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 11 July 2000

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 11 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.

TUESDAY 11th JULY

1
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee, what percentage of lightbulbs used in the House are low energy.

(129379)

2
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee, in what location in the House waste paper for recycling is sorted from other waste.

(129383)

3
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee, what plans there are to introduce facilities for the recycling of (a) plastics, (b) aluminium and steel and (c) glass in the House.

(129377)

4
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee, what percentage of electricity used in the House is supplied from renewable sources.

(129378)

5
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee, how many annunciators there are in the House.

(129380)

6
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee, what was the volume of paper provided by the House in each of the last three years.

(129381)

7
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee, what percentage of paper provided by the House in the last 12 months was made from recycled paper.

(129382)

8
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms.

(130039)

9
   Sir Nicholas Lyell (North East Bedfordshire):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of the national herds of cattle and national flocks of sheep which die each year and have to be disposed of as fallen stock; what estimates he has made of the costs involved; and to what extent such work is currently performed by hunts.

(130264)

10
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee, what percentage of food and drink served in the House is organic.

(129376)

11
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms.

(130036)

12
N   Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in relation to the 1994 Chinook crash, what assessment he has made of the state of health of Flight Lieutenant Tapper (a) five minutes, (b) four minutes, (c) three minutes, (d) two minutes and (e) one minute before the crash.

(129288)

13
N   Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in relation to the 1994 Chinook crash, what assessment he has made of the state of health of Flight Lieutenant Cook (a) five minutes, (b) four minutes, (c) three minutes, (d) two minutes and (e) one minute before the crash.

(129289)

14
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms.

(130042)

15
N   Mr Quentin Davies (Grantham and Stamford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to acquire a future naval airborne early warning capability; and if he will make a statement.

(129228)

16
N   Mr Quentin Davies (Grantham and Stamford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Sea King airborne early warning variants are in service; how old they are; and how many are operationally available.

(129229)

17
N   Mr Quentin Davies (Grantham and Stamford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to withdraw the (a) Sea King airborne early warning and (b) Type 22 Batch II frigates from service.

(129230)

18
N   Mr Quentin Davies (Grantham and Stamford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which of the Type 23 frigates are due for refit in the next 12 months.

(129231)

19
N   Mr Quentin Davies (Grantham and Stamford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to acquire sonar 2087 for the Royal Navy; and when the system will be in service.

(129232)

20
N   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many and what percentage of the (a) paid and (b) unpaid appointments which he has made to non-departmental public bodies since 1st May 1997 were women.

(129841)

21
   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has for the future funding of North West Bargaining for Skills by the Learning and Skills Council; and if he will make a statement.

(130252)

22
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what estimate he has made of the current cost to public funds of training an osteopath at the John Wernham College of Classical Osteopathy.

(130014)

23
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on the impact of the new deals for (a) 18 to 24 year olds and (b) lone parents in (i) Westminster and (ii) Kensington.

(130230)

24
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms.

(130035)

25
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what steps he is taking to ensure that the knowledge and experience of career guidance practitioners will be utilised by the Connexions service.

(130225)

26
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on how the independence and impartiality of career guidance practitioners will be maintained under the provisions of the Learning and Skills Bill [Lords].

(130227)

27
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what steps he is taking to ensure that the level of career guidance available to 13 to 19 year olds will be maintained by the Connexions service.

(130226)

28
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what guidance he has issued to local education authorities about services to asylum seekers and their dependants.

(130114)

29
N   Mrs Marion Roe (Broxbourne):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when the honourable Member for Broxbourne will receive a reply to her letters to him of 14th April, 11th May, 8th June and 6th July, relating to her constituent, the Secretary of the East Hertfordshire Branch of the National Union of Teachers.

(130117)

30
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many vacancies there were for head teachers in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools between (i) June 1998 and June 1999 and (ii) June 1999 and June 2000.

(130011)

31
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what the annual suicide rate has been of (a) teachers and (b) head teachers in (i) all schools, (ii) primary schools and (iii) secondary schools in each year since 1989; how many suicides there were in each case; and if he will make a statement.

(129843)

32
N   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many and what percentage of the (a) paid and (b) unpaid appointments which he has made to non-departmental public bodies since 1st May 1997 were women.

(129842)

33
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, for what reason he has abandoned plans to set targets for reductions in national road traffic levels.

(128434)

34
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the HOMES scheme and similar mobility schemes for social housing tenants; and if he will make a statement.

(130233)

35
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps he plans to take to meet the commitment in the Housing Green Paper to strengthen the obligation on registered social landlords to co-operate with local authorities in offering accommodation to households on local authority housing registers; and if he will make a statement.

(130239)

36
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to allow social housing tenants to move across local authority boundaries; and if he will make a statement.

(130234)

37
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to introduce a standardised monitoring system for the letting of social housing stock by registered social landlords and local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

(130236)

38
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many lettings each transfer association made available to homeless households for each year after stock transfer has taken place.

(130240)

39
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the impact of stock transfer on the availability of social housing for homeless people.

(130235)

40
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what account will be taken of the need to provide housing for homeless people in the proposed selection criteria set out in the Housing Green Paper for applications for stock transfer.

(130237)

41
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the obligation on registered social landlords to co-operate with local authorities in the provision of accommodation to households on local authority housing registers; and if he will make a statement.

(130238)

42
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms.

(130030)

43
   Mr Bill Etherington (Sunderland North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the chemical compounds added to the public water supply in England and Wales, indicating which is used for (a) water treatment, (b) ingestion and (c) other purposes; and if he will give details of the most recent safety tests carried out by his Department on each such compound.

(130203)

44
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the bidders on the short list for the PPP for the London Underground; and if he will make a statement.

(130189)

45
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the line closures on the London Underground that are planned between July and December, indicating the (a) purpose and (b) duration of each line closure.

(130192)

46
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the unscheduled line closures on the London Underground that have occurred since 1st January; and if he will set out the (a) cause and (b) duration of each line closure.

(130191)

47
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to continue funding the track access grants for Freightliner.

(130193)

48
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on what dates the final contracts will be signed for each part of the London Underground network; and what are the significant dates in the PPP process in the run-up to those dates.

(130190)

49
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many internal and external advertisements were placed from 1997 to 2000 for inspector vacancies in the Hull office which stated that Hull was the location for the post; and if he will place copies of such advertisements in the Library.

(128792)

50
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many educational and promotional visits were made by HSE inspectors to locations in (a) Hull, (b) East Riding, (c) North Lincolnshire and (d) North East Lincolnshire from 1974 to 2000; and in which offices the visiting speakers were based.

(128793)

51
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many HSE inspectors within the jurisdiction of the Hazardous Installation Directorate are located in each of the following divisions and how many Control of Major Accident Hazards sites there are by upper and lower tier in (a) Hull, (b) East Riding, (c) East Lincolnshire, (d) North East Lincolnshire, (e) Barnsley, (f) Doncaster, (g) Sheffield and (h) Rotherham.

(128794)

52
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the costing upon which the closure of the Hull HSE office was based took account of future travel and transfer expenses; and what environmental assessment was carried out.

(128795)

53
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions he held before deciding to close the HSE office in Hull with (a) local employers, (b) trade unions and (c) local authorities; over what length of time such consultations took place; and what the opinions were of those who were consulted.

(128796)

54
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many inspectors of Band 2 or equivalent and below were in (a) Health and Safety Executive offices and (b) operational inspection groups in each year between 1974 and 2000 in (i) Newcastle, (ii) Leeds, (iii) Sheffield, (iv) Hull and (v) Northallerton.

(128845)

55
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many premises, for which the HSE had inspection responsibility, were registered on HSE databases for Areas 14, 15 and 19 in each year from 1974 to 1995; and how many open incumbent records there were for each of these areas for the years 1996 to 2000.

(128846)

56
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many site visits and contacts of all types were made by HSE inspectors in each of Areas 14, 15 and 19 in each year from 1974 to 2000.

(128844)

57
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many (a) site visits and (b) incumbent contacts were made to premises in Humberside County Commission area in each year fom 1974 to 2000 (i) by HSE inspectors based in Hull and (ii) by all inspectors.

(128847)

58
   Mr Kerry Pollard (St. Albans):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what action his Department is taking to ensure that Railtrack's plans for the West Coast Mainline upgrade provide sufficient train paths to make possible an expansion of existing commuter and freight services; and if he will make a statement.

(130232)

59
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement about his plans to replace the CORGI registration system for gas installers.

(130051)

60
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps he is taking to improve (a) the effectiveness of the Health and Safety Executive and (b) its responsiveness to the public.

(130220)

61
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what his latest assessment is of the availability of brownfield land suitable for housing purposes in urban centres.

(130218)

62
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what formal means of cooperation there are between the Corporation of London, the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency to facilitate the supervision of construction sites in the City of London.

(130199)

63
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many inspections by the Health and Safety Executive in the last two years were concerned with safety on construction sites.

(130216)

64
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many deaths and serious injuries have occurred on construction sites in each of the past 10 years.

(130219)

65
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps he is taking to improve the Environment Agency's supervision of waste generated on construction sites.

(130224)

66
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what powers are available to him concerning the treatment and disposal of waste from construction sites.

(130217)

67
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he will reply to the compensation claim submitted to his Department by Mr Paul Reeman, of Beverly Court, Upton, Manor Road, Brixham, following the report by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration dated 10th August 1999, regarding the certificate of seaworthiness for the fishing vessel 'Cornelis Johanna'.

(130116)

68
N   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what percentage of the (a) paid and (b) unpaid appointments which he has made to non-departmental public bodies since 1st May 1997 were women.

(129839)

69
N   Mr Donald Anderson (Swansea East):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the procedures involved in relation to the working families tax credit when a company becomes insolvent; and what targets the Inland Revenue has for resolving cases which arise in this area within a particular time.

(129405)

70
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms.

(130031)

71
   Mr David Willetts (Havant):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many forms have been sent out inviting people to apply for the children's tax credit; how many completed forms have been returned; and what proportion of completed and returned forms have been completed (a) incorrectly and (b) by someone who is ineligible for the children's tax credit.

(130222)

72
   Mr David Willetts (Havant):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total cost to date is of the administration of the new children's tax credit including the costs of (a) producing and distributing the forms, (b) advertisements and (c) the telephone helpline.

(130221)

73
N   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of Malaysia about the case of Mr David Chell.

(130085)

74
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms.

(130032)

75
N   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what percentage of the (a) paid and (b) unpaid appointments which he has made to non-departmental public bodies since 1st May 1997 were women.

(129840)

76
   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, further to his written answer of 19th April, Official Report, column 512W, when he expects to make an announcement on research into the impact on life expectancy of the closure of residential homes for the elderly.

(130223)

77
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements will be made to support students (a) financially and (b) otherwise in obtaining a professionally recognised osteopathy qualification who are currently students at the John Wernham College of Classical Osteopathy.

(130017)

78
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of osteopaths required in the NHS over the next 10 years.

(130012)

79
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many students will be affected by the decision of the General Osteopathic Council to refuse accreditation to (a) the John Wernham College of Classical Osteopathy and (b) similar colleges in the UK.

(130015)

80
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the General Osteopathic Council regarding the decision to refuse accreditation to the John Wernham College of Classical Osteopathy; and if he will make a statement.

(130013)

81
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many vacancies exist in the UK on osteopathy courses accredited by the General Osteopathic Council.

(130016)

82
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms.

(130041)

83
N   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he received the business case for an additional nurse consultant in intermediate care from a Newcastle consortium of primary care, acute care, health authority and the city council; and when he will make a decision.

(129137)

84
   Mr Bill Etherington (Sunderland North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the research projects funded by his Department to investigate the chronic toxic effect of fluoride on body enzymes and proteins.

(130198)

85
   Mr Bill Etherington (Sunderland North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list for each (a) health authority in England and Wales and (b) water company supplying artificially fluoridated drinking water the safety tests that are carried out in respect of (i) silicofluorides and (ii) hydrofluosilicic acid.

(130204)

86
   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason access to the NHS National Research Register on-line is no longer available to members of the public.

(130265)

87
N   Mrs Marion Roe (Broxbourne):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will reply to the letters dated 7th April, 10th May, 8th June and 6th July from the honourable Member for Broxbourne relating to Miss Sue Burr, a paediatric nurse adviser at the Royal College of Nursing.

(130084)

88
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many press releases his Department has issued in the first six months of the present year.

(130188)

89
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms.

(130034)

90
N   Mr John Greenway (Ryedale):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research his Department is supporting into the work and efficiency of coroners courts.

(130010)

91
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if his Department will reimburse local authorities for costs incurred after 25th June in respect of Kosovans evacuated to the United Kingdom under humanitarian and medical evacuation programmes.

(130111)

92
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list each local authority which claimed grants from his Department for supporting asylum seekers between 6th December 1999 and 31st March 2000, giving in each case (a) the actual expenditure by the local authority and (b) the grant-eligible expenditure of the local authority.

(130112)

93
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects the National Asylum Support Service to assume responsibility for all in-country asylum applicants.

(130118)

94
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have (a) been offered, (b) accepted and (c) refused an offer of accommodation by him under the support arrangements introduced on and after 1st April.

(130108)

95
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the state of contract negotiations between the National Asylum Support Service and each of the regional consortia.

(130113)

96
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which organisations and individuals received grants and payments in (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01 for services in support of the work of (i) the Probation Service, (ii) local authority social services departments and (iii) for education as defined in the relevant budget line set out in his Department's Annual Report 1999-2000; and how much money was paid in each such grant.

(130115)

97
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how may children of school age are (a) asylum seekers and (b) dependants of asylum seekers in the United Kingdom; how many of those children have been dispersed outside London and the South-East; and if he will make a statement.

(130109)

98
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is his policy on the provision of accommodation and support to Kosovans who came to the United Kingdom under humanitarian or medical evacuation programmes and who remained here after 25th June.

(130110)

99
   Mr Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to extend the issuing of fixed penalties for speeding offences to individuals driving in the UK on non-UK driving licences; and if he will make a statement.

(130205)

100
   Mr Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average per capita cost was of prosecuting drivers for speeding offences in England and Wales since 1998 using (a) the fixed penalty system and (b) the courts; and if he will make a statement.

(130206)

101
N   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will delay the placement of additional asylum seekers in Plymouth until proper facilities and support services are in place which are fully funded by his Department.

(130120)

102
N   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the negotiations to place asylum seekers in Plymouth and the extent to which he consulted the South West Consortium of local authorities.

(130119)

103
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington):    To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what (a) measures and (b) targets have been established relating to the use by the House of Commons' of resources and the Government's targets for environmental performance.

(129317)

104
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by her Department in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms.

(130037)

105
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms.

(130033)

106
N   Mr Gareth Thomas (Clwyd West):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what guidance his Department provides as to the nature of the cases which should be heard by (a) lay magistrates and (b) stipendiary magistrates.

(130195)

107
N   Mr Gareth Thomas (Clwyd West):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his Answer of 20th June to the honourable Member for North West Leicestershire, Official Report, column 168W, if he will estimate the number of trials heard in magistrates' courts by (a) lay benches and (b) stipendiary magistrates, including acting and deputy stipendiaries, for each of the last five years.

(130196)

108
N   Mr Gareth Thomas (Clwyd West):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many stipendiary magistrates, including deputy and acting stipendiary magistrates, sit in the courts of each region of England and Wales.

(130194)

109
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms.

(130045)

110
N   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):    To ask the Prime Minister, how many and what percentage of the (a) paid and (b) unpaid appointments which he has made to non-departmental public bodies since 1st May 1997 were women.

(129838)

111
   Mr Ivor Caplin (Hove):    To ask the Prime Minister, when he will publish the Government's annual report.

(130231)

112
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms.

(130043)

113
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to prevent local authorities from retaining money unspent from their housing benefit exceptional hardship payment budgets; and if he will make a statement.

(130242)

114
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to introduce an independent element to the review process for local authority housing benefit exceptional hardship payments; and if he will make a statement.

(130245)

115
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to require local authorities to spend a greater proportion of their budgets on housing benefit exceptional hardship payments; and if he will make a statement.

(130241)

116
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what percentage of private tenants claiming housing benefit have had their benefit payments restricted to below the level of the rent payable due to (a) local reference rent restrictions, (b) single room rent restrictions, (c) exceptionally high rent determinations and (d) significantly high rent restrictions in the last year for which figures are available.

(130243)

117
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms.

(130038)

118
   Mr David Willetts (Havant):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, under the New Deal for Lone Parents, how many lone parents in each month between February and April 2000 (a) attended an initial interview and (b) found work, broken down into those whose youngest child was (i) over and (ii) under five years and three months.

(130228)

119
   Mr David Willetts (Havant):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many initial invitation letters for the New Deal for Lone Parents were sent out between October 1998 and April 2000.

(130229)

120
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the disruption to post for businesses as a result of recent industrial action at Royal Mail offices in North London; and if he will make a statement.

(130187)

121
N   Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his Answer of 29th November 1999, to the honourable Member for Birmingham, Erdington, Official Report, column 22W, how many post offices there are in each constituency; and how many of them are operating unprofitably in each constituency.

(130050)

122
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when the first annual report on the state of e-commerce is to be published; and if he will make a statement.

(130048)

123
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms.

(130040)

124
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what evidence underlay the statement in his Department's recent memorandum to the Trade and Industry Committee concerning the total amount of inward investment in the UK planned by Japanese automotive companies.

(130047)

125
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what evidence underlay the statement in his Department's recent memorandum to the Trade and Industry Committee on the competitive environment for vehicle manufacturing in the UK.

(130046)

126
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many export licence applications to his Department have been awaiting a decision for more than (a) three months, (b) six months and (c) a year.

(130049)

127
   Mr Bill Etherington (Sunderland North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action he is taking to (a) monitor and (b) improve working conditions and health and safety standards for call centre industry employees.

(130200)

128
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms.

(130044)

129
   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received concerning good-quality housing in the National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (130244)

130
   Mr Bill Etherington (Sunderland North):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many call centre jobs there were in (a) 1992, (b) 1997 and (c) 2000 in (i) England and Wales and (ii) the City of Sunderland.

[Transferred] (130201)

131
   Mr Bill Etherington (Sunderland North):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average salary was for employees of the call centre industry in (a) England and Wales and (b) the City of Sunderland in (i) 1992, (ii) 1997 and (iii) 2000.

[Transferred] (130202)