Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1999-2000
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The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Friday 12 May 2000

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Friday 12 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.

FRIDAY 12th MAY

1
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if his current policy to allow a general licence to shoot pests includes (a) sporting events and (b) mass shoots; and if he will make a statement.

(121782)

2
   Mr Andrew Hunter (Basingstoke):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which relocation companies his Department has used when relocating civil servants since May 1997.

(122296)

3
N   Shona McIsaac (Cleethorpes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, on what date he expects to publish his joint report with the Department of Trade and Industry on compensation for distant-water trawlermen.

(121955)

4
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made towards implementing the recommendations of the report of the National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cultural Education; and if he will make a statement.

(121950)

5
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what expressions of corporate interest in acquiring the New Millennium Experience Company as a going concern he has received.

(121952)

6
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many discounted tickets have been issued to visitors to the Millennium Dome each week since 1st January.

(121949)

7
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the number of overseas visitors to the Dome during the year from (a) EU countries, (b) the USA and (c) the rest of the world.

(121951)

8
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many responses were received to the Dome Legacy competition; if he will publish them; and if he will make a statement.

(121953)

9
   Mr Douglas Alexander (Paisley South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what data he has collated on National Lottery ticket sales by (a) constituency and (b) social class.

(122269)

10
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans there are for the use of RAF Fylingdales for the National Missile Defense system.

(121998)

11
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the operational purpose of RAF Feltwell; and how many (a) UK and (b) US personnel are stationed there.

(121997)

12
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many American (a) civilian and (b) military personnel are based at RAF Fylingdales.

(121999)

13
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) US military, (b) US civilian, (c) UK military and (d) UK civilian personnel work at Menwith Hill Station.

(121780)

14
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the planned numbers of US military personnel at Menwith Hill Station will be in (a) 2000, (b) 2003 and (c) 2005.

(121783)

15
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many joint operations which took place outside the UK in the last three years involved the use of anti-personnel mines.

(122092)

16
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Ranger anti-personnel mines are being used for training purposes.

(122091)

17
N   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what joint operations or exercises have taken place outside the United Kingdom since 1st March 1999 between British forces and members of the armed forces of states that are not parties to the Ottawa Convention.

(122033)

18
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which countries retain stocks of Ranger anti-personnel mines.

(122090)

19
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd March, Official Report, column 566W, when he expects the Defence Diversification Council to be established; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay.

(122233)

20
   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he will set up the Defence Diversification Council; and if he will make a statement.

(122128)

21
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if RAF aircraft have used cluster bombs against targets in the (a) southern and (b) northern Iraq no-fly zones.

(122230)

22
N   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what steps he will take to ensure that teachers can obtain a response from his Department about receiving their subsidy under the Computers for Teachers Scheme.

(121948)

23
N   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment he has made of the operation of the Computers for Teachers scheme; and if he will make a statement.

(121947)

24
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessement he has made of the costs of upgrading the existing IT structure within the universities to allow individual academics access to JANET 4, broken down by research council.

(122136)

25
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on the terms of reference for the review of the funding and research councils.

(122138)

26
   Mr Andrew Hunter (Basingstoke):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, which relocation companies his Department has used when relocating civil servants since May 1997.

(122294)

27
   Mr David Maclean (Penrith and The Border):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many special schools were approved for closure in each year since 1992.

(122229)

28
N   Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many press officers were in post in his Department in (a) May 1997 and (b) May 2000.

(121954)

29
   Mr George Mudie (Leeds East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many New Deal places have been (a) offered, (b) taken up and (c) completed in his Department since the start of the New Deal.

(122231)

30
   Mr George Mudie (Leeds East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many New Deal places have been (a) offered, (b) taken up and (c) completed within Leeds City Council since the start of the New Deal.

(122228)

31
   Mr Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, which areas of England and Wales are covered by the European Social Fund Objective 3 Funding; when the funding scheme will come into operation; and if he will make a statement.

(122101)

32
N   Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 30th March, Official Report, column 228W, on housing improvement agencies, what previous experience Collective Enterprises Ltd. has had in administering government grants; and on what basis he determined that CEL possessed (a) broad-based expertise in housing and care issues, (b) the capacity to support individual agencies and their managing agents across England and (c) the ability to deliver services from a position of independence and impartiality.

(121844)

33
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the role of the Mersey Basin campaign in relation to youth and community involvement in the North West Region.

(122071)

34
   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions his Department has had with Nottinghamshire County Council about the impact of a Gedling relief road on the A612 Nottingham to Burton Joyce at the junction of Shearing Hill and Burton Road.

(122151)

35
N   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what contact his Department has had with Gedling Borough Council regarding the proposed sale of part of the Stoke Lane Allotments.

(121946)

36
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what the average fine imposed on businesses prosecuted by the Environment Agency was in each of the last three years.

(121843)

37
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many businesses were successfully prosecuted by the Environment Agency in each of the last three years.

(121842)

38
   Mr Alan Hurst (Braintree):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many planning applications in England and Wales to install telecommunications masts of more than 15 metres in height were (a) granted and (b) refused in 1999.

(122232)

39
   Ms Fiona Jones (Newark):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received in relation to the proposed Climate Change Levy being applied to combined heat and power where electricity sales made to licensed suppliers are subsequently sold on to business consumers; and what representations he has received on the effect on future investment in combined heat and power by commercial investors.

(122150)

40
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 18th April, Official Report column 444W, which of the reviews, public inquiries and commissions of inquiry listed have been carried out by paid appointees; who are the paid appointees; and what is their level of remuneration.

(121845)

41
   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will he seek access to (a) cabotage rights and (b) ownership of US carriers by UK carriers in the forthcoming UK-US bilateral aviation negotiations.

(122080)

42
N   Dr John Marek (Wrexham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what his policy is on checking the reliability of privately-produced studies of proposed rail schemes, with particular reference to Virgin Trains' commercial study of electrification of the North Wales main line.

(121839)

43
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has made in the past six months to the Chancellor of the Exchequer about reducing the level of value-added tax levied on building renovations and conversions; what plans he has to make such representations in the next six months; and if he will make a statement.

(122100)

44
   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what proposals he has to extend the number of industrial sectors able to enter into negotiated agreements with Government in respect of the Climate Change Levy; and what particular plans he has to extend negotiated agreements to those manufacturing sectors currently excluded.

(122123)

45
   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the principle of rebates contained in the Climate Change Levy negotiated agreements with the European Commission's draft guidelines on state aid for environmental protection; and if he will make a statement.

(122124)

46
   Jackie Ballard (Taunton):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to introduce tax relief for pensioners in receipt of low levels of occupational pensions which are subject to tax.

(122095)

47
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which Government departments have (a) contracts and (b) framework agreements with Electronic Data Systems.

(121789)

48
   Mr Donald Gorrie (Edinburgh West):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total cost of mortgage tax relief was in Scotland in (a) 1996-97, (b) 1997-98, and (c) 1998-99; and what was the estimated cost in 1999-2000.

(122087)

49
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received in the past six months requesting that value-added tax be (a) reduced and (b) removed on building renovations and conversions; and if he will make a statement.

(122127)

50
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to reduce the level of value added tax levied on building renovations and conversions; and if he will make a statement.

(122121)

51
N   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families are receiving the working families tax credit; and of these, how many were previously receiving family credit.

(121689)

52
N   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many working families tax credit recipients are men in couples where family credit was previously in payment to the female in the couple; and what is the average weekly value of the working familes tax credit in payment in such cases.

(121685)

53
   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to make an early announcement of financial incentives for the emissions trading scheme for firms taking on binding emissions targets as part of the Climate Change Levy; and if he will make a statement.

(122125)

54
   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how he intends to ensure that the Climate Change Levy is revenue-neutral in the long term for those industries and individual companies to which it is to be applied; and if he will make a statement.

(122126)

55
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much his Department has spent on (a) champagne and (b) other wine in each year since 1st May 1997.

(121781)

56
   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the action being taken to agree the presence in Zimbabwe of election, human rights and democracy observers including those from the Organisation of African Unity and the EU.

(122268)

57
   Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham and Amersham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received concerning the persecution of House Church leaders in China.

(122234)

58
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance his Department has provided to the British soldier Richard Hudson currently detained in Skopje jail in Macedonia; and if he will make a statement.

(121956)

59
N   Dr John Marek (Wrexham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 5th May, Official Report, column 240W, when he expects to conclude his consideration of the principles to be addressed in the Overseas Territories Bill.

(121841)

60
   Mr Peter L. Pike (Burnley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government's policy is on the UN Security Council proposal to establish an International Criminal Tribunal for Angola; and what action he is taking to pursue that policy.

(122227)

61
   Mrs Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will recommend adoption of anti-flu measures as employed by the West Cumberland NHS Trust.

(122297)

62
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many acute hospital care beds there are in NHS hospitals in the Greater London area.

(122077)

63
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients have used the E112 procedure to have medical treatment abroad in each of the last five years.

(121788)

64
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what decision has been taken with respect to Hillary Rowland's chairmanship of the Royal Liverpool Children's NHS Trust; who took the decision; which ministers were consulted on this decision; and if he will make a statement.

(121787)

65
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated relating to the prescribing of Infliximab.

(122083)

66
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice he (a) has received and (b) intends to seek from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence regarding the prescribing of Infliximab for rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's Disease.

(122085)

67
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the current prescribing status is of Infliximab as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's Disease.

(122081)

68
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what medical trials his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated relating to the efficacy of Infliximab.

(122084)

69
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department has issued to health authorities and prescribers relating to the prescribing of Infliximab.

(122082)

70
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he had made of the benefits of adopting the system of item of service for general practitioners.

(122073)

71
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government will adopt to ensure that all at-risk groups are vaccinated against flu this winter.

(122072)

72
N   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason there has been a delay in the selection of pilot sites for human papilloma virus testing.

(121784)

73
N   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many persons married to United Kingdom citizens have been (a) served with deportation orders and (b) deported from the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years.

(121742)

74
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many youth custody orders have been used since their introduction; and how many are in use.

(121786)

75
   Mr Ian Pearson (Dudley South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance he gives police forces and authorities on the purchase and leasing of vehicles which are manufactured in the United Kingdom.

(122153)

76
   Helen Southworth (Warrington South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many criminal convictions have been secured against adults charged in relation to child abuse more than three years after the alleged offences took place in each year since 1990.

(122292)

77
   Helen Southworth (Warrington South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many adults employed in a position of trust have been charged in relation to child abuse more than three years after the alleged offences took place in each year since 1990.

(122293)

78
   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, by how much crime rose in the Metropolitan Police area during the year to 31st March; and if he will make a statement.

(122093)

79
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of asylum seekers were recognised as refugees in the last six months; and if he will make a statement.

(121994)

80
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what timetable has been set for the review of the cancellation of the Global Cultural Diversity Congress announced on 22nd February; if the review is under way; and if he will make a statement.

(121991)

81
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many local child curfew orders have been issued; and if he will make a statement.

(121985)

82
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have been granted exceptional leave to remain in the United Kingdom under the backlog clearance exercise; and if he will make a statement.

(122027)

83
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of the persons who arrived in the United Kingdom on the hijacked Afghan airliner (a) have claimed asylum, (b) have been granted refugee status including as dependants, (c) have been granted exceptional leave to remain, (d) have had their claims refused, (e) have appealed against a refusal of their claim, (f) have remained in the United Kingdom, (g) have been removed to Afghanistan and (h) have been removed to a third country; and if he will make a statement.

(121990)

84
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued against (a) persons (i) over and (ii) under the age of 18 and (b) persons under the age of 16; and if he will make a statement.

(122028)

85
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects to announce the revised allocation of recruits under the Crime Fighting Fund; what discussions and meetings he has had with police authorities and chief constables about the revised allocation; what representations he has received on this issue; when he first informed police authorities and chief constables that the allocation would be revised to allow the recruitment of 5,000 extra recruits over two years rather than three; and if he will make a statement.

(121988)

86
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 8th May, Official Report, column 312W, what period was served by the prisoner convicted of wounding (inflicting grievous bodily harm) and released on the Home Detention Curfew scheme before the end of the requisite period due to an error in sentence calculation (a) before release on the Home Detention Curfew scheme and (b) subsequently; and if he will make a statement.

(122030)

87
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research his Department has conducted into the number of spoilt ballot papers under systems of proportional representation; and if he will make a statement.

(122035)

88
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what provisions govern the legality of selling and buying vouchers issued to asylum seekers under the new support arrangements; what is the maximum penalty; how many persons have been convicted of an offence and what sentences they received; if the vouchers are marked 'non-transferable'; and if he will make a statement.

(122000)

89
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the change in the level of recorded crime in (a) England and Wales and (b) each police force area in the year ending 31st March; and if he will make a statement.

(121983)

90
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the extent to which (a) his Department and (b) other Government departments, non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies are institutionally racist; what criteria he uses to define institutional racism; and if he will make a statement.

(121996)

91
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to increase passport fees to cover the increased cost due to handling charges payable on credit card transactions as payment for passports.

(121984)

92
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the implementation of the voucher scheme for asylum seekers; what has been the impact on administrative costs of the scheme; and if he will make a statement.

(121992)

93
   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners imprisoned for burglary and released on the home detention curfew scheme had been convicted of a prior offence of burglary; and if he will make a statement.

(122094)

94
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to improve the external communications and media handling capabilities of the United Kingdom Passport Agency; and if he will make a statement.

(122034)

95
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his policy is on Government activity during referendum campaigns.

(121993)

96
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action was taken by the Metropolitan Police regarding the dispersal of the demonstrators from Trafalgar Square and Whitehall on 1st May; to which areas of London they were dispersed; what policing arrangements were made to ensure a peaceful and orderly dispersal; and if he will make a statement.

(121989)

97
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answers of 8th May, Official Report, column 314W, on the disorder in central London on 1st May, what meetings were held prior to 1st May between the Metropolitan Police and the Royal Parks Agency regarding the protection of the statues in Parliament Square; who was the most senior Metropolitan Police officer present at each such meeting; what advice the Royal Parks Agency received from the Metropolitan Police concerning boarding up the statues; who was the most senior Metropolitan Police officer who authorised the giving of such advice; and if he will make a statement.

(122031)

98
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the Government's prisons policy.

(122001)

99
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answers of 8th May, Official Order, column 314W, on the disorder in central London on 1st May, what meetings were held prior to 1st May between the Metropolitan Police and English Heritage regarding the protection of the Cenotaph; who was the most senior Metropolitan Police officer present at each such meeting; what advice English Heritage received from the Metropolitan Police about boarding up the Cenotaph; who was the most senior Metropolitan Police officer who authorised the giving of such advice; and if he will make a statement.

(122032)

100
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the turnout in (a) the May 2000 local elections and (b) each of the previous five local elections for each local authority area which conducted pilot projects of alternative voting procedures under the Representation of the People Act 2000; what alternative procedures were used in each case; what plans he has to extend such alternative procedures to all local elections in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

(121987)

101
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list, for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available, the number of special constables in each police force in England and Wales.

(122029)

102
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will bring the new support arrangements for asylum seekers into force for all new asylum applicants.

(121995)

103
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to amend the Human Rights Act 1998 following the judgement of the Court of Appeal in the case of R v Perry; what steps he is taking to prevent abuse of the type referred to in the judgement; and if he will make a statement.

(121986)

104
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress has been made to date in halving the time taken from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders; when he expects it to be achieved; and if he will make a statement.

(122036)

105
   Mr Bill Rammell (Harlow):    To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee, on which date the amendments to the Finance Bill, due to be debated on 2nd May, were posted on the Parliamentary intranet; and if he will make a statement.

(122120)

106
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department makes of the human rights records of companies applying for his Department's contracts.

(122146)

107
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department is giving to people of Halabja in the current year.

(122130)

108
   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what checks her Department carried out on the suitability of Defence Systems Ltd prior to awarding the company a contract to clear mines and unexploded munitions in Kosovo.

(122129)

109
N   Dr John Marek (Wrexham):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement about her policy on ethically-produced food in developing countries, with particular reference to (a) animal welfare standards, (b) employment practices and (c) consequences for the environment.

(121840)

110
   Bob Russell (Colchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans she has to mark Debt Decision Day on 23rd July; and if she will make a statement.

(122099)

111
N   Sir Peter Emery (East Devon):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what estimate he has made of the savings which will result from closing the (a) Axminster and (b) Exmouth magistrates' courts.

(121785)

112
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many people who have been (a) brought to trial and (b) involved in a trial as an accused person have in the past 20 years been excused from trial due to (i) physical and (ii) mental ill-health.

(122079)

113
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many punishment beatings have been reported to the RUC in each month since April 1997.

(121838)

114
   Mr Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what percentage of the Northern Ireland Structural Funds Plan 2000-2006 will be allocated to nature conservation projects; how much of this will be allocalted to (a) projects relating to the Draft Northern Ireland Biodiversity Strategy and (b) the protection and restoration of Northern Ireland's Natura 2000 network; and if he will make a statement.

(122097)

115
   Mr Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate he has made of the cost of implementing the Draft Northern Ireland Biodiversity Strategy; how the Government intends to fund the delivery of the Strategy; and if he will make a statement.

(122098)

116
   Mr Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what percentage of the 1994-1999 round of Structural Funds for Northern Ireland was spent on nature conservation projects; what type of projects were funded; and if he will make a statement.

(122096)

117
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission, if the National Audit Office has (a) a contract and (b) a framework agreement with Electronic Data Systems.

(121790)

118
   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his Answer of 9th May, Official Report, column 378, how many responses received by his Department in respect of the revised assisted areas map (a) objected to and (b) supported the removal of Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey from the proposed map.

(122149)

119
   Mr Douglas Alexander (Paisley South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the percentage of pensioner households with savings of (a) up to £1,000, (b) between £1,000 and £3,000, (c) between £3,000 and £6,000, (d) between £6,000 and £12,000 and (e) over £12,000.

(122235)

120
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many (a) men and (b) women were in receipt of a state retirement pension and were over 100 years old on 1st May.

(122076)

121
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people have been convicted of benefit fraud in the UK during the last 12 months.

(122075)

122
   Mr Donald Gorrie (Edinburgh West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what account he will take in his reform of housing benefits of the differences between the English and Scottish housing systems; what plans he has to ensure that (a) tenants on the lowest incomes and (b) vulnerable households do not suffer financial loss from any changes to the housing benefit system; and what measures he plans to ensure that changes to housing benefit take account of other benefit and social policy reforms.

(122086)

123
   Mr Donald Gorrie (Edinburgh West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list, for (a) 1996-97, (b) 1997-98 and (c) 1998-99, the gross expenditure on (i) rent allowances and (ii) rent rebates for each local authority in Scotland.

(122088)

124
   Mr Donald Gorrie (Edinburgh West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what the total estimated expenditure was on housing benefit in Scotland in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000, for (i) public sector tenants, (ii) housing association tenants and (iii) other private sector tenants.

(122089)

125
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, for each of the past five years for which figures are available, how many applications for incapacity benefit were refused and what proportion of total applications this represents; what proportion of applicants refused incapacity benefit appealed to the Appeals Service and how many were successful; and what proportion of applicants whose appeals were rejected by the Appeals Service appealed to the social security commissioners and how many were successful.

(122152)

126
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, on what date his Department received export licence application number 8664; on what date he expects it to be determined; and if he will make a statement about its progress.

(122037)

127
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the Government's research priorities and the research priorities of (a) the United States and (b) Germany.

(122133)

128
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, for which areas of research covered by each research council the budget has contracted in each year since 1994.

(122134)

129
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the breakdown was of the funding of each research council by main programme of activity in each year since 1994.

(122132)

130
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the (a) total budget and (b) budget per head of the United Kingdom population was for each of the six research councils in each year since 1994.

(122131)

131
   Mr Andrew Hunter (Basingstoke):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which relocation companies his Department has used when relocating civil servants since May 1997.

(122295)

132
   Mr Kerry Pollard (St. Albans):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to improve access to finance for small businesses through the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme.

(122074)

133
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the average cost of answering (a) oral and (b) written parliamentary questions in the last three months.

[Transferred] (122070)

134
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) people were unemployed and (b) job vacancies there were in the Greater London area on 1st April.

[Transferred] (122078)

135
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much has been provided by each of the research councils and the four funding councils for spending by the universities on equipment to support scientific research programmes by subject area in each year since 1994.

[Transferred] (122135)

136
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which organisations are responsible for funding infrastructure requirements in universities.

[Transferred] (122139)

137
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what models are being considered for the replacement of the Joint Infrastructure Fund.

[Transferred] (122137)

138
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library a copy of the current version of Form CF 383 relating to the certificate of election for married women to pay reduced rate national insurance contributions, together with a copy of the corresponding form issued in 1978.

[Transferred] (122122)