Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1999-2000
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The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Tuesday 9 May 2000

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 9 May, 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 9th MAY

1
   Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will break down by region the representations and requests for oral hearings he has received on the proposed decision to add the genetically modified maize variety Chardon LL to the UK National List, indicating how many have (a) objected to and (b) supported the proposed decision.

(121449)

2
   Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will ensure, in relation to hearings to be held in respect of the proposed decision to add the genetically modified maize variety Chardon LL to the UK National List, that (a) original trial data are made available in a full and timely manner to those requesting such a hearing and (b) officials will appear at the hearings, give evidence and be available for cross-examination.

(121442)

3
   Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list, in relation to those who have submitted to him a request to be heard orally in respect of the proposed decision to add the genetically modified maize variety Chardon LL to the UK National List, each of the locations in the UK where such hearings have been requested, and the numbers requesting hearings at each such location.

(121447)

4
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what representations he has received about the presence of the demonstration by pig farmers in Parliament Square.

(121438)

5
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what research his Department has undertaken into the effect of reductions of payments made under agri-environment schemes, with particular reference to the South Downs Environmentally Sensitive Area scheme; and what study he has made of the impact of these reductions on the take-up of such schemes.

(121437)

6
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what meetings he and his ministers or officials have had with the Ministry of Defence to discuss the purchasing of supplies for the armed services; and if those meetings were used to encourage the purchase of British agricultural produce by the Ministry of Defence.

(121431)

7
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if salvage meat sold by his Department into the human food chain is identified as such to members of the public likely to purchase and consume it.

(121413)

8
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in what instances he would seek a review of the BSE risk status of an EU member state.

(121415)

9
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the decision not to give the Food Standards Agency responsibility for the investigation into TB and salvage meat sold by his Department into the human food chain.

(121440)

10
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he has (a) consulted and (b) been consulted by the French Minister of Agriculture over the possibility of other ways of BSE transmission.

(121414)

11
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what estimates he has made of the effect on the grants received by farmers under each of the agri-environment schemes of his Department's reassessments of income foregone by participating farmers.

(121418)

12
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, from which budget the unbudgeted expenditure on the BSE inquiry has been funded.

(121424)

13
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which of the components of the aid package announced on 30th March are intended to replace services discontinued as a result of the restructuring of his Department.

(121428)

14
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the introduction of sheep passports.

(121417)

15
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what estimates he has made of the effect on government expenditure of changes in the level of payments under each of the agri-environment schemes to fall this year and the next as a result of his Department's reassessments of income foregone by participating farmers; and what the figures are.

(121419)

16
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what was the (a) budgeted and (b) actual expenditure of each of the non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department for each of the last three years, and the (i) budgeted and (ii) projected expenditure for this year and each of the next three years.

(121423)

17
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list, for each UK-funded component of the Government's £203.5 million Action Plan for Farming, the departmental budget concerned.

(121425)

18
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what estimate he has made of the net effect on his Department's budget of the planned closure of his Department's regional offices.

(121427)

19
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if a request was made by the Government to discuss the lifting of the over thirty month scheme weight limit at (a) the first and (b) the second Beef Management Committee meetings in April.

(121429)

20
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for each formal consultation exercise solely or jointly undertaken by his Department since May 1997, what was the period allowed for submissions by the parties consulted.

(121432)

21
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will publish estimates of the value of his Department's regional service centres if they were sold for development.

(121436)

22
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what information he has collected about the national standards that apply in each EU member state regarding the duration of the conversion period required for land used to grow organic crops.

(121430)

23
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if the Government's official scientific advisors are satisfied that the procedures routinely used in the production of gelatine in France are sufficient to destroy any trace of BSE infectivity in this product.

(121416)

24
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if reductions in specific payments under the South Downs environmentally sensitive area scheme are made at the discretion of his Department.

(121420)

25
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the items in his Department's budget on which planned expenditure was reduced by over £250,000 in financial year 1999-2000 and in each of the previous three financial years.

(121426)

26
   Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when the honourable Member for West Derbyshire will receive a reply to his letter of 30th March about the William Gilbert School in Duffield, Derbyshire.

(121441)

27
   Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when he will reply to the letter dated 30th March from the honourable Member for West Derbyshire in relation to the Chairman of the Governors of the Fitzherbert School in Fenny Bentley, Derbyshire.

(121450)

28
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list each publication issued by his Department since May 1997, the number of copies printed of each publication and the cost of publication, printing and distribution of each publication.

(121328)

29
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the cost of (a) preparation, publication and printing and (b) postage and distribution of News Update from his Department; how many copies have been printed; and to whom they have been distributed, in each year since it commenced publication.

(121327)

30
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what additional resources, following the recent Budget, he has allocated to local education authorities to support peripatetic teachers of the deaf and blind who support children in mainstream classes.

(121329)

31
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has for improving the management of programmes for disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

(121453)

32
   Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when the honourable Member for West Derbyshire will receive a reply to his letter of 20th March about the Orange Badge Scheme for disabled drivers.

(121443)

33
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received from users of Apple Macintosh PCs in respect of Internet filing of tax returns.

(121333)

34
N   Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the effect is on the maximum pension contributions eligible for tax relief for (a) the employer and (b) the employee if a pay increase is (i) compulsorily staged by the employer and (ii) voluntarily foregone by the employee.

(121369)

35
N   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the reduction in tax paid per year in cash terms, and as a percentage of total gross annual income, for each income decile group, resulting from increasing the 10p tax band on earnings by £100; and if he will make a statement.

(120800)

36
   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what has been the average daily cost of the United Kingdom's net contribution to the European Union budget over the last three years.

(121451)

37
   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what has been the net change in the value of the United Kingdom's reserves as a result of his decision to sell gold and buy euros.

(121452)

38
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what has been the total financial value of (a) applications and (b) successful applications made by each Government department to the Capital Modernisation Fund in each year of its operation.

(121422)

39
N   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the situation in Sierra Leone.

(121299)

40
N   Angela Smith (Basildon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to undertake further research into air pollution and asthma.

(120159)

41
N   Mr Paddy Ashdown (Yeovil):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to allocate additional cash for policing in Somerset; and if he will make a statement.

(121214)

42
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received from (a) other government departments, (b) the Fire Service, (c) the Ambulance Service and (d) the Police concerning the Radio Replacement Scheme.

(121336)

43
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received from the emergency services concerning the cost to them of proposed changes to radio channels.

(121337)

44
N   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the conduct of the Metropolitan Police in relation to protesters during the Chinese Head of State's visit in 1999.

(121298)

45
   Mr Cecil Walker (Belfast North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list the main provisions for the capital budget for the public sector in Northern Ireland, broken down by (a) sponsoring department and (b) main public service function, included in the total of (i) £570 million allowed in 1998-99 and (ii) £575 million allowed in 1999-2000; and if he will publish information under the same headings for the (A) actual and (B) expected expenditure for the same years.

(121454)

46
N   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what (a) proportion and (b) number of people who claimed job seeker's allowance in 1999 declared part-time work; what their average earnings were (i) per hour and (ii) per week; and if he will make a statement.

(120801)

47
N   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the back to work bonus; and if he will make a statement.

(120802)

48
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he plans to consult on fixed term contracts.

(121332)

49
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he will publish guidance on the part-time work directive.

(121331)

50
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he plans to adopt the Better Regulation Task Force recommendation of a minimum of three months consultation before regulations are laid before Parliament.

(121338)

51
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the business qualifications and experience required for the post of Chairman of the Small Business Council.

(121334)

52
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to widen the scope of the part-time work directive.

(121330)

53
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will set out the job specification for the Chairman of the Small Business Council.

(121335)

54
   Mr Michael Heseltine (Henley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many deep mine coal pits are operating in Great Britain; and what percentage of national electricity generation is fuelled by coal.

(121448)

55
   Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of Beacon Gas's practices in respect of taking over consumers' gas supplies.

(121444)

56
   Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps he is taking to penalise gas electricity companies that take over control of peoples' energy supplies without their consent.

(121445)

57
   Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what guidance he has given to Ofgem about its treatment of companies that take over consumers' energy supplies without their consent.

(121446)

58
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the recent research by the International Energy Agency on future supplies and prices of oil; and if he will make a statement.

(121421)

59
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if there is a ban on the import of meat and meat products from cattle of over 30 months into this country.

[Transferred] (121434)

60
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the ban on the sale of meat products from cattle over 30 months old includes gelatine and other edible by-products.

[Transferred] (121433)

61
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what checks are carried out on imports of meat and meat products to the United Kingdom to ensure that they are not from cattle over 30 months old.

[Transferred] (121435)

62
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the recommendations of the Scientific Steering Committee about extending the Specified Risk Material regulations in force in Britain to all EU member states.

[Transferred] (121439)

TUESDAY 9th MAY
1	Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will break down by region the representations and requests for oral hearings he has received on the proposed decision to add the genetically modified maize variety Chardon LL to the UK National List, indicating how many have (a) objected to and (b) supported the proposed decision.
	(121449)
2	Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will ensure, in relation to hearings to be held in respect of the proposed decision to add the genetically modified maize variety Chardon LL to the UK National List, that (a) original trial data are made available in a full and timely manner to those requesting such a hearing and (b) officials will appear at the hearings, give evidence and be available for cross-examination.
	(121442)
3	Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list, in relation to those who have submitted to him a request to be heard orally in respect of the proposed decision to add the genetically modified maize variety Chardon LL to the UK National List, each of the locations in the UK where such hearings have been requested, and the numbers requesting hearings at each such location.
	(121447)
4 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what representations he has received about the presence of the demonstration by pig farmers in Parliament Square.
	(121438)
5 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what research his Department has undertaken into the effect of reductions of payments made under agri-environment schemes, with particular reference to the South Downs Environmentally Sensitive Area scheme; and what study he has made of the impact of these reductions on the take-up of such schemes.
	(121437)
6 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what meetings he and his ministers or officials have had with the Ministry of Defence to discuss the purchasing of supplies for the armed services; and if those meetings were used to encourage the purchase of British agricultural produce by the Ministry of Defence.
	(121431)
7 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if salvage meat sold by his Department into the human food chain is identified as such to members of the public likely to purchase and consume it.
	(121413)
8 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in what instances he would seek a review of the BSE risk status of an EU member state.
	(121415)
9 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the decision not to give the Food Standards Agency responsibility for the investigation into TB and salvage meat sold by his Department into the human food chain.
	(121440)
10 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he has (a) consulted and (b) been consulted by the French Minister of Agriculture over the possibility of other ways of BSE transmission.
	(121414)
11 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what estimates he has made of the effect on the grants received by farmers under each of the agri-environment schemes of his Department's reassessments of income foregone by participating farmers.
	(121418)
12 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, from which budget the unbudgeted expenditure on the BSE inquiry has been funded.
	(121424)
13 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which of the components of the aid package announced on 30th March are intended to replace services discontinued as a result of the restructuring of his Department.
	(121428)
14 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the introduction of sheep passports.
	(121417)
15 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what estimates he has made of the effect on government expenditure of changes in the level of payments under each of the agri-environment schemes to fall this year and the next as a result of his Department's reassessments of income foregone by participating farmers; and what the figures are.
	(121419)
16 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what was the (a) budgeted and (b) actual expenditure of each of the non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department for each of the last three years, and the (i) budgeted and (ii) projected expenditure for this year and each of the next three years.
	(121423)
17 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list, for each UK-funded component of the Government's £203.5 million Action Plan for Farming, the departmental budget concerned.
	(121425)
18 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what estimate he has made of the net effect on his Department's budget of the planned closure of his Department's regional offices.
	(121427)
19 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if a request was made by the Government to discuss the lifting of the over thirty month scheme weight limit at (a) the first and (b) the second Beef Management Committee meetings in April.
	(121429)
20 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for each formal consultation exercise solely or jointly undertaken by his Department since May 1997, what was the period allowed for submissions by the parties consulted.
	(121432)
21 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will publish estimates of the value of his Department's regional service centres if they were sold for development.
	(121436)
22 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what information he has collected about the national standards that apply in each EU member state regarding the duration of the conversion period required for land used to grow organic crops.
	(121430)
23 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if the Government's official scientific advisors are satisfied that the procedures routinely used in the production of gelatine in France are sufficient to destroy any trace of BSE infectivity in this product.
	(121416)
24 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if reductions in specific payments under the South Downs environmentally sensitive area scheme are made at the discretion of his Department.
	(121420)
25 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the items in his Department's budget on which planned expenditure was reduced by over £250,000 in financial year 1999-2000 and in each of the previous three financial years.
	(121426)
26	Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when the honourable Member for West Derbyshire will receive a reply to his letter of 30th March about the William Gilbert School in Duffield, Derbyshire.
	(121441)
27	Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when he will reply to the letter dated 30th March from the honourable Member for West Derbyshire in relation to the Chairman of the Governors of the Fitzherbert School in Fenny Bentley, Derbyshire.
	(121450)
28 N	Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list each publication issued by his Department since May 1997, the number of copies printed of each publication and the cost of publication, printing and distribution of each publication.
	(121328)
29 N	Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the cost of (a) preparation, publication and printing and (b) postage and distribution of News Update from his Department; how many copies have been printed; and to whom they have been distributed, in each year since it commenced publication.
	(121327)
30 N	Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what additional resources, following the recent Budget, he has allocated to local education authorities to support peripatetic teachers of the deaf and blind who support children in mainstream classes.
	(121329)
31	Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has for improving the management of programmes for disadvantaged neighbourhoods.
	(121453)
32	Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when the honourable Member for West Derbyshire will receive a reply to his letter of 20th March about the Orange Badge Scheme for disabled drivers.
	(121443)
33 N	Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received from users of Apple Macintosh PCs in respect of Internet filing of tax returns.
	(121333)
34 N	Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the effect is on the maximum pension contributions eligible for tax relief for (a) the employer and (b) the employee if a pay increase is (i) compulsorily staged by the employer and (ii) voluntarily foregone by the employee.
	(121369)
35 N	Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the reduction in tax paid per year in cash terms, and as a percentage of total gross annual income, for each income decile group, resulting from increasing the 10p tax band on earnings by £100; and if he will make a statement.
	(120800)
36	Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what has been the average daily cost of the United Kingdom's net contribution to the European Union budget over the last three years.
	(121451)
37	Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what has been the net change in the value of the United Kingdom's reserves as a result of his decision to sell gold and buy euros.
	(121452)
38 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what has been the total financial value of (a) applications and (b) successful applications made by each Government department to the Capital Modernisation Fund in each year of its operation.
	(121422)
39 N	Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the situation in Sierra Leone.
	(121299)
40 N	Angela Smith (Basildon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to undertake further research into air pollution and asthma.
	(120159)
41 N	Mr Paddy Ashdown (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to allocate additional cash for policing in Somerset; and if he will make a statement.
	(121214)
42 N	Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received from (a) other government departments, (b) the Fire Service, (c) the Ambulance Service and (d) the Police concerning the Radio Replacement Scheme.
	(121336)
43 N	Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received from the emergency services concerning the cost to them of proposed changes to radio channels.
	(121337)
44 N	Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the conduct of the Metropolitan Police in relation to protesters during the Chinese Head of State's visit in 1999.
	(121298)
45	Mr Cecil Walker (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list the main provisions for the capital budget for the public sector in Northern Ireland, broken down by (a) sponsoring department and (b) main public service function, included in the total of (i) £570 million allowed in 1998-99 and (ii) £575 million allowed in 1999-2000; and if he will publish information under the same headings for the (A) actual and (B) expected expenditure for the same years.
	(121454)
46 N	Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what (a) proportion and (b) number of people who claimed job seeker's allowance in 1999 declared part-time work; what their average earnings were (i) per hour and (ii) per week; and if he will make a statement.
	(120801)
47 N	Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the back to work bonus; and if he will make a statement.
	(120802)
48 N	Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he plans to consult on fixed term contracts.
	(121332)
49 N	Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he will publish guidance on the part-time work directive.
	(121331)
50 N	Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he plans to adopt the Better Regulation Task Force recommendation of a minimum of three months consultation before regulations are laid before Parliament.
	(121338)
51 N	Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the business qualifications and experience required for the post of Chairman of the Small Business Council.
	(121334)
52 N	Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to widen the scope of the part-time work directive.
	(121330)
53 N	Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will set out the job specification for the Chairman of the Small Business Council.
	(121335)
54	Mr Michael Heseltine (Henley): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many deep mine coal pits are operating in Great Britain; and what percentage of national electricity generation is fuelled by coal.
	(121448)
55	Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of Beacon Gas's practices in respect of taking over consumers' gas supplies.
	(121444)
56	Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps he is taking to penalise gas electricity companies that take over control of peoples' energy supplies without their consent.
	(121445)
57	Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what guidance he has given to Ofgem about its treatment of companies that take over consumers' energy supplies without their consent.
	(121446)
58 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the recent research by the International Energy Agency on future supplies and prices of oil; and if he will make a statement.
	(121421)
59 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if there is a ban on the import of meat and meat products from cattle of over 30 months into this country.
	[Transferred] (121434)
60 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the ban on the sale of meat products from cattle over 30 months old includes gelatine and other edible by-products.
	[Transferred] (121433)
61 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what checks are carried out on imports of meat and meat products to the United Kingdom to ensure that they are not from cattle over 30 months old.
	[Transferred] (121435)
62 N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the recommendations of the Scientific Steering Committee about extending the Specified Risk Material regulations in force in Britain to all EU member states.
	[Transferred] (121439)