Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1999-2000
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Friday 19 May 2000

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Friday 19 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 19th MAY

1
   Jackie Ballard (Taunton):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many farms (a) with registered organic status and (b) in the process of conversion to organic status are likely to lose that status due to the presence of genetically-modified crops nearby in the next year.

(123076)

2
   Jackie Ballard (Taunton):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how growers of organic crops six kilometres or less from unpublicised genetically-modified plantings can find out the location of such plantings in order to assess the threat to their organic status.

(123078)

3
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when he will reply to the letter of 28th April from the honourable Member for Ludlow about abattoir closures.

(123097)

4
   Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will list the opinion research projects undertaken on behalf of her Department in the financial year 1999-2000, broken down by (a) focus group research, (b) quantitative surveys and (c) other market research surveys, listing in each case when and in what form the results were published.

(123074)

5
   Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much her Department spent on opinion research in the financial year 1999-2000.

(123073)

6
   Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet):    To ask the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what advice the Commissioners have received about the growing of GM crops on their land; how they intend to monitor the result of the current round of trials; and if he will make a statement.

(123048)

7
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make a statement on the role of the members of the National Lottery Charities Board and the role played by Ministers in their appointment.

(123082)

8
N   Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the (a) armoured vehicles and (b) helicopters (i) in service and (ii) shortly to enter service in the armed forces which (A) the C17 can carry, (B) the A400M can carry, (C) the C130J can carry and (D) none of the above can carry; and in the case of helicopters if he will specify in each case whether carriage requires partial dismantling.

(122914)

9
N   Mr Menzies Campbell (North East Fife):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Government's policy is on identifying fraud in procurement contracts; what safeguards exist to protect against fraud; and what steps have been taken as part of the Smart Procurement initiative to combat fraud.

(122754)

10
N   Mr Menzies Campbell (North East Fife):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions in the past five years his Department has investigated allegations of fraud in procurement contracts; on how many occasions allegations were upheld; and on how many occasions prosecution followed, indicating in each case the contract and project concerned.

(122755)

11
N   Mr Menzies Campbell (North East Fife):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the yearly cost to its budget of fraud in relation to procurement contracts.

(122756)

12
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what percentage of time the Government expects to use each of the ro-ro ships shortly to be ordered by his Department.

(122987)

13
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the Airbus A400M is the preferred supplier for the long-term strategic heavy lift aircraft.

(122933)

14
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to the oral statement of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Employment of 16th May, Official Report, columns 252-53, how many applications for PGCE courses in secondary teaching in (a) maths, (b) modern foreign languages, (c) science and (d) technology have been received since 30th March; and how many were received in the corresponding period in the previous year.

(123037)

15
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many applications have been received for PGCE courses in (a) primary teaching and (b) secondary teaching, broken down by subject, commencing in September 2000 according to the most recent figures available; and how many were received at the same stage the previous year for commencement in September 1999.

(123052)

16
   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many physics graduates entered PGCE courses for secondary teaching in each of the last five years.

(123036)

17
   Mr Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the total amount spent by schools on security measures in 1999 (a) by constituency and (b) by local education authority.

(123134)

18
   Mr Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how much the Government has awarded to local education authorities in each year since 1995 for schools to (a) implement security reviews and (b) undertake measures to make their premises more secure.

(123167)

19
   Mr Edward Davey (Kingston and Surbiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the average class size in secondary schools in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames for each year since 1979.

(123133)

20
N   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, for what reason the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage launched by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State on Thursday 11th May, accompanied by a Departmental Press Notice, was not available in the Library on Tuesday 15th May; when he expects a copy to be deposited; and to whom the guidance has so far been made available.

[R] (122953)

21
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many three year olds had free early years education places providing five or more sessions of education per week (a) in 1979, (b) in 1990 and (c) for each year from 1992 to 1999 (i) in England and (ii) in each local education authority in London

(122709)

22
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many additional free early years education places would be required to meet the Government's target of free places being available for 66 per cent. of three year olds by 2002 for (a) England and (b) each local education authority in London.

(122710)

23
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many pre-school learning places have (a) ceased to exist and (b) been created in each year since April 1997.

(123100)

24
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment he has made of the accuracy of forecasts of pre-school learning places made by (a) his Department and (b) the Pre-school Learning Alliance since 1997.

(123101)

25
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what financial support his Department has given to the Pre-school Learning Alliance in each year since April 1997.

(123102)

26
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what reviews he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated of the funding mechanism for the provision of pre-school learning places.

(123103)

27
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, who has responsibility for the strategic overview of government policy for the maintenance of pre-school learning provision.

(123104)

28
   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make available grants for re-training to qualified teachers seeking to re-enter the profession.

(123132)

29
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will issue guidance to institutions of (a) further and (b) higher education in respect of the admission of applicants with criminal records.

(123249)

30
N   Mr Gareth R. Thomas (Harrow West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what action he is taking to encourage schools and local education authorities to participate in the Holocaust Education Day in January 2001.

(122835)

31
N   Mr David Winnick (Walsall North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what weaknesses were found by the Ofsted inspection agency in the Ofsted inspection carried out at Middlefield primary school; and if a teacher was criticised during the inspection in front of pupils.

(122936)

32
N   Mr David Winnick (Walsall North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on the contribution which Ms Pamela Relf made to teaching in state schools.

(122939)

33
   Sir Peter Emery (East Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps his Department plans to take concerning the lack of a waste strategy plan for landfill sites in Devon after 2007.

(123077)

34
N   Maria Fyfe (Glasgow, Maryhill):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will estimate the total of housing debt owed by local authorities.

(123015)

35
   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what data he collects on the percentage of vehicles that break the speed limit in each local authority area; what targets for reducing deaths and serious injuries on roads he sets for each local authority; and if he will make a statement.

(123095)

36
N   Mr Richard Page (South West Hertfordshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to review the limits on the weight of fireworks which may be stored at private premises and the length of time they may be so stored.

[R] (122631)

37
N   Mr Richard Page (South West Hertfordshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what recent assessment has been carried out by his Department of the proximity of the locations of storage and manufacture of fireworks and explosives to private dwellings.

[R] (122624)

38
   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what was the average time taken to report on incidents involving (a) gas explosions and (b) fires in the last 12 months for which statistics are available.

(123042)

39
   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what research he has commissioned into ways of improving gas safety.

(123040)

40
   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what procedures exist to ensure that lessons learnt from inquiries into gas explosions are circulated to local authorities, housing associations, and those involved in gas installations.

(123038)

41
   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what funding his Department has allocated in the current year for research into gas safety.

(123041)

42
   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when was the last time his Department issued guidelines to local authorities, housing associations and house builders on safety relating to gas installations.

(123039)

43
   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what reasons underlay the decision not to include the New Forest in the reports commissioned by his Department entitled Greater Protection and Better Management of Common Land and Good Practice Guide on Managing the use of Common Land.

(123256)

44
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will deposit a copy of the latest Annual Report on Beneficiaries of Part A Commission Grants in the Library.

(123093)

45
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place the correspondence between HM Customs & Excise and the European Commission on VAT exemption for sports clubs and organisations in the Library.

(123053)

46
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what action his Department plans to take in respect of the recent Deloitte Touche report on VAT in respect of VAT levied on voluntary and community sports organizations and clubs.

(123083)

47
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will set out the basis of the calculation made in his speech to the Child Poverty Action Group on 15th May that the poorest 20 per cent. of families receive 50 per cent. of the additional £7 billion per year spent on children's financial support.

(122982)

48
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what basis he made the statement that many poorer families are now £50 per week better off in his recent speech to the Child Poverty Action Group.

(122836)

49
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his speech to the Child Poverty Action Group on 15th May, if he will disaggregate the £7 billion additional spending in 2001 relative to 1997 on children's financial support .

(122983)

50
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will set out the measurement he used to determine which children live in poverty when he described Government policies as having taken more than one million children out of poverty in his speech to the Child Poverty Action Group on 15th May.

(122981)

51
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Glasgow Maryhill, Official Report, 15th May, column 47W, what is the average amount by which other benefits have been reduced for families with incomes of less than £12,000 as a result of the working families tax credit.

(122988)

52
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to review the composite rate of VAT on equipment supplied to the visually-impaired.

(122937)

53
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects to report on the review of VAT in relation to disability equipment.

[R] (122931)

54
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what regional variations exist in the application of VAT to disability equipment.

(122938)

55
   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the total conversion costs for business of switching from the pound to the euro.

(123044)

56
   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the capital contribution which Britain would have to make to the European Central Bank on joining the euro.

(123043)

57
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what was the cost of hosting the Europe Day Open Day at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 9th May.

(123088)

58
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the non-parliamentarians invited to participate in Europe Day events; for what reason they were invited; and if he will make a statement.

(123089)

59
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the parliamentary constituencies to be visited in the future by the Your Britain, Your Europe roadshow.

(123092)

60
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what definition of the term eurosceptic was used by the Minister for Europe in speeches made during the Your Britain, Your Europe roadshow.

(123094)

61
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the (a) nature and (b) substance of the European Debate which took place during the Europe Day Open Day at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 9th May.

(123091)

62
   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what criteria were used in the selection of schools invited to participate in the Europe Day Open Day at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 9th May.

(123090)

63
N   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what price was realised by the sale of the Ambassador's Residence in Dublin; and what proportion of this sum has so far been paid.

(122954)

64
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice parents are given about the side-effects of the Meningitis C vaccine; whether the vaccine carries a risk of brain-damage or death; and whether all risks are made clear before parental consent is requested.

(122913)

65
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many yellow card reports have been received by the Medicines Control Agency of suspected adverse reactions to each routine vaccine in each year since 1990.

(122910)

66
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what evidence his Department has evaluated on a causal link between routine vaccination and brain-damage.

(122911)

67
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the average waiting time for a hip replacement operation at a NHS hospital in the Greater London area.

(123045)

68
N   Mr Andrew George (St Ives):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the mortality rate for patients suffering from Guillain-Barre Syndrome admitted to National Health Service hospitals for treatment in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000.

(122625)

69
N   Mr Andrew George (St Ives):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to encourage clinical governance subcommittees of National Health Service trusts to raise awareness of Guillain-Barre Syndrome.

(122626)

70
N   Mr Andrew George (St Ives):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to encourage clinical governance groups within primary care groups to raise awareness of Guillain-Barre Syndrome, particularly among general practitioners.

(122627)

71
N   Mr Andrew George (St Ives):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of patients suffering from Guillain-Barre Syndrome and being treated in National Health Service hospitals were admitted to intensive care units in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000.

(122629)

72
N   Mr Andrew George (St Ives):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if deafblind users of domiciliary care services were involved in the (a) steering group, (b) reference group and (c) user forum developing the draft national minimum standards for domiciliary services.

(122791)

73
N   Mr Andrew George (St Ives):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of data collection in relation to the number of patients suffering from Guillain-Barre syndrome who have been treated in National Health Service hospitals.

(122630)

74
N   Mr Andrew George (St Ives):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the consultation document on draft national minimum standards for domiciliary services will include standards relevant specifically to deafblind people, with particular reference to essential communicator-guide and intervenor services.

(122790)

75
N   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will answer the question tabled for answer on 4th May from the honourable Member for Ludlow (ref. 121293).

(122838)

76
   Mrs Sylvia Heal (Halesowen and Rowley Regis):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that children are protected from abuse through prostitution and that those who coerce children into prostitution are (a) investigated and (b) prosecuted.

(123051)

77
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many operations were cancelled, and in respect of such operations how many patients involved were not re-admitted within one month, in each quarter since 1995 in (a) England and (b) each health authority in London; and if he will list the percentage change for each year.

(122712)

78
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many accident and emergency departments there were in each year since 1979 for which the figures are available (a) for England, (b) for each health authority in London and (c) for each NHS trust in London; and if he will list the percentage change for each year.

(122713)

79
N   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will make an announcement on the New Lymington Community Hospital private finance initiative.

(122831)

80
   Mr Simon Thomas (Ceredigion):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, in what ways he intends the provisions of the Care Standards Bill [Lords] will affect the regulation of private hospitals.

(123130)

81
N   Mr David Winnick (Walsall North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the honourable Member for Walsall North will receive a reply to his letter of 30th March regarding a constituent.

(122935)

82
   Mr Shaun Woodward (Witney):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to establish NHS race equality units outside London.

(123087)

83
   Mr Shaun Woodward (Witney):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what schemes he plans to introduce to increase accommodation provision for public healthcare staff in the Southeast of England.

(123062)

84
   Mr Shaun Woodward (Witney):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the percentage of the London ethnic minority population who will have access to the initiatives introduced by the London NHS Race Equality Unit.

(123084)

85
   Mr Shaun Woodward (Witney):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding has been allocated to the London NHS Race Equality Unit in the current financial year.

(123086)

86
   Jackie Ballard (Taunton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if his Department has bought extradition proceedings against Joe Wilkins.

(123047)

87
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what has been the (a) longest prison sentence and (b) largest fine imposed on a person convicted of tobacco smuggling into the UK in the last 12 months.

(123046)

88
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will ensure that when prisoners are transferred from one prison to another, their medical records are transferred at the same time.

(123099)

89
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the 1999 Annual Report of the Board of Visitors of HM Prison Stafford, with particular regard to the issue of health care.

(123098)

90
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) public and (b) private sector accommodation providers have been contracted to provide accommodation for asylum seekers in (i) the North West region, (ii) Pendle, (iii) Burnley, (iv) Rossendale, (v) Blackburn with Darwen and (vi) Hyndburn; and how many units are to be provided in each location.

(123032)

91
N   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the estimated cost to date of the Burns Inquiry.

(122830)

92
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if the Government will review the recommendation of the 1978 Royal Commission on Civil Liability and Compensation for Personal Injury on making a change in the law of tort so that parents of children who suffer brain-damage following vaccination can take action for compensation on a balance of probabilities.

(122912)

93
N   Maria Fyfe (Glasgow, Maryhill):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the total is of housing debt owned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

(123016)

94
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what was the size of the road transportation retail fuels market in Northern Ireland for (a) diesel and (b) petrol in (i) 1998 and (ii) 1999.

(122934)

95
   Mr Andrew MacKay (Bracknell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much his Department spent on opinion research in the financial year 1999-2000.

(123049)

96
   Mr Andrew MacKay (Bracknell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list opinion research projects undertaken on behalf of the department in the financial year 1999-2000 itemising (a) focus group research, (b) quantitative surveys and (c) other market research surveys, indicating in each case (i) when and (ii) where the results were published.

(123050)

97
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the shooting dead of James Alfred Cornhill on 19th April.

(123057)

98
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress has been made in effecting the transfer of responsibility for traveller accommodation to the Housing Executive.

(123061)

99
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, further to the undertakings given in the 6th May letter jointly signed by the Prime Minister and the Irish Taoiseach, (a) what measures are being taken to facilitate the reintegration of prisoners into the commuity, (b) what related issues are being addressed and (c) what body has been tasked with responsibility for implementation of each measure.

(123058)

100
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, for what (a) reason travellers are being prevented from using the St. Christopher's Park site, (b) what attempts have been made to offer them alternative accommodation, (c) for what reasons vacating travellers are prevented from returning to the official site in Newry and (d) which bodies have responsbility for looking after the housing and education needs of traveller families.

(123055)

101
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what was the result of the ICPC inquiry into the shooting dead of Robin Charles Scott Maxwell in January 1994; and what were the findings of the coroner's inquest.

(123056)

102
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps have been taken in the last month to reduce the security presence consistent with the level of threat; and what steps will be taken in the next 12 months.

(123060)

103
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what body has been tasked with drawing up a two year implementation plan for the Irish language TV and film production pilot announced to start by April 2001.

(123059)

104
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):    To ask the President of the Council, what the Government's policy is on the release of the text of ministerial statements to Government backbenchers before the statement has been made, with particular reference to the oral statement on Defence procurement on 16th May, Official Report, columns 149-51.

(122932)

105
   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):    To ask the Prime Minister, what changes he has made to the rules on political neutrality of the Civil Service.

(123131)

106
N   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask the Prime Minister, on what dates, and at which venues, he held question-time meetings with members of the public in (a) 1999 and (b) 2000 to date.

(122984)

107
   Mr Andrew Reed (Loughborough):    To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions he had with the Japanese Prime Minister about debt relief at their recent meeting.

(123105)

108
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Prime Minister, what requests he has received from overseas governments for meetings in Britain between himself and representatives of these governments between 19th May and 12th June; and which such meetings will take place.

(122792)

109
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the official visits to Britain by senior representatives of overseas governments which are due to take place between 19th May and 12th June.

(122793)

110
   Mr Charles Kennedy (Ross, Skye and Inverness West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the European Union over the future of the Highlands and Islands ferry services; and if he will make a statement.

(123072)

111
   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans the Government has to make eligible those people who will be in temporary respite care for 12 weeks or less from the week commencing 18th September 2000 for winter fuel payments.

(123054)

112
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what issues and concerns were raised during the public consultation undertaken by the Inter-Ministerial Group for Older People.

(123034)

113
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, which organisations representing older people the members of the Inter-Ministerial Group for Older People consulted during 1999; and in which regions the programme of public consultation took place.

(123033)

114
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how he plans to respond to the results of the consultation undertaken during the past year by the Inter-Ministerial Group for Older People.

(123035)

115
N   Mr Andrew George (St Ives):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to ensure that examining medical practitioners and adjudicating officers of the Disability Benefits Unit of the Benefits Agency consult the records of the family doctor and relevant consultant when assessing the claim of an applicant suffering from Guillain-Barre Syndrome.

(122628)

116
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many pensioners there are in each London borough, broken down by age, indicating the total number aged (a) 75 to 79 and (b) 80 and older, in each of those areas.

(122711)

117
   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many pensioners in (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire will benefit from the minimum income guarantee increases in April 2001; and if he will make a statement.

(123096)

118
   Sir Peter Emery (East Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assistance he plans to give to small and medium-sized businesses in East Devon.

(123075)

119
N   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the progress made by his Ministerial Group to promote technology clusters.

(122986)

120
N   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans his Department has to provide, help and support to Wilton Research and Technical Centre on Teesside.

(122985)

121
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list by field the number of licences issued by the Government for North Sea and Atlantic oil and gas exploration where no development has taken place.

(122832)

122
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the inspection and enforcement in respect of fallow fields in the United Kingdom Continental Shelf.

(122837)

123
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what were the employment levels in each of the UK's oil fabrication yards broken down by individual site in May (a) 1998, (b) 1999 and (c) 2000.

(122833)

124
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the oil fabrication yards in the UK which have access to (a) Objective 1 European funding, (b) Objective 2 European funding, (c) Objective 3 European Funding, (d) special programme funding and (e) assisted area status.

(122834)

125
   Mr Shaun Woodward (Witney):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what research his Department has undertaken into discrepancies between the numbers of (a) white entrepreneurs and (b) ethnic minority entrepreneurs obtaining business loans and other forms of financial assistance.

(123085)

126
N   Maria Fyfe (Glasgow, Maryhill):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will estimate the total of housing debt owed by local authorities in Great Britain.

[Transferred] (123014)

127
   Mr Douglas Alexander (Paisley South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the number of employees providing nursing care in residential and nursing homes who have recognised nursing qualifications.

[Transferred] (123079)

128
   Mr Douglas Alexander (Paisley South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure high quality of care in residential and nursing homes in the United Kingdom.

[Transferred] (123080)

129
   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will backdate winter fuel payments for 1999 for those who were in temporary respite care over the period 20th to 26th September 1999.

[Transferred] (123071)

130
   Mr Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the reports he has received from the Social Services Inspectorate about the implementation of Circular HSC1999/162: LAC (99) 28; how many of them indicate that the Circular is being implemented properly and fully at local level; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (123081)