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House of Commons

Session 1999-2000 Publications on the internet The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Monday 13 December 1999 Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Monday 13 December 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.

MONDAY 13th DECEMBER
1	Dr Peter Brand (Isle of Wight): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when the regulations for inspection of live animals destined for export, enabling the Ministry to nominate which local veterinary inspector should examine a particular consignment, as announced in 1997, will be brought into effect.
	(102599)
2   N	Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what plans he has to compensate farmers who incur extra transport costs as a result of the withdrawal of the contract with West Devon Meats to slaughter cattle under the over thirty month scheme.
	(101912)
3   N	Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what were the reasons behind the decision to withdraw from West Devon Meats the contract to slaughter cattle under the over thirty months scheme.
	(101913)
4   N	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department.
	(102604)
5   N	Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what advice his Ministry gives to (a) hunts and (b) hunt kennels on the receipt of deadstock where (i) the dead animal is suspected of BSE and (ii) where BSE is present in the relevant herd.
	(102639)
6   N	Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many visits were made to each hunt kennel in the last two years by (a) his Department's veterinary surgeons and (b) his Department's officials.
	(102541)
7   N	Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what advice his Ministry gives to (a) hunts and (b) hunt kennels on the implication for hunts of measures to deal with specified risk material.
	(102540)
8	Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will name the areas of Forestry Commission land which he has approved for sale since May 1997 and give the acreage of each area.
	(102633)
9	Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when he plans to reply to the letter from the honorable Member for Ludlow dated 20th July concerning CJD and BSE.
	(102685)
10	Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if, in relation to the pet passport scheme, the French Government has agreed to his Department's officials carrying out inspections in French ports.
	(102713)
11	Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what representations he has received on the trading practices of Petmart; and what reponse he has made.
	(102759)
12   N	Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how the money promised by the Government in 1998 in order to tackle varroa disease and to educate beekeepers to become more self-reliant was spent; and if he will make a statement.
	(102454)
13   N	Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what is the country of origin of meat sold in his Department's buildings in the UK; and if he will make a statement.
	(102457)
14   N	Mr Richard Livsey (Brecon and Radnorshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when he will publish the Government's consultation paper concerning the future of the Agricultural Wages Board.
	(102564)
15	Dr Doug Naysmith (Bristol North West): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when he expects to receive the report of the Meat Industry Red Tape Working Group.
	(102771)
16	Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, on how many occasions he has (a) met the French Agriculture Minister and (b) spoken to him by telephone since 8th November.
	(102791)
17	Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how much the Phillips Inquiry into BSE has cost to date; and what estimate he has made of its final cost.
	(102790)
18	Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when the Phillips Inquiry into BSE will report.
	(102789)
19	Mr Peter L. Pike (Burnley): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the moratorium on the use of BST in (a) the UK and (b) the EU; and if he will make a statement.
	(102762)
20   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what discussions he plans to have with EU agriculture ministers about the over thirty months scheme; and if he will make a statement.
	(102219)
21   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what were the findings of the SEAC review into the over thirty months scheme; and if he will make a statement.
	(102218)
22   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the rules which (a) require and (b) allow food manufacturing companies to display the country of origin on their packaging for food sold in supermarkets; and if he will make a statement.
	(102190)
23   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will estimate how much will be paid to British farmers in 1999-2000 in support of their incomes by (a) the European Union and (b) the British Government; and if he will make a statement.
	(102223)
24   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the progress of the trials being carried out to counter TB as recommended by the Krebs report.
	(102222)
25   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what discussions he has had with European Union agriculture ministers about the level of regulation of farm assured schemes; what assessment he has made of the extent to which rules governing such schemes are being followed in other EU member states; and if he will make a statement.
	(102221)
26   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what rules govern the importing of dead poultry into the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
	(102220)
27   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on calf exports from the UK to other EU countries.
	(102216)
28   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement regarding the requirement by the European Union to label as British food goods which are to be sold in other EU countries.
	(102189)
29   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what regulations exist to ensure that food labelling is not misleading (a) generally and (b) regarding content and country of origin; and if he will make a statement.
	(102224)
30   N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the amount of money that will be paid under the Rural Development Regulations in each of the seven years from 2001, indicating the amount from each contributing budget.
	(102784)
31   N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will publish the percentages of direct payments under the CAP that will be modulated in each of the seven years from 2001.
	(102785)
32   N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the current level of expenditure under the Rural Development Regulations indicating the amount of funding that is received from the EU.
	(102783)
33   N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will publish the amount of the direct payments under the CAP that will be transferred to other payments through modulation in each of the seven years from 2001.
	(102786)
34   N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will publish the amount of the direct payments under the CAP that will be transferred from each sector that currently receives direct payments to other payments through modulation in each of the seven years from 2001.
	(102787)
35   N	Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which bodies are responsible for the administration and oversight of the Rural Enterprise Scheme.
	(102788)
36	Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much support has been made available for (a) action against illegal drugs and (b) education in schools regarding illegal drugs as a result of the seizure of the assets of convicted drug offenders; and how much she expects to be made available in each of the next three years.
	(102767)
37	Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much of the funding for the anti-drugs strategy made available under the Comprehensive Spending Review is to be spent each year on (a) drugs education in primary and secondary schools and (b) other forms of drugs education for children and young persons under 16 years of age.
	(102793)
38	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what percentage of the total workforce in her Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps she is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in her Department.
	(102739)
39   N	Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on external consultants and advisers since May 1997.
	(102100)
40   N	Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to her Answer of 24th November, Official Report, column 161W, on target setting, if she will list the Government's policy Coordinators appointed since May 1997, giving in each case the number of targets they have set to date, excluding any targets listed in her previous answer.
	(102068)
41	Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will list the number of (a) non-departmental public bodies and (b) task forces in England (i) on 1st May 1997, (ii) on 1st May 1998 and (iii) at the latest date for which figures are available.
	(102486)
42	Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will list the cases in which powers formerly held by non-departmental public bodies have been transferred to elected bodies since 1st May 1997.
	(102513)
43   N	Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many submissions he received during his consultation on the future funding of the BBC which were (a) in favour of and (b) opposed to a digital television licence fee, indicating the organisations and individuals in each case.
	(102409)
44   N	Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the impact of a digital television licence fee on the take-up of digital television services.
	(102416)
45   N	Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the impact of a digital television licence fee on levels of commercial investment in digital television technology.
	(102415)
46   N	Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if Pannell Kerr Forster will accept external submissions to their review of the future funding of the BBC.
	(102418)
47   N	Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of a digital television licence fee on the receipts from the sale of analogue broadcasting spectrum.
	(102410)
48   N	Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of a digital television licence fee on levels of commercial investment in digital television technology.
	(102414)
49   N	Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure that the views of the commercial broadcasting sector will be taken into account in the review of the BBC's funding being undertaken by Pannell Kerr Forster.
	(102417)
50   N	Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of a flat rate digital television licence fee on the effectiveness of Government policies to encourage social inclusion.
	(102413)
51   N	Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will publish the contracts between Sport England and Wembley National Stadium Ltd relating to the development of the national stadium.
	(102420)
52   N	Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will publish the correspondence between his Department and Sport England in relation to the redevelopment of Wembley Stadium.
	(102419)
53   N	Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of a digital television licence fee on the proposed date for analogue switch off.
	(102412)
54   N	Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of a digital television licence fee on receipts from the sale of analogue broadcasting spectrum.
	(102411)
55   N	Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will estimate the amount of public funds given to support sporting activities for (a) men and (b) women in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
	(102192)
56	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department.
	(102738)
57	Mr Howard Flight (Arundel and South Downs): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what his plans are for the future use of those parts of Osborne House not once occupied personally by Queen Victoria and opened to the public, and of the grounds; and if he will make a statement.
	(102570)
58   N	Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on external consultants and advisers since May 1997.
	(102075)
59	Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will investigate the possibility of relocating the proposed new Olympic Stadium in Manchester.
	(102715)
60	Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will introduce legislation to require sports clubs to insure team members against personal injury.
	(102502)
61   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make a statement on his plans to review the law prohibiting religious organisations from holding national radio broadcasting licences.
	(102215)
62	Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make transitional arrangements to assist those living in households containing a resident aged over 75 years who buys a television licence which extends into the period when such households no longer have to pay the licence fee.
	(102621)
63   N	Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects (a) the first Apache helicopter to be flying in the United Kingdom and (b) the first squadron to be available for deployment on operations.
	(101861)
64	Mr Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, where the new Army Foundation College is to be based.
	(102579)
65	Mr Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the site for the new Army Foundation College is designated (a) green field or (b) brown field.
	(102578)
66	Mr Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the conclusions of the value for money exercise conducted in determining the location of the new Army Foundation College.
	(102580)
67	Mr Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what public subsidy has been offered to develop the site of the new Army Foundation College.
	(102577)
68	Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Royal Naval vessels made overseas visits during the last 12 months; and if he will list (a) the countries visited and (b) the length of each visit.
	(102709)
69	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department.
	(102737)
70   N	Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the firing of depleted uranium shells at the Kirkcudbright range; and if he will estimate the approximate number of shells which landed in the waters of the Solway in the last 15 years.
	(102452)
71	Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if a D Notice has been issued in respect of Flight-Lieutenant Deborah Burns, Royal Air Force.
	(102568)
72   N	Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on external consultants and advisers since May 1997.
	(102073)
73	Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the incidence of birth deformities in areas where ordnance containing depleted uranium has been used.
	(102581)
74	Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the Department of Trade and Industry over the A400M programme.
	(102744)
75	Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the out-sourcing of water supplies and sewage treatment at his Department's sites.
	(102743)
76	Mr Andrew Hunter (Basingstoke): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the occupation and unoccupation levels of (a) former and (b) current MoD-owned housing in Hampshire.
	(102602)
77   N	Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many hostile aircraft have been shot down by Royal Air Force and Royal Navy fighters in the past 25 years; and if he will make a statement.
	(102455)
78   N	Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what will be the total cost to his Department of redundancy and associated entitlement monies paid to servicemen from the non-regular permanent staff of the Territorial Army made redundant under the terms of the Strategic Defence Review; and if he will make a statement.
	(101921)
79   N	Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the non-regular permanent staff of the Territorial Army are due to be made redundant under the terms of the Strategic Defence Review; and if he will make a statement.
	(101922)
80   N	Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the country of origin of beef sold to UK forces (a) in the UK, (b) in Gibraltar, (c) in the Falkland Isles, (d) in Kosovo and (e) in Bosnia; and if he will make a statement.
	(102456)
81   N	Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if (a) staff (i) in the NAAFI, (ii) in DERA and (iii) of civilian contractors and (b) their dependants are eligible for forces legal aid.
	(102585)
82   N	Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the sum available this year for legal aid in respect of each armed service; and what sums will be available in the next three years to take account of proposed legislation in the Armed Forces Discipline Bill [Lords].
	(102586)
83   N	Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for each of the three armed services, who is eligible for forces legal aid; and what are the criteria which must be met.
	(102587)
84   N	Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, under what circumstances civilians are eligible for forces legal aid.
	(102588)
85   N	Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what incidents have involved RAF Chinooks in the last two weeks of November; and if he will make a statement.
	(102565)
86	Mr Richard Ottaway (Croydon South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 8th December, Official Report, column 560W, concerning the withdrawal of naval vessels from planned exercises, if he will list (a) the exercises the vessels were withdrawn from and (b) the reasons for withdrawal.
	(102714)
87   N	Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the inquiry by the Air Accident Investigations Branch into the RAF Chinook crash on the Mull of Kintyre was independent of his Department; and if he will make a statement.
	(101402)
88   N	Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if reports by the Air Accident Investigation Branch into military accidents are placed in the public domain.
	(101403)
89	Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what research he has commissioned on the impact on health of oxide dust created by the use of depleted uranium weapons.
	(102747)
90   N	Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, for each year since 1990, what has been the (a) number and (b) proportion of applications for enrolment in higher education institutions in England from (a) men, (b) women and (c) ethnic minorities.
	(101946)
91   N	Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list for students enrolling in higher education institutions in England in each year since 1990, the number of (a) full-time, (b) part-time, (c) mature, (d) male (e) female and (f) ethnic minority students; and what was the total enrolment.
	(101948)
92   N	Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will estimate the additional annual cost of support for students attending higher education institutions in England if the support arrangements applicable in 1979, including grants uprated by inflation, were to be applied to the number of students in the 1998-99 academic year.
	(101950)
93   N	Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, for each year since 1990, what (i) number and (ii) proportion of applicants for (a) full-time and (b) part-time courses in higher education institutions in England came from low-income family backgrounds.
	(101944)
94   N	Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, for each year since 1990, what (i) number and (b) proportion of (a) full-time students and (b) part-time students enrolling in higher education institutions in England came from low-income family backgrounds.
	(101945)
95   N	Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, for the 1998-99 academic year, what (i) number and (ii) percentage of full-time students enrolled in higher education institutions in England were assessed as being required to pay (a) the full tuition fee, (b) no tuition fee and (c) some tuition fee.
	(101947)
96   N	Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has to expand the network of city technology colleges.
	(102194)
97	Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has to change the guidance to local education authorities on pupil:staff ratios in nursery (a) classes and (b) schools; and how many in each category have a ratio above the current recommended level.
	(102555)
98	Mrs Anne Campbell (Cambridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will give the standard spending assessment per pupil for the primary and secondary sectors by local education authority for England and Wales for 2000-01.
	(102694)
99	Mrs Anne Campbell (Cambridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will estimate the revenue resources allocated to Cambridgeshire local education authority for 1999-2000 and the percentage increase this represents over the previous year in (a) real terms and (b) cash terms.
	(102696)
100	Mrs Anne Campbell (Cambridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will give the standard spending assessment per pupil for the primary and secondary sectors for (a) Cambridgeshire and (b) Suffolk for each year from 1990-91 to 2000-01, adjusted for inflation at current values.
	(102695)
101	Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the outcome of the appeal to the Data Protection Registrar by the National Union of Teachers against his Department using home addresses collected for pension purposes and the General Teaching Council elections; and if he will make a statement.
	(102773)
102	Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when he will publish the responses to the consultation paper, The General Teaching Council for England: The Rights of Teachers and the Government's conclusions.
	(102772)
103	Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what level of support is being made available by his Department to primary and secondary schools for the delivery of drugs education in the financial year 1999-2000; and how much will be available in the following two years.
	(102794)
104   N	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has to encourage the growth of co-operatives.
	(102483)
105	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department.
	(102736)
106	Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, in relation to a petition needed to trigger a ballot on the future of grammar schools in Barnet, (a) what is the total number of signatures required for a petition, (b) what methods exist (i) for the parents seeking change, to validate the total required and (ii) for independent validation of the total required and (c) who has provided the data on which the number of signatures required is based.
	(102757)
107	Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list, in relation to petitions needed to trigger ballots on the future of grammar schools in Barnet, (a) the names of the schools in respect of which parents are eligible to be ballotted and (b) the number of parents eligible to be ballotted in each of these schools; and how many children transferred to each of the Barnet grammar schools from each of the primary schools in each of the last three years.
	(102755)
108   N	Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the size of each grant awarded to each Sure Start area.
	(102200)
109   N	Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what percentage of the population of England will be covered by Sure Start areas by March 2002.
	(102198)
110   N	Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what percentage of the population of England is covered by the 60 Sure Start areas announced to date.
	(102199)
111   N	Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how much his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on external consultants and advisers since May 1997.
	(102080)
112	Mr Michael Foster (Worcester): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what plans he has to introduce an individual student tracking system for measuring students' progress through the qualification system.
	(102500)
113   N	Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is the employment status of the Head of the Standards and Effectiveness Unit at the Department for Education and Employment.
	(102195)
114	Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the figures for section 11 funding for (i) Middlesbrough, (ii) Stockton, (iii) Hartlepool and (iv) Redcar and Cleveland local authorities for the last three years.
	(102640)
115	Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many people have joined the New Deal in the (i) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, (ii) Middlesbrough, (iii) Redcar, (iv) Stockton North, (v) Stockton South and (vi) Hartlepool constituencies since the national launch.
	(102481)
116	Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list those primary and secondary schools and further education colleges in (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire which have given students access to the Internet since 1st May 1997; and if he will make a statement.
	(102460)
117   N	Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, to which unit of his Department the external assessors employed as part of the proposed threshold arrangements for teachers will be allocated; what their management structure will be; and how many will be employed on (a) permanent and (b) fixed-term contracts.
	(102615)
118   N	Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many external assessors will be employed under the proposed threshold arrangments for teachers; and what the budget is for these staff.
	(102614)
119   N	Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many applications have been received from head teachers for early retirement under the Government's proposals; and if he will list the criteria under which these applications will be determined.
	(102613)
120	Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many young people have gained employment through the New Deal in each constituency.
	(102589)
121	Mr Martin Salter (Reading West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what response he has had to the consultation on post-16 learning, following the publication of the White Paper, Learning to Succeed; and if he will make a statement.
	(102745)
122	Ms Candy Atherton (Falmouth and Camborne): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what guidance he has given on the collation of data for the Sea Rescues and Emergencies Database.
	(102561)
123	Ms Candy Atherton (Falmouth and Camborne): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the inclusion of rescues by local authority lifeguards within the Sea Rescue Emergencies Database.
	(102563)
124	Mr David Atkinson (Bournemouth East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what the reason is for the length of time taken to respond to Singapore Airlines' request for fifth freedom rights from London Heathrow Airport; and if he will make a statement.
	(102686)
125	Mrs Helen Brinton (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he will publish the gender audit of public transport commissioned by his Department.
	(102479)
126	Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, for what reasons (a) time savings to road users are incorporated in net present value calculations of the benefits of road capital schemes and (b) time savings to rail users are excluded from rail investment appraisals.
	(102597)
127	Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, in which negotiations about new air services between London and the United States (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department have been involved since 1997; and what criteria determined the level of ministerial involvement in each case.
	(102779)
128	Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he received from British Airways and Virgin Atlantic prior to the granting of a slot to United Airlines to operate an air service between Boston and Heathrow; and if he will make a statement.
	(102780)
129	Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the decisions by the United States Administration and Her Majesty's Government to allow (a) British Airways to commence a service between Denver and Gatwick and (b) US Airways to commence a service between Charlotte and Gatwick were taken (i) jointly or (ii) separately.
	(102797)
130	Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions he held with the US Secretary of Transportation before agreeing to grant a slot to United Airlines to operate an air service between Boston and Heathrow; and if he will make a statement.
	(102782)
131	Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 2nd December, Official Report, column 277w, on the uniform business rate, when he expects information on the projected yield of the uniform business rate in England for 2000-01 to be available.
	(102812)
132	Mr Tony Clarke (Northampton South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when the Government will introduce legislation to restrict the height to which (a) leylandii trees and (b) hedges will be allowed to grow next to the boundaries of properties.
	(102705)
133	Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the major road improvement schemes that are now taking place within the Greater London area.
	(102708)
134	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department.
	(102740)
135	Mr Jim Dobbin (Heywood and Middleton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what was the outcome of the Transport Council held in Brussels on 9th-10th December; and if he will make a statement.
	(102635)
136   N	Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how much his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on external consultants and advisers since May 1997.
	(102071)
137	Mr Sam Galbraith (Strathkelvin and Bearsden): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to introduce legislation for compulsory proofing of premises against birds; and if he will make a statement.
	(102498)
138	Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the revenue to be derived from implementing the integrated pollution prevention and control regulation.
	(102582)
139   N	Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how much has been spent to date on (a) legal, (b) financial and (c) other consultancy costs for the London Underground public-private partnership for each of the three proposed infrastructure companies.
	(102247)
140	Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will establish a research group to provide advice on sleep-related incidents across the transport modes.
	(102506)
141	Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the number of road crashes in which sleep is a contributory factor; and if he will make a statement.
	(102503)
142	Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what advice he plans to issue to drivers to reduce the incidence of sleep-related road crashes.
	(102505)
143	Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will review the levels of capital and income disregards for the benefits for which his Department is responsible.
	(102511)
144	Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what research his Department is undertaking into sleep-related road crashes.
	(102504)
145   N	Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how the Government intends to deal with future housing allocations in local authority areas which have no brownfield sites left.
	(102217)
146	Sir Nicholas Lyell (North East Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what representations he has received as to the ability of Councillor Keith May to speak on behalf of his electorate in relation to former Land Settlement Association property; and if he will make a statement.
	(102716)
147   N	Sir David Madel (South West Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when he will announce his decision on calling in the application for his determination and examination by a public inquiry in respect of the planning application by Asda Stores Ltd. for the redevelopment of the Queensway Hall site in Dunstable town centre; and if he will make a statement.
	(101981)
148	Mr Richard Ottaway (Croydon South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when work will commence on the Coulsdon Inner Relief Road.
	(102501)
149   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to change the planning regulations on permitted development rights relating to the inserting of windows into existing walls of properties, in connection with the plans to control the height of hedges and other such trees; and if he will make a statement.
	(102211)
150   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the amount of the business rate carried forward from the 1999-2000 to the 2000-01 local government settlement.
	(102518)
151   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to change planning law to enable a third party to appeal to the Secretary of State against a planning decision made by the local authority; and if he will make a statement.
	(102207)
152   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to bring the height of hedges and similar trees under planning law; and if he will make a statement
	(102212)
153   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how much was collected in business rates from businesses in (a) Gloucestershire, (b) Tewkesbury and (c) Cheltenham in the last three years for which figures are available; and how much he expects will be collected in 1999-2000 and 2000-01.
	(102208)
154	Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what reports have been received by his Department from the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate in respect of its investigation into the quality control of plutonium MOX fuel manufactured at Sellafield.
	(102484)
155	Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what are the projected costs for the Rail Regulator for the financial years (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01.
	(102752)
156	Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what are the projected costs of the Civil Aviation Authority for the financial years (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01.
	(102758)
157	Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what are the budgeted costs of Offwat for the financial years (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01.
	(102746)
158	Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what are the projected costs of the Health and Safety Executive for the financial years (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01.
	(102750)
159	Mr John Wilkinson (Ruislip-Northwood): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many drivers of hackney carriages in Greater London have had their licences revoked in each of the last five years.
	(102451)
160   N	Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the case of a single person starting work on 1st January earning (a) (i) 50 per cent. and (ii) 75 per cent. of average earnings, (b) average earnings, (c) 150 per cent., (d) 200 per cent, (e) 300 per cent. and (f) 400 per cent. of average earnings, how much income tax that person would pay over a working lifetime of 40 years based on current rates of income tax and assuming an annual increase in average earnings of 2 per cent. per annum.
	(101949)
161   N	Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many domestic mortgages, underwritten with endowment policies, matured with a shortfall in the sum insured in (a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c) 1997, and (d) 1998.
	(102153)
162	Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 2nd December, Official Report, column 289w, on business rates, what his estimate is of the total amount to be collected in rates in England in (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01; and what multiplier for inflation he used to calculate the real terms difference between the two figures.
	(102813)
163	Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the impact on exchequer income of reducing the excise duty on lead replacement fuel to the level for unleaded fuel.
	(102774)
164   N	Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what statutory provisions govern the type of securities which underpin private pension annuities; and what plans he has to review those provisions.
	(102446)
165	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department.
	(102726)
166   N	Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on external consultants and advisers since May 1997.
	(102076)
167   N	Mr Michael Howard (Folkestone and Hythe): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate how much the United Kingdom would have lost through the decline in the value of the euro if it had joined economic and monetary union on 1st January, taking into account the obligation of member states to contribute (a) to the establishment of the initial share capital of the European Central Bank and (b) to the exchange reserves of the ECB; and if he will set out the assumptions made in calculating the answer.
	(102603)
168	Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will hold a further consultation with the Professional Contractors Group over the proposed change in the definition of employment status.
	(102764)
169	Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the Financial Services Authority will regulate buy-to-let mortgages.
	(102509)
170	Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is his timetable for announcing the outcome of his consultation on the regulation of mortgages.
	(102508)
171	Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will meet the Chairman of the Inland Revenue and honourable Members representing former land settlement tenants to seek to establish a resolution to the tax issues relating to their compensation agreed with the Ministry of Agriculture in 1991.
	(102569)
172   N	Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the questions submitted by his Department for inclusion in the next wave of questions for the Cabinet Office's Citizens' Panel.
	(102322)
173	Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have benefited from the 10p tax rate in each constituency.
	(102596)
174	Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families will benefit from the working families tax credit by constituency.
	(102591)
175	Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many teenage pregnancies there were in each constituency in each of the past 10 years.
	(102616)
176	Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what are the projected costs of the Financial Services Authority for the financial years (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01.
	(102753)
177   N	Sir Peter Tapsell (Louth and Horncastle): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, to what extent the sales of gold reserves by the Bank of England are intended as a contribution towards the stability of bullion banks.
	(102148)
178   N	Sir Peter Tapsell (Louth and Horncastle): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for how many central banks the Bank of England acts as a depository for the leasing of their gold reserves.
	(102150)
179   N	Sir Peter Tapsell (Louth and Horncastle): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if 40 per cent. of the proceeds from the gold sales by the Bank of England have been put into the Euro; and at what prices.
	(102149)
180   N	Sir Peter Tapsell (Louth and Horncastle): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, by what criteria the Treasury will judge the success or failure of its policy to sell 415 tonnes of the gold reserves.
	(102151)
181   N	Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford and Southend East): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much gold has been sold by the Bank of England since he instructed the Bank to undertake such sales; and what was the average price per ounce received from each such sale.
	(102069)
182   N	Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford and Southend East): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the total amount of euro-based currencies acquired by the Bank of England since the initiation of gold sales; and what was the average price per euro in each such purchase.
	(102070)
183	Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many items of data were inputted onto national insurance records held on the NIRS II computer system in (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and (c) 1999-2000 to date.
	(102795)
184	Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much money was received by the Exchequer in each of the financial years 1994-95 to 1998-99 as a result of the re-instatement of public service employees who were mis-sold personal pensions into public service pension schemes.
	(102796)
185	Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 6th December, Official Report, column 448w, if he will provide a breakdown of receipts in respect of public service employees mis-sold personal pensions being reinstated into public service pension schemes, including the (a) number of employees involved, (b) public sector schemes of which they were members and (c) average payment.
	(102815)
186	Mr David Atkinson (Bournemouth East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Chinese Government concerning (a) religious liberty in China and (b) the treatment of house church leaders in China.
	(102684)
187   N	Mr Ben Bradshaw (Exeter): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress was made on a common foreign and security policy at the Helsinki Summit.
	(100990)
188	Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of recent progresss in co-operation with China in tackling international crime.
	(102704)
189	Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to increase the number of students studying in the UK and ensure that the target number of students from (a) China and (b) Hong Kong by 2000-01 will be met.
	(102701)
190	Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement about the role of the British Government in encouraging China to continue its process of political reform.
	(102702)
191	Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to promote tourism in Britain by Chinese citizens.
	(102700)
192	Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the progress in China's observance of human rights after the UK and China's human rights dialogue in September.
	(102703)
193	Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he discussed further co-operation in the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction when he met President Jiang Zemin during his visit to Britain.
	(102742)
194	Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy that British mineral water be served at British embassies in Europe.
	(102770)
195	Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, under what statutory authority staff at British embassies within the European Union are able to purchase alcohol duty-free.
	(102769)
196	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department.
	(102734)
197   N	Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reason he seeks to terminate the employment of Mr Hans van Sponeck as a UN co-ordinator in Baghdad.
	(102449)
198   N	Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on external consultants and advisers since May 1997.
	(102074)
199   N	Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 6th December, Official Report, column 406, on the use of torture in OSCE participating countries, if he will list the parts of the OSCE region in which instances of abuse persist.
	(102321)
200	Ms Tess Kingham (Gloucester): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) representations he has received from and (b) meetings he and his officials have held with, which organisations concerning the indictment of Jonas Savimbi for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
	(102490)
201	Ms Tess Kingham (Gloucester): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what meetings he (i) has had and (ii) plans to have, with (a) the Government of Morocco and (b) POLISARIO to discuss the situation in Western Sahara and the UN referendum process.
	(102491)
202	Ms Tess Kingham (Gloucester): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that UN sanctions against UNITA in Angola are implemented effectively.
	(102492)
203   N	Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he will announce the name of the United Kingdom representative to the Venice Commission.
	(101980)
204	Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list those countries which (a) have applied for membership of the EU and (b) are investigating the possibility of applying for membership within the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement.
	(102459)
205   N	Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, the honourable Member for Warwickshire North, will reply to the honourable Member for New Forest West's letter of 7th October regarding Mr Dahunsi.
	(102423)
206	Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the honourable Member for Gosport will receive a full reply to his representations on behalf of Mr O about UK entry clearance (Migration and Visa Correspondence Unit reference GV 100/54641).
	(102583)
207	Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he proposes to answer the question tabled by the honourable Member for Waveney on 24th November concerning the terms of reference of the National Burn Care Review (ref. 100497).
	(102600)
208   N	Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, (a) how many patients were treated, (b) what was the number of (i) beds and (ii) consultant surgeons and (c) what was the revenue budget for the financial year 1998-99 for (A) the Royal Marsden Hospital in London and (B) the Christie Hospital in Manchester.
	(102514)
209   N	Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the designated cancer centre for surgery in each region of England.
	(102461)
210   N	Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what safety training is mandatory for social care staff.
	(102386)
211   N	Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many incidents of violence have been recorded against social workers in each of the last five years; what measures his Department takes to monitor such incidents; and what plans he has to review the monitoring process.
	(102385)
212	Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what evaluation his Department has made of the role physiotherapists play in cutting waiting lists and reducing patients' stay in hospital.
	(102556)
213	Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many physiotherapists left the NHS in each of the last five years.
	(102557)
214	Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the (a) NHS and (b) Social Service budget for alcohol rehabilitation programmes in the current year.
	(102552)
215	Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS physiotherapy posts are vacant in each health region in England.
	(102558)
216	Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the estimated cost to the NHS of alcohol-related illness and accidents for each of the last five years.
	(102559)
217	Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many AS1 emergency calls were received by the London Ambulance Service on 26th October; how many AS2 urgent requests for ambulances were received on that date; and what is the (a) average and (b) longest time taken to respond to calls in each category.
	(102777)
218	Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to receive the further report by Sheffield University into the effectiveness of NHS Direct; and if he will place a copy of the report in the Library.
	(102776)
219	Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many additional (a) oncologists and (b) other consultants specialising in the care of cancer will be recruited under his plans for treating cancer.
	(102768)
220	Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many additional places in local authority secure accommodation have been provided since 1st May 1997; and how many he plans to provide.
	(102766)
221	Mr Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department spent on the treatment of diabetes and diabetic complications in each of the last three years, expressed (a) in absolute terms and (b) as a proportion of the total NHS budget.
	(102575)
222	Mr Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish statistics relating to the comparative performance of diabetic clinics throughout the UK.
	(102576)
223   N	Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what basis, and on what assessment of performance, each of the local social service authorities were identified for special government scrutiny; and in what form, and over what period, this scrutiny is to take place.
	(102421)
224	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department.
	(102735)
225   N	Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster and Wyre): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost of extending eligibility as defined in Clause 1 of the Children (Leaving Care) Bill [Lords] to young people up to the age of 21 years.
	(102201)
226   N	Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support is provided by his Department for partners and near relatives of terminally-ill patients.
	(102536)
227	Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the Prescription Pricing Authority will resume paying actual prices of drugs to pharmacies.
	(102641)
228	Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the Prescription Pricing Authority's current backlog of unprocessed prescriptions.
	(102706)
229   N	Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on external consultants and advisers since May 1997.
	(102099)
230	Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to review the NHS guidelines for the treatment of people from abroad.
	(102610)
231	Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list (a) the centres which are currently open for in-patient treatment for drug addiction within the NHS and (b) those that have closed in the last five years, with dates of closure.
	(102698)
232	Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many government-funded needle exchange services are available for drug addicts (a) in the North West region and (b) in England and Wales.
	(102699)
233	Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioners have (a) practised, (b) retired and (c) been appointed in the Bolton South-East constituency in each of the last three years; and how many of them worked in single doctor practices.
	(102763)
234	Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many physiotherapists have been employed by the NHS through agencies in the last five years; and what steps he has taken to reduce expenditure in this area.
	(102692)
235	Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many vacancies there are currently in high security hospitals for (a) nurses, (b) nursing assistants, (c) occupational therapists, (d) forensic psychologists and (e) psychiatrists; and what the figures were in May.
	(102697)
236	Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the membership of the governing committee of the National Radiological Protection Board and their registered interests; and if he will make a statement.
	(102601)
237	Mr Jim Murphy (Eastwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the health and social care concordat.
	(102693)
238   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on his progress towards regulating children's homes where four or fewer children are accommodated.
	(102213)
239   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the provision of home chiropody services by health authorities in England and Wales.
	(102214)
240	Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many prostate cancer operations there were in each health authority in each of the past 10 years.
	(102592)
241	Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many haemophiliacs there are infected by blood containing hepatitis C in each health authority area.
	(102594)
242	Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many operations in which women have had a non-cancerous cervix removed there were in each of the past 10 years.
	(102593)
243   N	Mr Shaun Woodward (Witney): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when his Department will reply to the letter of the honourable Member for Witney of 5th May regarding a constituent, Dr Kate Cropper.
	(102191)
244	Ms Candy Atherton (Falmouth and Camborne): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received on making the provision of lifeguards a statutory responsibility for local authorities.
	(102560)
245	Ms Candy Atherton (Falmouth and Camborne): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to make the provision of lifeguards on popular tourist beaches a statutory responsibility of local authorities.
	(102562)
246   N	Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for each of the years 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998, what percentage of defendants appearing before magistrates' courts were found guilty, having pleaded not guilty.
	(101943)
247	Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people are waiting to have their application for a resident's visa processed.
	(102499)
248	Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has in respect of safeguarding homes in Devon and Cornwall against the rise in property crime forecast by his Department.
	(102683)
249   N	Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what reasons underlie the length of time taken by his Department to consider the urgent request to a Minister for permission to visit the UK in the case of the Sengunes family.
	(102598)
250	Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the number of convictions for crimes where alcohol abuse was a factor in each of the last three years.
	(102553)
251	Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much his Department spent on alcohol rehabilitation programmes and alcohol abuse prevention programmes in each of the last three years.
	(102551)
252	Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the number of arrests made by each police force in England and Wales where alcohol abuse was a factor in each of the last three years.
	(102554)
253	Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people in each of the last three years who would otherwise have qualified as refugees have been excluded from protection and refused asylum on the grounds that they have committed acts sufficiently serious to render them as not deserving of protection under the 1951 UN convention relating to the status of refugees.
	(102778)
254	Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what date exceptional leave to remain was withdrawn, and when he expects a final decision to be taken, in the case of Sayyad Ali Ghamety Boland.
	(102775)
255	Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many 15 and 16 year olds are currently held on remand in prison; in which prisons; and what plans he has to end the practice of remanding 15 and 16 year olds in adult prisons.
	(102792)
256	Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding is made available by his Department for help in setting up neighbourhood watch schemes.
	(102707)
257	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department.
	(102733)
258	Julia Drown (South Swindon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Government will announce the conclusions of the review of the effectiveness of the register of sex offenders.
	(102711)
259	Julia Drown (South Swindon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to introduce measures for the monitoring of sex offenders who travel.
	(102712)
260   N	Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on external consultants and advisers since May 1997.
	(102097)
261	Mr John Greenway (Ryedale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of British citizens eligible to register as overseas electors.
	(102517)
262	Mr John Greenway (Ryedale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of British citizens resident outside the UK who have resided outside the UK for more than 20 years.
	(102515)
263	Mr John Greenway (Ryedale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of British citizens eligible to register as overseas electors who have resided outside the United Kingdom for (a) five years or less and (b) more than five years, but less than (i) 10 years, (ii) 15 years and (iii) 20 years.
	(102516)
264   N	Mr Archy Kirkwood (Roxburgh and Berwickshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the findings of the pilot project into the provision of disinfecting tablets in prisons to reduce transmission of HIV and hepatitis viruses will be made available.
	(102206)
265   N	Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the progress of Operation Lancet into the Cleveland Police Force under its recently appointed investigating officer.
	(102146)
266   N	Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of Cleveland Police on matters concerning Regulation 6 disciplinary notices relating to senior police officers and Operation Dollar.
	(102196)
267   N	Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the progress of Operation Dollar into the Cleveland Police Force, indicating the person responsible as the investigating officer of the operation.
	(102147)
268   N	Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will meet the Chairman of the Cleveland Police Authority to discuss matters concerning Regulation 6 disciplinary notices relating to senior police officers and Operation Dollar.
	(102197)
269   N	Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training is being given to (a) the police service and (b) the Prison Service on the implications for their work of the incorporation of the Convention on Human Rights into United Kingdom law.
	(101979)
270   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will estimate how many people claiming political asylum arrived in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
	(102210)
271   N	Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were (a) accepted and (b) rejected for political asylum in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
	(102209)
272   N	Mr William Ross (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the cost of a person voting by post at a (a) parliamentary and (b) local government election.
	(102543)
273	Mr William Ross (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the cost of a person casting their vote at a polling station.
	(102544)
274	Mr William Ross (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is his estimate of the cost of registering an elector on the electoral register in England and Wales; and what is the cost of entering a name to correct an omission from the register.
	(102545)
275	Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the number of police officers in each police authority in Wales for 1999.
	(102617)
276	Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of violent crime involving air guns there have been in each of the past 10 years.
	(102611)
277	Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) fatalities and (b) woundings involving air rifles there have been in each of the past 10 years.
	(102612)
278   N	Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 6th December, Official Report, column 391, on 2 Marsham Street, if he intends to maintain the current rate of expenditure in 2000.
	(102193)
279   N	Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received concerning the proposal for a Council regulation amending Reg(EC) No. 1251/99 on the use of hemp seed.
	(102496)
280	Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make it his policy to establish a prison in the north of Wales to enable prisoners from that area to be held within reach of their own communities.
	(102497)
281	Mr John Wilkinson (Ruislip-Northwood): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, under what powers the Metropolitan Police considers complaints against hackney carriage drivers in Greater London levelled by members of the general public.
	(102453)
282   N	Mrs Ann Winterton (Congleton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of the money awarded to police forces in England and Wales to fund arrest referral schemes for drug-misusing offenders is to be derived from (a) his Department's office budget and (b) the overall drugs misuse strategy and UK National Plan budget; how much money this will be; and if he will make a statement.
	(102567)
283   N	Mrs Ann Winterton (Congleton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of the money awarded to police forces in England and Wales to fund arrest referral schemes for drug-misusing offenders is in addition to the Goverment's current total drugs misuse strategy and UK National Plan Budget; and if he will make a statement.
	(102566)
284	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what percentage of the total workforce in her Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps she is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in her Department.
	(102732)
285   N	Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on external consultants and advisers since May 1997.
	(102079)
286   N	Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when she will release for consultation the target strategy papers currently being drafted.
	(102203)
287   N	Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will set out her Department's strategy on strengthening civil society following the consultation process earlier this year.
	(102202)
288   N	Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how she plans to evaluate the effectiveness of the UN International Drugs Control Programme's drug reduction programme in drug-producing regions.
	(102494)
289   N	Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department provides for Kashmiri refugees in Pakistan.
	(102495)
290	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department.
	(102730)
291   N	Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how much his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on external consultants and advisers since May 1997.
	(102072)
292   N	Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what training is being given to the judiciary on the implications for their work of the incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights into United Kingdom law.
	(102067)
293	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department.
	(102731)
294   N	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what was the change in the number of companies in Northern Ireland in the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.
	(102482)
295   N	Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on external consultants and advisers since May 1997.
	(102078)
296	Mr William Ross (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what is his estimate of the cost of registering an elector on the electoral register in Northern Ireland; and what is the cost of entering a name to correct an omission from the register.
	(102547)
297	Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list the number of (a) non-departmental public bodies and (b) task forces in Northern Ireland (i) on 1st May 1997, (ii) on 1st May 1998 and (iii) at the latest date for which figures are available.
	(102488)
298	Mr Cecil Walker (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has for the closure of the (a) Greencastle and (b) York Road RUC stations.
	(102485)
299	Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the role and responsibilities of Geoffrey Norris in his Office's Policy Unit.
	(102480)
300   N	Mr John Hayes (South Holland and The Deepings): To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral Answer of 8th December, Official Report, column 820, if he will list the total Government-funded investment in the London Underground for each of the last six years and the projection of such funding up to 2001.
	(102620)
301   N	Mr John Hayes (South Holland and The Deepings): To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral Answer of 8th December, Official Report, column 820, what the factual basis was for his statement that the Government is investing more in the London Underground than the last Government.
	(102619)
302   N	Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Prime Minister, if, when Her Majesty the Queen makes a state visit overseas, she does so in her capacity as Head of State of the United Kingdom as well as in her capacity as Head of State of the other Commonwealth countries of which she is Queen.
	(101404)
303   N	Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Prime Minister, if Her Majesty the Queen welcomed the President of China to London in her capacity as Head of State of the United Kingdom or as Head of State of all the Commonwealth countries of which she is Head of State; and if he will make a statement.
	(101405)
304   N	Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Prime Minister, for what reasons governors general of Commonwealth states of which Her Majesty the Queen is Head of State are not invited to make state visits to the United Kingdom.
	(101406)
305	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department.
	(102729)
306   N	Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on external consultants and advisers since May 1997.
	(102098)
307	Mr William Ross (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what is his estimate of the cost of registering an elector on the electoral register in Scotland; and what is the cost of entering a name to correct an omission from the register.
	(102546)
308	Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will list the number of (a) non-departmental public bodies and (b) task forces in Scotland (i) on 1st May 1997, (ii) on 1st May 1998 and (iii) at the latest date for which figures are available.
	(102489)
309   N	Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will make a statement on the objectives of the strategic outsourcing project of the Information Technology Services Agency.
	(102422)
310	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department.
	(102728)
311   N	Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to provide financial support for partners and close relatives of terminally-ill people.
	(102537)
312	Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, for what reasons the cut-off date for eligibility to receive the winter-fuel allowance has been set at 12th September 1999.
	(102682)
313	Mr Ronnie Fearn (Southport): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many people he estimates will reach retirement age and begin to claim the state retirement pension between 12th September 1999 and 12th January 2000.
	(102632)
314   N	Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how much his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on external consultants and advisers since May 1997.
	(102077)
315	Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will make a statement on the size of the backlog in processing disability living allowance appeals at Warbreck House, Blackpool.
	(102639)
316	Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is the average time taken to process a disability living allowance appeal in the Wrexham County Borough Area.
	(102638)
317	Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will review the levels of capital and income disregards for the benefits for which his Department is responsible.
	(102510)
318	Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what assessment he (a) has made and (b) intends to carry out of the contribution that a raising of the levels of capital and income disregards for benefits paid out of public funds would make to the Government's policy of reducing poverty.
	(102512)
319	Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is his timetable for issuing draft regulations on stakeholder pensions.
	(102507)
320	Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners and other benefit claimants who do not have bank accounts; and what assessment he has made of the impact on such claimants of his plans to pay benefits directly into claimants' bank accounts.
	(102748)
321	Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many claimants receive (a) retirement pension and (b) other benefits from post offices in each Scottish parliamentary constituency.
	(102691)
322	Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimates he has made of the number of (a) retirement pension claimants and (b) other benefit claimants within Scotland who do not have a bank account, broken down by parliamentary constituency.
	(102690)
323   N	Mr Terry Rooney (Bradford North): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what (i) percentage and (ii) number of households in the UK claim one or more (a) in-work and (b) means-tested benefits.
	(102246)
324	Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many pensioners have received the £100 cold weather payment in each constituency in the last year.
	(102595)
325	Mr Ian Stewart (Eccles): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how much has been paid out by the Independent Living Fund in each of the last five years; and how much has been awarded to claimants with (a) physical and (b) learning disabilities.
	(102765)
326   N	Mr John Swinney (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what the total cost was of housing benefit in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) Scotland in each of the last five years; and what his estimate is of the cost of housing benefit in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) Scotland in each of the next three years.
	(102381)
327   N	Mr John Swinney (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many housing benefit recipients there are in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) Scotland in (i) council housing, (ii) private rented accommodation, (iii) privately owned accommodation and (iv) other public sector rented accommodation broken down by type; and what proportion this represents in each case of the relevant population.
	(102383)
328   N	Mr John Swinney (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate he has made of the level of housing benefit fraud among benefit claimants living in public sector accommodation.
	(102384)
329	Mr John M. Taylor (Solihull): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate he has made of the average income of (a) people in work in the United Kingdom and (b) people who have retired.
	(102618)
330	Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans are in place to ensure that households qualifying for the 1999 winter fuel payment receive it on, or before, 15th December.
	(102637)
331	Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many pensioner households qualify for the 1999 winter fuel payment; and how many of those households had received this payment by 6th December.
	(102636)
332   N	Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if it is his intention that, by 2005, all benefits will be paid into bank accounts through the automated credit transfer system.
	(102450)
333	Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is the entitlement period for family credit payments; and if payments are made (i) in arrears or (ii) in advance of an entitlement period.
	(102493)
334	Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimates he has made of the earnings of recipients of invalid carer's allowance in the last year for which figures are available.
	(102781)
335	Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his Answer of 29th November, Official Report, column 56w, on what is his estimate of the total amount of extra social security expenditure necessary to achieve average increases in household income of (a) £46 per week before housing costs and (b) £52 per week after housing costs.
	(102814)
336   N	Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will announce the date for the auction of new mobile telephone licences.
	(102152)
337   N	Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton and Honiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has received about the proposed auction of new mobile phone licences; and if he will make a statement.
	(102154)
338   N	Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the European Commission's response to the proposal for state aid to Rover; and if a revised proposal is being considered.
	(102204)
339   N	Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what is his latest estimate of the cost of the proposed state aid to Rover.
	(102205)
340   N	Mr Eric Clarke (Midlothian): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what tonnage of imported steam coal was landed at Hunterston Port in Ayrshire, Scotland in the years (a) 1996-97, (b) 1997-98 and (c) 1998-99; and in which countries it originated, giving the tonnages for each country.
	(102605)
341	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department.
	(102727)
342	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to amend the law on equal pay.
	(102724)
343	Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of the number of workers being paid less than the national minimum wage.
	(102723)
344   N	Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans he has to provide employment protection to employees taking compassionate leave to care for terminally-ill relatives and friends.
	(102538)
345	Mr Roger Godsiff (Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what was the estimated cost of the Office of Fair Trading inquiry into the Sky Television deal with the Premiership and Football League.
	(102634)
346	Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the number of gas disconnections.
	(102725)
347	Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions he has had with the Ministry of Defence over the A400M programme.
	(102741)
348	Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will investigate the adequacy of the availability of consumer advice provided by local authorities to the public; and if he will make a statement.
	(102458)
349	Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will take steps to prevent post office closures in rural Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
	(102689)
350	Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many post offices there were in each Scottish parliamentary constituency in each of the last five years.
	(102687)
351	Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many post offices have closed in each parliamentary constituency in Scotland in each of the last five years.
	(102688)
352   N	Mr Jim Murphy (Eastwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many people were employed in Britain's clothing industry (a) in each of the past 20 years, (b) in June 1997 and (c) at the most recent date for which figures are available.
	(102425)
353	Ms Linda Perham (Ilford North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the effects of the proposed EU directive on the harmonisation of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society on (a) library and archive services, (b) UK library and archive privileges and their extension to digital copying, (c) lawful copying and use of libraries and archives and (d) music reproduction; and if he will make a statement on the inclusion in the proposed EU directive of the exhaustive list of exceptions to the restricted acts.
	(102542)
354	Mr Peter L. Pike (Burnley): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Industrial Relations Act 1999.
	(102761)
355	Mr Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will list the oil pollution incidents in the Irish Sea from March to the present, stating the date and the size of the incident, the name of the company which reported it and the name of the company which was responsible for the spill.
	(102590)
356	Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what are the projected costs of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission for the financial years (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01.
	(102751)
357	Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what are the projected costs of the Post Office Commission for the year 2000-01.
	(102754)
358	Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what are the projected costs of Ofgem for the financial years (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01.
	[R] (102756)
359	Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what are the projected costs of Oftel for the financial years (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01.
	(102749)
360	Mr Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list the number of (a) non-departmental public bodies and (b) task forces in Wales (i) on 1st May 1997, (ii) on 1st May 1998 and (iii) at the latest date for which figures are available.
	(102487)
361   N	Mr Jim Murphy (Eastwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people were employed in the hotel, catering and restaurant trade (a) in each of the last 20 years, (b) on 1st May 1997 and (c) at the most recent date for which figures are available.
	[Transferred] (102424)
362	Mr Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the effect on rural post offices of plans to pay benefits directly into claimants' bank accounts; and if he will make a statement.
	[Transferred] (102710)

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