Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1999-2000
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The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Monday 22 May 2000

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Monday 22 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.

MONDAY 22nd MAY

1
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will review the controls on the materials that hunts may feed their animals, with particular reference to specified risk material.

(123137)

2
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will publish the advice his Department offers to hunts on the deadstock that can be fed to packs of hounds.

(123168)

3
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what contact Ministers or officials have had during the last 12 months with the United States Department of Agriculture with the aim of lifting the ban on UK beef exports.

(123136)

4
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what representations he has received from the meat industry on the compulsory EU beef labelling scheme; and if he will make a statement.

(123297)

5
   Mr Alan Hurst (Braintree):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what payments were made under the over 30 months scheme in each month during the past two years.

(123411)

6
   Mr Alan Hurst (Braintree):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many cattle per month during the past two years entered the over 30 months scheme.

(123412)

7
   Mr Simon Thomas (Ceredigion):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what percentage of claims under the over 30 months slaughter scheme for the period between 29th April and 25th May 1996 remain unresolved.

(123435)

8
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what details he has received of the rural development plans of other EU member states, with particular reference to their level of funding.

(122961)

9
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, from what date agri-monetary compensation has been available to the Government; and what was the maximum amount of agri-monetary compensation available to Britain in each year of the system's existence.

(122970)

10
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his Answers of 18th April, Official Report, column 333W and 5th May, Official Report, column 245-6W, concerning the Farm Waste Grant Scheme, if he will reconcile the figures for expenditure on the Scheme in 2001-02 given in the two Answers.

(123017)

11
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what percentage of croppable land in Britain is eligible for the arable area payments scheme; and what the figures are for other EU states.

(123020)

12
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what estimates he has made of the cost to the existing members of the EU of accepting into the Common Agricultural Policy (a) Poland, (b) Hungary, (c) the Czech Republic, (d) Estonia, (e) Malta, (f) Cyprus, (g) Slovakia, (h) Bulgaria, (i) Romania, (j) Slovenia, (k) Latvia, (l) Lithuania and (m) Turkey.

(122962)

13
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral statement of 11th May, Official Report, column 1027, what the Government's policy is on the appropriate level of support for sugar.

(122965)

14
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the individuals who (a) were invited to and (b) attended the Downing Street farm summit on 30th March.

(122969)

15
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the decision by the French Government to compensate apple growers for the effect of consumer boycotts in Britain.

(122993)

16
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral statement of 11th May, Official Report, column 1024, if he will list the points of the 62-point action plan launched during the Prime Minister's summit in March.

(122957)

17
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what representations he has received from his counterparts in non-EU OECD nations in regard to the outcome of the Agenda 2000 negotiations on CAP reform, stating for each nation the nature of its reaction.

(122959)

18
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if the projected increase in expenditure on the England rural development plan takes into account official estimates of inflation over the period involved.

(122966)

19
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what evaluation the Government has made of the use of the Green Box of the World Trade Organisation Agriculture Agreement to compensate farmers for the extra costs of Britain's animal welfare standards.

(122991)

20
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the economic impact on farmers of the decision to limit the exemption from council tax on uninhabitable dwellings; and what studies his Department has made of that impact.

(122997)

21
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when he expects to introduce the outgoer and ongoer elements of the pig industry restructuring scheme; and what projection has been made of the funds to be allocated to each element in each of the three years of the overall scheme.

(122990)

22
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many press officers there were in his Department in (a) May 1997 and (b) May 2000.

(122995)

23
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his statement of 11th May, Official Report, column 1036, concerning hedgerows, if the European Commission has abandoned plans to re-interpret IACS rules in a way that would penalise farmers for maintaining hedgerows over a given width.

(122992)

24
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what the level of expenditure on the over thirty month scheme was in each year since its introduction; what the expected level of expenditure is in the current year and in each of the next five years; and, for each annual figure, how much is contributed from (a) UK funds and (b) EU funds.

(122994)

25
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what the Government's policy is on the funding of the additional costs involved in accepting (a) Poland, (b) Hungary and (c) the Czech Republic into the Common Agricultural Policy.

(122963)

26
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if, in preparing a strategy for further CAP negotiations, he has made specific provision for the possibility that Britain will retain its own currency for the forseeable future.

(122972)

27
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the implications of a right to roam over enclosed land in Scotland for the policing of the right to roam along the England-Scotland border.

(123019)

28
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what benefits he has identified from the creation of an integrated European Union rural development policy.

(122960)

29
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral statement of 11th May, Official Report, column 1028, if his statement that the England rural development plan would enable support for hill farmers to be continued meant that support for hill farmers would continue at its current level.

(122964)

30
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral statement of 11th May, Official Report, column 1028, concerning the redistributive effects of the England rural development scheme, if he will provide estimates of the projected redistribution in each English region.

(122967)

31
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral statement of 11th May, Official Report, column 1031, concerning the Irish milk quota, if he will identify the agreement cited by the Irish Government; and on what basis it bound British negotiators, and those of other parties, to accept Irish demands on milk quota.

(122971)

32
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what representations he has made in the EU on the replacement of the agri-monetary system with arrangements that protect British farmers from the effects of a strong pound or weak euro on the value of agricultural subsidies.

(122989)

33
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral statement of 11th May, Official Report, column 1024, what assessment he has made of the effect on farm incomes of unnecessary regulation; and what assessment he has made of the effect of this relative to the factors mentioned in his statement.

(122958)

34
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what effect the funding arrangements for the expansion of the agri-environment schemes will have on overall farm incomes.

(122968)

35
   Ann Coffey (Stockport):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the report on the handling of major Government IT projects will be published.

(123285)

36
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate she has made of the minimum and maximum cost to the Civil Service Pension Fund of the European Court of Justice's ruling on pensions for part-timers.

(123264)

37
   Dr Tony Wright (Cannock Chase):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when it is intended to introduce a Bill to give statutory basis to the Civil Service Code.

(123281)

38
   Mr Ted Rowlands (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the number of relay stations in Wales which will require conversion to deliver a comprehensive digital terrestrial service; and what estimate he has made of the cost of conversion.

(123287)

39
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to release the Farringdon House Territorial Army Centre in North Cheam for use as accommodation for asylum seekers.

(122840)

40
N   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list opinion research projects undertaken on behalf of his Department in the financial year 1999-2000, itemising (a) focus group research, (b) quantative surveys, and (c) other market research surveys, in each case stating when and where the results were published.

(123232)

41
N   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department spent on opinion research in the financial year 1999-2000.

(123246)

42
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what consultations he held with (a) the county councils and (b) the district councils concerned before deciding to locate the Joint NBC Regiment at RAF Honington.

(123115)

43
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what new buildings will be constructed at RAF Honington, at what cost and over what timescale, to accommodate the Joint NBC Regiment; and if will make a statement.

(123118)

44
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library (a) the study and (b) the investment appraisal led by the Directorate of Joint Warfare on the final location of the Joint Nuclear Biological and Chemical Regiment.

(123119)

45
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if transport costs of (a) personnel and (b) vehicles were included in the investment appraisal which informed the decision to locate the Joint NBC Regiment at RAF Honington; and if he will make a statement.

(123116)

46
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is (a) the cost of and (b) the handover date for the new buildings at HQ Joint NBC Regiment at Winterbourne Gunner.

(123117)

47
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the Joint NBC Regiment based at RAF Honington train at (a) DERA-CBD Porton Down, (b) Salisbury Plain Training Area and (c) elsewhere; and if he will make a statement.

(123121)

48
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if (a) secure voice communications and (b) secure information technology networks are in place between RAF Honington and Defence NBC Centre at Winterbourne Gunner.

(123120)

49
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what construction contracts his Department has awarded to the Joannou and Paraskevaides Group in the last three years.

(123145)

50
   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when the honourable Member for Sheffield, Hallam will receive replies to his questions of 6th April, 7th April and 10th April.

(123282)

51
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is the staffing complement of the Further Education Funding Council, broken down into (a) those operating at or from headquarters, (b) regional staff and (c) overall full-time equivalents.

(122736)

52
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is the (a) total staff and (b) full-time equivalent staff of the Training and Enterprise councils.

(122737)

53
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will publish (a) guidance to local education authorities on the education of the children of asylum-seekers and (b) details of the distribution of monies to local education authorities earmarked by his Department for this purpose.

(122738)

54
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many teachers in each local education authority were offered early retirement in each of the last 20 years.

(123113)

55
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many male teachers are still working at age 65 and female teachers at age 60 years in each local education authority as a percentage of the teachers employed by the local education authority.

(123114)

56
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list for each local education authority the (a) minimum age at which a teacher can be offered an early retirement package and (b) maximum enhancement that can be offered to individual teachers.

(123112)

57
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list for each local education authority (a) if it has an early retirement scheme for teachers and (b) if such a scheme has been terminated, the last year of its operation.

(123111)

58
   Mr Eric Illsley (Barnsley Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many college lecturers are still employed on Silver Book contracts; and what proposal he has for their assimilation onto new contracts.

(123277)

59
N   Ms Ruth Kelly (Bolton West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what estimate his Department has made of the number of nursery places in each year since 1997.

(123021)

60
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what estimate he has made of the maximum and minimum costs to teachers' pension funds of the European Court of Justice's ruling on pensions for part-timers.

(123262)

61
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what construction contracts his Department has awarded to the Joannou and Paraskevaides Group in the last three years.

(123144)

62
   Mr Gerry Steinberg (City of Durham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and local public spending bodies for which his Department is responsible that (a) have been transferred since 1992 and (b) are planned to be transferred (i) to and (ii) from the Northern Region.

(123409)

63
N   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if, for the third wave of the Sure Start programme, he will list the areas which have so far been selected; when he expects the remainder of these areas to be selected; and when each of these new schemes is due to commence.

(123064)

64
N   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if, for the second wave of the Sure Start programme, he will list (a) the areas selected, (b) the basis upon which each of the areas was selected and (c) when each of the new schemes is due to commence.

(123063)

65
N   Mr David Winnick (Walsall North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what complaints were made against an Ofsted inspector following the Ofsted inspection of Middlefield Primary School.

(123109)

66
N   Mr David Winnick (Walsall North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if Mr Piers Bilston is to be allowed to work as an Ofsted inspector.

(123110)

67
   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on his Department's evaluation of the proposals for the Leeds Supertram.

(123278)

68
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 13th March, Official Report, column 326W, if he will list the ships on the UK Register which have not replaced the lifejackets supplied by Bureau Venitas as directed by the Marine Coastguard Agency.

(123382)

69
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the age-related demographic factors used in setting SSAs.

(123296)

70
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he plans to publish the Government's policy on airports; and if he will make a statement.

(123156)

71
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions he has had with the Mayor of London about government transport policy in London.

(123155)

72
N   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will call for a report from London Transport on when the stop for southbound buses on the east side of Bridge Street will be reinstated.

(123065)

73
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations his Department has received from the Joannou and Paraskevaides Construction Group in the last three years.

(123139)

74
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the local authorities in England and Wales which have instituted changes to their executive structure since May 1997; and what new arrangements they have put in place.

(123146)

75
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what construction contracts his Department has awarded to the Joannou and Paraskevaides Group in the last three years.

(123143)

76
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what was the (a) itinerary for, (b) purpose of and (c) cost of his recent visit to Washington D.C.

(123135)

77
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what planning appeals his Department has received involving the Joannou and Paraskevaides Construction Group in the last three years.

(123141)

78
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what reports he has received about the United States Government's proposals to ban the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether as a petrol additive within three years; and if he will make a statement.

(123446)

79
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what the EU's policy is on the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether.

(123441)

80
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what recent discussions his Department has held with counterparts in the United States on methyl tertiary butyl ether; and if he will make a statement.

(123447)

81
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what studies he has carried out to ascertain the possible contamination by methyl tertiary butyl ether from the discharge of unburned fuel from water craft on inland waters in England and Wales.

(123444)

82
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the banning of methyl tertiary butyl ether in the United States of America.

(123443)

83
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what the recommended limit is of methyl tertiary butyl ether (ug/L) in drinking water, and what monitoring the Drinking Water Inspectorate has made of drinking water supplies to detect methyl tertiary butyl ether.

(123445)

84
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the (a) terms of reference of and (b) people carrying out, the study on the incidence of methyl tertiary butyl ether in groundwater in England and Wales; and when he expects the study to be completed.

(123442)

85
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what statements have been made by the Government about the minimum number of genetically-modified crop trials required to fulfil the objectives of the current crop trial programme.

(122996)

86
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the risks involved in using genes from the cauliflower mosaic virus in the development and application of genetically-modified crop varieties.

(122999)

87
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the Government has authorised the environmental release of a genetically-modified baculovirus; and what assessment it has made of the risks involved in such a release.

(122998)

88
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the disparity between groundwater regulation charges in England and Scotland.

(123018)

89
N   Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Cunninghame South):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the honourable Member for Cunninghame South will receive a reply to his letter of 14th April, concerning Mrs Gillian McCubbin.

(123068)

90
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what technical specifications he has set for the computers he plans to be leased to people on income support.

(123380)

91
N   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to require banks and insurance companies to compensate mortgage borrowers who have been the victims of endowment mis-selling.

(123250)

92
   Mr Peter L. Pike (Burnley):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent representations he has received about working families tax credit; what plans he has to make changes in the working families tax credit system; and if he will make a statement.

(123280)

93
   Mr Gerry Steinberg (City of Durham):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the average (a) interest rates and (b) mortgage interest rates in each year since 1992.

(123286)

94
   Mr Simon Thomas (Ceredigion):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much his Department plans to spend on the national change-over plan (a) in total, (b) in Wales and (c) in Ceredigion in this financial year; and if he will make a statement.

(123454)

95
   Mr David Atkinson (Bournemouth East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what contribution he made to the 106th Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 12th and 13th May on war crimes and human rights violation in Chechnya; what response he has made to Recommendation 1456 (2000) of the Parliamentary Assembly; and if he will make a statement.

(123295)

96
   Mr David Atkinson (Bournemouth East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if his recent discussions with his Russian counterpart in Moscow, covered allegations of war crimes and human rights violations in Chechnya; and if he will make a statement.

(123299)

97
   Mr David Atkinson (Bournemouth East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the recent visit to the Russian Federation by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to investigate war crimes and human rights violations in Chechnya.

(123301)

98
   Mr Tony Colman (Putney):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if it is his policy to support the bid by South Africa to host the UN Earth Summit 2002.

(123432)

99
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many British Council offices there were overseas on 1st April.

(123376)

100
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what is his policy on holding seminars for honourable Members; and if he will hold policy seminars on (a) Serbia and (b) Iraq.

(123066)

101
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which of his Department's trade promotion initiatives in the last three years have involved the Joannou and Paraskevaides Construction Group.

(123140)

102
N   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference held at the United Nations in New York.

(122839)

103
   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what work is being carried out by his Department to improve the services available to people suffering from ME.

(123266)

104
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 15th May, Official Report, column 18W, on the Audit Commission report, Charging with Care, if the options he is considering include taking additional legislative powers.

(122843)

105
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if, in respect of nursing homes and community-based settings, the Commission for Health Improvement or the Care Standards Commission will have responsibility for policing the standards of care provided to NHS patients in receipt of intermediate care.

(122795)

106
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of existing guidance on the use of not for resuscitation orders; and if he will make a statement.

(122794)

107
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 15th May, Official Report, column 18W, on standard spending assessments, if he will list the ways in which the formula has materially changed in each year since 1997.

(122842)

108
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with the French health authorities over exchange of information on new variant CJD.

(123106)

109
   Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the limited competition to select pilot sites for HPV testing this summer.

(123379)

110
   Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the membership and role will be of the advisory group that will oversee the commissioning and running of the pilot sites for HPV testing.

(123378)

111
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what effect the European Court of Justice's ruling on pensions for part-timers will have on NHS pensions; and what estimate he has made of the maximum and minimum cost to NHS pension funds of the ruling.

(123263)

112
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what construction contracts his Department has awarded to the Joannou and Paraskevaides Group in the last three years.

(123142)

113
   Mr Tony McWalter (Hemel Hempstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of whether the number of doctors in training will be sufficient to meet NHS needs and Government waiting list targets, with particular reference to the years from 2001 to 2006.

(123300)

114
   Ms Margaret Moran (Luton South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people with (a) physical and (b) mental disabilities are cared for at home by their families.

(123291)

115
N   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients have left NHS waiting lists in each month of the last year to be treated in the private healthcare sector.

(123125)

116
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what are the effects on (a) human and (b) animal health of methyl tertiary butyl ether; and if he will make a statement.

(123448)

117
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the closure of the Mead Webber meat processing plant at Eardisley in Herefordshire.

(122956)

118
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to use the Farringdon House Territorial Army Centre in North Cheam for use as accommodation for asylum seekers.

(122841)

119
N   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many special constables there were in the Metropolitan Police area on 1st May; and if he will make a statement.

(121532)

120
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) men and (b) women have been convicted and imprisoned for possession of child pornography in England and Wales during the last 12 months.

(123377)

121
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the forces which responded to the survey by the Association of Chief Police Officers Crime Committee, indicating those which (a) (i) had carried out or (ii) were then carrying out investigations into institutional child abuse during the period covered by the questionnaire and (b) had previously been involved in similar investigations.

(123292)

122
N   Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Cunninghame South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the honourable Member for Cunninghame South will receive a reply to his letter of 13th April to the Minister of State, the honourable Member for Hornsey and Wood Green, concerning Mrs Alexandra Wieringa.

(123067)

123
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish the terms and conditions available to police officers of each rank from police constable to chief constable who have completed 30 years of service.

(123107)

124
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many early retirements were granted by police authorities in each of the last four years.

(123108)

125
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cyclists have been fined for riding on pavements since the introduction of the fixed penalty.

(123381)

126
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the impact of the Working Time Directive upon fire authorities dependent upon retained firemen; and if he will make a statement.

(123298)

127
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) police officers and (b) civilian staff there were in each Metropolitan Police division on the most recent date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(123148)

128
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police forces failed to meet targets for processing criminal record checks under child protection targets in each of the last three years; how long checks took on average in each force in each year; and if he will make a statement.

(123228)

129
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the proportion of crime, based on (a) recorded crime statistics and (b) the British Crime Survey, which (i) does not result in a caution or conviction and (ii) is not cleared up; and if he will make a statement.

(123227)

130
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the recorded crime clear-up rate in each Metropolitan Police division was in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(123150)

131
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many recorded crimes there were in each Metropolitan Police division in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(123149)

132
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers there were per head of population in each Police force and in total in (a) 1992, (b) 1997 and (c) on the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(123147)

133
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many recorded crimes there were in the Metropolitan Police area, in each category of crime and in total, in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(123152)

134
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) police officers and (b) officers per head of population there were (i) per police force and (ii) in England and Wales on 31st March; and if he will make a statement.

(123226)

135
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research he has undertaken into the impact of the change to the right to silence made by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 on the number of convictions; and if he will make a statement.

(123138)

136
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the change in the total number of police officers was in Hertfordshire between (a) 1992 and 1997 and (b) 1997 and the latest date for which figures are available, taking into account border changes with the Metropolitan Police.

(123154)

137
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many convictions there were in the Metropolitan police area, in each category of crime and in total, in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(123153)

138
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the recorded crime clear-up rate for the Metropolitan police was, for each category of crime and in total, in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(123151)

139
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the maximum and minimum cost to police and fire service pension funds of the European Court of Justice's ruling on pensions for part-timers.

(123265)

140
N   Mr Andrew Miller (Ellesmere Port and Neston):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures he is taking to ensure young offenders take greater responsibility for their behaviour.

(121547)

141
   Mr Shaun Woodward (Witney):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding his Department allocated to measures for informing people of the dangers of alcohol abuse in the last three years.

(123433)

142
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):    To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what estimate the Commission has made of the maximum and minimum costs to the House of Commons pension fund of the European Court of Justice's ruling on pensions for part-timers.

(123288)

143
   Mr David Atkinson (Bournemouth East):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when the new EU-funded Gaza Hospital will open; and if he will make a statement.

(123294)

144
   Chris McCafferty (Calder Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the UK aid contributions for sexual and reproductive health projects for the years (a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999.

(123284)

145
   Chris McCafferty (Calder Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what were the total UK bilateral aid contributions for street children in (a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999; and if she will provide a breakdown by country and region.

(123290)

146
   Mr Jim Marshall (Leicester South):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what was the outcome of the Development Council held in Brussels on 18th May; and if she will make a statement.

(123440)

147
N   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how much the Lord Chancellor's Department spent on opinion research in the financial year 1999-2000

(123253)

148
N   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will list opinion research projects undertaken on behalf of the Lord Chancellor's Department in the financial year 1999-2000 itemising (a) focus group research, (b) quantitative surveys and (c) other market research surveys and in each case stating when and where the results were published.

(123254)

149
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, for what reasons the coroner has not opened an inquest into the death of Sam Marshall in 1990.

(121864)

150
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many politically motivated or violent deaths have been the subject of a coroner's inquiry in each of the past 15 years; what was the verdict in each such case; and how much time elapsed between death and completion of the coroner's inquiry in each case.

(121865)

151
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, in how many cases of (a) politically motivated and (b) violent death a coroner's inquiry had not opened a year after that death in the last 10 years.

(121866)

152
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will set out, for the last 10 years, the number of (a) politically motivated and (b) violent deaths subject to a coroner's inquiry and the time taken to complete each stage of the inquiry process prior to a final verdict in respect of such deaths.

(121867)

153
N   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, who was the duty governor in charge of HMP Maze on 27th December 1997.

(123231)

154
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what use is being made of the RUC barracks building in West Belfast; what options are being considered as future uses for the building; and what plans he has to consult local residents about its use.

(121869)

155
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will set out the response of the Government to concerns over human rights protection in the UK identified by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of the Judiciary in his report to the April 2000 session of the UN Human Rights Commission; and if he will place the relevent documentation in the Library.

(121868)

156
   Mr David Atkinson (Bournemouth East):    To ask the President of the Council, if she will list examples of serious problems that have been reported in the UK, including those which arose as a result of problems abroad, arising from the Millennium Bug.

(123293)

157
   Mr Charles Kennedy (Ross, Skye and Inverness West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when the DTZ Pidea Economic Impact Assessment on the Skye Bridge will be published.

(123283)

158
N   Mr Andrew George (St Ives):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what assessment he has made of the training needs of examining medical practitioners and adjudicating officers in the Disability Benefits Unit of the Benefits Agency in relation to Guillain Barre syndrome.

(122915)

159
   Ms Ruth Kelly (Bolton West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the gross cost to the Exchequer on an annual steady-state basis of paying parental leave at the rate of (a) £60 and (b) £100 a week, assuming the take-up by fathers is (i) 10 per cent., (ii) 15 per cent., (iii) 20 per cent., (iv) 25 per cent. and (v) 30 per cent. and the take-up by mothers is (1) 30 per cent., (2) 40 per cent., (3) 50 per cent., (4) 60 per cent. and (5) 70 per cent.

(123437)

160
   Ms Ruth Kelly (Bolton West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the gross cost to the Exchequer on an annual steady-state basis of paying parental leave at (a) full earnings replacement value, (b) 90 per cent. of earnings replacement value, (c) 50 per cent. of earnings replacement value and (d) 30 per cent. of earnings replacement value, assuming the take-up by fathers is 50 per cent. and the take-up by mothers is 90 per cent.

(123436)

161
   Mr Peter L. Pike (Burnley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if his proposals to provide all national insurance contributors with annual pension forecasts is on target; and if he will make a statement.

(123289)

162
   Mr Gerry Steinberg (City of Durham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list the executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and local public spending bodies for which his Department is responsible that have been transferred since 1992 or are planned to be transferred (a) to and (b) from the Northern Region.

(123410)

163
N   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if for the minimum income guarantee take-up campaign he will estimate (a) the total administration cost to date (b) the number of pensioners that have so far responded and (c) the number of respondents that were found to be eligible.

(123257)

164
N   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the expenditure on administration costs for the minimum income guarantee for 2000-01 (a) in total and (b) per recipient.

(123258)

165
N   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Solicitor General, if he will list opinion research projects undertaken on behalf of his Department in the financial year 1999-2000 itemising (a) focus group research, (b) quantitative surveys and (c) other market research surveys and in each case stating when and where the results were published.

(123252)

166
N   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Solicitor General, how much his Department spent on opinion research in the financial year 1999-2000.

(123251)

167
   Mr Martin Caton (Gower):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to reduce the percentage of the surpluses from the Mineworkers Pension Scheme and British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme taken by the Government.

(123438)

168
N   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has received on the subject of entitlement to (a) statutory maternity and (b) parental leave for parents adopting a child.

(123229)

169
N   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to allow adoptive parents entitlement to parental leave.

(123230)

170
   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what permanent derogations have been granted to the National Grid Company; and at what locations.

(123434)

171
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has received in the past year from (a) citizens and (b) representatives of other EU member states concerning operations of the Sellafield nuclear plant.

(121819)

172
   Mr Jim Marshall (Leicester South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what was the outcome of the Industry Council held in Brussels on 18th May; and if he will make a statement.

(123439)

173
N   Ms Julie Morgan (Cardiff North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his Answers of 13th April, Official Report, columns 273-6W and 8th May, Official Report, column 282W, concerning employment tribunal claims, if he will provide the requested data (a) for Scotland and (b) separately for each employment tribunal region in England and Wales.

(123124)

174
   Mr Gerry Steinberg (City of Durham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and local public spending bodies for which his Department is responsible that (a) have been transferred since 1992 and (b) are planned to be transferred (i) to and (ii) from the Northern Region.

(123408)

175
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recommendations of the Organisation Internationale de Metrologie Legale in the last five years have (a) been and (b) not been implemented.

(123450)

176
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his Answer of 3rd April, Official Report, column 325W, if he will list the companies and sites in the United Kingdom that manufactured methyl tertiary butyl ether in 1999.

(123453)

177
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much money was spent in each of the last five years (a) subscribing to and (b) supporting the UK's committee representatives on the Organisation Internationale de Metrologie Legale.

(123451)

178
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is the policy of the Government towards the work of the Organisation Internationale de Metrologie Legale.

(123452)

179
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his Answer of 3rd April, Official Report, column 325W, what large-scale manufacturing processes in the United Kingdom other than in the petroleum industry include the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether.

(123449)

180
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what asessment he has made of the environmental impact of post office closures, with particular reference to the effect on the number and length of additional car journeys which result.

(123279)

181
N   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much his Department spent on opinion research in the financial year 1999-2000.

(123122)

182
N   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list the opinion research projects undertaken on behalf of his Department in the financial year 1999-2000, itemising (a) focus group research, (b) quantitative surveys and (c) other surveys, in each case indicating when and where the results were published.

(123123)

183
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much plywood from Indonesia was imported into the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.

[Transferred] (123157)