589) | |
| 320 | Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, by what percentage the basic retirement pension could be increased in April without reducing the expected balance of the National Insurance Fund at the end of the year 2001-02 below the minimum level recommended by the Government Actuary. |
| (117588) | |
| 321 | Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what administrative obstacles exist to basing the annual uprating of benefits on the retail price index for the previous December. |
| (117590) | |
| 322 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what (a) number and (b) percentage of properties in his charge are empty; and what steps are being taken by his Department to reduce the numbers of such properties. |
| (116922) | |
| 323 | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what proportion of households headed by a single mother are currently in receipt of (a) housing benefit, (b) other social security benefits, excluding child benefit, (c) income support, (d) social security loans and (e) free school meals. |
| (117531) | |
| 324 | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many single mothers with dependent children are making pension contributions through (a) national insurance, (b) SERPS and (c) private pension schemes; how many are making no such contributions; and if he will estimate his Department's unfunded liability, assuming present levels of pension payments, in (i) 2020, (ii) 2040 and (iii) 2060. |
| (117530) | |
| 325 | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many divorced or separated women (a) have and (b) have not received from their ex-husbands or husbands their full CSA-assessed entitlement in the most recent year for which figures are available. |
| (117528) | |
| 326 | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many adults living in poverty are (a) unmarried mothers and (b) divorced women. |
| (117569) | |
| 327 | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many single parents in (a) 1970, (b) 1980 and (c) 1999 were in receipt of social security benefits, excluding child benefit or its equivalent; and what was (i) the cost of such benefits and (ii) the proportion of the total social security budget which they constituted in each of these years. |
| (117534) | |
| 328 | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many divorced women without dependent children were in receipt of social security benefits in (a) 1970, (b) 1980 and (c) 1999; and what was the cost of such benefits in each of those years. |
| (117532) | |
| 329 | Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many single parent households which were headed by a divorced woman were in receipt of social security benefits, excluding child benefit or its equivalent, in (a) 1970, (b) 1980 and (c) 1999; and what was the cost of such benefits in each of these years. |
| (117533) | |
| 330 | Mrs Joan Humble (Blackpool North and Fleetwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what gross budget will be set for the Social Fund in 2000-01. |
| (117673) | |
| 331 N | Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what representations he has received on the proposed merger of the Benefits Agency and the Employment Service; and if he will make a statement. |
| (115878) | |
| 332 N | Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is the estimated number of parents with care with Child Support Agency assessments who are in receipt of both working families' tax credit and housing benefit. |
| (117403) | |
| 333 N | Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is the estimated number of parents with care who have Child Support Agency assessments who are in receipt of working families' tax credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit. |
| (117402) | |
| 334 | Mr Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list the officials in his Department at Grade 3 and above with responsibility for retirement and widows' pension matters in the period 1986 to 1991. |
| (117694) | |
| 335 | Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list for each region the number of (a) outstanding claims for disability living allowance and (b) staff employed at each medical centre; and how many applicants he estimates will not have their claim resolved before the expiry date of their existing entitlement. |
| (117592) | |
| 336 | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if, he intends under the draft stakeholder pension regulations, the no penalty requirement (exemptions from employer access, Part IV) to relate to the contributions made on behalf of the member by the employer; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117599) | |
| 337 | Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if, he intends under the draft stakeholder pension regulations, the separate arrangement to charge for individual detached advice to be regarded as a pension contract; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117600) | |
| 338 | Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many pensioners have savings (i) below £3,000, (ii) between £3,000 and £6,000, (iii) below £6,000, (iv) between £6,000 and £12,000 and (v) between £12,000 and £47,100. |
| (117703) | |
| 339 | Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what checks are applied to confirm the identities of new employees in his Department and its agencies. |
| (117705) | |
| 340 | Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many men aged 16 to 24 were economically inactive, according to the Labour Force Survey, in each year since 1992, broken down by (a) students and (b) others. |
| (117557) | |
| 341 | Mr Marsha Singh (Bradford West): To ask the Solicitor General, when the report of the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the collapse of the case, R. v. Doran & Others, is due to be handed to the Attorney General; and if the report will be published. |
| (117318) | |
| 342 | Mr Marsha Singh (Bradford West): To ask the Solicitor General, what factors led to the delay in the reporting of the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the case, R. v. Doran & Others. |
| (117319) | |
| 343 N | Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps he is taking to ensure that low-income consumers using pre-payment meters are charged the same amount for their gas and electricity as those who pay by direct debit. |
| (117509) | |
| 344 | Sir Richard Body (Boston and Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the trade treaties that have been negotiated and signed on behalf of the United Kingdom by the European Community. |
| (117580) | |
| 345 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much has been spent on (a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in his Department for each financial year since 1992. |
| (117472) | |
| 346 N | Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what (a) number and (b) percentage of properties in his charge are empty; and what steps are being taken by his Department to reduce the number of such properties. |
| (116913) | |
| 347 | Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much his Department has spent to promote British trade and investment in Sri Lanka annually since 1997. |
| (117645) | |
| 348 | Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list all those goods requiring export licences which have been licensed for export to Sri Lanka since 1st December 1999. |
| (117646) | |
| 349 | Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he has ordered an internal inquiry into the leak of the contents of the Competition Commission report on car pricing to the Daily Telegraph. |
| (117615) | |
| 350 | Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if the deadlines for implementing the recommendations and requirements of the Nuclear Installation Inspectorate reports published in February regarding BNFL, will be met; and if he will list the (a) expected and (b) achieved completion date for each such requirement. |
| (117618) | |
| 351 | Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department met Rachel Sylvester on (i) Monday 27th March and (ii) during the week beginning 20th March. |
| (117614) | |
| 352 | Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what commitments he has been given by the management of BNFL regarding the reorganisation of management structure and methods at the company. |
| (117616) | |
| 353 | Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if (a) he, (b) other Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department briefed Rachel Sylvester of the Daily Telegraph on the contents of the Competition Commission report on car pricing. |
| (117613) | |
| 354 | Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if the proposed EU Directive on Artists' Resale Rights has recently been discussed by EU Ministers; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117401) | |
| 355 | Mr Eric Martlew (Carlisle): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will refer the bid by Finalrealm for United Biscuits to the Competition Commission; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117610) | |
| 356 | Mr Patrick Nicholls (Teignbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is his assessment of the cost implications for the United Kingdom car manufacturing industry of the proposed End of Life Vehicle Directive; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117336) | |
| 357 | Mr Patrick Nicholls (Teignbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if the Government supports the amendment proposed by the European Parliament to exclude historic cars from the End of Life Vehicle Directive; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117337) | |
| 358 | Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the information provided to his Department between 1st November and 29th March by (a) BMW and (b) Rover. |
| (117555) | |
| 359 | Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the meetings and telephone conversations he had with (a) the Chairman of BMW, (b) the Chairman of Rover, (c) the Chief Executive of BMW and (d) the Chief Executive of Rover, between 1st November and 29th March. |
| (117566) | |
| 360 | Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the requests he made for meetings with (a) the Chairman of BMW, (b) the Chairman of Rover, (c) the Chief Executive of BMW and (d) the Chief Executive of Rover, between 1st November and 29th March. |
| (117565) | |
| 361 | Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the requests his Department made for information to BMW and Rover between 1st November and and 29th March, indicating the date in each case. |
| (117556) | |
| 362 | Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many jobs the New Deal has created; and at what cost. |
| (117328) | |
| 363 | Mr John M. Taylor (Solihull): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions he has held with potential buyers of Land Rover on the pension rights of former employees. |
| (117692) | |
| 364 | Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what authority the proposed OFGEM regulator has to consult on and prepare a carbon dioxide reduction plan for the industry. |
| (117771) | |
| 365 | Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what percentage of the combined heat and power capacity where planning consent has been given over the last 15 months is under construction. |
| (117766) | |
| 366 | Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has received on net metering from (a) business, (b) environmental groups and (c) others; and how he intends to enable domestic producers of renewable and clean energy to gain access to the grid. |
| (117709) | |
| 367 | Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much of the non-fossil fuel obligation income for renewable energy support remains unspent in terms of (a) income not yet spent or allocated to a non-fossil fuel obligation project and (b) income allocated to a non-fossil fuel obligation project but not yet taken up by the project sponsors; and if he will make a statement in respect of unspent and unallocated non-fossil fuel obligation income to support the development of renewable energy. |
| (117706) | |
| 368 | Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what progress he has made in respect of the setting up of the working party on Network Management issues. |
| (117707) | |
| 369 | Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if the loans offered by his Department for the BAe project at Broughton in Flintshire was based on an assumption that the National Assembly for Wales will make a parallel grant; and if he will make a statement. |
| (117681) | |
| 370 | Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will call upon the Office of Fair Trading to publish the research underlying the Office of Fair Trading's definition of the home personal computer market. |
| (117320) | |
| 371 | Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is his definition of the market for home personal computers in relation to the review of this market undertaken by the Office of Fair Trading in 1999. |
| (117327) | |
| 372 | Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will refer exclusive supply arrangements in the market for home personal computers to the Competition Commission. |
| (117323) | |
| 373 | Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much has been spent on (a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in his Department for each financial year since 1992. |
| (117471) | |
| 374 N | Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what estimate he has made of the cost of extending free school meals to families where a parent is in receipt of the disabled person's tax credit. |
| [Transferred] (117143) | |
| 375 N | Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what estimate he has made of the cost of extending free school meals to (a) all families in receipt of working families tax credit and (b) families in receipt of working families tax credit with less than half the average family income. |
| [Transferred] (117142) | |
| 376 N | Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to require local authorities to promote healthy food policies. |
| [Transferred] (117526) | |
| 377 | Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, in each of the last five years how many national insurance numbers and accounts there were where a fraud was detected. |
| [Transferred] (117704) | |
| 378 | Mr Andrew Hunter (Basingstoke): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many doses of the new meningococcal vaccines have been discarded because of poor storage or distribution conditions at the hospital in Omagh; and what proportion this is of that total vaccine. |
| [Transferred] (117636) | |
| 379 | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for which (a) benefits and (b) services a successful claim for working families tax credit is a passport. |
| [Transferred] (117620) | |
| 380 | Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for what reason the Action Plan for Farming published on 30th March contains no proposals to assist the development of the specialist cheese sector; and if he will make a statement. |
| [Transferred] (117696) | |
| 381 | Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has made to the US Government about (a) the fly American policy, (b) cabotage and (c) ownership of US carriers, in the context of bilateral air service agreements. |
| [Transferred] (117617) | |
| 382 | Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what progress he has made towards meeting the target for combined heat and power by the end of 2000. |
| [Transferred] (117765) | |
| 383 | Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the current capacity for a combined heat and power plant in the United Kingdom; and whether the 5 GWe target for combined heat and power by the end of this year is likely to be met. |
| [Transferred] (117764) | |
| |
| © Parliamentary copyright 2000 | Revised 3 April 2000 |