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 16 May 2000

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 16 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 16th MAY

1
N   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many prosecutions for Integrated Administration and Control Systems fraud his Department has initiated since 1997; and how many of them have resulted in a guilty verdict.

(122394)

2
   Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which (a) individuals and (b) organisations she met during her recent US discussions concerning GM food and crops; what was discussed; and what action she plans to take following those meetings.

(122512)

3
N   Mr Frank Doran (Aberdeen Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proposals he has to improve regional management and control of Channel 3.

(122459)

4
N   Mr John Healey (Wentworth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is his estimate of the number of servicemen who served during the Suez Canal Zone occupation from 1951 to 1954 who are still alive.

(122333)

5
N   Ms Julie Morgan (Cardiff North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what amounts of beryllium and depleted uranium are left on site at the Atomic Weapons Establishment in Llanishen Cardiff; and when he expects the site will be free from contamination.

(122391)

6
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he will make a decision on his Department's participation in the A400M airbus project; and if he will make a statement.

(122396)

7
N   Rachel Squire (Dunfermline West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will estimate the average annual cost of paying and accommodating 20,000 armed forces personnel and their families.

(121804)

8
N   Rachel Squire (Dunfermline West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will estimate the average annual cost of employing 10,000 MOD civilians.

(121805)

9
   Mr Douglas Alexander (Paisley South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment he has made of the impact of the code of practice on age diversity in employment on reducing discrimination in the workplace.

(122524)

10
N   Mr Paddy Ashdown (Yeovil):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many places in pre-school education for three year olds have been funded by the Government in each local education authority; what proportion of this age cohort this represents for each local education authority; and if he will make a statement.

(122239)

11
N   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many claimants were refused unemployment benefit because they declined to take an available job in 1997, 1998 and 1999.

(122389)

12
N   Sir Brian Mawhinney (North West Cambridgeshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when the Right honourable Member for North West Cambridgeshire will receive a substantive reply to his letter of 29th March on behalf of his constitutent Dr. Irwin.

(122331)

13
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, which sections of the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998 have not yet been subject to a commencement order.

(122500)

14
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many early childhood education places are provided for four year olds by maintained sector providers in each local education authority as part of their agreed Early Years Childcare and Education Development Partnerships.

(122505)

15
N   Mr Paddy Ashdown (Yeovil):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the standard spending assessment per head of population for each English county for (a) 1998-99, (b) 1999--2000 and (c) 2000-2001, ranked from highest to lowest; and if he will make a statement.

(122238)

16
N   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 9th May, Official Report, column 360W, on Railtrack, under what statutory provisions Railtrack is required to consult before creating a safety company; with whom it will consult; and what are the terms and timetable for the consultation.

(122457)

17
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what evidence he has assessed which indicates that potentially damaging residues from medicinal drugs are contaminating waterways and drinking water sources.

(121528)

18
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received regarding the problems experienced with the theoretical knowledge examinations for the JAA Air Transport Pilot Licence; and what action he intends to take as a result of these representations.

(122483)

19
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list all casualties and accidents on the A14 involving heavy goods vehicles in the last 10 years.

(122484)

20
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he has decided to publish his 10-year transport plan before the end of July.

(122485)

21
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when the Rail Regulator will conclude his review of access charges.

(122486)

22
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how he monitors the disposal of radioactive waste; what steps he takes to ensure that such waste is not used in household products; and if he will make a statement.

(122335)

23
   Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when and in what form the release of a GE virus at University Farm, Wytham, Oxfordshire (grid ref SP47170884) will take place; and what information he has received regarding the biosafety implications of this type of pesticide.

(122513)

24
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many of the recommendations made by the Urban Task Force in the report, Towards an Urban Renaissance, have been implemented; and if he will make a statement.

(122167)

25
N   Mr Paddy Ashdown (Yeovil):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what was the real terms increase in budgeted expenditure between 1996-97 and 2000-2001 for (a) the Home Office, (b) the Chancellor of the Exchequer's departments, (c) the Foreign Office, (d) Scotland Office, (e) Wales Office, (f) the Department of Social Security, (g) the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, (h) overseas aid spending, (i) Department of Health, (j) Department of Education and Employment, (k) Lord Chancellor's Department, (l) No. 10 Downing Street, (m) Cabinet Office, (n) the Ministry of Defence, (o) the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, (p) the Department of Trade and Industry, (q) the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and (r) Northern Ireland; and if he will rank these from highest to lowest increases.

(122240)

26
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the average net income (a) before working families tax credit but with receipt of other benefits, (b) with the addition of working families tax credit before tapering of other benefits and (c) with the addition of working families tax credit following the tapering of housing benefit and council tax benefit for (i) all recipients of the working families tax credit and (ii) families earning between (1) £4,000 and £6,000 per year, (2) £6,000 and £8,000 per year, (3) £8,000 and £10,000 per year and (4) £10,000 and £12,000 per year.

(122393)

27
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the expenditure on the working families tax credit was (a) for each month since October 1999 and (b) for the period April to October 1999, (i) in total, (ii) minus the projected expenditure on family credit, (iii) minus the savings on council tax benefit and (iv) minus the savings on housing benefit.

(122392)

28
N   Mr John Greenway (Ryedale):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to take steps to repeal the Insurance Brokers Registration Act 1977.

[R] (122168)

29
N   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects the talks initiated in March 1996 between his Department and the Prudential Assurance Company regarding a modification of 10 per cent. distributable surplus to reach an outcome.

(122487)

30
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people paid (a) only class II national insurance contributions and (b) class II in addition to other national insurance contributions in each of the last 10 years; what revenue the Government received from class II national insurance contributions in each of these years; and if he will make a statement.

(122521)

31
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what Government policy is on the timing of payments of its contractors and suppliers; what length of time between delivery or invoice and payment is proposed in Government guidelines; and what action is taken to monitor whether targets are met.

(122522)

32
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what statistics he collates on the operation of the working families tax credit.

(122516)

33
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when figures on the first six months of operation of the working families tax credit will be published.

(122515)

34
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the (a) number and (b) percentage of claimants of working families tax credit who also claim (i) housing benefit, (ii) council tax benefit and (iii) both housing and council tax benefit.

(122518)

35
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how far the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise have progressed with their research on compliance costs to business of major taxes and duties; for which taxes and duties the review has been completed; if he will place the completed research in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

(122517)

36
N   Mr David Willetts (Havant):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the taxes and benefits taken into account in calculating the effect of Government reforms on marginal deduction rates, as shown in Table 4.2 of the Red Book, HC 346.

(122498)

37
N   Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the serial numbers of those Big Brutus handcuffs exported from the United Kingdom by Hyatt & Co., of Birmingham, since 1st May 1997; when he expects legislation further restricting the sale of oversize handcuffs to be brought forward; and if he will make a statement.

(121803)

38
   Julia Drown (South Swindon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what proportion of the revenue from sales of Iraqi oil was allocated by the UN for humanitarian supplies to Iraq in each of the last two years.

(122511)

39
   Julia Drown (South Swindon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the capacity of the Iraqi oil industry to pump the quantity of oil permitted by the UN Security Council.

(122504)

40
   Julia Drown (South Swindon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what is the Government's policy on delaying shipments of humanitarian supplies to Iraq by the UN Sanctions Committee.

(122502)

41
   Julia Drown (South Swindon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the conclusion of former UNSCOM officials that Iraq has been disarmed of its weapons of mass destruction.

(122535)

42
   Julia Drown (South Swindon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what is the value of humanitarian supplies for Iraq on hold at the UN Sanctions Committee.

(122501)

43
   Julia Drown (South Swindon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to help expedite those shipments of humanitarian supplies for Iraq that are being delayed by the UN Sanctions Committee.

(122503)

44
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the Government's response to the Joint Select Committee Report on Strategic Arms Exports will be completed.

(122290)

45
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many people his Department employs (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) abroad to facilitate overseas defence sales.

(122247)

46
N   Mr Robin Corbett (Birmingham, Erdington):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he intends to publish the national alcohol strategy.

(122390)

47
   Jane Griffiths (Reading East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps her Department is taking to support the work of the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust.

(122499)

48
N   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will intervene to prevent the relocation of medical services provided at Kidderminster Hospital to Worcester Royal Infirmary until the new Worcester hospital is open.

(122458)

49
N   Sir Brian Mawhinney (North West Cambridgeshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the Right honourable Member for North West Cambridgeshire will receive a substantive answer to his letter of 28th March on behalf of his constituent Mrs Drickett.

(122332)

50
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to promote research into and public awareness of causes and symptoms of myalgic encephalomyelitis; and if he will make a statement.

(122395)

51
N   Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when, and on what terms, EU marketing consent was given for honey containing genetically-modified pollen.

(121699)

52
N   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when Sir William Stewart first indicated the likely contents of his report and the conclusions of the enquiry into mobile telephone emissions to officials in his Department; and when this information was made known to ministers.

(122334)

53
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria have been used to make appointments to the Inspectorate in respect of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986; what plans he has to review these criteria; and if he will make a statement.

(122305)

54
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the names of those appointed to the Inspectorate in respect of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

(122306)

55
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure that those inspectors appointed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to investigate allegations against licence holders have not been party to the original decision on granting that licence; and if he will make a statement.

(122302)

56
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many animal trainers are licensed under the Performing Animals Regulations 1925; and if he will make a statement.

(122303)

57
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many establishments have been inspected by the Inspectorate appointed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 over the last three years; and with respect to each establishment of how many visits notification of the inspection was given; how many visits were unannounced; and if he will make a statement.

(122304)

58
   Mr A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will raise the maximum retirement age for prison officers from 60 to 65 years.

(122523)

59
N   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable on the circumstances of the death and investigations following the attack on Jay Abatan in Brighton in January 1999.

(122480)

60
N   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if there will be a coroner's inquest, with a jury, into the death of Jay Abatan.

(122481)

61
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects the Burns Committee to report.

(121529)

62
N   Mr Eric Illsley (Barnsley Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on Corpus Juris and the EU Intergovernmental Conference.

(120888)

63
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many wheelclampers working on private land have been prosecuted since 1990.

(122519)

64
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what powers of arrest will be given to the police in respect of wheelclampers who operate without licences granted under the proposed Private Security Regulations.

(122520)

65
   Mr Phil Woolas (Oldham East and Saddleworth):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects the Criminal Cases Review Commission to report on the case of Nicholas Tucker.

(122506)

66
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will have discussions with mycologists at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh before endorsing a programme submitted by the UN International Drug Control Programme for field trials of fusarium oxysporum as a weapon against coca growing in Columbia and Peru.

(121080)

67
N   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will call for a report on the recent trial in Hove relating to the assault on Michael Abatan in Brighton in January 1999, in particular the evidence directed to be withheld from the jury.

(122479)

68
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make it his policy to offer to assist the authorities in Serbia to establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission similar to that in South Africa; and if he will make a statement.

(122336)

69
N   Dr David Clark (South Shields):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, when (a) attendance allowance and (b) disability living allowance claim packs will be available in the South Shields constituency.

(122398)

70
N   Dr David Clark (South Shields):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will launch an inquiry into the failure of the Group 4 contractor to supply disability living allowance and attendance allowance claim packs to disability benefits centres in the north-east of England.

(122397)

71
N   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Solicitor General, if he will call for a report from the Crown Prosecution Service on its actions following the attack on Jay Abatan in Brighton in January 1999.

(122482)

72
   Mr Douglas Alexander (Paisley South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many employers, broken down by size of firm, have been fined for paying less than the minimum wage.

(122534)

73
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the operation of regulations pertaining to advertising of cosmetic surgery.

(122307)

74
N   Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many job losses have been announced in the past 12 months in the electricity generating and distributing industry; and what is his estimate of the impact on jobs in (a) the industry and (b) the Electricity Association that will arise as adjustments are made following changes brought about by the Utilities Bill and the new electricity trading arrangements.

(122488)

75
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the status of the offer to Phoenix by First Union of £200 million to finance the acquisition of Rover in respect of (a) due diligence and (b) an examination of the business plan of Phoenix; and if he will make a statement.

(122241)

76
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the prospects for Honda's involvement in the future of the Rover plant.

(122243)

77
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to meet representatives of (a) Burdale Financial and (b) First Union to discuss the financing of the acquisition of Rover by Phoenix.

(122242)

78
N   Mr Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what contingency plans the Government has in the event that the conditional offer to Phoenix by Burdale Financial, the subsidiary of First Union, of £200 million to finance the acquisition of Rover is withdrawn following due diligence; and if he will make a statement.

(122244)

79
N   Mr Derek Foster (Bishop Auckland):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he intends to reply to the Third Report from the Education and Employment Committee, Session 1999-2000, HC297, the Draft Part-time Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000.

(122478)

80
N   Ms Tess Kingham (Gloucester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent discussions the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has had with the Turkish Government regarding the Ilisu Dam Project.

(120897)

81
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many times his Department has met representatives of the Defence Manufacturers Association since 1997.

(122245)

82
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many times countries which have been granted export credit for military goods have defaulted on their repayments in each of the last 10 years.

(122246)

83
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have been dismissed from government service in each of the last five years, broken down by principal cause of dismissal; and what proportion of total government employees this represents in each year.

[Transferred] (122514)

WELSH GRAND COMMITTEE

84
N   Mrs Jackie Lawrence (Preseli Pembrokeshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make a statement on the development of the Youth Service in Wales and the Learning and Skills Bill [Lords].

[Question Unstarred] (121238)

84 N	Mrs Jackie Lawrence (Preseli Pembrokeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make a statement on the development of the Youth Service in Wales and the Learning and Skills Bill [Lords].
	[Question Unstarred] (121238)