Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1999-2000
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Friday 24 November 2000

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Friday 24 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.

FRIDAY 24th NOVEMBER

1
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee, if he will assess the benefits of providing a retail outlet selling basic provisions in the atrium of Portcullis House.

(140270)

2
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee, what measures were taken in the design and construction of Portcullis House to protect the building from the threat of flooding; and if he will make a statement on the recent floodings.

(140269)

3
   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the length of the IACS form filled in by farmers; and if he will make a statement.

(140405)

4
   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what further tests there will be on the Chardon LL crop following the completion of the one-year tests.

(140440)

5
   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if the Chardon LL crop will be placed on the national seed list following the completion of the one-year tests.

(140441)

6
   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what research his Department has (a) conducted and (b) evaluated which indicates the effect of GM maize on chickens; and what plans he has for further research.

(140531)

7
   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what level of Civil Service staff support is provided to the Cabinet Committee on rural affairs; and what the approximate annual cost is of this support.

(140404)

8
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if unsuccessful applicants for a people's peerage are to be given reasons for their rejection.

(140328)

9
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will publish a breakdown of the applications for a people's peerage by (a) gender, (b) age, (c) ethnic background, (d) place of residence, (e) employment status and (f) occupation.

(140326)

10
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if it is a condition of appointment to a people's peerage that the applicant sits on the cross benches; and if she will make a statement.

(140330)

11
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if rejected applicants for a people's peerage will be allowed to re-apply.

(140325)

12
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many applicants for a people's peerage are to be invited for interviews.

(140329)

13
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when candidates for the people's peers will have their names submitted to Her Majesty the Queen.

(140327)

14
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what recent discussions he has had with the Children's Society regarding (a) the adoption and (b) the fostering of children within their care; and if he will make a statement.

(140027)

15
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made in the work of the audio-visual industry skills task force.

(140182)

16
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the trustees of the British Museum concerning legal action taken by the museum in relation to the provision of French stone for building work on the South Portico.

(140179)

17
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will publish an inventory of the contents of the Millennium Dome and list their legal owners.

(140183)

18
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what measures are being taken by the British Museum to recover monies owed by Easton Masonry Company (Portland) Ltd.

(140180)

19
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to introduce a right of appeal to individuals whose houses are classed as Ancient Monuments by English Heritage; and if he will make a statement.

(140026)

20
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make a statement on the operation of the supporters direct scheme for football clubs indicating the (a) number of trusts agreed, (b) number of trusts established and (c) number of elected supporter directors.

(140090)

21
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions have taken place between representatives of Her Majesty's Government and (a) George W. Bush and (b) Al Gore in respect of National Missile Defence; and if he will make a statement.

(140310)

22
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the failure rate was of BL 755 cluster munitions deployed in the Falklands conflict.

(139764)

23
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of NATO's estimate of the failure rate of cluster munitions deployed in Kosovo.

(139765)

24
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of cluster bombs against modern main battle tanks.

(139766)

25
N   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what restrictions have been placed on the operational use of the RAF's leased C17 aircraft.

(140014)

26
N   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many additional press officers he plans to recruit; where they will be based; and how much has been allocated for their recruitment.

(140016)

27
N   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on the UK Technology Readiness and Risk Assessment programme; and if he will make a statement.

(140018)

28
N   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has for a future offshore patrol vessel for the Royal Navy; when he will place an order for Type 45 destroyers; and which Royal Navy ships will participate in Exercise Saif Sareea II.

(140220)

29
N   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with what weapons the UK version of the Joint Strike Fighter will be armed; and if he will make a statement.

(140015)

30
N   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's contribution is to the NATO ballistic missile defence programme.

(140017)

31
N   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has contributed to NATO staffing costs in each of the past 10 years.

(140019)

32
N   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the modified SA80 weapons will enter service with the armed forces.

(140020)

33
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement about the future strategic tanker project and the roles of RAF Brize Norton and DERA Boscombe Down.

(140086)

34
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the overall (a) salary and (b) associated costs were of defence attache�s in the latest year for which figures are available.

(140453)

35
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will give a breakdown of the (a) income and (b) expenditure derived from UK training of personnel from foreign armed forces in each of the last three years.

(140461)

36
   Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will implement the safety recommendations resulting from the investigation into the crash of RAF Tornado ZD809 on 14th October 1999.

(140439)

37
N   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations he has received from the USA about the European Rapid Reaction Force proposal.

(140281)

38
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he had with (a) staff at RAF Innsworth and (b) Gloucestershire constabulary, before deciding to reduce the number of his Department's police at RAF Innsworth; and if he will make a statement.

(140025)

39
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations were made to his Department at the International Conference on Hazards of Depleted Uranium in November; and if he will make a statement on progress on the testing of former (a) servicemen and women and (b) medical auxiliaries who served in the Gulf War for depleted uranium contamination.

(140515)

40
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what parliamentary scrutiny will apply to the agreements reached on setting up the EU Rapid Reaction Corps.

(140087)

41
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much of the defence budget was spent in Wales in the most recent year for which figures are available (a) in actual terms and (b) as a percentage of the total defence budget.

(140436)

42
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what measures he is taking to support the development of skills in media and broadcasting technology among people of school age.

(140181)

43
   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what targets have been set for increasing the percentage of high specification computers in schools for (a) 2001-02, (b) 2002-03 and (c) 2003-04.

(140433)

44
   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will provide a breakdown of how the £1 billion for new technologies in schools will be spent.

(140434)

45
   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what his Department's definition is of high specification computers; and if he will list the machines that are so categorised.

(140432)

46
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what support is available to unemployed single people over 25 to get work; what plans he has for further initiatives in this field.

(140529)

47
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list by local education authority the number of cases taken to the Special Educational Needs Tribunal each year since its inception, indicating in how many cases the tribunal ruled that additional support should be provided for children with special needs.

(140526)

48
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if all local education authorities recognise dyslexia as a special educational need; and how many local education authorities have been taken to Tribunal for Special Educational Needs appeals in disputes over children with dyslexia since its establishment.

(140527)

49
   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what percentage of schools in England and Wales have (a) used and (b) booked an appointment to use before the end of the autumn term, the services of an accredited external advisor in establishing the head teacher's objectives for the academic year 2000-01.

(140517)

50
   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list for each local education authority (a) in receipt of area cost adjustment and (b) not in receipt of area cost adjustment, the average teacher salary in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

(140518)

51
N   Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when he will reply to letters to him dated 7th September and 26th June on behalf of Reverend Christopher Harrison, Chairman of the Governors of Fitzherbert Primary School in Fenny Bentley, Ashbourne, Derbyshire.

(140169)

52
   Mr Eric Martlew (Carlisle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what action he intends to take to improve the level of skills training on the rail network.

(140414)

53
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many primary schools have closed in each year since 1990; and if he will indicate the reasons for closure in each case.

(140331)

54
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what steps he is taking to fill teaching vacancies in England; and if he will make a statement.

(140287)

55
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many teaching vacancies are unfilled in (a) Gloucestershire and (b) England; and if he will make a statement.

(140285)

56
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what guarantees have been (a) sought by his Department and (b) given by Legacy plc in relation to the proposed acquisition of the Millennium Dome site.

(140187)

57
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what the value is of the bid by Legacy plc for the Millennium Dome site.

(140188)

58
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the arrangements for Legacy plc to acquire the Millennium Dome site will include provision for a down payment; and if he will make a statement.

(140189)

59
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will publish the terms and conditions attached to the granting of preferred bidder status for the Millennium Dome site to Legacy plc.

(140186)

60
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 20th November, Official Report, column 25W, on the Millennium Dome, from which parties he received expressions of interest in procuring the Dome after Nomura withdrew its bid.

(140219)

61
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to the Answer of 20th November, Official Report, column 25W, on the Millennium Dome, what the outstanding contractual issues are; and if he will publish the agreed timetable for resolving all such issues.

(140217)

62
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the impact on local roads of the development and operation of a business park inside the Millennium Dome.

(140184)

63
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what contingency plan the Government has in the event of the failure of negotiations with Legacy plc to procure the Millennium Dome site.

(140190)

64
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, for what reasons the Strategic Rail Authority awarded the South-Central rail franchise to GoVia in preference to Connex.

(140312)

65
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the franchise agreement reached with GoVia in respect of the South-Central franchise (a) precludes the closure of any station and (b) maintains at present levels as a minimum the present timetable operated by Connex on each of its South-Central routes.

(140307)

66
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on what date he expects responsibility for the South-Central franchise to transfer to GoVia.

(140313)

67
   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what regulations govern the installation of mobile phone transmission equipment as it relates to human health.

(140464)

68
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what data he has collated on the link between the speed patterns of lorries and other commercial vehicles and the working hours of drivers over the last 10 years.

(140528)

69
   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what advice he has given to local authority housing departments regarding the issuing of reports to elected members on housing committees when a council property is let to a registered sex offender.

(140519)

70
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the individuals and companies prosecuted for the illegal erection of poster hoardings in the London area in 1999 and 2000.

(140499)

71
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many prosecutions have been pursued for the illegal erection of poster hoardings in (a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c) 1997, (d) 1998, (e) 1999 and (f) 2000.

(140502)

72
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate his Department has made of the volume of illegally flytipped waste removed by (a) the Environment Agency and (b) local authorities in (i) 1995, (ii) 1996, (iii) 1997, (iv) 1998, (v) 1999 and (vi) 2000.

(140511)

73
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the individuals and companies prosecuted by the Environment Agency for illegal flytipping in the London area in 1999 and 2000.

(140500)

74
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many prosecutions have been secured by (a) the Environment Agency and (b) local authorities in relation to illegal flytipping (i) nationally and (ii) in the London area in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000.

(140505)

75
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what has been the average fine levied on persons or companies convicted of the illegal erection of poster hoardings in (a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c) 1997, (d) 1998, (e) 1999 and (f) 2000.

(140501)

76
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what has been the average fine levied on (a) individuals and (b) companies convicted of illegal flytipping in (i) 1995, (ii) 1996, (iii) 1997, (iv) 1998, (v) 1999 and (vi)2000.

(140504)

77
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will launch an investigation into the role of criminal gangs in illegal flytipping in the London area.

(140506)

78
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to (a) the Environment Agency and (b) local authorities of removing waste illegally flytipped in (i) 1995, (ii) 1996, (iii) 1997, (iv) 1998, (v) 1999 and (vi) 2000.

(140510)

79
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans the Government has to increase the penalties for illegal flytipping.

(140507)

80
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans the Government has to review the law on illegal flytipping.

(140508)

81
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will review the law on the erection of poster hoardings.

(140503)

82
   Mr John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans the Government has to provide assistance to local authorities in tackling illegal flytipping.

(140509)

83
   Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what progress he has made in considering the options for defining the relationship between multilateral environmental agreements and World Trade Organisation disciplines since the publication of his response to the 16th report from the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee.

(140334)

84
   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood and Ongar):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what the most recent date was on which the signing of the strategic diversion routes through the Essex section of the M25 was checked for continuity and accuracy; and how often that signing is checked.

(140467)

85
   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood and Ongar):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions he has had with the Highways Agency about ensuring that the signing of the strategic diversion routes through the Essex section of the M25 is regularly maintained.

(140466)

86
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 21st November, Official Report, column 118W, if he will use the dividend from Railtrack to increase the Government's equity stake in the company; and if he will make a statement.

(140522)

87
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will review Gloucestershire County Council's Structure Plan's allocation of house building numbers to Tewkesbury, following the floods in that area; and if he will make a statement.

(140023)

88
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what account he took of the plans to build extra houses, industrial and retail units at Brockworth, Gloucestershire, when assessing improvements to the A417 at Nettleton Bottom and Crickley Hill; and if he will make a statement.

(140283)

89
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions he has had with train operating companies about services to and from Ashchurch Station; and if he will make a statement.

(140177)

90
N   Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how much the Marine Accident Investigation Branch investigations into the sinking of the (a) Derbyshire, (b) Marchioness and (c) Gaul, cost.

(139818)

91
   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will publish a breakdown by service of Torbay's standard spending assessment for 2000-01.

(140402)

92
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the cost of installing (a) the Train Protection Warning System and (b) the Automatic Train Protection System.

(140420)

93
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many maintenance staff were employed on track maintenance duty (a) by British Rail in the year before privatisation and (b) by Railtrack in September 2000.

(140419)

94
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many responses were received to the consultation paper on a UK Strategy for Radioactive Discharges 2001-20; how many were received from outside the United Kingdom; if he will list the countries from which submissions were made; and when he estimates the strategy will be (a) completed and (b) published.

(140513)

95
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the viability of creating specific ringfenced slots at Heathrow for essential regional air services.

(140092)

96
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the operation and management of slot allocation at Heathrow Airport.

(140168)

97
   Mrs Betty Williams (Conwy):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what funding was provided by Government to the United Kingdom rail industry in each year from 1997 to date; and what the value was of such funding for rail services to and within Wales.

(140332)

98
   Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many times coach companies in the Isle of Sheppey have been investigated for safety reasons by the Vehicle Inspectorate in the past five years.

(140324)

99
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list by local authority area in Wales (a) the amount raised annually by the landfill tax since its introduction and (b) projects in Wales which have been funded under the landfill tax credit scheme, indicating how much each project has received.

(140530)

100
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the loss of VAT income due to the establishment by motor insurers of their own repair facilities which are not VAT-registered.

(140458)

101
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what account the departmental expenditure limits set out in Spending Review 2000 take of the possible costs on 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2003-04 of preparation for and conversion to the euro; and if he will make a statement.

(140284)

102
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the cost to private business of the UK entering the euro in the first year of its operation; what studies he has made of the cost to private businesses in those countries which have joined; and if he will make a statement.

(140024)

103
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the annual revenue from the aggregates tax.

(140021)

104
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the attitude of private business towards (a) entering and (b) staying out of the euro.

(140218)

105
N   Mr John Swinney (North Tayside):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much (a) income tax and (b) national insurance contributions was raised from the (i) top 1 per cent., (ii) top 5 per cent., (iii) top 10 per cent. and (iv) bottom 50 per cent. of taxpayers in Scotland in the last year for which figures are available.

(139819)

106
N   Mr John Swinney (North Tayside):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in Scotland paid no income tax in the last year for which figures are available

(139820)

107
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Chairman of the Chairman of the Finance and Services Committee, pursuant to his Answer of 14th November, Official Report, column 588W, if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the £25 million spent during the 1999-2000 financial year on repairing, improving and maintaining the House buildings.

(140268)

108
   Ms Jenny Jones (Wolverhampton South West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on protocol 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

(140333)

109
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what proposals he has made to members of the Council of Europe to increase the budget of the European Court of Human Rights; how many cases are before the court; how many such cases were registered (a) before and (b) after the establishment of the full-time court; what his estimate is of the average time taken for the court to reach a decision; and what proposals he has to improve the procedures of the court.

(139082)

110
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list those people who were issued a copy of the document produced by Adrian Thorpe on Derry in June 1972; what was his Department's response to Adrian Thorpe's document; if he will place a copy of the document in the Library; and what positions Adrian Thorpe has held in his Department.

(140304)

111
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the Government intends to sign Protocol XII of the European Convention on Human Rights; for what reason it did not sign it at the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Convention; and if he will make a statement.

(140521)

112
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will request the members of the European Council to instruct its Secretariat to publish as soon as is practicable after the conclusion of the Nice Summit, the text of the Treaty agreed and the text of current EU treaties as they would be following its ratification; and to make such publications available at an appropriate period prior to the formal signing of the Treaty.

(140524)

113
N   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what advantages Her Majesty's Government is seeking to gain through agreeing to qualified majority voting in certain areas of the Treaty of Nice.

(140280)

114
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to encourage his counterparts to increase transparency and openness in the European Union; what proposals have been put forward to increase access to papers and deliberations of the Council of Ministers; what mechanisms exist for the public to find out what documents are discussed in (a) council meetings and (b) Coreper; and if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's position on the report by Michael Cashman MEP on transparency in EU institutions.

(140551)

115
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the creaton of the ESDP requires EU treaty revisions.

(140088)

116
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the average (a) inpatient and (b) outpatient waiting time experienced in East Sussex for the last three years for which figures are available.

(140267)

117
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will backdate the pension arrangements for widowers of female members of the NHS pension scheme to align them with the pension arrangements of widows of male members of the scheme.

(140271)

118
   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the risks to human health from mobile phone transmission equipment.

(140463)

119
   Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proposals he has to oblige water companies to fluoridate water where there is strong local support for doing so.

(140444)

120
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what requirement there is for the Chair and Chief Executive of the General Social Care Council to have social services expertise.

(140454)

121
   Mrs Eileen Gordon (Romford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many acute hospital beds in each regional health authority have been closed as a direct result of staff shortages in each of the last five years.

(140335)

122
   Ms Jenny Jones (Wolverhampton South West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus incidents have occurred in hospitals in the (a) West Midlands and (b) London regions between July 1997 and June 2000.

(140455)

123
   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the number of man-hours per year it will take local authority social services departments to collect and process the core data set of information on children and families required by the draft Children's Social Services Core Information Requirements Data Model.

(140520)

124
N   Dr John Marek (Wrexham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information he collates on the proportion of nurses, midwives and health visitors who are registered but do not practice.

(140012)

125
N   Dr John Marek (Wrexham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nurses, midwives and health visitors have (a) retired from and (b) joined the register in each of the last five years.

(140013)

126
   Mr Eric Martlew (Carlisle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action he is taking on the report of the Commission for Health Improvement into North Lakeland NHS Trust.

(140413)

127
   Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many mastectomies were carried out last year in the United Kingdom; and of those how many were (a) radical, (b) partial, (c) double and (d) lumpectomy.

(140431)

128
N   Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the UK will ratify The Hague Convention on International Adoptions.

(140191)

129
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the professonal parity between midwives and nurses, set out in the Health Act 1999 will be maintained in the draft orders and regulations concerning the new Nursing and Midwifery Council.

(140407)

130
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the distinctiveness of midwifery education and practice will be safeguarded within the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

(140411)

131
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the recommendations to the Government made in the JM Consulting Review in respect of midwifery safeguards will be included in the new draft orders regulating nurses and midwives.

(140409)

132
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the separate registration of midwives will be protected within the new regulatory framework of the National Plan.

(140406)

133
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if midwives will have increased professional involvement in the supervisory body being established for midwifery.

(140410)

134
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason the extra costs to support the new system of midwifery regulations are to be met by midwives.

(140428)

135
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what provision will be made for the continuance of the statutory midwifery committee of the UKCC within the Nursing and Midwifery Committee.

(140408)

136
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to establish a post of Director of Midwifery Regulation to oversee reform of professional governance within midwifery.

(140412)

137
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will review the legislation governing the liability of NHS trusts in cases where a death is caused by management failure within the trust.

(140451)

138
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria are applied to requests for extradition of British nationals to India in cases where the request concerns an Indian-born British national.

(140309)

139
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer to the honourable Member for New Forest East, of 9th November, Official Report, column 402, on the Hinduja family, for what reason the outcome of the investigations was not awaited before a decision on whether or not to grant citizenship was made.

(140306)

140
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) discussions (i) he and (ii) officials from his Department had with and (b) information was received from (A) the Indian police force and (B) other sources concerning investigations being undertaken by the Indian Police into allegations concerning Srichand Hinduja (1) before he decided to grant him citizenship and (2) subsequent to his decision.

(140308)

141
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for South Suffolk of 13th November, Official Report, column 539W, on police station closures, how many police stations have (a) opened and (b) closed in Sussex in each year since 1979.

(140266)

142
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to pay special constables for their work; and if he will make a statement about their role.

(140457)

143
   Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have made applications since the coming into force of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; on how many of these applications an initial decision has been made; what the average time was for such asylum seekers from application to decision in cases where they have dependent children; and how many such cases (a) have been determined and (b) remain to be determined.

(140465)

144
   Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for those asylum seekers in respect of whose applications an initial decision has been made during (a) 1999 and (b) 2000, what the average time was between the application and the decision.

(140417)

145
   Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers who made an application before the end of 1995 have not yet had an initial decision on their application.

(141416)

146
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the companies authorised by his Department to organise specialist courses for race relations and equal opportunities training in the police force.

(140341)

147
N   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when Detective Inspector John Redgrave's suspension will be lifted; and if he will make a statement.

(140089)

148
N   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which (a) honourable Members and (b) Members of the House of Lords (i) were offered and (ii) accepted intelligence briefings from the Metropolitan Police on the manifestation of corruption and the Metropolitan Police Services response to it.

(139998)

149
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on his plans (a) to create a register of volunteers and (b) to require charities to check the register of volunteers before accepting volunteers.

(140178)

150
   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects the briefings and complaints section to respond to Mr Gargan of Westbourne Road, Torquay, following his letter of 3rd October.

(140337)

151
   Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent representations he has received on Our Children, Their Future--A Children's Manifesto" published by NSPCC, Barnardos and the Child Poverty Action Group.

(140415)

152
N   Mr David Winnick (Walsall North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what response he has made to recent criticism made by the Chief Inspector of Prisons of young offenders' institutions.

(140275)

153
N   Mr David Winnick (Walsall North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will ask the Chief Inspector of Prisons to prepare a further report in six months' time on the young offenders' institutions which have been criticised by him.

(140276)

154
N   Mr David Winnick (Walsall North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps are being taken to end the bullying by some inmates against others at young offenders institutions recently named by the Chief Inspector of Prisons.

(140274)

155
N   Mr David Winnick (Walsall North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he was first informed of the conditions at the young offenders institutions criticised by the Chief Inspector of Prisons.

(140272)

156
N   Mr David Winnick (Walsall North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make it his policy for Ministers in his Department to visit on a quarterly basis the young offenders institutions criticised by the Chief Inspector of Prisons.

(140273)

157
   Mr Stephen Twigg (Enfield, Southgate):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the individual schools in the Palestinian Authority area which have been the beneficiaries of United Kingdom development assistance for Palestinian education since 1995-96.

(140447)

158
   Mr Stephen Twigg (Enfield, Southgate):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the individual schools in the Palestinian Authority area which have been the beneficiaries of United Nations Works and Relief Agency development assistance for Palestinian education since 1995-96.

(140446)

159
N   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what business plan has been prepared for the proposed pilot of the criminal defence service in England and Wales.

(140170)

160
N   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what estimates he has made of the caseload that the proposed pilot of the criminal defence service in England and Wales will undertake in the four years of the proposed start-up phase.

(140175)

161
N   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what assessment he has made of the Public Defence Solicitors Officer pilot scheme in Edinburgh.

(140176)

162
N   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many offices it intends to open under the proposed pilot of the criminal defence service in England and Wales; and where those offices will be located.

(140171)

163
N   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what are the estimated start up costs of the proposed pilot of the criminal defence service in England and Wales; and how they are made up.

(140172)

164
N   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what the estimated annual costs are of the proposed pilot of the criminal defence service in England and Wales, including the cost of support services from the Legal Service Commission central services; and how they are made up.

(140173)

165
N   Mr Edward Garnier (Harborough):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what are the estimated numbers of (a) legally qualified and (b) non-legally qualified staff who will be employed in the proposed pilot of the criminal defence service in England and Wales.

(140174)

166
   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many solicitors have been appointed as judges in each year since 1990.

(140497)

167
   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if, prior to being appointed as a judge, a solicitor is required to have sat as a recorder.

(140470)

168
   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what specific training a qualified solicitor will have to undertake prior to taking up an appointment as a judge.

(140498)

169
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what meetings he has had with (a) present and (b) former members of the RUC since the publication of the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill.

(140085)

170
N   Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what arrangements have been made for Brigadier Gordon Kerr to give evidence to the inquiry into the shooting of Patrick Finucane headed by Sir John Stevens; and if he will make a statement.

(140311)

171
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the President of the Council, what plans the Government has to introduce a special allowance, on appointment, to people's peers to help with the cost of incidental expenses.

(140336)

172
N   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Prime Minister, what instructions the No. 10 Press Office has issued to (a) Ministers and (b) Government departments about the handling of European announcements and information.

(140279)

173
   Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):    To ask the Prime Minister, what matters in respect of United Kingdom assistance to the Russian plutonium disposition programme were discussed at his recent meeting with the Russian President.

(140514)

174
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list by his Department's administrative areas the amount paid to (a) the elderly, (b) people with long-term illness or disability, (c) families, (d) unemployed people, (e) children and (f) others in each of the last 10 years, indicating in each case the percentage of the budget spent on each group.

(140512)

175
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list for each social security department administrative area the amount spent on (a) attendance allowance and (b) disability living allowance in each of the last five years.

(140525)

176
   Mr Andrew Hunter (Basingstoke):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what the backlog of complaints awaiting investigation by the Independent Case Examiner for the Child Support Agency was in (a) November 1999, (b) May 2000 and (c) November 2000.

(140468)

177
   Mr Andrew Hunter (Basingstoke):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will take measures to ensure that complaints awaiting investigation by the Independent Case Examiner for the Child Support Agency are investigated more promptly; and if he will direct more resources towards achieving this.

(140469)

178
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what assessment he has made of the (a) social, (b) vocational and (c) financial benefits of a rehabilitation policy that assists people to return to work.

(140339)

179
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what consultations he has had with (a) the NHS and (b) insurers concerning the New Deal for Disabled People and its extension.

(140340)

180
   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what percentage of pensioners (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in Wales live in a low income household.

(140323)

181
   Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will further amend the Housing Benefit (General) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 1998, part 3(h), to take account of individuals whose financial circumstances have changed between selling the property they continue to reside in and making a claim for housing benefit.

(140437)

182
   Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, for what reason the amendment of Regulation 7 of the Housing Benefit Regulations excluded from benefit people who had previously owned their home.

(140438)

183
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what response he has made to claims for bereavement allowance by widowers whose wives died before 2nd October; and if he will make a statement.

(140022)

184
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will review the maximum compensation limit which the Child Support Agency is allowed to pay to clients; and if he will make a statement.

(140286)

185
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, which exchange rates are used to convert income denominated in foreign currencies into sterling when assessing income for benefits purposes; and how often these exchange rates are reviewed.

(140403)

186
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the value in (a) 2030, (b) 2040 and (c) 2050 of the full basic state pension combined with a full state second pension as a percentage of the rate of minimum income guarantee, assuming that the MIG is indexed to earnings and the basic state pension and state second pension are indexed to prices from their levels announced for 2003.

(140459)

187
N   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what preparations had been made for the delivery of winter fuel payments on the assumption that the rate of payment would be £150; and what administrative costs arose from the timing of the decision that the rate of payment would be £200.

(140305)

188
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what steps the Government is taking to ensure an increase in the take up of pensioner benefits.

(140523)

189
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what percentage of the compensation package for sick miners the Compensation Recovery Unit expects to (a) deduct and (b) retain.

(140448)

190
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how much of the social security budget was spent in Wales, broken down by the expenditure headings of his Departmental budget, in the most recent year for which figures are available.

(140435)

191
   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the potential for mobile phone transmission equipment to interfere at close range with other businesses using electrical equipment.

(140462)

192
N   Mr Peter Bradley (The Wrekin):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many haulage companies were declared bankrupt in 1994.

(140265)

193
   Mr Jeff Ennis (Barnsley East and Mexborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many bereavement awards have been granted to the widows of former miners suffering from (a) chronic bronchitis and (b) emphysema; what are the maximum and minimum bereavements awards granted; and what is the average amount of bereavement awards granted to date.

(140338)

194
N   Mr Peter Lilley (Hitchin and Harpenden):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to establish a formula for calculating a social network payment for sub-post offices.

(140262)

195
N   Mr Peter Lilley (Hitchin and Harpenden):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if the Performance and Innovation Unit has made an estimate of the number of mergers of sub-post offices required by its recommended programme of modernisation for the urban network.

(140263)

196
N   Mr Peter Lilley (Hitchin and Harpenden):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if the Post Office proposal for a formula for calculating a social network payment for sub-post offices is commercially confidential.

(140261)

197
N   Mr Peter Lilley (Hitchin and Harpenden):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if the Post Office proposal to offer retirement and pensions services and information for the over 55 year group will require sub-post office staff to register with the Financial Services Authority.

(140264)

198
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will introduce legislation restricting the sale of all fireworks (a) to persons over the age of 16 years and (b) during a limited period of time around 5th November; and if he will make a statement.

(140084)

199
N   Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if the compensation scheme for former Icelandic waters trawlermen will take into account periods of absence caused by (a) service in the Royal Naval Reserves and (b) studying for mates' and skippers' qualifications.

(139817)

200
   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what formal requirements there are for the Post Office to keep open (a) rural and (b) urban sub-post offices; and if he will make a statement.

(140452)

201
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the enforcement procedures for the (a) minimum wage and (b) Working Time Directive indicating the number of prosecutions secured to date.

(140091)

202
   Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many complaints of interference to domestic apparatus caused by amateur radio stations there were in (a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999.

(140516)

203
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what has been the average length of time taken to process a claim for compensation on behalf of coal-miners suffering from (a) emphysema and (b) chronic bronchitis; and what steps he is taking to speed up payments.

(140449)

204
   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what arrangements are being put in place for the maintenance of the ecology of the Dee Estuary in advance of the forthcoming water framework directive and the Dee Estuary Strategy.

(140430)

205
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list chronologically the actions taken since 1997 up to devolution to provide support for education services, in terms of (a) cash, (b) personnel and (c) policy initiatives, distinguishing between (i) nursery, (ii) primary, (iii) secondary, (iv) tertiary and (v) continuing education.

(140552)

206
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he list chronologically the actions taken from May 1997 up to devolution to provide support for the NHS, by way of (a) extra cash, (b) extra personnel and (c) policy initiatives, distinguishing where possible between primary and secondary health care and Wales-wide services and specialties.

(140553)

207
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent consultation he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales concerning the difficulties of the steel industry; and if he will make a statement.

(140555)

208
   Mr Barry Jones (Alyn and Deeside):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what consultations he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales concerning financial help for the County of Flintshire following the November flooding; and if he will make a statement on the national flood assistance money for (a) Flintshire and (b) Wales.

(140554)

209
   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many job losses there were in Wales, broken down by the lowest regional level for which data are available, for each of the last five years.

(140401)

210
   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will provide a breakdown by industry of the jobs created in Wales since 1st May 1997.

(140443)

211
   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list the job losses in Wales for each of the last five years, broken down by (a) sector and (b) industry.

(140442)

212
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what representations he has received concerning the powers of the Children's Commissioner for Wales.

(140450)

213
N   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which Minister has lead responsibility for the euro grid; and what is its annual budget.

[Transferred] (140282)

214
N   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which Minister has lead responsibility for co-ordinating the Government's statements and publicity on European matters.

[Transferred] (140277)

215
N   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the Government will set out its detailed response to the most recent draft of the proposed Treaty of Nice.

[Transferred] (140278)

216
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of commercial demand for a business park inside the Millennium Dome.

[Transferred] (140185)

217
   Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to ensure that the proposed reduction in lead-replacement petrol duty will be passed on by (a) petrol retailers and (b) oil companies to motorists.

[Transferred] (140445)

218
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will estimate the proportion of military attaches' time allocated to promoting military exports; and if he will indicate what priority this is given in their job description.

[Transferred] (140460)

219
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list chronologically the actions taken since 1997 to provide support for farmers, by way of (a) extra cash, (b) policy initiatives and (c) promotion of agricultural products.

[Transferred] (140456)