Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1999-2000
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The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Tuesday 6 June 2000

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 6 June, 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 6th JUNE

1
N   Mr Frank Dobson (Holborn and St. Pancras):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how much financial assistance has been given to the farming industry from European and UK sources in each year since 1990-91.

(123988)

2
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what percentage of agricultural/horticultural workers in Cheshire are in (a) part-time and (b) full-time employment; how many receive the national minimum wage; how many of the part-time employees are female; and if he will make a statement on the retention of the Agricultural Wages Board.

(124785)

3
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will list the employees from private industry seconded to the Cabinet Office, indicating the names of their employers and the terms and length of their secondment.

(124791)

4
N   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his letter of 25th January, D/US of S/PK PQ0057K/00/M, what are the total life revenue and capital costs of the CHOTS project since conception, including upgrades one through eight; what further upgrades have been planned since March 1999; what are their estimated costs and completion dates; and if he will make a statement.

(123647)

5
   Mr Shaun Woodward (Witney):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what measures his Department has implemented to update school science laboratory facilities.

(124796)

6
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, for what reason the publication of proposed changes to Part, L of the Building Regulations, concerning the conservation of fuel and power, has been delayed; and if he will make a statement regarding the timetable for publication.

(123509)

7
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many employees of private companies are seconded to his Department; and what is (a) the length of their secondment and (b) the subject of their work.

(124788)

8
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the result of the trials on the effects of mobile phones on flight safety carried out by the CAA; what recommendations have been made by the CAA as a result of these trials; and what changes will be made to flight safety rules as a result.

(124783)

9
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 16th May, Official Report, column 88W, on the Railtrack Safety Company, what the timetable will be for the consultation by the rail regulators on the creation of a safety company; and how passengers will be consulted before decisions are taken.

(124774)

10
N   Mr Andrew George (St Ives):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what systems of flag symbols are used on bathing beaches to signify the safety level of swimming conditions.

(124248)

11
N   Mr Andrew George (St Ives):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what his Department's policy is in relation to the provision of life protecting and saving services around the shoreline of the UK (a) on recognised recreational bathing beaches and (b) elsewhere.

(124249)

12
N   Mr Andrew George (St Ives):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the possible correlation between the age of fishing vessels and accidents involving fire, explosion, foundering and loss of life for (a) over 12 metre and (b) under 12 metre vessels.

(124485)

13
N   Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the advantages and disadvantages of continuance of the trust port election system; and if he will make a statement.

(124575)

14
N   Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps he is taking to investigate the loss of a petition from the residents of Baddam, Aberdeenshire, regarding the Boddam Foghorn, which was received by recorded delivery at his Department on 19th April; and if he will make a statement concerning the circumstances surrounding the loss and his Department's policy on dealing with petitions from members of the public.

(124251)

15
N   Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received on his Department's plans to reform trust ports, specifically with regard to plans to abolish the present trust post election system.

(124574)

16
N   Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what account he has taken of democratic accountability in his proposals for changing the election system in trust ports.

(124576)

17
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what directions he has given to the Environment Agency about increasing the proportion of its staff recruited from ethnic minorities; and how many board members of the agency are from ethnic minorities.

(124795)

18
N   Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the additional annual revenue from raising the ceiling on employees' national insurance contributions to (a) the level at which taxpayers became liable for higher rate income tax and (b) £1000 a week.

(124250)

19
   Ms Harriet Harman (Camberwell and Peckham):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what tax relief is available to companies which wish to help their employees with childcare; and if he will make a statement.

(124778)

20
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received about environmental degradation of the mangrove swamp in the central area of Grand Cayman.

(123000)

21
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will set out the differences between the commitments (a) made in the final declaration of the Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, held in New York in April-May and (b) entered into in 1970 by nuclear weapons states in respect of Article VI of the Treaty.

(124794)

22
   Mr Shaun Woodward (Witney):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what bilateral discussions with other EU members are planned prior to the meeting to agree the Treaty of Nice in December.

(124792)

23
N   Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West and Penistone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting time for abdominal scans is (a) nationally, (b) in Sheffield, (c) in Doncaster, (d) in Barnsley and (e) in Rotherham.

(124573)

24
N   Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients are waiting for admission to hospital, broken down by specialty and health authority area; and if he will make a statement.

(124418)

25
N   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on measures taken to deal with MRSA.

(122865)

26
N   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures he proposes to take to ensure uniformity in the availability of complex and expensive medical treatments.

(122870)

27
   Mr Bill Etherington (Sunderland North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications he has received for licences to undertake testing for endocrine disrupters; and if he will indicate in each case the (a) level of funding, (b) length of study, (c) animal species which are to be used and (d) relevant research body.

(124786)

28
   Mr Bill Etherington (Sunderland North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what factors are taken into account by the Chief Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspector when making a cost/benefit assessment under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 before granting a licence to allow experiments on animals.

(124789)

29
   Mr Bill Etherington (Sunderland North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance he has issued to the Chief Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspector with regard to the safety testing for chemicals used in household products, and the products themselves, where it is not claimed that a product will itself improve the health of man or animals or provide enhanced protection for the environment; and if he will make a statement.

(124790)

30
N   Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what is the annual cost of his Department's and its agencies' administration of benefit payments (a) in total and (b) as a percentage of spending on benefit payments.

(124254)

31
N   Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what staff and technology are shared between his Department and its agencies and the Department of Social Security and its agencies; what work is undertaken (a) on behalf of the DSS and its agencies by his Department and its agencies and (b) by the DSS and its agencies on behalf of his Department or agencies in the last year; and what payments have been made in each case.

(124255)

32
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the (a) cost and (b) number of beneficiaries continuing to pay for invalid care allowance (i) after the person cared for dies, (ii) after the person cared for enters permanent residential care and (iii) after care ends, for (1) four weeks and (2) eight weeks in each of the next five years.

(124415)

33
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the (a) net cost and (b) number of beneficiaries of abolishing attendance allowance and removing the upper age limit for disability living allowance in each of the next five years.

(124416)

34
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the (a) cost and (b) number of beneficiaries of extending entitlement to invalid carer allowance to people who would otherwise be entitled but (i) earn less than the national insurance lower earnings limit, but whose earnings exceed the earnings limit for ICA, (ii) are aged over 65 years and (iii) are aged over 65 or earn less than the national insurance lower earnings limit in each of the next five years.

(124417)

35
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what methods he uses to measure the annual increase in earnings for the purpose of uprating the minimum income guarantee.

(124393)

36
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what the estimated cost is in (a) 2000-01 and (b) 2001-02 of extending entitlement to winter fuel payments to men under 65 years; and how much of the cost in each year represents arrears for previous years.

(124256)

37
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, in what circumstances a pensioner with income above the minimum income guarantee level who claims all the benefits to which they are entitled can be worse off than if they were receiving the minimum income guarantee.

(124391)

38
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what the amount of the basic pension would be if it had been uprated in line with honourable Members' salaries since 1987.

(124247)

39
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his Answer of 18th April, Official Report, column 439W, what the National Insurance Fund balance would be, and how far above the minimum level recommended by the Government Actuary, at the end of each of the years 2002-03 and 2003-04, if the basic pension and linked benefit rates remained at their present level in 2000-01 and were uprated in line with prices thereafter.

(124257)

40
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Poplar and Canning Town of 11th April, Official Report, column 144W, if the cost of uprating on the basis of earnings the basic pension shown there, including the cost of uprating the linked benefits on the same basis; and what would be the cost for each year from 1998-99 to 2001-02, if the uprating, including the linked benefits, was based on the average earnings index for the three months to July of the previous year.

(124392)

41
   Fiona Mactaggart (Slough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate he has made of the total annual cost of administering weekly payments in cash for state pensions, including payments to the Post Office and other third parties.

(124780)

42
   Fiona Mactaggart (Slough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate he has made of the length of time taken between an application for ACT payment for pensions and the date when payment is received into the pensioner's bank account.

(124779)

43
   Fiona Mactaggart (Slough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate he has made of the total annual cost of making payments of pensions to pensioners by ACT.

(124781)

44
   Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will review the rules under which mature students with dependent families have their student loan classed as family income; and if he will make a statement.

(124787)

45
N   Mr John Swinney (North Tayside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate he has made of the level of fraud by (a) number of claimants and (b) value (i) in total and (ii) as a percentage of total benefit payments for each benefit in (1) the UK and (2) Scotland.

(124252)

46
N   Mr John Swinney (North Tayside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is the annual cost of his Department's administration including its agencies (a) in total and (b) as a percentage of total spending on benefit payments.

(124253)

47
N   Mr Derek Twigg (Halton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what precentage of children who had their first claim for disability living allowance disallowed, appealed against the decision in (a) Halton, (b) the North West and (c) England and Wales in (i) 1997, (ii) 1998 and (iii) 1999.

(123927)

48
N   Mr Derek Twigg (Halton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what percentages of children under the age of five years making their first claim for disability living allowance, had their claim (a) disallowed and (b) allowed in (i) Halton, (ii) the North West and (iii) England and Wales in (a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999.

(123928)

49
N   Mr Derek Twigg (Halton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many children aged under five years in (a) Halton, (b) the North West and (c) England and Wales made a first claim for disability living allowance in (i) 1997, (ii) 1998 and (iii) 1999.

(123929)

50
   Mr Charles Kennedy (Ross, Skye and Inverness West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the current economic impact of assisted area status on the Scottish Highlands; and if he will make a statement.

(124775)

51
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what research has been conducted by his Department into ways to recover pollen dispersed from field trials of GM plants; and what data his Department has obtained in respect of such research conducted abroad.

[Transferred] (124793)

52
   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the plans of Her Majesty's Government to co-operate with the French Government on the building of a new synchrotron in France; where it will be built; and what the cost to Her Majesty's Government will be.

[Transferred] (124784)

53
   Fiona Mactaggart (Slough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners who failed to switch to ACT because of the change from weekly to monthly payment.

[Transferred] (124782)

54
   Ms Harriet Harman (Camberwell and Peckham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what the average weekly income is of mothers with children under three.

[Transferred] (124776)

55
   Ms Harriet Harman (Camberwell and Peckham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what the cost to the Exchequer would be of providing to all households with children under (a) three years of age, (b) two years of age and (c) one year of age, a weekly benefit of (i) £25, (ii) £50, (iii) £75, and (iv) £100.

[Transferred] (124777)

TUESDAY 6th JUNE
1 N	Mr Frank Dobson (Holborn and St. Pancras): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how much financial assistance has been given to the farming industry from European and UK sources in each year since 1990-91.
	(123988)
2	Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what percentage of agricultural/horticultural workers in Cheshire are in (a) part-time and (b) full-time employment; how many receive the national minimum wage; how many of the part-time employees are female; and if he will make a statement on the retention of the Agricultural Wages Board.
	(124785)
3	Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will list the employees from private industry seconded to the Cabinet Office, indicating the names of their employers and the terms and length of their secondment.
	(124791)
4 N	Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his letter of 25th January, D/US of S/PK PQ0057K/00/M, what are the total life revenue and capital costs of the CHOTS project since conception, including upgrades one through eight; what further upgrades have been planned since March 1999; what are their estimated costs and completion dates; and if he will make a statement.
	(123647)
5	Mr Shaun Woodward (Witney): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what measures his Department has implemented to update school science laboratory facilities.
	(124796)
6 N	Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, for what reason the publication of proposed changes to Part, L of the Building Regulations, concerning the conservation of fuel and power, has been delayed; and if he will make a statement regarding the timetable for publication.
	(123509)
7	Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many employees of private companies are seconded to his Department; and what is (a) the length of their secondment and (b) the subject of their work.
	(124788)
8	Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the result of the trials on the effects of mobile phones on flight safety carried out by the CAA; what recommendations have been made by the CAA as a result of these trials; and what changes will be made to flight safety rules as a result.
	(124783)
9	Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 16th May, Official Report, column 88W, on the Railtrack Safety Company, what the timetable will be for the consultation by the rail regulators on the creation of a safety company; and how passengers will be consulted before decisions are taken.
	(124774)
10 N	Mr Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what systems of flag symbols are used on bathing beaches to signify the safety level of swimming conditions.
	(124248)
11 N	Mr Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what his Department's policy is in relation to the provision of life protecting and saving services around the shoreline of the UK (a) on recognised recreational bathing beaches and (b) elsewhere.
	(124249)
12 N	Mr Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the possible correlation between the age of fishing vessels and accidents involving fire, explosion, foundering and loss of life for (a) over 12 metre and (b) under 12 metre vessels.
	(124485)
13 N	Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the advantages and disadvantages of continuance of the trust port election system; and if he will make a statement.
	(124575)
14 N	Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps he is taking to investigate the loss of a petition from the residents of Baddam, Aberdeenshire, regarding the Boddam Foghorn, which was received by recorded delivery at his Department on 19th April; and if he will make a statement concerning the circumstances surrounding the loss and his Department's policy on dealing with petitions from members of the public.
	(124251)
15 N	Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received on his Department's plans to reform trust ports, specifically with regard to plans to abolish the present trust post election system.
	(124574)
16 N	Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what account he has taken of democratic accountability in his proposals for changing the election system in trust ports.
	(124576)
17	Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what directions he has given to the Environment Agency about increasing the proportion of its staff recruited from ethnic minorities; and how many board members of the agency are from ethnic minorities.
	(124795)
18 N	Ms Roseanna Cunningham (Perth): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the additional annual revenue from raising the ceiling on employees' national insurance contributions to (a) the level at which taxpayers became liable for higher rate income tax and (b) £1000 a week.
	(124250)
19	Ms Harriet Harman (Camberwell and Peckham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what tax relief is available to companies which wish to help their employees with childcare; and if he will make a statement.
	(124778)
20 N	Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received about environmental degradation of the mangrove swamp in the central area of Grand Cayman.
	(123000)
21	Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will set out the differences between the commitments (a) made in the final declaration of the Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, held in New York in April-May and (b) entered into in 1970 by nuclear weapons states in respect of Article VI of the Treaty.
	(124794)
22	Mr Shaun Woodward (Witney): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what bilateral discussions with other EU members are planned prior to the meeting to agree the Treaty of Nice in December.
	(124792)
23 N	Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West and Penistone): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting time for abdominal scans is (a) nationally, (b) in Sheffield, (c) in Doncaster, (d) in Barnsley and (e) in Rotherham.
	(124573)
24 N	Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients are waiting for admission to hospital, broken down by specialty and health authority area; and if he will make a statement.
	(124418)
25 N	Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on measures taken to deal with MRSA.
	(122865)
26 N	Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures he proposes to take to ensure uniformity in the availability of complex and expensive medical treatments.
	(122870)
27	Mr Bill Etherington (Sunderland North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications he has received for licences to undertake testing for endocrine disrupters; and if he will indicate in each case the (a) level of funding, (b) length of study, (c) animal species which are to be used and (d) relevant research body.
	(124786)
28	Mr Bill Etherington (Sunderland North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what factors are taken into account by the Chief Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspector when making a cost/benefit assessment under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 before granting a licence to allow experiments on animals.
	(124789)
29	Mr Bill Etherington (Sunderland North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance he has issued to the Chief Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspector with regard to the safety testing for chemicals used in household products, and the products themselves, where it is not claimed that a product will itself improve the health of man or animals or provide enhanced protection for the environment; and if he will make a statement.
	(124790)
30 N	Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what is the annual cost of his Department's and its agencies' administration of benefit payments (a) in total and (b) as a percentage of spending on benefit payments.
	(124254)
31 N	Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what staff and technology are shared between his Department and its agencies and the Department of Social Security and its agencies; what work is undertaken (a) on behalf of the DSS and its agencies by his Department and its agencies and (b) by the DSS and its agencies on behalf of his Department or agencies in the last year; and what payments have been made in each case.
	(124255)
32 N	Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the (a) cost and (b) number of beneficiaries continuing to pay for invalid care allowance (i) after the person cared for dies, (ii) after the person cared for enters permanent residential care and (iii) after care ends, for (1) four weeks and (2) eight weeks in each of the next five years.
	(124415)
33 N	Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the (a) net cost and (b) number of beneficiaries of abolishing attendance allowance and removing the upper age limit for disability living allowance in each of the next five years.
	(124416)
34 N	Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the (a) cost and (b) number of beneficiaries of extending entitlement to invalid carer allowance to people who would otherwise be entitled but (i) earn less than the national insurance lower earnings limit, but whose earnings exceed the earnings limit for ICA, (ii) are aged over 65 years and (iii) are aged over 65 or earn less than the national insurance lower earnings limit in each of the next five years.
	(124417)
35 N	Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what methods he uses to measure the annual increase in earnings for the purpose of uprating the minimum income guarantee.
	(124393)
36 N	Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what the estimated cost is in (a) 2000-01 and (b) 2001-02 of extending entitlement to winter fuel payments to men under 65 years; and how much of the cost in each year represents arrears for previous years.
	(124256)
37 N	Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, in what circumstances a pensioner with income above the minimum income guarantee level who claims all the benefits to which they are entitled can be worse off than if they were receiving the minimum income guarantee.
	(124391)
38 N	Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what the amount of the basic pension would be if it had been uprated in line with honourable Members' salaries since 1987.
	(124247)
39 N	Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his Answer of 18th April, Official Report, column 439W, what the National Insurance Fund balance would be, and how far above the minimum level recommended by the Government Actuary, at the end of each of the years 2002-03 and 2003-04, if the basic pension and linked benefit rates remained at their present level in 2000-01 and were uprated in line with prices thereafter.
	(124257)
40 N	Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Poplar and Canning Town of 11th April, Official Report, column 144W, if the cost of uprating on the basis of earnings the basic pension shown there, including the cost of uprating the linked benefits on the same basis; and what would be the cost for each year from 1998-99 to 2001-02, if the uprating, including the linked benefits, was based on the average earnings index for the three months to July of the previous year.
	(124392)
41	Fiona Mactaggart (Slough): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate he has made of the total annual cost of administering weekly payments in cash for state pensions, including payments to the Post Office and other third parties.
	(124780)
42	Fiona Mactaggart (Slough): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate he has made of the length of time taken between an application for ACT payment for pensions and the date when payment is received into the pensioner's bank account.
	(124779)
43	Fiona Mactaggart (Slough): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate he has made of the total annual cost of making payments of pensions to pensioners by ACT.
	(124781)
44	Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will review the rules under which mature students with dependent families have their student loan classed as family income; and if he will make a statement.
	(124787)
45 N	Mr John Swinney (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate he has made of the level of fraud by (a) number of claimants and (b) value (i) in total and (ii) as a percentage of total benefit payments for each benefit in (1) the UK and (2) Scotland.
	(124252)
46 N	Mr John Swinney (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is the annual cost of his Department's administration including its agencies (a) in total and (b) as a percentage of total spending on benefit payments.
	(124253)
47 N	Mr Derek Twigg (Halton): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what precentage of children who had their first claim for disability living allowance disallowed, appealed against the decision in (a) Halton, (b) the North West and (c) England and Wales in (i) 1997, (ii) 1998 and (iii) 1999.
	(123927)
48 N	Mr Derek Twigg (Halton): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what percentages of children under the age of five years making their first claim for disability living allowance, had their claim (a) disallowed and (b) allowed in (i) Halton, (ii) the North West and (iii) England and Wales in (a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999.
	(123928)
49 N	Mr Derek Twigg (Halton): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many children aged under five years in (a) Halton, (b) the North West and (c) England and Wales made a first claim for disability living allowance in (i) 1997, (ii) 1998 and (iii) 1999.
	(123929)
50	Mr Charles Kennedy (Ross, Skye and Inverness West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the current economic impact of assisted area status on the Scottish Highlands; and if he will make a statement.
	(124775)
51	Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what research has been conducted by his Department into ways to recover pollen dispersed from field trials of GM plants; and what data his Department has obtained in respect of such research conducted abroad.
	[Transferred] (124793)
52	Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the plans of Her Majesty's Government to co-operate with the French Government on the building of a new synchrotron in France; where it will be built; and what the cost to Her Majesty's Government will be.
	[Transferred] (124784)
53	Fiona Mactaggart (Slough): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners who failed to switch to ACT because of the change from weekly to monthly payment.
	[Transferred] (124782)
54	Ms Harriet Harman (Camberwell and Peckham): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what the average weekly income is of mothers with children under three.
	[Transferred] (124776)
55	Ms Harriet Harman (Camberwell and Peckham): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what the cost to the Exchequer would be of providing to all households with children under (a) three years of age, (b) two years of age and (c) one year of age, a weekly benefit of (i) £25, (ii) £50, (iii) £75, and (iv) £100.
	[Transferred] (124777)



© Parliamentary copyright 2000	Prepared 6 June 2000