Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1999-2000
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Tuesday 11 April 2000

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 11 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.

TUESDAY 11th APRIL

1
   Mr Martin Caton (Gower):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for what purposes his Department and its executive agencies require a birth certificate to be furnished by (a) employees, (b) contractors, (c) those applying for employment or contracts and (b) other persons.

(118773)

2
N   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what steps the Government is taking to secure a lifting of the ban on the export of British beef to the EU.

(117187)

3
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what measures he will employ to ensure that the independent verifiers of the new British farm standards apply appropriate tests to create consumer confidence in this label.

(118624)

4
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will classify West Dorset as an area qualifying for hill farming compensation.

(118623)

5
N   Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will set a date for the lifting of the ban on over thirty month cattle entering the food chain where they are subject to full traceability.

(118667)

6
N   Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what evidence his Department has collated on the extent to which beef carcasses retaining the spinal cord are being imported from other EU countries.

(118666)

7
N   Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what meetings have been held between United States Government officials and his Department in (a) the USA and (b) the UK in the last 12 months, indicating the dates and locations of the meetings and the subjects discussed.

(118627)

8
N   Mr Ken Maginnis (Fermanagh and South Tyrone):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what is her Government's practice relating to the nationality of personnel who are involved in making appointments to senior positions within the United Kingdom Civil Service; and if he will make a statement.

(118092)

9
   Mrs Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much Lottery money has been allocated to the Lottery Sports Fund for each of the last four years; and how much is planned to be allocated in (a) 2000-01 and (b) 2001-02.

(118783)

10
   Mrs Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what is the allocation per head from the Lottery Arts Fund since its establishment for Waverley Borough Council; and which local authority has had the (a) largest and (b) lowest allocation per head.

(118787)

11
   Mrs Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much money has been allocated to the Lottery Arts Fund since its establishment; and how much was spent from the fund in Surrey in each of the last three years.

(118785)

12
   Mrs Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many awards have been made to date by the Lottery Sports Fund; how many have been made for tennis; and what is the total amount spent on tennis projects from the Lottery funds to date.

(118784)

13
   Mrs Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many awards have been made from Lottery funds to arts centres for capital projects.

(118786)

14
   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the (a) trained strength and (b) trained requirement of the UK (i) regular armed forces, (ii) reserve forces and (iii) Territorial Army.

(118789)

15
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 27th March, Official Report, column 25W, which meetings Lord Levy attended during the Chief of Defence Staff's visit to Israel; and what was the subject of those meetings.

(118279)

16
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 27th March, Official Report, column 25W, if Lord Levy has requested any further defence briefings since 25th March 1999.

(118284)

17
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Chief of Defence Staff visited Bahrain; whom he met; what topics were discussed; and who was in his accompanying delegation.

(118286)

18
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 27th March, Official Report, column 25W, for what reason Lord Levy was given a briefing on Syria by the Chief of Defence Intelligence; and if Lord Levy received security clearance prior to receiving that briefing.

(118283)

19
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 27th March, Official Report, column 25W, if the Chief of Defence Staff discussed arms sales during his visit to Israel.

(118285)

20
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 27th March, Official Report, column 25W, what preparatory work was done in Israel by Lord Levy for the Chief of Defence Staff's visit last September.

(118304)

21
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 27th March, Official Report, column 25W, to which Israeli officials Lord Levy made representations regarding the Chief of Defence Staff's visit to Israel.

(118305)

22
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 27th March, Official Report, column 25W, what assistance was offered by Lord Levy to the Chief of Defence Staff during his visit to Israel last September.

(118280)

23
N   Mr Paddy Ashdown (Yeovil):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many temporary classrooms there are in schools in (a) Somerset and (b) the Yeovil constituency; and if he will make a statement.

(118640)

24
N   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what new measures he will make available to the city academies to help ensure high standards of behaviour by pupils; and if he will make a statement.

(118679)

25
N   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what steps the Government is taking to help schools improve pupil behaviour.

(118678)

26
N   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment his Department has made of the impact on standards of educational achievement of poor behaviour in schools.

(118677)

27
N   Mr Paul Truswell (Pudsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what monitoring procedures he will apply to ensure the objectivity of the work of the consultants appointed as a result of the Ofsted Report on Leeds Local Education Authority.

(118545)

28
N   Mr Paul Truswell (Pudsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many times his Department's officials have met headteachers in Leeds (a) since the publication of the Ofsted Inspection Report on the local education authority and (b) since the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers as consultants on future structures.

(118547)

29
N   Mr Paul Truswell (Pudsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many times his Department's officials met PricewaterhouseCoopers staff since their appointment as consultants following the publication of the Ofsted Report on Leeds LEA; and for what purpose.

(118546)

30
N   Mr Tony Worthington (Clydebank and Milngavie):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what proposals he has regarding (a) grant levels, (b) Government procurement policies and (c) employment service policies to support the new Remploy 21 proposals.

(117604)

31
   Mr Martin Caton (Gower):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will extend the scope of the Waste Management (Licensing) Regulations so that judgement on fit and proper person status takes into account relevant convictions in other EU countries.

(118780)

32
   Mr Martin Caton (Gower):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if convictions in other countries are taken into consideration when assessing applicants' fit and proper person status for the purpose of waste management licensing.

(118778)

33
   Mr Martin Caton (Gower):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what relevant convictions under UK law are taken into consideration when assessing applicants for fit and proper person status for the purpose of waste management licensing.

(118779)

34
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what research has been commissioned by the Environment Agency, in the context of its current review of authorisations of Sellafield discharges, into (a) the use of Magnox fuel in Magnox reactors, (b) the construction of a new head-end plant at Thorp and (c) dry storage technologies.

(117164)

35
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many houses have been allocated to owner/tenants under the DIYSO scheme in each of the last five years; and by which local authorities.

(118755)

36
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 3rd April, Official Report, column 311W,on departmental inquiries, what was the cost of each of his Department's commissioned reviews listed in his Answer; what reports have been published to date; and what subsequent recommendations have been acted on.

(118754)

37
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he expects to publish the housebuilding requirement figures for each of the English regions not already released.

(118767)

38
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many of the press officers appointed to his Department since 1997 have (a) declared political affiliations with the Labour Party and (b) have held previous positions (i) with the Labour party and (iii) with Labour party members.

(118756)

39
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if his Department keeps a register of contaminated land in the UK.

(118764)

40
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he will reply to the questions from the honourable Member for East Worthing and Shoreham tabled for answer on 13th and 17th March, Refs 114399, 114400 and 115124.

(118763)

41
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what proposals he has for imposing environmental obligations on owners of land which was contaminated prior to their ownership.

(118765)

42
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what analysis he has made of the age profile of those people likely to inhabit the new houses he has recently announced in the South East and East of England regions.

(118766)

43
N   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make it his policy to permit parish councils to object to the grant of licences by the Traffic Commissioners; and if he will make a statement.

(118642)

44
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 3rd April, Official Report, column 323, on traffic growth, if he will list the levels of traffic growth for the South East in (a) 1979, (b) 1990 and (c) for each year from 1992 to date.

(118731)

45
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what monitoring his Department undertakes of the content of local authority newspapers; and if he will make a statement.

(118782)

46
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make it his policy that newspapers published by local authorities should be subject to the complaints procedure of the Press Complaints Commission; and if he will make a statement.

(118781)

47
N   Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what meetings have been held between United States Government officials and his Department in (a) the USA and (b) the UK in the last 12 months, indicating the dates and locations of the meetings and the subjects discussed.

(118626)

48
N   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families are in receipt of the working families tax credit in the Crosby constituency; and what percentage they constitute of the total number of families in the constituency.

(118685)

49
N   Mr Nick St. Aubyn (Guildford):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the Treasury estimate of business tax based on the OECD definition as a share of GDP in (a) UK, (b) France and (c) Germany in the latest year for which figures are available.

(118643)

50
N   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what powers he has to impose unilateral sanctions on investment in Burma by UK-based companies.

(118676)

51
N   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 3rd April, Official Report, column 284W, what was the purpose of the High Commissioner's discussion with Roger Crooks since his return to Sierra Leone.

(118621)

52
N   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answers of 3rd April, Official Report, columns 283-84W, if notes and minutes of meetings between the High Commissioner and Roger Crooks have, in each case, been conveyed to his Department.

(118622)

53
N   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what proposals he has for amendments to the ABM Treaty to enable the upgrading of Fylingdales consequent on the development of the United States' National Missile Defense programme; and if he will make a statement.

(118752)

54
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effects of the embargo on (a) Serbia and (b) Montenegro.

(118281)

55
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the President of the Security Council on the progress made in the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

(118246)

56
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received regarding the activities of (a) the Kosovo Liberation Army's military police and (b) the KLA Intelligence Service.

(118248)

57
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to ensure that that the OSCE mission in Kosovo registers all the displaced (a) Albanians and (b) non-Albanians to enable them to vote in the forthcoming elections.

(118250)

58
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the British Government is making contingency plans for intervention if Montenegrin steps towards independence are violently opposed by Serbia.

(118253)

59
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what formal contact his Department had with the Britain-Russia Centre during the last year; and if he will make a statement on the future relationship between his Department and the Britain-Russia Centre.

(118641)

60
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what KFOR's policy is towards those held responsible for crimes against humanity in Kosovo.

(118244)

61
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts from the Contact Group on the security and political situation in (a) Kosovo and (b) Serbia.

(118247)

62
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many ex-KLA members have been integrated into (a) the Kosovo Police Service and (b) the Kosovo Protection Corps.

(118249)

63
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts about efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution of tensions in Montenegro.

(118252)

64
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last met the UN Special Representative in Kosovo; and if he will make a statement on the progress of reconstruction in Kosovo.

(118254)

65
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which members of the Britain-Russia Centre were consulted as part of his Department's last Quinquennial Review into the Britain-Russia Centre.

(118665)

66
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if there is an international presence in (a) Montenegro and (b) Sanjak.

(118321)

67
N   Mr Paddy Ashdown (Yeovil):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) nurses, (b) doctors, (c) consultants and (d) midwives were employed by the (i) East Somerset Health Authority and (ii) Yeovil District Hospital in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement.

(118639)

68
N   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will end the practice of inviting honourable Members to comment on the shortlists for appointments to chair NHS trusts and health authorities.

(118631)

69
N   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to review the role of regional NHS chairmen.

(118634)

70
N   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Department's press release of 22nd March on the NHS appointments system, when he will implement his proposal to devolve decisions about local appointments out of the hands of ministers.

(118629)

71
N   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to meet the Commissioner for Public Appointments to discuss her report Public Appointments to NHS Trusts and Health Authorities.

(118632)

72
N   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to commission a fundamental look at the role and purpose of NHS boards and the range of skills and experience required in appointees, in line with the recommendation of the Fritchie report on NHS appointments.

(118628)

73
N   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to draw up fresh job descriptions and person specifications for chairs and non-executive directors of NHS trusts and health authorities in line with the recommendations of the Fritchie report.

(118638)

74
N   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will end the practice of seeking nominations from local authorities for appointments to NHS boards.

(118630)

75
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate (a) how many and (b) what percentage of hospitals have contracted out cleaning and hygiene services for clinical areas to private operators; how many had done so before 1st May 1997; and how many have done so since 1st May 1997.

(118517)

76
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the cost per year to the NHS of hospital-acquired infections.

(118563)

77
N   Mr Andrew George (St Ives):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to include dental therapists in a pay review body; and if he will make a statement.

(118518)

78
N   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proposals he has to pilot the clinical applications for logistics management, developed at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, in other NHS trusts; and if he will make a statement.

(118673)

79
N   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment the Emergency Services Advisory Team has made of the clinical applications for logistics management used at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital; and if he will make a statement.

(118674)

80
N   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the clinical applications for logistics management used at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital; and if he will make a statement.

(118675)

81
N   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the number of patients annually who would not have operations cancelled if the clinical applications for logistics management as used by the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital was implemented nationwide.

(118672)

82
N   Mr David Prior (North Norfolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people who registered for NVQ Level 2 in Care completed and passed the registered course; and what percentage this represented of the number who registered, in the last year for which figures are available.

(118635)

83
N   Mr David Prior (North Norfolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many care assistants have (i) registered for and (ii) completed NVQ Level 2 in Care in (a) nursing homes and (b) residential homes, in the last year for which figures are available.

(118637)

84
N   Mr David Prior (North Norfolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the average period taken between registration and completion of NVQ Level 2 in Care.

(118636)

85
N   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what will be the cost of the re-branding exercise (a) across the NHS and (b) by region.

(118670)

86
N   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, by what date the re-branding exercise in the NHS has to be completed.

(118669)

87
N   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is his estimate of the cost of materials which will become obsolete through the re-branding of the NHS.

(118733)

88
N   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the items used by the NHS on which the new NHS logo is to be placed.

(118668)

89
N   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what level of cost savings he estimates the re-branding exercise for the NHS will entail.

(118671)

90
   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on TB vaccination for young people at school.

(118774)

91
N   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 3rd April, Official Report, column 379W, for what reason information about the cost of Operation Nightshade is not available; and if he will make a statement.

(118620)

92
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the fund-raising activities of the KLA in the UK; and what measures he has taken to stop such activities.

(118245)

93
   Mr Gwyn Prosser (Dover):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the new asylum seeker support arrangements in part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 will be extended to cover in-country applicants.

(118788)

94
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list recipient organisations and the amounts they have received from (a) British Government sources and (b) EU sources in aid related to infrastructure repair projects in Kosovo since 12th June 1999.

(118251)

95
N   Mr Ken Maginnis (Fermanagh and South Tyrone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if new recruits to the Northern Ireland Fire Brigade receive training in dealing with civil disturbance.

(118001)

96
N   Mr Ken Maginnis (Fermanagh and South Tyrone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many civil disturbance call-outs the Northern Ireland Fire Brigade has attended in each month since 1st January 1998.

(118002)

97
N   Mr Ken Maginnis (Fermanagh and South Tyrone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what differences apply to the (a) financial and (b) leave arrangements within the Northern Ireland Fire Brigade in respect of (i) whole-time fire officers and (ii) retained fire officers.

(118003)

98
N   Mr Ken Maginnis (Fermanagh and South Tyrone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what differences in respect of duties, including civil disturbance callouts, apply between (a) whole-time and (b) retained fire officers who are remunerated at different rates within the Northern Ireland Fire Brigade.

(118004)

99
N   Mr Ken Maginnis (Fermanagh and South Tyrone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what role the Labour Relations Agency played in the 1986 agreement to pay a Northern Ireland Allowance to Northern Ireland Fire Brigade officers; and if that allowance is still paid.

(118005)

100
N   Mr Ken Maginnis (Fermanagh and South Tyrone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, who are the members of the appointment panels which are sitting to oversee the appointment of (a) the Northern Ireland Parliamentary Ombudsman and (b) the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service; and what are their respective (i) professions and (ii) nationalities.

(118000)

101
N   Mr Ken Maginnis (Fermanagh and South Tyrone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if the Northern Ireland Fire Brigade has had a two-tier contract of employment pay system imposed; and if he will list those fire brigades in Great Britain which operate two-tier systems.

(118093)

102
N   Mr Giles Radice (North Durham):    To ask the President of the Council, how many times the House has sat after (a) 10.30 p.m., (b) 11 p.m. and (c) midnight (i) in the current session and (ii) in each of the last two sessions.

(118757)

103
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Prime Minister, how many personal envoys he has appointed; on what dates those personal envoys were appointed; to which governments those personal envoys have made representations; and when.

(118282)

104
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the people he has asked to convey messages to foreign governments, whom he has not described as his personal envoys; on what dates those messages were taken; and to which governments those messages were sent.

(118287)

105
N   Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):    To ask the Prime Minister, when (a) Lord Ahmed and (b) Lord Paul were appointed as Prime Ministerial envoys; and what public notification was issued at the time.

(118429)

106
N   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many workers in the City of Newcastle upon Tyne are receiving benefits under the earnings top-up pilot; what is the value of these benefits; what numbers of (a) women and (b) men are receiving the top-up; how many of these women and men are working part-time and do not have the care of children; and when the benefit will cease.

(117877)

107
N   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people over the age of 65 were in receipt of a benefit other than a state pension in the Crosby constituency in each of the years from 1994 to 1999.

(118683)

108
N   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people in the age bands (a) 18 to 25, (b) 25 to 40, (c) 40 to 55 and (d) 55 to 65 years were in receipt of (i) disability allowance, (ii) invalid care allowance, (iii) carers allowance, (iv) incapacity benefit and (v) other health-related benefit in (A) absolute numbers and (B) as a percentage of the total population of the Crosby constituency in each of the years 1994 to 1999.

(118684)

109
N   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people under the age of 65 received an attendance allowance in Crosby constituency in each of the years from 1994 to 1999.

(118680)

110
N   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his Answer of 30th March, Official Report, column 272W, on widower's benefits, for what reason the ex gratia payment was made.

(118664)

111
N   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people are in receipt of child benefit allowance in the Crosby constituency; and what percentage they constitute of the total population of the constituency.

(118686)

112
N   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people over the age of 65 do not claim (a) a state pension and (b) other state benefits in the Crosby constituency.

(118682)

113
N   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people over the age of 65 were primary carers in the Crosby constituency in each of the years from 1994 to 1997.

(118681)

114
N   Mr Andrew George (St Ives):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to reduce processing times for disability living allowance claims.

(118519)

115
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, for what reason the April state pension increase is determined by reference to the preceding September's RPI; and if he will list the RPI rates for (a) September and (b) April in each year since September 1994.

(118768)

116
N   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his written Answer of 17th February, Official Report, column 629W, if Zimbabwe has repaid the full cost of the Hawk aircraft.

(118633)

117
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, who requested his meeting with Professor Samann on 10th March.

(118729)

118
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when BMW first indicated to him that it was reconsidering the ownership of Rover, Longbridge.

(118751)

119
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what was the nature of his contacts with BMW between 22nd December 1999 and 10th February 2000.

(118708)

120
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what contact with BMW took place between 22nd December 1999 and 10th February 2000 involving (a) his Department's Ministers or officials, (b) UKREP Brussels, (c) the British Embassy Berlin and (d) HMConsul-General Munich.

(118706)

121
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, for what reason he telephoned Professor Milberg on 11th December 1999.

(118711)

122
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if the note of his 10th March meeting with Professor Samann, which was placed in the Library, is a full record of the meeting.

(118717)

123
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he asked his Department to notify the Prime Minister's staff of the deteriorating situation at Rover.

(118726)

124
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what briefing he received about the details of each of the 27 contacts between his Department and BMW that took place between 1st December 1999 and 31st March 2000; and if he will make available any briefing he received on those contacts.

(118723)

125
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when the note of his 10th March meeting with Professor Samann, which was placed in the Library, was prepared.

(118709)

126
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what Professor Milberg said concerning the future of Rover during his telephone conversation on 11th December 1999.

(118716)

127
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if the note from his PPS, dated 22nd December 1999, is the only record that was made of his telephone conversation with Professor Milberg of that date.

(118714)

128
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what briefing was made available to (a) DTI Ministers and (b) other Government departments about the details of any of the 27 contacts between his Department and BMW, details of which he has placed in the Library.

(118718)

129
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action he took following his meeting on 10th March at which Professor Samann stated that there was a risk of 8,000 job losses.

(118719)

130
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is the standard practice of his Office in respect of making notes of his official telephone conversations.

(118724)

131
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if the note of his 10th March meeting with Professor Samann which was placed in the Library is the only record that was made of that meeting.

(118727)

132
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make available the internal correspondence between Ministers concerning BMW, Longbridge and Rover since 23rd June 1999.

(118721)

133
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps he took to establish if discussions had taken place between Professor Milberg and his board in January following his conversation of 22nd December 1999.

(118712)

134
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what contact (a) he and (b) his officials had with Commissioner Monti between 23rd June and 11th December 1999 concerning Rover's application for regional selective assistance.

(118710)

135
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, for what reason no record of his conversation with Professor Milberg on 11th December 1999 was prepared.

(118715)

136
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, to whom the note of his meeting with Professor Samann on 10th March was circulated.

(118728)

137
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what advice he was given by the British Embassy in Berlin between June 1999 and March 2000 in respect of BMW/Rover.

(118753)

138
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, for what reason there is no record of his contact points with BMW between 22nd December 1999 and 10th February 2000.

(118707)

139
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions took place between Professor Milberg and the BMW board in January following his conversation of 22nd December 1999 with Professor Milberg.

(118713)

140
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make public telegrams from (a) UKREP, (b) the Berlin Embassy and (c) HM Consul-General Munich relating to BMW since 23rd June 1999.

(118720)

141
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the ECGD funding for contracts relating to Zimbabwe since May 1997.

(118750)

142
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will publish details of all the 27 contacts between his Department and BMW between 1st December 1999 and 31st March 2000.

(118722)

143
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will place a copy of the handwritten contemporaneous note taken by officials of his 10th March meeting with Professor Samann in the Library.

(118730)

144
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he first notified the Prime Minister of the deteriorating situation at Rover.

(118725)

145
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how the consumer launch of Trust UK will be promoted to UK consumers.

(118775)

146
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many (a) Crown post offices, (b) franchised post offices and (c) sub-post offices there were in each constituency in (i) 1989 and (ii) 1999.

(118772)

147
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when the consumer launch of Trust UK will take place.

(118776)

148
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the consumer protection provided by the monitoring standards set out in Trust UK.

(118777)

149
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, for what reason he issued a statement from Professor Milberg to the Press on 30th March.

(118762)

150
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he was informed that the text of the statement from Professor Milberg which he issued to the Press on 30th March was not approved by BMW; and what steps he took to inform those present at the press briefing of the official BMW Press Release of the same date.

(118760)

151
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when Professor Milberg asked him to issue the statement which was distributed to the Press on the afternoon of 30th March.

(118761)

152
N   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions he has had with Nissan Renault about the location of the production line of the new Micra; and when he expects a decision on its location to be made.

(117876)

153
N   Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what meetings have been held between United States Government officials and his Department in (a) the USA and (b) the UK in the last 12 months, indicating the dates and locations of the meetings and the subjects discussed.

(118625)

154
N   Mr Kerry Pollard (St. Albans):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions the Minister of State, the honourable Member for Leeds West held with the incoming Chilean Government during his visit to Chile between 10th and 12th March; and if he will make a statement.

[Question Unstarred] (117173)