Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1999-2000
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Thursday 6 July 2000

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Thursday 6 July, 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.

THURSDAY 6th JULY

1
   Mrs Anne Campbell (Cambridge):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to encourage the Environment Agency to issue advice to farms in areas where soil erosion and runoff from the land exist about how to stop or alleviate erosion and runoff.

(129608)

2
   Mrs Anne Campbell (Cambridge):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will issue farms in those areas where there is soil erosion and runoff from the land with (a) codes of practice on protection of soil and water and (b) publications from his Department on controlling soil erosion.

(129607)

3
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many agencies of his Department use touch tone telephone steering systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(129634)

4
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many of his Department's telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by touch tone telephone steering systems.

(129616)

5
N   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in respect of implementation of the Burns Report and banning hunting with hounds, what estimate he has made of the cost of disposing of fallen and other stock.

(129126)

6
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which overseas countries supplied the United Kingdom during the last 12 months with (a) beef and (b) lamb for human consumption; what quantities were imported; and if he will make a statement.

(129504)

7
N   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what recent representations he has received regarding an outgoers' scheme for pig farmers; and if he will make a statement.

(129400)

8
N   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what criteria he has established for eligibility for a pig farmers' outgoers scheme; and when these will be announced.

(129397)

9
N   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what cash resources he has allocated for an outgoers' scheme for pig farmers.

(129398)

10
N   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what estimate he has made of the number of pig farmers that (a) are eligible and (b) will participate in an outgoers' scheme.

(129399)

11
N   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on his plans for an outgoers' scheme for pig farmers.

(129401)

12
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the efficiency and environmental standards of the Durga process for burning Over Thirty Month Scheme carcasses.

(129652)

13
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what estimate he has made of the cost to the UK in terms of lost compensation from the EU if the target for the disposal of Over Thirty Month Scheme cattle is not met.

(129651)

14
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the process of rendering animal carcasses in destroying prions.

(129646)

15
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the (a) cost and (b) impact on the environment of disposing of Over Thirty Month Scheme cattle carcasses by (i) rendering, (ii) burning and (iii) other methods.

(129650)

16
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women.

(129493)

17
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many of her Department's telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by touch tone telephone steering systems.

(129625)

18
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many agencies of her Department use touch tone telephone steering systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(129606)

19
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of her Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women.

(129492)

20
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with interested parties concerning the loaning of public money to the Dome; and if he will make a statement.

(129280)

21
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will publish the latest cash flow projections for the New Millennium Experience Company; and if he will make a statement.

(129281)

22
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what action he is taking to facilitate access for disabled people to new buildings funded by the National Lottery.

(129310)

23
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many of his Department's telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by touch tone telephone steering systems.

(129618)

24
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many agencies of his Department use touch tone telephone steering systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(129636)

25
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women.

(129491)

26
   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he intends to use the Private Finance Initiative to support the air bridge between the UK and the Falkland Islands.

(129654)

27
   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to put the operation of the air bridge between the UK and the Falkland Islands out to commercial tender.

(129653)

28
   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to change the type of aircraft used to maintain the air bridge between the UK and the Falkland Islands.

(129655)

29
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many agencies of his Department use touch tone telephone steering systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(129631)

30
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of his Department's telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by touch tone telephone steering systems.

(129629)

31
N   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to make an announcement about the future of British Forces Post Office, Mill Hill.

(129277)

32
N   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which Polish contractors were invited to bid for work on a support centre at RAF Mildenhall; and what reasons underlay the decision to include these contractors in the bidding process.

(129403)

33
N   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he will reply to the honourable Member for Ludlow's questions, tabled on 12th June (ref's 126192, 126190, and 126191).

(129404)

34
   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 7th March, Official Report, column 642W, on the RMPA Programme, what the procurement strategy for the Active Search Sonobuoy System (Service Requirement 903) is; and if he will make a statement.

(129463)

35
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Army's current inventory is of (a) Challenger I, (b) Challenger II and (c) Warrior vehicles; and how many are operationally available.

(129132)

36
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what live firing exercises involving MLRS and (a) the Territorial Army and (b) the regular army have taken place this year; and if he will make a statement.

(129133)

37
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the impact on army training of the delay in making improvements to the Otterburn ranges; and if he will make a statement.

(129134)

38
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Army's inventory is of MLRS; and how many are operationally available.

(129123)

39
N   Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will give the detailed costs and benefits of the Royal Naval Reserve utilising reservists as Sea Harrier pilots, with particular reference to (a) the costs of the reservist pilot programme and (b) improved aircraft utilisation.

(129282)

40
N   Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the proposed cyber-warfare unit, identifying its proposed size and detailed costs.

(129283)

41
   Mr James Wallace (Orkney and Shetland):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what was the cost to the Meteorological Office of the recruitment campaign undertaken in late 1999 and January seeking extra observers, including the cost of press advertisements.

(129453)

42
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women.

(129490)

43
   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, which parliamentary constituencies fall within which New Deal units of delivery.

(129461)

44
N   Paddy Ashdown (Yeovil):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the universities which were established in England and Wales within the last five years with their dates of establishment; what plans he has to establish new universities over the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

(128789)

45
N   Paddy Ashdown (Yeovil):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what the annual levels of full fees were at independent schools in England and Wales which participated in the former assisted places scheme in the last year of its operation; what the average per capita funding was of pupils in maintained schools in the same year; and if he will make a statement.

(128790)

46
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans the Women's Unit has to commission research into the effect of bladder problems on the quality of life of women affected by the condition.

(129125)

47
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what evidence he has received concerning the number of women over the age of 35 who experience bladder problems; and if he will make a statement.

(129124)

48
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many special education needs tribunal hearings took place in each of the last five years; and what proportion of them in each year resulted in a determination in favour of a material change in provision for the pupil in question.

(128791)

49
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on the cost of fees and charges for students at veterinary schools.

(129275)

50
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what action he is taking to improve disability awareness in the professional training of architects.

(129309)

51
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on the major changes set out in his second update of the transition plans for post-16 education and training.

(129274)

52
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many agencies of his Department use touch tone telephone steering systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(129637)

53
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many of his Department's telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by touch tone telephone steering systems.

(129619)

54
   Mr Stephen Hesford (Wirral West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what recent steps he has taken to improve standards in inner city schools.

(129439)

55
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what the drop-out rate was for students on courses of further education in the most recent academic year for which figures are available.

(129704)

56
   Mr Phil Sawford (Kettering):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how he will ensure that education authorities which have a below average standard spending assessment per pupil are able to take full advantage of the money offered through the standards funds.

(129696)

57
   Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford and Southend East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many nursery nurses are employed in schools in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement on their future role.

(129508)

58
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women.

(129489)

59
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, which parliamentary constituencies fall within which local education authorities.

(129459)

60
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many agencies of his Department use touch tone telephone steering systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(129642)

61
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make improved timekeeping and extended boading times on the Euston to Liverpool Lime Street line a condition for renewal of the West Coast main line franchise.

(129601)

62
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received about making the level of on-board service a condition of franchise renewal for the West Coast main line.

(129600)

63
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many of his Department's telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by touch tone telephone steering systems.

(129624)

64
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how much money has been (a) offered to and (b) taken up by the Mersey Partnership from public funds over each of the last five years; and from what sources.

(129598)

65
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will review the safety measures which apply to large open-air concerts, following of the deaths at a recent concert in Denmark; and if he will make a statement.

(129691)

66
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will meet representatives of Stagecoach to discuss the withdrawal of rural bus services.

(129645)

67
   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps he has taken to set up regional resource centres for urban development as recommended in the Rogers Report, Towards an Urban Renaissance.

(129599)

68
N   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what additional funding he will make available to local authorities for work on the rights of way network consequent upon the Countryside and Rights of Way Bill.

(129402)

69
   Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received on varying the discounts available under the Right-To-Buy Scheme in areas of high demand for housing; and if he will make a statement.

(129471)

70
   Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the recommendation of the Environment, Transport and the Regional Affairs Committee that the right-to-buy legislation should be amended so as not to apply to settlements with fewer than 5,000 properties.

(129692)

71
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what environmental controls are applicable to the process of rendering animal carcasses; and which organisation is responsible for them.

(129647)

72
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what data he collates on the stopping and thinking distances relating to HGVs.

(129644)

73
   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the health risks associated with spreading the condensate from the process of rendering cattle carcasses onto land.

(129649)

74
   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the impact on the rural economy of recent increases in petrol prices; and if he will make a statement.

(129643)

75
   Laura Moffatt (Crawley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on progress to date with the airport study for the South East.

(129591)

76
   Laura Moffatt (Crawley):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what the earliest date will be that planning authorities near Gatwick Airport will be able to consider planning applications following the conclusion of the Airport Study of South East Airports.

(129590)

77
   Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to develop the Trans-European Network roads in the UK up to 2010.

(129467)

78
   Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what ports in the UK are included in the Trans-European Network transport network; and what (a) EU and (b) UK funds have been used for improving facilities at those ports in each year since 1994.

(129466)

79
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will challenge the European Commission ruling that member state grants to clear contaminated brownfield land violate EU regulations.

(128399)

80
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what percentage of brownfield sites in (a) England, (b) the South West and (c) Devon are classified by his Department as suffering from contamination preventing redevelopment.

(128562)

81
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many contaminated brownfield sites identified for development (a) qualify for government grants to aid decontamination and (b) will be affected by the European Commission's ruling on state aid for decontamination.

(128563)

82
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women.

(129488)

83
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what VAT revenue from petrol and diesel sales was anticipated for 2000-01 at the time of the Budget; and what his current forecast is of the yield.

(129273)

84
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will reduce fuel taxation in order to reduce the current average price of fuel to March 2000 levels.

(129272)

85
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many of his Department's telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by touch tone telephone steering systems.

(129623)

86
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many agencies of his Department use touch tone telephone steering systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(129641)

87
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list (a) the functions carried out by Electronic Data Systems for his Department and its agencies and (b) the total amount of annual taxation revenue to which contracts and framework agreements with Electronic Data Systems are relevant.

(129250)

88
   Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the costs of converting to the euro for (a) Government departments, (b) the private sector and (c) the economy as a whole.

(129594)

89
   Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what costs have so far been incurred by (a) the Inland Revenue and (b) Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in preparing for a possible changeover to the euro.

(129593)

90
N   Mrs Ray Michie (Argyll and Bute):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consultations he has had with Scottish industry concerning the implementation of the aggregates tax in 2002; and if he will make a statement.

(129042)

91
N   Mrs Ray Michie (Argyll and Bute):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact of the proposed aggregates tax on Scottish industry; and if he will make statement.

(129040)

92
N   Mrs Ray Michie (Argyll and Bute):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the implementation of the new Quarrying Sustainability Fund in Scotland.

(129041)

93
   Mr Richard Ottaway (Croydon South):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he last revised the expected revenue yield from IR35; and what the revised estimate is.

(129733)

94
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in Wales do not have a bank account.

(129734)

95
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many bank branches closed in Wales (a) between 1990 and 1997 and (b) since 1997.

(129735)

96
N   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 19th June, Official Report, column 106W, on the knowledge economy, if he will list representations that he has received during the course of the review; and if he will make a statement.

(129279)

97
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women.

(129478)

98
   Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason heat pumps have not been included on the initial list of recommended technologies eligible for climate change levy tax incentives; and if he will make a statement.

(129648)

99
   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the BBC World Service online website and its development.

(129602)

100
N   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the current waiting time is for a person applying in Istanbul for a visa to visit the UK for business purposes to be granted an initial interview.

(129284)

101
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many agencies of his Department use touch tone telephone steering systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(129640)

102
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many of his Department's telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by touch tone telephone steering systems.

(129622)

103
N   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement regarding the conviction of members of the Jewish community in Shiraz, Iran.

(129270)

104
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received concerning the destruction of the Christian University in the Moluccas.

(129457)

105
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will seek the establishment of an international fact-finding mission to undertake an impartial investigation into the atrocities in the Moluccas.

(129456)

106
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 15th June, Official Report, column 701W, on European directives and regulations, how access to the Celex Database can be obtained; and from what source the information it contains originates.

(129610)

107
   Ms Margaret Moran (Luton South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to Iran regarding the verdict in the trial of the Jews from Shiraz.

(129495)

108
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Pakistan concerning the timetable for the return to democracy.

(129592)

109
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women.

(129487)

110
N   Paddy Ashdown (Yeovil):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to improve access to NHS dentistry in the Yeovil constituency; and if he will make a statement.

(128788)

111
N   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will publish a response to the recommendations of the Fritchie Report.

(129395)

112
N   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will meet Dame Rennie Fritchie to discuss her report on NHS appointments.

(129396)

113
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the percentage change in the real value, adjusted for costs, of the mileage allowance awarded to community nurses since 1994; and what plans he has to grade the allowance.

(129462)

114
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many agencies of his Department use touch tone telephone steering systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(129633)

115
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many of his Department's telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by touch tone telephone steering systems.

(129627)

116
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what has been the total increase in revenue and capital budgets to (a) Bury and Rochdale Health Authority and (b) Bury NHS Health Care Trust for each financial year since 1995-96.

(128003)

117
   Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which (a) NHS trusts and (b) health authorities fall within which parliamentary constituencies.

(129460)

118
   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish his Department's summary of responses to the Green Paper on reform of the Mental Health Act 1983.

(129497)

119
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that GPs who retire in the period up to 2005 in (a) East Lancashire and (b) Pendle are replaced.

(129612)

120
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what percentage of GPs in each health authority area in England are due to retire by 2005.

(129611)

121
   Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford and Southend East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many primary care groups have been established in England and Wales; how many of these groups have been changed to primary care trusts; and what the estimated administrative cost is of establishing these organisations.

(129475)

122
   Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford and Southend East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the procedures for transferring responsiblity from community care trusts to primary care trusts in respect of the services to be provided by the trusts and in particular about the arrangements for transferring responsibilities to the Southend Primary Care Trust.

(129476)

123
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women.

(129486)

124
   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the respondents to Police Training: A Consultation Document, published in November 1999.

(129589)

125
   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action he intends to take following the inquest into the death of Glen Howard; and if he will make a statement.

(129588)

126
   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make it his policy that all custody officers (a) ask detainees questions to determine their mental state and (b) receive training in recognising mental illness.

(129587)

127
   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the Association of Chief Police Officers' decision to make its guidance on the use of CS spray available to interested parties; and if he will make a statement.

(129584)

128
   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make it his policy that the planned research into the interaction of CS spray and anti-psychotic medication used in the treatment of schizophrenia will involve wide consultation with relevant service users, carers and voluntary organisations.

(129586)

129
   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the Association of Chief Police Officers' decision on local protocols with health and social services departments about the use of CS spray on people known to have a severe mental illness; and if he will make a statement.

(129585)

130
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many agencies of his Department use touch tone telephone steering systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(129638)

131
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of his Department's telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by touch tone telephone steering systems.

(129620)

132
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued to date in each district of Greater Manchester.

(128001)

133
N   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in respect of the implementation of the Burns Report on banning hunting with hounds, what estimate he has made of the number of jobs that will be lost (a) directly and (b) indirectly as a result of the ban.

(129039)

134
N   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in respect of the implementation of the Burns Report, what estimate he has made of the (a) number of additional firearms licences that will be required to control foxes, (b) safety of lamping foxes at night with high-powered rifles and (c) total cost of compensation broken down by (i) value of animals to be destroyed, (ii) redundant property and (iii) fees and other expenses.

(129127)

135
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if all processing of personal data by the Security Service is covered by a certificate under section 28 of the Data Protection Act 1998.

(129613)

136
N   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many fraud cases were investigated in each police authority area in (a) 1979, (b) 1983, (c) 1987, (d) 1992 and (e) each year since 1995; what was the clear up rate in each year; and what estimate he has made of the value of such fraud in each year since 1995.

(129129)

137
N   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of credit card fraud there have been in each year since 1995; what the clean up rate was in each year; and if he will make a statement on the outcome of his recent meeting with credit card systems and providers.

(129128)

138
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers from the Metropolitan Police left the service in the last 12 months; and what were the reasons given for leaving.

(129507)

139
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prison ships are in use in the UK; and how many inmates were held on these ships on 1st July.

(129455)

140
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers were sent from the Greater London area to other areas of the United Kingdom in the last three months; and if he will list the areas.

(129509)

141
   Tom Cox (Tooting):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will estimate the number of unlicensed shotguns held in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

(129454)

142
N   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average length of time was from arrest to sentence of persistent young offenders at the magistrates' courts in Barnet in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

(129278)

143
   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his oral statement of 4th July, Official Report, column 170, on football hooliganism, if he will list the offences for which the 409 people arrested in Belgium and Holland were convicted.

(129597)

144
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to extend the use of restorative justice approaches for (a) young offenders and (b) adult offenders; and if he will make a statement.

(128541)

145
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 change in recorded crime rates over the last 10 years (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in other European Union countries; and if he will make a statement.

(128543)

146
   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which police force areas fall within which parliamentary constituencies.

(129458)

147
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the use of voice tagging; what pilot projects are being undertaken; what plans he has to extend the use of voice tagging.

(129293)

148
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish the (a) agenda and (b) minutes of the crime summit held at 10 Downing Street on Monday 3rd July; and if he will make a statement.

(129294)

149
   Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what arrangements have been made to put dispersed asylum seekers in contact with immigration and advisory services which offer free advice.

(129473)

150
   Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will supply immigration and advisory services that provide free advice with the names and addresses of dispersed asylum seekers.

(129472)

151
   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green and Bow):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average length of time was the Police Complaints Authority took to deal with complaints in the last 12 months; and what the PCA guidelines stipulate this should be.

(129464)

152
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, under which European Union or Community instrument Her Majesty's Government (a) has agreed and (b) plans to agree the mutual recognition of court judgements among EU member states; if he will list each such document and when it (i) was published, (ii) was considered in Parliament and (iii) came into or is expected to come into force; and which bodies or persons the Government consulted before reaching such decisions.

(129753)

153
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of the additional 5,000 police he recently announced are serving in the Humberside Police Force.

(129609)

154
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 14th June, Official Report, column 626W, on immigration, if he will list those parts of European treaties coming into force subsequent to the passage of the Immigration Act 1971 which permit questioning, searching and detention on grounds of public policy through derogation from treaty provisions concerning freedom of movement and absence of internal frontiers within the European Union and Community.

(129754)

155
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applicants for UK citizenship in each year since 1990 were turned down because they had an inadequate grasp of English.

(129614)

156
   Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford and Southend East):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish his response to the Second Report of the Home Affairs Committee for Session 1999-2000 on Controls over Firearms (HC95).

(129505)

157
   Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford and Southend East):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information he collates on the amount of time which is taken by each constabulary to come to a decision on applications for shotgun licences in the last five years; and what were the longest and shortest waiting times.

(129506)

158
   Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley and Golders Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children aged 10 to 16 years were remanded to local authority secure accommodation by courts and to prison between June 1999 and June 2000.

(129703)

159
   Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley and Golders Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children have received a detention and training order, broken down by (a) age, (b) gender and (c) race, since its introduction.

(129699)

160
   Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley and Golders Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list each institution which has received children under a detention and training order since the introduction of such orders.

(129701)

161
   Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley and Golders Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average length of sentence was, by type of offence, for girls aged under 18 years received into custody in each year from 1994 to 1999.

(129698)

162
   Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley and Golders Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many boys and girls aged under 18 years have been sentenced by each court to a detention and training order.

(129700)

163
   Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley and Golders Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many girls aged 15, 16 and 17 years were received into custody during 1999 (a) under sentence, (b) convicted unsentenced and (c) unconvicted.

(129697)

164
   Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley and Golders Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many boys aged 15 and 16 years have been assessed as vulnerable under the terms of section 98 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998; and where they were placed.

(129702)

165
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women.

(129485)

166
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the cost of training police officers in the use of spot-fines for anti-social behaviour; and if he will make a statement.

(129369)

167
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has for police forces to retain the funds levied by way of spot-fines for anti-social behaviour; and if he will make a statement.

(129374)

168
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the cost to the police of enforcing spot-fines for anti-social behaviour; and if he will make a statement.

(129370)

169
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of (a) spot-fines for anti-social behaviour and (b) the enforcement mechanism for spot-fines for anti-social behaviour proposed by the Prime Minister in his announcement of 30th June with the European Convention on Human Rights; and if he will make a statement.

(129375)

170
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the impact on social exclusion of the imposition of spot-fines for anti-social behaviour; and if he will make a statement.

(129373)

171
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research his Department has conducted on the increased risk to police officers of (a) violence associated with refusal to pay spot-fines for anti-social behaviour and (b) carrying large amounts of cash obtained from spot-fines for anti-social behaviour; and if he will make a statement.

(129366)

172
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans the Government has to make spot-fines for anti-social behaviour (a) criminal and (b) civil penalties; what standard of proof will be employed; if their imposition will be recorded on criminal records; and if he will make a statement.

(129371)

173
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department had with (i) chief constables and (ii) other police officers regarding spot-fines for anti-social behaviour prior to the Prime Minister's announcement of 30th June; what representations were received; and if he will make a statement.

(129364)

174
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans the Government has for spot-fines for anti-social behaviour to be enforced (a) in addition to and (b) instead of criminal proceedings; and if he will make a statement.

(129372)

175
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans the Government has to decriminalise acts of anti-social behaviour that currently constitute criminal offences; and if he will make a statement.

(129368)

176
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent research his Department has conducted in relation to introducing powers for the police to impose spot-fines for anti-social behaviour.

(129365)

177
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the members of the External Reference Group of the Sexual Offences Review.

(129363)

178
   Tony Wright (Cannock Chase):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent evidence he has collated on the correlation between the level of crime and (a) police numbers and (b) police funding.

(129496)

179
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many of her Department's telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by touch tone telephone steering systems.

(129615)

180
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many agencies of her Department use touch tone telephone steering systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(129632)

181
   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green and Bow):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if Bangladesh qualifies for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative.

(129595)

182
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of her Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women.

(129484)

183
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, in how many cases legal aid has been granted over the last five years in solicitors' negligence cases to (a) solicitors and (b) complainants.

(129451)

184
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many of his Department's telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by touch tone telephone steering systems.

(129621)

185
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many agencies of his Department use touch tone telephone steering systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(129639)

186
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women.

(129483)

187
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many agencies of his Department use touch tone telephone steering systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(129630)

188
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many of his Department's telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by touch tone telephone steering systems.

(129628)

189
N   Mr William Ross (East Londonderry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the total cost was up to 30th June of the Saville inquiry into the events in Londonderry on 30th January 1972.

(129131)

190
N   Mr William Ross (East Londonderry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what sums were spent from 1st May until 30th June, on the Saville inquiry into the events in Londonderry on 30th January 1972, broken down by (a) salaries of staff, (b) travel and subsistence, (c) accommodation, (d) hearing/witness costs, (e) fees to solicitors representing those killed, and others, (f) fees to barristers representing those killed, and others, (g) I.T./communications and (h) miscellaneous, including general office expenditure.

(129130)

191
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women.

(129482)

192
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the President of the Council, how many of her Department's telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by touch tone telephone steering systems.

(129626)

193
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the President of the Council, what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of her Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women.

(129481)

194
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald):    To ask the Prime Minister, what representations he received from (a) the chief constables attending the Crime Summit on 3rd July and (b) other chief constables regarding the Government's proposals on spot-fines for anti-social behaviour.

(129367)

195
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women.

(129480)

196
   Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many claimants over the last five years in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Scotland and (c) South West Scotland District have had their incapacity benefit withdrawn after an all work test carried out by the Benefits Agency Medical Services; how many of these claimants requested a review; how many went to appeal; and how many of these (i) reviews and (ii) appeals resulted in benefit being re-instated.

(129498)

197
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what proportion of the exceptional hardship fund was unspent in each local authority in England and Wales in each of the last three years.

(129694)

198
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many applications for exceptional hardship payments were made by households on income support or incapacity benefit; and, of these, how many were accepted, in each of the last three years.

(129695)

199
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many applications were made for housing benefit exceptional hardship payments in each local authority area in England and Wales (a) in total and (b) from households with children; and, in each case, what proportion were accepted, in each of the last three years.

(129693)

200
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to reduce the three month delay in changes in the standard interest rate used by his Department.

(129450)

201
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to update the standard interest rate used by his Department to include lenders not currently covered in the calculation.

(129474)

202
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many agencies of his Department use touch tone telephone steering systems when dealing with telephone enquiries from the general public.

(129635)

203
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many of his Department's telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by touch tone telephone steering systems.

(129617)

204
N   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, in respect of implementation of the Burns Report on banning hunting with hounds, what estimate he has made of the total additional social security payments which will fall to be paid, broken down by type of benefit.

(129038)

205
N   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Northavon of 26th June, Official Report, columns 347-8W, on pensions, if he will re-present the figures assuming (a) the state second pension remains earnings related and (b) the minimum earnings guarantee is available to those who made no second pension provision and the minimum income guarantee is uprated in line with earnings; if he will set out the assumptions about investment returns which underly his estimates of returns on stakeholder pensions; what assumption he has made about the level of contributions to stakeholder pensions; and if he will estimate the effects of these projections based on 75 per cent. of average earnings.

(128623)

206
N   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many pensioners in Hendon are aged over (a) 65, (b) 75 and (c) 85 years; how many in each of (a) to (c) receive minimum income guarantee; and how many (i) pensioners and (ii) pensioner couples will (1) receive winter fuel payments this year and (2) qualify for a free television licence.

(129276)

207
   Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to amend the period of time during which housing benefit claimants may appeal against their benefit decision; and if he will make a statement.

(129470)

208
   Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list the occasions when he has used his powers under the Social Security Act 1992 (a) to require local authorities to improve administration of housing benefit and (b) to impose financial penalties on local authorities for failing to comply with a direction from him to improve housing benefit administration.

(129468)

209
   Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to amend the regulations concerning the backdating of housing benefit; and if he will make a statement.

(129469)

210
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if the minimum income guarantee and winter heating allowance are available to British pensioners living in other EU countries.

(129736)

211
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what income support benefits are available to British pensioners living in other EU countries other than basic state pension and disability benefits.

(129737)

212
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women.

(129494)

213
   Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what steps are being undertaken to establish the means by which pensioners prefer to have their pensions paid.

(129452)

214
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what has been the change in petrol prices per litre, at an annual rate, in each month since March 2000.

(129271)

215
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the average figures for European unleaded petrol prices for each country of the European Union in pence per litre, with the amount of tax paid and the percentage of tax this represents.

(129285)

216
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will place a copy of the research by Christie and Co., referred to on page 62 of the Performance and Innovation Unit's report into the post office network, in the Library.

(129430)

217
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what percentage of rural sub-post offices have ISDN lines.

(129421)

218
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what level of additional investment the Horizon platform will require to operate the universal bank.

(129427)

219
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if benefit claimants who opt to receive their benefits in cash from a post office following the switch to ACT will be required to have a bank account.

(129428)

220
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions he has held with small business organisations concerning his proposals to pay subsidies to sub-post offices.

(129431)

221
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what percentage of sub-post office closures in each year since 1997 met the definition of unavoidable closures set out in the Performance and Innovation Unit's report into the post office network.

(129419)

222
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what research his Department has commissioned into the impact of Internet-based services on the letters market.

(129420)

223
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the impact on the income of sub-post offices if those people who do not have a bank account at present start to pay utility bills by direct debit following the introduction of the universal bank.

(129429)

224
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the cost of installing ISDN lines to the post office network.

(129422)

225
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has for delivery of funds to support post offices in urban deprived areas.

(129434)

226
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to launch an inquiry into the leaking of a memo sent to him by Andrew Fraser.

(129416)

227
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the income to the Post Office which will be generated by the universal bank.

(129425)

228
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many sub-post offices are projected to close in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03.

(129418)

229
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions he has held with the EU concerning his proposals to pay subsidies to sub-post offices.

(129432)

230
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the level of remuneration sub-post masters will receive for acting as Government general practitioners; and if he will make a statement.

(129423)

231
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the (a) setting up cost and (b) annual running cost of the universal bank.

(129424)

232
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much funding he will commit to improve post offices in deprived areas.

(129433)

233
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if the Government intends to provide financial support for the improvement of the urban post office network recommended on page 88 of the Performance and Innovation Unit's report into the post office network.

(129426)

234
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he intends to pay subsidies to post offices before 2003.

(129417)

235
   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the implications for the competitive balance of the Internet of the proposed merger between MCI WorldCom and Sprint.

(129438)

236
   Mr Martin Caton (Gower):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if claimants who wish to receive their benefits in cash, and who have no other bank account, will be required to open a new universal bank account under the Government's proposals for switching benefit payments to ACT.

(129605)

237
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his Answer of 13th June, Official Report, columns 595-96W, on letters and packets, if he will list, in respect of each change in weights of letter post made under Directive 97/67 of 1997 and its predecessors, the (a) reasons for such change and the amount concerned, (b) date of its coming into force, (c) consideration by Parliament and (d) Minister of the Crown who gave consent to the directive and changes arising from it, giving the reasons for any such changes.

(129596)

238
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what percentage of the population of each county in Wales has access to the Internet.

(129752)

239
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women.

(129479)

240
N   Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will refer the operation of Commuter coach services from Kent to London to the Competition Commission.

(129311)

241
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the First Secretary concerning the prospects for inward investment to Wales; and if he will make a statement.

(129499)

242
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary concerning a regional selective assistance grant for the A3XX airliner, with reference to the likely date of the First Secretary's decision; and if he will make a statement.

(129500)

243
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the First Secretary concerning the New Deal for lone parents; and if he will make a statement.

(129502)

244
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the First Secretary on the release of additional council house sales receipts; and if he will make a statement.

(129501)

245
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the First Secretary on measures to eliminate child poverty; and if he will make a statement.

(129503)

246
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women.

(129477)

247
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment he has made of the benefits of introducing common clearance systems for school applications.

[Question Unstarred] (127942)

248
   Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much of the money spent on construction work on the A55 was EU funding, broken down by EU source fund and budget, in each of the last 10 years.

[Transferred] (129465)

249
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on progress in the negotiations between the UK and the US authorities on air service agreements.

[Transferred] (129440)