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 21 November 2000

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 21 November, 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 21st NOVEMBER

1
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many legal advisers are employed by his Department; and how many of those advise on matters relating to animals.

(138920)

2
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the use of poultry offal meal and hydrolised feather meal in the feed of farm animals, including poultry.

(138914)

3
   Mr Bill Etherington (Sunderland North):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many broiler chickens slaughtered in the United Kingdom were rejected as unfit for human consumption in 1999.

(139722)

4
   Mr Bill Etherington (Sunderland North):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many broiler chickens were dead on arrival at UK poultry slaughterhouses in 1999.

(139721)

5
   Mr Jimmy Hood (Clydesdale):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what the outcome was of the Fisheries Council held in Brussels on 17th November; and if he will make a statement.

(139733)

6
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if the Government will apply the recommendations of the BSE Inquiry to its regulation of cattle product imports.

(139641)

7
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on his plans to introduce an industry levy in order to part-fund compensation for pig farmers hit by swine fever indicating whether proceeds from the levy can be used for other purposes.

(139696)

8
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when the Government was first informed of the length of official testing of Chardon LL in France.

(139627)

9
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to visit a pig farm placed under swine fever restrictions.

(139643)

10
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what estimates he has of the quantity of cattle carcases in storage awaiting disposal under the over 30 month scheme arrangements.

(139632)

11
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what commitment he gave to visit personally a pig farm placed under swine fever restrictions before the end of the summer recess.

(139642)

12
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what powers the Food Standards Agency has to ban the import of meat on the grounds of risk to human health; and what changes there have been to these powers.

(139633)

13
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will pubish the advice which he has received from the Food Standards Agency concerning the safety of French beef imported into the United Kingdom.

(139614)

14
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what powers the Government has to ban the import of meat on the grounds of risk to human health.

(139634)

15
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his Answer of 7th November, Official Report, column 152W, on ERDP, if he provide a breakdown of each measure by the schemes under which farmers will be able to claim the funds allocated.

(139697)

16
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what advice the Government has given to schools on the safety of French beef.

(139635)

17
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what crop trials have been carried out exclusively in other countries to provide an adequate research basis for Government decisions on GM crop commercialisation; and, in particular, the inclusion of GM seed varieties on the national seed list.

(139640)

18
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if the Government will impose a precautionary ban on French beef imports until a thorough assessment can be made of the risks to the consumer.

(139698)

19
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what research the Government is funding into the possibilities of vCJD infection by means other than the consumption of beef.

(139626)

20
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the purchase of bovine material known to be infected with BSE for the purpose of research by non-governmental bodies.

(139631)

21
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will summarise the conclusions of the official testing of Chardon LL in France and explain how these provided the British Government with the reassurances required to proceed with the inclusion of the variety on the national seed list.

(139629)

22
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which categories of imported animal-derived products are covered by the ban on sales of over 30 month meat.

(139636)

23
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will outline the approval process for the inclusion of a genetically modified seed variety on the national seed list; and at what stage in this process Chardon LL is.

(139639)

24
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the inclusion of Chardon LL on the national seed list.

(139637)

25
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to limit the right to trigger public hearings into the inclusion of seed varieties on the nation seed list under the Seed Regulations 1982.

(139628)

26
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what the public cost to date has been of the public inquiry into the inclusion of Chardon LL on the national seed list; and what estimate he has made of the final cost.

(139638)

27
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what advice he has received from the Food Standards Agency concerning the safety of French beef imported into the United Kingdom.

(139613)

28
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what compensation for pig farms placed under swine fever restrictions is available; and when further compensation schemes will be available.

(139644)

29
   Mr Bob Laxton (Derby North):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what has been the outcome to date of the commitment given in the first annual report of the e-Minister and the e-Envoy that meetings of the Cabinet will be held on E-Government every six months.

(139707)

30
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will take steps to ensure that the Dome will not be demolished.

(138922)

31
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps were taken by the management of the Millennium Dome to minimise the dangers to the public from the operation carried out by the police on 7th November.

(138912)

32
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many pensioners will benefit from free television licences (a) nationally and (b) in Coventry South in 2000.

(139080)

33
N   Mr Christopher Fraser (Mid Dorset and North Poole):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many invitations to sports tourism events have been received from the British Tourism Authority by the Minister for Sport; how many she has accepted; and how many events she has attended.

(139437)

34
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the animal procedures (a) being conducted at and (b) planned for the area known as Hard Target at Porton Down.

(138915)

35
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many genetically-modified animals were used in procedures, broken down by species, at Porton Down in each year for the last five years.

(138917)

36
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many animals were moved between DERA and CAMR at Porton Down, Wiltshire in the last year for which figures are available.

(138916)

37
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the procedures conducted on animals and the training facilities used by his Department for (a) experimental research and (b) training programmes in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(138919)

38
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost is to the RN of purchasing its current connectivity equipment; what the cost of the RTOF Buoy is; what timescale has been set for implementation of the RTOF Buoy in SSN; and if he will make a statement.

(139719)

39
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on plans for the RAF's and RN's joint Force UAV; what is the cost of the programme in relation to the overall cost of the single UAV capability, Watchkeeper, including BAE Systems' Phoenix UAV; and if he will make a statement.

(139706)

40
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the absence in the Royal Navy of saturation-trained personnel and support with expertise in deep-water diving for long periods and the employment of foreign offshore civilian divers for missions involving national security and the recovery of sensitive materials.

(139720)

41
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department and the War Pensions Agency intend to take to prevent soldiers from contracting vaccine-related illnesses in the future; and if he will make a statement.

(139725)

42
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has for separate programmes for the Royal Navy's UAV to support its new carrier battle groups and the RAF's UAV to supply ISTAR over extended ranges to the Future Offensive Air Capability; and if he will make a statement.

(139724)

43
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on the arrangements for the inspection of special educational needs in mainstream schools and special schools, with particular reference to (a) the specific focus on these issues at an inspection, (b) the specific expertise of the inspectors and (c) their ability to evaluate diagnostic as well as remedial factors among the pupils.

(139169)

44
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will estimate (a) the latest annual running costs of the (i) Further Education Funding Council and (ii) training and enterprise councils, (b) the anticipated initial cost of the first year of operation of the Learning and Skills Council and its local councils and (c) the anticipated wind-up costs of the FEFC and TECs together with the establishment costs of the LSC and local LSCs.

(139168)

45
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what guidance is being provided for inspectors on indicators of race equality in schools.

(138876)

46
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what steps he is taking to ensure that school inspectors who are required to inspect provision for English as an additional language are given appropriate training.

(138878)

47
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make it his policy to ensure that racial awareness training is mandatory for all school inspectors; and if he will make a statement.

(138877)

48
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many legal advisers are employed by his Department; and how many of those advise on matters relating to animals.

(138921)

49
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what powers the Rail Regulator has in relation to fare increases by train operating companies.

(139522)

50
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what his policy is on the level of renovation grant aid available to individual householders.

(139688)

51
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what support is available to residents of park homes with specific reference to (a) home repairs assistance and (b) disabled facilities grant.

(139689)

52
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions he has had with the Local Government Association on the subject of early retirement for local government officers.

(139695)

53
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make representations to the Rail Regulator concerning the decision by First Great Western to prohibit saver fares from being used by commuters.

(139521)

54
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when the research undertaken by the Transport Research Laboratory on the effects of cannabis on driving will be published.

(139738)

55
   Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will initiate a television campaign to publicise the dangers of driving under the influence of (a) illicit drugs and (b) drugs sold over the counter at pharmacists.

(139723)

56
N   Mr Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the timing of decisions concerning ERDF Objective 2 funding for the North-West for 2000 to 2006.

(138649)

57
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many homes are affected by radioactive radon gas; and if he will list the 20 worst affected areas.

(139606)

58
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many (a) fatal accidents and (b) serious injuries have occurred on pelican and zebra crossings in each of the last 20 years.

(139605)

59
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many deaths have occurred on fairgrounds in the UK in each of the last 20 years.

(139609)

60
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many homes are connected to the domestic water supply system by lead piping in each region of the UK.

(139608)

61
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many homes in the UK have been affected by nitrate contamination in drinking water by region of the UK in each of the last 10 years.

(139607)

62
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement in respect of the implementation of Best Value.

(139712)

63
N   Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how much of the Rural Bus Challenge 1999 awarded to Kent County Council has been spent to date.

(139441)

64
N   Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received from Kent County Council with respect to the area cost adjustment for 2001-02.

(139439)

65
N   Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when Kent County Council (a) applied for funding for the Rural Bus Challenge 1999 and (b) was awarded funding; and how much was awarded.

(139440)

66
N   Mr William Cash (Stone):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the impact on the UK's economy of the trading performance of the euro.

(138654)

67
N   Mr William Cash (Stone):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on proposals for an EU-wide financial regulator.

(138651)

68
N   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if judges benefit from an extra statutory concession for the benefit in kind of the use of judges' lodgings for (a) accommodation and associated expenditure, (b) private entertaining and (c) use of chauffeur and car for travel to and from work at court; and if he will make a statement.

(139438)

69
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the costs of early retirement in terms of lost tax revenue to (a) the Government and (b) local government.

(139694)

70
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the impact of the tax regime on financial packages offered to public servants who take early retirement.

(139705)

71
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the amount of income kept after taxes for each decile of the population in each of the last 20 years.

(139602)

72
N   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 9th November, Official Report, column 342W, on capital gains indexation, if he will estimate the yield from reintroducing indexation and abolishing the taper for the next five financial years, assuming that asset values are constant in real terms; and if he will make a statement.

(139079)

73
N   Mr William Cash (Stone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of the provisions and amendments, by reference to each clause and article, set out in Chapter 7 of the Progress Report on the IGC (Confer 4790/00) with particular reference to (a) removal of the veto or emergency brake mechanism, (b) the general principles, (c) the specific rules for cooperation under Title V of the EU Treaty and (d) the application of qualified majority in respect of (i) Article 40(2) and (ii) Titles V and VI of the Treaty on European Unity.

(138563)

74
N   Mr William Cash (Stone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement by reference to each article on his policy in respect of the provisions and proposed amendments set out in (a) Chapter 1, (b) Chapter 2, (c) Chapter 5, (d) Chapter 6, (e) Chapter 8 and (f) Chapter 9 of the Progress Report (Confer 4790/00).

(138565)

75
N   Mr William Cash (Stone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of (a) Chapter 3 and (b) Chapter 4 of the Progress Report on the IGC (Confer 4790/00), indicating in each case the meaning of the phrase for the record.

(138566)

76
N   Mr William Cash (Stone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of those issues which are under discussion in the IGC and are not included in the Progress Report on the IGC (Confer 4790/00).

(138564)

77
N   Mr William Cash (Stone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the cost to date of the public campaign to explain the benefits of the European Union.

(138650)

78
N   Mr William Cash (Stone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on proposals in the Progress Report on the IGC on Institutional Reform relating to (a) prevention of fraud in the field of taxation, (b) excise duties, (c) financial assistance for natural disasters, (d) the co-ordination of social protection among member states, (e) intellectual property, (f) social exclusion and (g) EU cultural policies.

(138652)

79
N   Mr William Cash (Stone):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on proposals in the Progress Report on the IGC on Institutional Reform relating to (a) the appointment of a CFSP special representative, (b) students and (c) turnover tax.

(138653)

80
N   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects to respond to the Quadripartite Committee's report on Strategic Exports Controls Further Report and Parliamentary Prior Scrutiny, HC 467 of session 1999-2000, published on 25th July.

(139524)

81
N   Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge and Malling):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the countries which have acceded to The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of Child Abduction but whose accession has not yet been declared as accepted by the Government under Article 38; what are the dates of the accession to the Convention of each of these countries; and for which of these countries it is his intention to make a declaration of acceptance in due course.

(139012)

82
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many animals were used, broken down by species, at the Centre for Applied Microbiological Research establishment at Porton Down, Wiltshire, in the last 12 months.

(138918)

83
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of (a) the effectiveness and (b) the independence of the Medicine Controls Agency.

(138927)

84
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons vaccine stocks where UK-sourced bovine material had been used in the manufacturing process were not required to be withdrawn when the theoretical risk was identified in 1989; and what estimate he has made of the timescale within which such vaccines could have been replaced without interrupting the availability of vaccines.

(138926)

85
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on his Department's actions with regard to securing public health from the risk of vCJD.

(138930)

86
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will set out the ways in which the polio vaccine manufactured in the Medeva plant in Speke which was recently withdrawn used bovine material in the manufacturing process.

(138923)

87
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what procedures his Department (a) has in place and (b) has had in place since 1989 to ensure that vaccines comply with the 1989 regulations relating to the use of bovine material in the production of vaccines.

(138931)

88
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason the vCJD Unit does not monitor vaccination incidence as part of its work to identify possible causes of the disease.

(138925)

89
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, to what extent vaccines cleared for general use may contain material of bovine origin used as ingredients in the process of production.

(138929)

90
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons the promise by the honourable Member for Pontefract and Castleford, to write to the honourable Member for Lewes following the debate on 28th March concerning bovine materials in vaccines had not been met by 14th November.

(138924)

91
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is his policy on the availability of vaccines where bovine material from countries where cases of BSE have been identified has been used in their manufacture.

(138928)

92
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Bethnal Green and Bow of 23rd October, Official Report, columns 78-80W, when Ministers discovered that the 1989 guidelines applied only to injectable medicines, and to those applied to the eyes or open wounds; and what steps he is taking in respect of the Medicines Control Agency, following the incorrect advice proffered to Ministers.

(138992)

93
N   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the NHS pathology service sites which are not accredited by Clinical Pathology Accreditation (CPA) UK Ltd.

(139520)

94
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) nurses and (b) doctors have been recruited into the NHS in each of the last three years.

(139046)

95
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) cataract, (b) knee joint replacement, (c) hip joint replacement and (d) hernia operations were performed at Walsgrave Hospital in each of the last three years.

(139045)

96
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the level of NHS funding in Coventry South in each year since 1997.

(139048)

97
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the number of (a) doctors and (b) nurses in Coventry South in each year since 1997.

(139047)

98
N   Mr Christopher Fraser (Mid Dorset and North Poole):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to make the availability of residential and nursing care beds in Mid Dorset and North Poole constituency to be adequate to cope with demand this winter.

(139436)

99
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to ensure the separate registration of midwives under the new Nursing and Midwifery Council; and if he will make a statement.

(138874)

100
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that health authorities involve users in the planning, development and auditing of midwifery services.

(138875)

101
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that the new Nursing and Midwifery Council will maintain midwifery as a distinct profession.

(138873)

102
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he has made an assessment of the research conducted worldwide into foetal abnormality syndrome and its connection with the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy.

(139404)

103
N   Mr Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will publish the national alcohol strategy.

(138745)

104
N   Mr Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to include alcohol abuse within the remit of the National Treatment Agency; and if he will make a statement.

(138746)

105
   Fiona Mactaggart (Slough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he took after July 1999 to inform UK residents of new charges for healthcare in Guernsey.

(139710)

106
   Fiona Mactaggart (Slough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 19th July, Official Report, column 226W, on bone marrow donors, what further steps have been taken by the National Blood Service to recruit more blood and bone marrow donors from the Asian community.

(139711)

107
N   Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the British Chiropody and Podiatry Association on proposals for a Podiatry Council; and if he will make a statement.

(138932)

108
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to change the status of (a) state registered and (b) non-state registered chiropodists; and if he will make a statement.

(139405)

109
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the total budget spent on hospices in (a) England and (b) Wales from 1979 to 1997; and what are the projected budgets for England for the next three years.

(139603)

110
N   Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list those hospitals in the West Midlands which have mixed-sex wards.

(137755)

111
N   Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospitals beds in each hospital in the West Midlands are located in mixed-sex wards.

(137756)

112
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the advice which he has received from the Food Standards Agency concerning the safety of French beef imported into the United Kingdom.

(139612)

113
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he requested advice from the Food Standards Agency concering the safety of French beef imported into the United Kingdom.

(139610)

114
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice he has received from the Food Standards Agency concerning the safety of French beef imported into the United Kingdom.

(139611)

115
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 17th April, Official Report, column 380W, on animal experiments, if he will provide a breakdown of the total yearly government expenditure on research into alternative methods that do not involve animals, stating (a) which departments (i) carry out and (ii) sponsor such research, (b) how much is spent by each and (c) the type of animal research for which alternatives are sought; and if he will make a statement.

(138991)

116
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many legal advisers are employed by his Department; and of those how many advise on matters relating to animals.

(138913)

117
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the terms of reference of the proposed cyber crime unit; and if he will make a statement on the role of the unit in relation to the criminal use of chatrooms.

(139314)

118
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been spent by his Department on the preparation of court officers in advance of the Human Rights Act 1998; how many court officers (a) had and (b) had not received training by 2nd October; and what work the Department has been involved in in preparing other Government departments for the implementation of the Act.

(139089)

119
   Fiona Mactaggart (Slough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have lodged appeals against being refused visas as family visitors since 2nd October.

(139718)

120
   Fiona Mactaggart (Slough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in how many cases the civil penalty provisions of section 32 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 have been enforced.

(139714)

121
   Fiona Mactaggart (Slough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have applied for consideration under the regularisation scheme for overstayers; and how many of these applications have been (a) decided, (b) granted and (c) refused.

(139717)

122
   Fiona Mactaggart (Slough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prosecutions for facilitation of illegal entry have been initiated in (a) 1999 and (b) 2000 to the latest date for which information is available; and how many resulted in convictions.

(139715)

123
   Fiona Mactaggart (Slough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how the civil penalty provisions of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 are being being implemented.

(139716)

124
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with EU ministers regarding the welfare of animals in the EU, with particular regard to tests carried out on animals; and if he will make a statement.

(139407)

125
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what state-sponsored training is available on the use of guns to the holders of guns in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

(139406)

126
N   Mrs Marion Roe (Broxbourne):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reply to the letters from the honourable Member for Broxbourne dated 24th July, 24th August, 21st September, 19th October and 16th November in connection with Mrs C. W. Myford.

(139528)

127
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many complaints there were against the police for (a) racial harrassment and (b) abuse by police authority in the last 20 years.

(139601)

128
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many reported cases of drunkenness there were in each police authority in the past 10 years.

(139600)

129
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what guidance is issued to circuit judges on (a) commuting from home and (b) claiming overnight hotel accommodation expenses when sitting on circuit away from their home court.

(139735)

130
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will take account of (a) candidates' home addresses proximity to Crown Courts on circuits and (b) the need for High Court judges on that circuit when making appointments to the position of High Court judge; and if he will make a statement.

(139729)

131
N   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will review his policy concerning court dress when presiding in parliamentary debates.

(139615)

132
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what guidance is issued to High Court judges on (a) commuting from home and (b) staying in judges' lodgings when sitting on circuit.

(139736)

133
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, on how many occasions in the last three years circuit judges' overnight hotel accommodation expenses were met, when there were vacant facilities available in judges' lodgings within reasonable travelling distance of the court where the judge concerned was sitting; and if he will make a statement.

(139734)

134
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people have been questioned in connection with the death of Samuel James Marshall.

(139739)

135
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Bedford, of 28th July, Official Report, column 1005W, when he expects to receive the new Framework Document from the Northern Ireland Prison Service; and if he will place a copy in the library.

(139726)

136
N   Mr John D. Taylor (Strangford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (a) have served in Kosovo and (b) are currently serving in Kosovo; and if he will make a statement.

(139525)

137
N   Mr John D. Taylor (Strangford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (a) have served in Bosnia Herzegovina and (b) are serving in Bosnia Herzegovina; and if he will make a statement.

(139526)

138
N   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list (a) those public servants who have the right of direct access to the Prime Minister and (b) those who may exercise that right through the Head of the Home Civil Service.

(139523)

139
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, when he expects the detailed arrangements for claiming the Far East prisoners of war compensation to be published.

(139527)

140
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what steps he is taking to ensure that those receiving the Far East war prisoners compensation do not lose entitlement to means-tested benefits.

(139313)

141
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many households will benefit from the winter heating allowance in Coventry South this year.

(139044)

142
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will make a statement on the procedures for pensioners accessing the minimum income guarantee with specific reference to (a) the operation of the free phone service, (b) the role of the local benefit agency office and (c) the processing of forms.

(139692)

143
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how long information is kept on file following an unsuccessful application by a pensioner for minimum income guarantee.

(139693)

144
   Fiona Mactaggart (Slough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what proportion of applicants to the Social Fund received (a) loans, (b) grants and (c) refusals in the last 12 months.

(139713)

145
N   Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is the average time delay for payment of housing benefit for each local authority in England and Wales.

(139604)

146
   Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what communications he has received from the European Commission concerning staffing levels on EC energy and environment programmes; what percentage of manpower reductions proposed by the EC in its communication entitled Matching the European Commission activities with its human resources" will affect energy environment programmes; what assessment he has made of the impact of these reductions on the SAVE energy efficiency programme and the ALTENER renewable energy programmes with particular reference to energy advice agencies; and when he expects these manpower reductions to come into effect.

(139709)

147
N   Mr Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action is being taken by the Post Office to improve security measures at Weoley Castle sub-post office in Birmingham and to re-open the premises.

(139107)

148
N   Mr Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what progress has been made in the establishment of the fund to improve the quality of post offices in deprived urban areas by installing security measures and modernising premises.

(139105)

149
N   Mr Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action the Post Office will take to maintain the availability of accessible counter services to residents during temporary closure of urban sub-post offices.

(139108)

150
N   Mr Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the mechanism is for allocating funds being made available to install security measures and to modernise post offices in deprived urban areas.

(139106)

151
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he expects to receive the report of the OFT inquiry into the legal profession.

(139737)

152
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what safeguards exist for customers who have agreed to change utility companies as a result of a cold call.

(139691)

153
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to regulate cold calling by utilities, with specific reference to older residents.

(139690)

154
N   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment the Government has made of the World Commission on Dams report; and what account will be taken of the report's findings in deciding on granting export credit support for the Ilisu dam.

(139519)

155
   Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, who has been appointed as the Fund of Funds manager to lead his Department's venture capital activity; and what this manager's budget is for 2000-01.

(139728)

156
   Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much money was (a) spent and (b) loaned by the Enterprise Funds (i) in 1999-00 and (ii) so far in 2000-01.

(139731)

157
   Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what his Department's expenditure on clean coal technology (a) was in 1999-00 and (b) is planned for 2000-01.

(139730)

158
   Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans BNFL have to order new nuclear reactors.

(139732)

159
N   Mrs Ray Michie (Argyll and Bute):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many sub-post offices have (a) reduced opening hours and (b) closed (i) permanently and (ii) on a temporary basis since June 1999; how many have subsequently been re-opened (A) in Scotland and (B) in each Scottish local authority area; and if he will make a statement.

(138993)

160
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if diesel vehicles commonly used by farmers on public highways will be able to benefit from the reduction of duty on ultra low sulphur diesel.

[Transferred] (139630)

161
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will (a) list the recommendations of the August 2000 meeting of the European Social Rights Committee following consideration of the UK's 20th Report on Implementation of the European Social Charter, (b) set out his response to each and (c) list the steps he plans to take to bring these recommendations to the attention of each of the institutions of devolved government.

[Transferred] (139727)