Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1999-2000
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Wednesday 29 November 2000

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 29 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.

WEDNESDAY 29th NOVEMBER

1
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the impact of the CAP on intensification in the (a) beef and veal and (b) dairy sectors; and if he will make a statement.

(140786)

2
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his Answer of 21st July, Official Report, columns 373-4W, on animal welfare, if he will make a statement on the work of the inter-departmental Ministerial Group on Animal Welfare and its progress in meeting its objectives.

(140795)

3
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what advice he has received from the Chairman of the Food Standards Agency about the safety of French beef.

(140856)

4
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what recent advice he has given to the Prime Minister about the safety of French beef.

(140850)

5
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will estimate the volume of French beef imported into the UK in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

(140852)

6
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what discussions he has had with European Agriculture Ministers about the implementation of uniform meat hygiene standards.

(140851)

7
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the support provided by his Department for biomass projects in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement on trends in the amount of land devoted to biomass production over this period.

(140992)

8
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how often the Thames Barrier is closed for testing purposes; and how many times it has failed to operate to the required standard.

(140967)

9
   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which regulations will be repealed as a result of the Better Regulation Task Force's review of environmental regulations and farmers.

(140833)

10
   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will make a statement on the administrative and running costs of the Better Regulation Task Force in each of the last three years.

(140834)

11
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the number of people who will have visited the Millennium Commission's sponsored events by the end of the year; and if he will make a statement.

(140764)

12
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to inspect the four Vanguard class submarines following the discovery of reactor defects on HMS Sceptre and HMS Tireless.

(140386)

13
N   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the total cost of nuclear decommissioning to his Department over the next 10 years; and if he will make a statement on how this will be funded.

(140388)

14
N   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many cases of death and serious injury to civilian and military personnel and members of the public have led to compensation payments by the (a) Army, (b) Navy and (c) RAF in each of the last 10 years; what total settlements were made in compensation cases involving death and injury for each year in the same period; and if he will make a statement.

(140752)

15
N   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Crown censures have been issued against the armed forces in each of the last 10 years as a consequence of death and injury cases involving civilian and military personnel and members of the public; and if he will make a statement.

(140753)

16
   Mr John Smith (Vale of Glamorgan):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the buildings at RAF St Athan and the purposes for which they are used.

(140988)

17
   Mr John Smith (Vale of Glamorgan):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the size of the site at Royal Air Force St Athan.

(140987)

18
   Mr John Smith (Vale of Glamorgan):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has for the future of RAF St Athan.

(140984)

19
   Mr John Smith (Vale of Glamorgan):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent representations he has received about the cost to the Royal Air Force of work undertaken by the Defence Aviation Repairs Agency.

(140985)

20
   Mr Douglas Alexander (Paisley South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has to introduce measures to tackle labour market access for the most disadvantaged groups; and if he will make a statement.

(140832)

21
N   Charlotte Atkins (Staffordshire Moorlands):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement about broadening access to information technology within disadvantaged communities.

(139192)

22
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if all young people will have access to a personal adviser with the Connexions Service; and what proportion are expected to need one.

(140389)

23
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what progress has been made in developing a training programme for personal advisers.

(140390)

24
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what guidance is being made available to local Connexions services in connection with the development of their business plans.

(140391)

25
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what arrangements have been made to evaluate the Connexions Service pilots.

(140392)

26
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what recent consultations he has held with employers and staff in (a) higher education and (b) further education into the state of industrial relations in these sectors.

(140393)

27
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on the results of the pilots for the New Deal for Disabled People and the incorporation of their experience into the national scheme.

(140395)

28
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on current recruitment to higher education, with particular reference to full-time enrolments for those with a background in socio-economic classes C2, D and E.

(140396)

29
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what reply he has sent to the recent publication by the National Union of Students' 'Equal Access or Elitist Entry'.

(140397)

30
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what proposals he has for extending the tolerance margin for recruitment deficits in further education into the first year of operation of the Learning and Skills Council.

(140398)

31
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what comparative studies he has commissioned into the rate of change of rents for student accommodation and public resources available to students.

(140399)

32
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what provision he has made for training teachers in the safe use of the internet in the classroom; what estimate he has made of the number of teachers who have received such training; what proportion of schools have received the super highway safety pack; and what plans he has to ensure all schools receive the pack.

(140791)

33
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make it his policy to allow local education authorities to act as monitors of minimum standards for internet service providers to schools and to stop non-monitored access of chatrooms in schools.

(140785)

34
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement about the provision of after school clubs.

(140857)

35
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what the aims of the named person scheme are for children with special educational needs; and what assessment he has made of the scheme.

(140858)

36
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list by local education authority the truancy figures and percentage of pupils involved in the last 10 years, indicating the factors at work where reductions have been most marked.

(140942)

37
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the local education authorities involved in the work related studies project, indicating in each case the value of the project and the progress in meeting their objectives.

(140941)

38
N   Mr Michael Jack (Fylde):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what (a) proposals and (b) reports he has received in the last 12 months from Lancashire County Council in connection with their plans to re-organise education provision for those with special needs or severe learning difficulties; and if he will place copies of them in the Library.

(140385)

39
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many teachers have (a) left and (b) joined the profession in the state sector in each of the last 10 years.

(140796)

40
N   Mr Jim Murphy (Eastwood):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement about the Government's policy on widening access to information technology within local communities.

(139194)

41
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the grant maintained (a) boys, (b) girls and (c) mixed sex Muslim schools.

(140965)

42
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when the Ghausia Girls High School in Nelson was inspected by OFSTED; how long the inspection took; how many inspectors were involved; and when the report will be published.

(140969)

43
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many teachers have started the National Qualification for Headteachers course, broken down by (a) government office region, (b) gender and (c) ethnic background in each recruitment cycle, from (i) primary, (ii) secondary including middle schools where appropriate and (iii) special schools; and how many in each group have (A) completed the course, (B) are continuing with the qualification and (C) have withdrawn.

(140855)

44
   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many people entered initial teacher training courses for (a) primary and (b) each secondary subject through (i) undergraduate, (ii) postgraduate and (iii) employment-based routes in each academic year from 1992-93 to 2000-01; and how many people in each intake have gained qualified teacher status to date.

(140854)

45
N   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Government's rural policy enables young people to have the opportunity to live in rural areas.

(139186)

46
   Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the geographic extent of the review of Marine Nature Conservation with regards to (a) distance offshore and (b) marine nature conservation in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

(140935)

47
   Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what the timetable is for his Department's review of marine nature conservation.

(140936)

48
   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he will announce his decision on the future of areas of special control of advertsements; and if he will make a statement.

(140874)

49
   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, to what point will the road fund licence rebates to the registered keeper in respect of cars under 1500 cc be backdated; and if he will make a statement.

(140938)

50
N   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 15th November, Official Report, column 652W, on London Underground, if he will provide the figures for the performance targets for the year April 1998 to March 1999.

(140427)

51
   Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list for (a) England and (b) London the average rent in (i) 1989-90, (ii) 1992-93, (iii) 1995-96, (iv) 1998-99 and (v) 1999-2000 (A) in pounds per week and (B) as a percentage of the relevant bottom quartile and bottom decile male earnings for (1) the average council dwelling, (2) the average housing association dwelling and (3) the average three room dwelling rented by a private tenant claiming housing benefit referred to the rent officer.

(140997)

52
   Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list for each local authority in England (a) the amount of housing HRA subsidy payable in 2000-01, (i) in total and (ii) per dwelling and (b) the projected figures for 2001-02.

(140998)

53
   Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list for (a) England and (b) each London borough for the years (i) 1979-80, (ii) 1985-86, (iii) 1990-91, (iv) 1993-94, (v) 1996-97 and (vi) 1999-2000, (A) the number of lettings, including nominations to housing associations by councils to new applicants, (B) the number of such lettings and dwellings of two or more bedrooms, (C) the number of acceptances of households as priority homeless and (D) the number of such acceptances where there were dependent children or a pregnant woman.

(141000)

54
   Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the total gross investment in housing for each of the OECD countries for (a) 1979-80, (b) 1989-90 and (c) 1999-2000 expressed as (i) a percentage of GDP and (ii) in pounds per million households.

(140999)

55
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what has been the annual turnover of the Improvement and Development Agency; and how much funding it has received to date from (a) central government and (b) local authorities.

(140794)

56
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the progress that has been made on interdepartmental co-ordination on initiatives aimed at urban regeneration.

(139185)

57
   Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what steps have been taken to publicise the 24 hour emergency telephone hotline for members of the public reporting information about fly-tipping incidents.

(140994)

58
   Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he will announce the allocation of the fund to promote new neighbourhood warden schemes in 2000-01 to 2002-03; and when new applications for funding starting in 2001-02 can be submitted.

(140989)

59
   Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what mechanism has been established to evaluate the performance of schemes supported by the fund to promote new neighbourhood warden schemes; and if he will make a statement.

(140990)

60
   Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many calls have been received by the Environment Agency's 24 hour emergency telephone hotline for members of the public reporting information about fly-tipping incidents since it was set up; and how many have resulted in the prosecution of suspected fly-tippers.

(140993)

61
N   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what measures his Department is taking to co-ordinate Government policy for rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the Rural White Paper.

(139200)

62
N   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions the Inland Revenue has had with the Lord Chancellor's Department concerning the benefit of judges' lodgings; and if he will make a statement.

(140788)

63
N   Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what response he has received from the European Commission to his request for a reduction in VAT for repairs to churches; and if he will make a statement.

(140590)

64
   Mr Jimmy Hood (Clydesdale):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the outcome was of the ECOFIN Council held in Brussels on 26th to 27th November; and if he will make a statement.

(140888)

65
   Mr Gareth R. Thomas (Harrow West):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what action she is taking to regulate the giving of advice on the selling of mortgage products.

(140900)

66
   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green and Bow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made with establishing the Peacekeeping College in Britain; and if he will make a statement.

(140845)

67
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the Government will ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Regional and Minority Languages.

(140798)

68
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who the British representative is to the Venice Commission.

(140799)

69
   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if, for the purposes of the Government's policy on qualified majority voting, Treaty Articles 24 TEU; 62(2)(a) TEC; 62(2)(b)(ii) TEC; 62(2)(b)(iv) TEC; 62(3) TEC; 63(2)(a) TEC; 63(3)(b) TEC; and 66 TEC fall within the definition of border controls.

(140966)

70
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the availability of BCG vaccine.

(140802)

71
N   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of potential adverse health effects of phenylpropanolamine in proprietary medicines

(140803)

72
   Mr David Borrow (South Ribble):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 19th July, Official Report, column 229W, what proportion of HIV prevention monies allocated to health authorities in 1998-99 was used for targeted prevention work with gay men, based on the AIDS (Control) Act 1987 reports submitted to his Department.

(140849)

73
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will publish a strategy document on people with learning disabilities.

(140394)

74
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, in what circumstances NHS trusts will top up the fees of a social services department funded nursing home placement; how many NHS trusts are topping-up; and how much trusts have spent on topping-up in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

(140793)

75
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list for each of the last 10 years the salaries and wages expenditure of (a) medical-dental, (b) nursing, (c) other NHS staff and (d) all other classifications, indicating the (i) percentage of total of NHS spending, (ii) average salary and (iii) percentage annual change in each classification.

(140995)

76
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list for each NHS trust the use of NHS hospitals by private patients in each of the last five years, indicating the revenue accruing to each trust (a) in actual terms and (b) as a percentage of trust revenue.

(140939)

77
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the rates of (a) long term illness and (b) infant mortality in each standard planning region; and what was the spending per head by the NHS in each region over the last three years.

(140991)

78
N   Mr David Hinchliffe (Wakefield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 12th July, Official Report, column 578W, on Jean Brett, on what basis the Eastern Regional Office concluded that no further action need to be taken in respect of the case of Mrs Jean Brett.

(140589)

79
   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green and Bow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to determine the actual number of patients consulting GPs in Tower Hamlets; and if he will adjust the formula used to fund GPs to reflect this number.

(140839)

80
   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green and Bow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will allocate extra resources to GP practices which serve populations with great mobility.

(140840)

81
   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green and Bow):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much of the extra funds recently announced for the NHS will be allocated specifically to general practitioners.

(140837)

82
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on his policy towards the access to treatment by the NHS for war pensioners.

(141010)

83
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will reply to the question tabled by the honourable Member for East Worthing and Shoreham of 17th March (Ref. 115126) regarding hospital waiting times.

(140800)

84
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nurses (a) joined and (b) left the nursing profession in the NHS in each of the last 10 years.

(140801)

85
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that children have access to NHS orthodontists.

(140968)

86
   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the Food Standard Agency's proposals for implementing the new European Union requirements to ban pithing in UK abattoirs.

(140958)

87
   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the proposals for implementing new European Union requirements to ban pithing; and what assessment he has made of its effect on the profitability of small-to-medium sized abattoirs.

(140928)

88
   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on the proposals for implementing the new European Union requirements to ban pithing in abattoirs.

(140959)

89
N   Norman Baker (Lewes):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what factors are taken into account in granting permission for marches to pass the Houses of Parliament whilst the Commons and Lords are sitting; and if he will make a statement.

(140790)

90
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many National Hi-Tech Crime Unit staff will (a) be dedicated to the policing of internet chatrooms, (b) have the priority of protection of children on the internet and (c) have specific training in dealing with child protection law; and what the framework for liaison between the internet crime squad child protection team and other police units will be.

(140792)

91
N   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the classification of GHB.

(139195)

92
   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make it his policy to collect information on anti-social behaviour orders by sub-division within each police authority.

(140846)

93
   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to carry out a regulatory impact assessment into the impact of fees to be charged by the Criminal Records Bureau on voluntary and charitable organisations working with young people; and if he will make a statement.

(140937)

94
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the use of the criminal law in furtherance of the Government's anti-drugs strategy.

(139395)

95
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for asylum have been processed in each of the (a) last six months and (b) last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

(140902)

96
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in each of the last five years, how many prison officers by grade have had (a) complaints made against their conduct generally and (b) complaints of ill-treatment of prisoners; in each case (i) how many were upheld, (ii) what was the nature of the offences, (iii) what penalties resulted and (iv) how many offences resulted in criminal charges; and if he will make a statement

(140559)

97
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how each young offender institution, including those managed privately, has performed against the key performance indicators in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(140548)

98
   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many murders in prisons in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years were found to be racially motivated.

(140957)

99
   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the closure of Blantyre House.

(140970)

100
   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many murders have been recorded in prisons in England and Wales for each of the last 10 years.

(140930)

101
   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the annual cost of running Blantyre House was in each of the last three years.

(140933)

102
   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many suicides there were in prisons in England and Wales for each of the last 10 years.

(140960)

103
   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the annual cost was per prisoner of running Blantyre House in each of the last three years.

(140972)

104
   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement about the risk assessment of inmates who share cells.

(140932)

105
   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many former prisoners from Blantyre House reoffended in each of the last five years.

(140934)

106
   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action he is taking to provide prison employees with (a) racial and (b) sexual orientation awareness training; and if he will make a statement.

(140931)

107
N   Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers (a) left and (b) joined the profession in each of the last 10 years.

(140797)

108
   Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the eight pilot schemes introduced in January allowing police forces to retain income from speeding fines in order to finance the operation and provision of speed cameras in their areas; and what plans he has to introduce the scheme nationwide.

(140973)

109
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much of the budget for the (a) Police Service and (b) Prison Service was spent in Wales in the last 12 months for which figures are available (i) in actual terms, (ii) as a percentage of total expenditure on these services and (iii) per head of population in Wales.

(141011)

110
N   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what assessment he has made of the value of judges' lodgings and associated expenditure as a benefit in kind for income tax purposes.

(140787)

111
N   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what guidance he issues to High Court judges, when completing their tax returns, in relation to the benefits in kind of judges' lodgings accommodation, entertaining and transport; and if he will make a statement.

(140789)

112
   Mr Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will place in the Library a transcript of the case of Rev Paul Lawson and Harry Lawson, 4th August 1998 to 13th August 1998.

(140838)

113
   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many (a) barristers and (b) solicitors have been appointed circuit judges in the last five years who have not sat previously as recorders.

(140847)

114
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):    To ask the Prime Minister, what response he has made to the letter sent to him on 13th November by the Reverend John Mosey of UK Families Flight 103, with particular reference to (a) the role of US government officials and (b) an international criminal court.

(139394)

115
   Mr Douglas Alexander (Paisley South):    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps he is taking to improve postal services in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

(140831)

116
   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel and South Downs):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what percentage of disability living allowance claims are referred to appeal; what are the key issues considered in appeals; and if he will make a statement.

(140875)

117
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if (a) widows and (b) widowers who were Far East prisoners of war are also entitled to the ex-gratia payment for their spouse in cases where the spouse was also a Far East prisoner.

(140929)

118
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many housing benefit best value inspections the Benefits Fraud Inspectorate has carried out in the current financial year; and which local authorities were inspected.

(140963)

119
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many claims for housing benefit have not been processed within 14 days since 1st April.

(140962)

120
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many amendments have been made to housing benefit regulations since 1st January.

(140961)

121
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his Answer of 17th November, Official Report, column 807W, on benefit fraud, if he will set out the specific measures of the direction issued to Northampton Borough Council.

(141006)

122
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list the local authorities that were allocated weekly benefit threshold savings below £60,000 in (a) 1998-99, (b) 1999-2000 and (c) 2000-01.

(141009)

123
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will (a) list the local authorities that failed to meet at least 75 per cent. of their weekly benefit savings thresholds and (b) detail the penalties incurred by each of those local authorities in (i) 1998-99 and (ii) 1999-2000.

(141008)

124
   Steve Webb (Northavon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will set out the weekly benefit savings thresholds allocated to each local authority in (a) 1998-99, (b) 1999-2000 and (c) 2000-01.

(141007)

125
   Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what factors he took into account in granting approval for oil and gas exploration of the White Zone between the Shetland and Faroe Islands.

(140886)

126
   Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will suspend further consideration of the 19th round of oil and gas licensing of environmentally sensitive areas to the west of the Shetland Islands until the regulations applying the EC Habitats Directive to the offshore industry have been implemented; and if he will list the sites requiring designation as special areas for conservation.

(140887)

127
N   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what financial liability will be passed on by BNFL to a successor authority; and how this liability will be funded.

(140387)

128
   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what his policy is regarding the de-linking of oil and gas prices; and if he will make a statement.

(140844)

129
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list for each of the last 10 years, the number of (a) complaints the Office of Fair Trading has received against debt collection agencies, (b) agencies whose licences have been revoked and (c) agencies which were found to be trading without a licence.

(140975)

130
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the trend of consumer complaints in the last 10 years.

(140940)

131
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, on how many occasions in each of the last 10 years the Director General of Fair Trading has used his powers under Part III of the Fair Trading Act 1973 to take action against traders whose actions were considered to be unfair to consumers.

(140974)

132
   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent discussions he has had with manufacturing industry on the level of sterling.

(140964)

133
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will assess a review of the factors affecting the number of petrol stations in rural areas which have closed during the past six months; and if he will make a statement.

(140835)

134
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many sub-postmasters have resigned in (a) the past three months, broken down by region and (b) the same three month period in each of the last three years.

(140843)

135
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will introduce a scheme to subsidise petrol stations in rural areas.

(140841)

136
   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make a statement on the allocation of funds to Wales under the Barnett formula in each of the last 10 years indicating the (a) amounts concerned and (b) percentage change in each year.

(140986)

137
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make a statement on the implications for legislation relating to the Welsh Development agency arising from the Pre-Budget Report (Cm 4917).

(140901)

138
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if French beef from cattle over 30 months old has entered the food chain in the United Kingdom in the last six months.

[Transferred] (140848)

139
   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what safeguards are in place to prevent French beef from cattle over 30 months being imported into the UK.

[Transferred] (140853)

140
   Mr Iain Coleman (Hammersmith and Fulham):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will list for (a) England and (b) London for each of the years 1990 to 2000 the number of private rented tenants claiming housing benefit for the years 1990-91 to 2000-01 inclusive, (i) the average eligible rent, (ii) the average amount of housing benefit paid per tenant and (iii) the total of housing benefit paid to private tenants.

[Transferred] (140996)

141
   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who took the decision to close Blantyre House.

[Transferred] (140971)

142
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will introduce a regulatory regime to stabilise the pump price of diesel in the United Kingdom at the November 1999 price.

[Transferred] (141001)

143
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what assessment he has made of the impact on the number of firms that will be able to put in applications to the Criminal Cases Review Commission into legal aid support following the introduction of the changes to the franchise requirements in April 2001.

[Transferred] (140836)

144
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon):    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how much legal aid was paid for appeals to the Criminal Cases Review Commission in each of the past three years.

[Transferred] (140842)