Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 1999-2000
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The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Thursday 16 December 1999

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Thursday 16 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.

THURSDAY 16th DECEMBER

1
   Mr Michael Foster (Worcester): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, how many farms in Worcestershire received CAP payments in the (a) 1998 calendar year and (b) 1998-99 financial year.

(103174)

2
   Mr Michael Foster (Worcester): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will estimate the total value to Worcestershire farmers of CAP payments for (a) the 1998 calendar year and (b) the 1998-99 financial year.

(103028)

3
   Mr Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the use of chlormequat in the United Kingdom (a) over the last five years and (b) at present.

(103292)

4
   Mr Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the control of chicken imports into the UK from outside the European Union in relation to (a) animal welfare and (b) human health.

(103291)

5
   Mr Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of animal welfare standards amongst chicken producers who supply the UK from (a) Thailand, (b) Brazil and (c) other countries.

(103290)

6
   Mr Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what recent representations he has received regarding the labelling of chicken imported into the UK from outside the European Union.

(103293)

7
   Mr Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will make a statement on the application of public health regulations to imports of chlormequat-sprayed pears into the UK.

(103294)

8
   Mr Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what representations he has received in relation to the use of chlormequat on fruit trees.

(103295)

9
   Mr Christopher Gill (Ludlow): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to the Government's reply to the eighth report from the Agriculture Committee, Session 1998-99 on Sea Fishing (HC 141-1) page ix, if he will make a statement on the expression, with fishermen's interests protected by the legal concept of legitimate expectation.

(103157)

10
   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what discussions he has had with animal feed manufacturers on compensation for farmers for the BSE epidemic; and if he will make a statement.

(103152)

11
   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what financial assistance from the Government is available to British egg producers to market their products (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in the rest of the EU; and if he will make a statement.

(103303)

12
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which European laws set out the dimensions of field margins of cultivation adjacent to hedges.

(103132)

13
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which organisations were provided with copies of (a) his statement on rural development and (b) the proposals contained within that statement, before he made the statement to the House on 7th December.

(102809)

14
   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if it is the Government's policy to reorganise his Department's regional offices to match the existing Government standard regions; and if his Department's regional offices are to be absorbed into the Government Offices for the Regions.

(103063)

15
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will publish the names and addresses of the slaughterhouses awarded slaughter contracts under the over 30 month scheme by the Intervention Board.

(102919)

16
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the dates since 1st August on which he (a) met and (b) spoke by telephone with the French Minister of Agriculture.

(102805)

17
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, at what times between 10 p.m. on 8th December and 12.30 p.m. on 9th December he discussed with the Prime Minister the French Government's decision to maintain their ban on the import of British beef.

(102806)

18
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will publish the criteria by which the Intervention Board awards slaughter contracts under the over 30 month scheme.

(102918)

19
   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if it is the Government's policy to reintegrate the Farming and Rural Conservation Agency into his Department.

(103064)

20
   Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will list the cinemas in England and Wales that have a preservation order on them.

(103169)

21
N   Mr Menzies Campbell (North East Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many planned exercises involving (a) the Royal Navy, (b) the Army, (c) the RAF and (d) reserve forces were cancelled or went ahead without UK involvement in each of the years 1996 to 1999 indicating in each case (i) the name of the planned exercise, (ii) the estimated cost of each planned exercise to his Department had UK forces taken part, (iii) the actual cost after cancellation and (iv) the reason for cancellation; and if he will make a statement.

(102679)

22
   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of (a) United Kingdom defence commitments and (b) the cost of United Kingdom commitments.

(103193)

23
N   Dr Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Inverclyde): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if all Royal Navy vessels are free of asbestos in (a) cabins, (b) engine rooms and (c) elsewhere; and if he will make a statement.

(102625)

24
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the cost of (a) a Hornet radar sensor and (b) the future anti-surface guided weapon.

(103031)

25
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the estimated cost is of the Royal Navy's Type 45 frigate project; and if he will make a statement.

(103057)

26
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when UK troops first arrived in East Timor to participate in the International Force East Timor; and if he will make a statement.

(103056)

27
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many medium-range Principle anti-air missile systems the United Kingdom has developed in the last three years.

(103033)

28
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK troops will be transferred from East Timor to (a) Brunei and (b) the UK at the end of December.

(103060)

29
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations he has received on the United Kingdom's asymetric warfare; and if he will make a statement.

(103032)

30
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the estimated cost of the Smart Trajectory Artillery Round.

(103059)

31
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Spearfish ModO warshot heavyweight torpedoes are being installed on HMS 'Tireless'.

(103058)

32
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many chemical weapon production facilities have yet to be destroyed under the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons regulations.

(103054)

33
   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Jaguar aircraft have been delivered to India (a) this year and (b) in the last three years.

(103055)

34
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many road traffic accidents involving (a) civilian vehicles and (b) military vehicles driven by forces personnel, and handled by the Royal Military Police, have been the subject of (i) summary trials and (ii) courts martial in each of the last three years.

(102870)

35
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the annual cost of the Royal Artillery STANOC centre at Larkhill; if he will list (a) police forces, (b) other Government departments and agencies and (c) companies assisted by STANOC in each of the past two years; and what charges have been levied in each case.

(102873)

36
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the annual cost of the STANOC centre at Larkhill; which police forces they have assisted in the past two years; and what charges STANOC have made.

(102872)

37
N   Mr Richard Livsey (Brecon and Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to re-organise 160 (Wales) Brigade Headquarters at Brecon Barracks.

(102839)

38
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will state the date and reference of the presentation to Parliament of the latest document he has signed with the French Republic in respect of common defence.

(103133)

39
   Mr Martin Salter (Reading West): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has been made of the ability of AWE Aldermaston to cope with the millennium date change.

(103070)

40
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a list of the organisations and individuals who responded to the consultation document on the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency public private partnership proposals published by his Department in May.

(103183)

41
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what meetings officials from the Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Unit were held with officials of the United States Department of Veteran Affairs between January and December 1998; (a) on what dates and (b) where each meeting took place; and for which section of the United States Department of Veteran Affairs the officials who attended each meeting worked.

(103149)

42
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent meetings Ministers in his Department have had with members and officials of the United States Department of Defense to discuss the public private partnership proposals for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency; on what date; at which locations; which UK Ministers attended each of these meetings; which members of the United States Government attended these meetings; and for which section of the United States Department of Defense the officials who attended each meeting were working.

(103182)

43
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times Ministers in his Department met members and officials on the United States Government between 2nd May 1997 and 1st January 1998; on what dates and at which locations; and which (a) Ministers and (b) US counterparts and officials attended each meeting.

(103181)

44
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what proportions of higher education revenues were derived from (a) publicly-financed student fees, (b) privately financed student fees, (c) block grant HEFCE funding, (d) contract funding, (e) selective research grant funding, (f) charitable funds and (g) other sources of finance, in the most recent year for which information is available.

(102467)

45
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what proportion of further education revenues was raised by user charges in the most recent year for which information is available.

(102468)

46
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if public further education colleges have access to the New Opportunities Fund.

(102469)

47
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list those further education colleges which have received accredited college status; and what further arrangements will apply for the maintenance of this status and its extension to other colleges.

(102470)

48
N   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what safeguards he will introduce to damp any changes in the funding of further education colleges consequent on the transition from the FEFC to the Learning and Skills Council.

(102471)

49
N   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what monitoring is undertaken of Fresh Start schools' policies and actions in dealing with children playing truant.

(102982)

50
N   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment he has made of reports of parents of children who persistently play truant from Fairfield School, Newcastle, being persuaded to sign documents saying that the children are being educated at home when home education is not being provided.

(102981)

51
   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment he has made of school and college performance in 1999.

(103195)

52
   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what measures he is taking to tackle youth employment in the countryside.

(103194)

53
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is his policy on the teaching of (a) six to 11 year olds and (b) 11 to 16 year olds about homosexuality as part of personal and social education.

(103338)

54
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, which voluntary aided schools in Hendon have received additional capital allocations; for what purpose; and how much, in each case, since 1st May 1997.

(103030)

55
   Mr Jim Dobbin (Heywood and Middleton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many students left each United Kingdom university before completing their course in (a) 1996, (b) 1997 and (c) 1998.

(103131)

56
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how each of the 14 indices is weighted when calculating the index of deprivation used in assessing need for Sure Start areas.

(103002)

57
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is the (a) mean and (b) median time taken for the approval of those Sure Start applications that have been approved.

(103026)

58
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, when the first qualitative evaluation of the ONE service pilots will be available; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

(103004)

59
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is the geographical statistical unit being used to judge the outcome of the Sure Start areas.

(103003)

60
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what are the start point data on (a) low birthweight and (b) hospital admissions as a result of serious injury, for each approved Sure Start application.

(103006)

61
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many of the 60 Sure Start areas correspond to (a) electoral wards and (b) local authority areas.

(103005)

62
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many local education authorities collect and analyse data on fixed period exclusions; and what percentage of local education authorities this represents.

(102886)

63
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list, for each local education authority in the North West Region, (a) the average number of pupils excluded from school and the percentage of pupils this figure represents and (b) the number of full-time-equivalent education welfare officers employed by each local education authority in each of the past five years.

(102882)

64
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what recent research his Department has commissioned to investigate the underlying causes of truancy; and if he will make a statement.

(102887)

65
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the local education authorities in the North West Region which analyse attendance and exclusion data at (a) group, (b) pupil and (c) school level.

(102888)

66
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will list the local education authorities in England which have issued guidance to their schools on strategies for improving attendance and preventing exclusions.

(102883)

67
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will publish (a) the recommended targets set and (b) the actual outcomes achieved by the Student Loans Company for processing loan claims in 1998.

(102983)

68
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, on what date, in October 1998 he met the then Irish Minister for Education and Science.

(103150)

69
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, on what date Professor Barber gave a presentation to a group of officials in the Education Department in Washington DC; and what were the names of the officials who attended.

(103140)

70
   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will estimate the additional cost of extending access to free school meals to all primary school children.

(103145)

71
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what was the resource cost of student loans in (a) 1997-98 and (b) 1998-99.

(102884)

72
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what the total value was of student loans paid in (a) 1996-97, (b) 1997-98 and (c) 1998-99.

(102879)

73
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will estimate the (a) number of students in receipt of student loans and (b) value of student loans to be paid, in (i) 1999-2000, (ii) 2000-2001 and (iii) 2001-02,

(102878)

74
   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what is the frequency of the maintenance regime for the bascule bridge on the A12 at Lowestoft; and what is the annual cost.

(103167)

75
   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many times the bascule bridge on the A12 at Lowestoft has malfunctioned in the last 10 years.

(103166)

76
   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what was the previous use of the bascule bridge on the A12 at Lowestoft before it was installed in 1974.

(103168)

77
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what the Government's target is for increasing the percentage of the total market for soil improvers and growing media supplied by non-peat material.

(103021)

78
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what his Department's policy is on the purchase and use of peat for its own operations and activities; and what performance target his Department has set to reduce current peat use.

(103024)

79
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what percentage of the total market for soil improvers and growing media was supplied by non-peat material in 1998.

(103022)

80
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will place a copy of the recent report of his Department's peat working group in the Library.

(103025)

81
N   Mr Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the Government is on track in meeting its target for increasing the amount of non-peat material sold as soil improvers and growing media.

(103023)

82
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, when Mr Peter Parkman, Chelmsford Borough Council Enforcement Officer, will receive a reply to his letter of 24th September to Peter Alsop of the Transport Commissioner's Office, Cambridge, concerning regulations governing small buses.

(102867)

83
N   Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster and Wyre): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the rights of appeal for local people who consider that their ideas of best value are being ignored by their local authority.

(103027)

84
N   Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster and Wyre): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what guidance he has issued to local authorities about determining best value in relation to letting contracts for services.

(102996)

85
   Mrs Linda Gilroy (Plymouth, Sutton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the contribution of his Department towards eliminating fuel poverty.

(103185)

86
   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many (a) cars and (b) motor-cycles which are more than 25 years old are in use in the United Kingdom.

(103155)

87
   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the level of air pollution caused by emissions from vehicles which are more than 25 years old.

(103156)

88
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what recent representations he has received from honourable Members opposed to Ministry of Defence proposals for changes to the Otterburn ranges in Northumberland National Park.

(102875)

89
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which district councils in Wiltshire have met his target for recycling (a) domestic and (b) industrial waste.

(102871)

90
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what criteria must be met to achieve secure station status; and which stations in Wiltshire have been awarded such status.

(102874)

91
   Judy Mallaber (Amber Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what issues will be on the agenda of the next meeting of the Green Ministers Committee.

(103069)

92
   Judy Mallaber (Amber Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the Green Ministers Committee will discuss the progress of the New Deal Environment Task Force.

(103068)

93
   Ms Margaret Moran (Luton South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on Government policies to combat homelessness.

(103127)

94
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in regulating the use of (a) jet-skis and (b) other powered water craft.

(103179)

95
   Dr Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which MoT testing stations are on a final warning from the Vehicle Inspectorate.

(103128)

96
   Dr Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which garages have lost their licence to carry out MoT tests in each of the past five years.

(103129)

97
   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to extend the working families tax credit (a) to absent parents supporting children financially and (b) to help families cover housing costs.

(103188)

98
   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to reinvest environmental tax revenues.

(103187)

99
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which of the indicators listed in Opportunity for All are being used for judging the achievement of the Government's aim to (a) halve child poverty within 10 years and (b) eliminate child poverty within 20 years.

(102997)

100
N   Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will reply to the letter sent to him on 27th April by the Right honourable Member for Wells about the European budget rebate, about which reminders were sent on 2nd July, 21st July, 9th September, 8th October and 8th December.

(102984)

101
N   Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what has been the (a) total increase in tax due as a result of increases in taxes and (b) reduction in tax due as a result of reductions in taxes, aggregated over the measures in his three Budgets to date.

(101790)

102
   Mrs Diana Organ (Forest of Dean): 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 of the tax issues relating to the compensation agreed with the Ministry of Agriculture in 1991.

(103186)

103
   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the yield from tapering away child benefit in the hands of the highest earner in a couple according to the thresholds and tapering mechanism envisaged for child tax credits.

(103146)

104
   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the additional yield for National Insurance contributions in each of the next five financial years if the upper earnings limit for employee contributions and the upper profits limit for self-employed contributions were to be raised in line with average earnings.

(103142)

105
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the names and designations of those who attended the meeting chaired by him on 9th December, involving representatives of Her Majesty's Government and the devolved administrations, to discuss combating poverty in the UK; and if he will publish the minutes of this and future such meetings.

(103053)

106
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions the Government has had with the Nepalese Government regarding the incidence of bonded labour in Nepal; and what representations his Department has made to the Nepalese government to ratify ILO Convention No. 29.

(102807)

107
N   Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will make representations to Pakistan and India requesting them to undertake surveys, at federal, provincial and district level, of the number of bonded labourers in each of these countries.

(102808)

108
   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the current situation in Kashmir.

(103190)

109
   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of current diplomatic relations with Russia; and if he will make a statement.

(103189)

110
   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Foreign Minister of Iran during his forthcoming visit to the UK on behalf of the 13 Jews detained without trial; and if he will make a statement.

(103029)

111
   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the recent presidential and parliamentary elections in Mozambique.

(103151)

112
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which articles of the treaties of the (a) European Union and (b) European Communities which require unanimity have been proposed for amendment in favour of qualified majority voting; in which cases Her Majesty's Government agrees with such a change; and where unanimity applies to change by the Council of Ministers of decisions already taken by another Institution established by those treaties.

(103134)

113
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the honourable Member for West Chelmsford will receive a reply to his two questions on deficits at Mid Essex Hospital Trust and North Essex Health Authority, which were due for an answer on 24th November.

(102868)

114
N   Ms Judith Church (Dagenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the psychological effects of infertility.

(102678)

115
N   Ms Judith Church (Dagenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many written representations have been received by his Department in respect of infertility treatment and service provision since May 1997.

(102675)

116
N   Ms Judith Church (Dagenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will announce the results of his Department's survey of health authority provision of infertility services; and if he will make a statement.

(102676)

117
N   Ms Judith Church (Dagenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will provide guidance to health authorities as to their responsibilities in respect of the funding of infertility guidance.

(102677)

118
   Mr Jim Dobbin (Heywood and Middleton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the funding of care in the community.

(103050)

119
   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) cases of and (b) deaths caused by uraemia there were among NHS patients in (i) 1995, (ii) 1996, (iii) 1997, (iv) 1998 and (v) the first six months of 1999.

(103049)

120
   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if membership of private health insurance schemes precludes appointment to the boards of (a) health trusts and (b) health authorities.

(103065)

121
   Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the effect of the roll-out of NHS Direct Services on existing levels of funding by his Department and by health authorities to helpline services operated by voluntary and charitable organisations.

(103067)

122
   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 26th November, Official Report, column 232W, on Meningitis C vaccine, when the Minister for Public Health will write to the honourable Member for Oxford West and Abingdon.

(103337)

123
N   Mr Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the NHS paid for non-NHS nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff in 1998-99 in (a) England and (b) each NHS region.

(102880)

124
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve care for victims of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease; and if he will make a statement.

(102889)

125
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that local authorities do not reduce levels of service under the Food Safety Act 1990 prior to the commencement of the Food Standards Agency's operation.

(103297)

126
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the expenditure per head of population for shire county local authorities on their public health functions under the Food Safety Act 1990 for the latest year for which figures are available.

(103296)

127
   Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance he gives to public analysts for setting sampling rates for samples taken for analysis under the Food Safety Act 1990.

(103298)

128
N   Mr Richard Livsey (Brecon and Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what calculation of radiation dose from plutonium to tracheo-bronchial lymph nodes was used to inform the Fourth Report of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment.

(102846)

129
N   Mr Richard Livsey (Brecon and Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department's funded project, entitled Geographical variations in childhood cancer incidence generally and in relation to nuclear installations, has ascertained the level of childen's exposure to radioactive isotopes discharged from nuclear-licensed sites in England and Wales.

(102845)

130
N   Mr Richard Livsey (Brecon and Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what areas of research the Radiological Protection Research Programme has identified as being necessary to the development of policy in the field of low-level ionising radiation.

(102847)

131
   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the elective waiting list total was for the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on (a) 1st May 1997 and (b) the latest date for which data is available; and if he will make a statement.

(103305)

132
   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the progress made to modernise the accident and emergency unit at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

(103306)

133
   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what pilot schemes for telemedicine and test result links between general practitioner's and hospitals he has set up in (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire; and if he will make a statement.

(103304)

134
   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury and Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the progress of the primary care groups that cover Shrewsbury and Atcham in moving toward Level 4 status.

(103307)

135
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients are on the waiting list for catheter ablation work at Manchester Royal Infirmary; how many of these have been waiting for more than 12 months; and what additional resources he will allocate for such work at this hospital.

(103177)

136
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is his estimate of the total cost to the NHS, of treatment of a person suffering from cardiac arhythmias (a) by conventional medical care and (b) by ablation; and if he will make a statement.

(103178)

137
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Metropolitan Police force has made negligence compensation payments in the last two years to police officers who have developed a hearing loss or tinnitus as a result of their work duties.

(102876)

138
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what policies the Metropolitan Police force has adopted to minimise the level of hearing loss or tinnitus caused by work duties of police officers.

(102877)

139
   Mr Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of Nottingham about the circumstances, including the use of handcuffs, surrounding the death in custody of Nathan Graham.

(103310)

140
   Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what has been the value of confiscated assets of convicted criminals in each of the last three years.

(103170)

141
   Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many women were convicted of soliciting for prostitution in the Greater London area in each month from January to November.

(103172)

142
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will assess the benefits of changing the definition of unreasonable belief in relation to (a) rape and (b) sexual assault.

(103314)

143
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to introduce a new charge of assault in the course of sexual intercourse.

(103343)

144
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to propose amendments to the law to redefine unreasonable belief in relation to rape and sexual assault.

(103341)

145
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to place individuals on the Sexual Offenders Register who are found guilty of committing an assault in the course of sexual intercourse.

(103344)

146
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will estimate the budget allocation for victim support in each year since 1995 per head of population in England.

(103346)

147
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action has his Department taken in response to the interim report, The Processing of Rape Cases by the Criminal Justice system.

(103320)

148
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will bring forward amendments to the law to re-define (a) consent and (b) coercion in relation to rape.

(103319)

149
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will assess the benefits of introducing a new legal definition of rape.

(103313)

150
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to review the legal definition of rape.

(103318)

151
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many sentences imposed on those who commit rape and crimes involving sexual abuse were conditional on the perpetrator participating in programmes for positive change in the last year for which figures are available.

(103316)

152
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what budget has been allocated to victim support each year since 1995 per police authority.

(103315)

153
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent reports he has received on the (a) psychological and (b) physical impact of rape on its victims.

(103317)

154
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will record separately the incidence of sexual assault in cases of domestic assault.

(103312)

155
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were (a) arrested for (b) charged with and (c) convicted of rape in each police authority area broken down by (i) age group and (ii) socio-economic class for each year since 1995.

(103311)

156
   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training programmes he has developed to enable the relevant authorities to support victims of sexual abuse and rape.

(103321)

157
   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many additional Metropolitan Police officers will be on duty on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day; and if he will make a statement.

(103327)

158
   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what changes have been made since May 1997 to reduce the amount of administrative work undertaken by police officers; and if he will make a statement.

(103325)

159
   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the estimated additional cost to police forces for policing duties during the millennium celebrations; what additional funding has been allocated to police forces for the millennium period; and if he will make a statement.

(103326)

160
   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the estimated proportion of a police officer's working day which is spent on administrative duties; and if he will make a statement.

(103324)

161
   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will estimate the funding which will be required in order to remove overcrowding in prisons over the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

(103335)

162
   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish the Prison Service projections for the level of the prison population in each of the next five years; what is his estimate of the consequence for the level of prison service funding of the projections; and if he will make a statement.

(103336)

163
   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list those Prison Service establishments which are overcrowded and the level of overcrowding in each case; and if he will make a statement.

(103334)

164
N   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the new Chief Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police received the papers relating to the case of D.I. John Redgrave and others from the honourable Member for Thurrock; and when the honourable Member will receive an acknowledgement of their receipt.

(102999)

165
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions he has had with the Association of Chief Police Officers concerning the adequacy of the traditional policeman's helmet as protective headgear.

(103175)

166
N   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what toxins were present in the atmosphere as a result of the fire at the Wilton Bradley factory, Long Road, Paignton.

(102896)

167
N   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many factory fire incidents involving chemicals occurred, broken down by fire authority, in each of the past 10 years for which figures are available.

(102895)

168
N   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement about the emergency services' response to the Wilton Bradley factory fire, Long Road, Paignton, on Friday 10th December.

(102891)

169
N   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the last risk inspection was carried out by the Fire and Rescue Service at the Wilton Bradley factory, Long Road, Paignton; and if he will make a statement.

(102892)

170
N   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what reports he has received about the advice given by the Fire Service on the safety systems which were in place at the Walton Bradley factory, Long Road, Paignton to minimise the risk of and spread of fire.

(102885)

171
N   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what are the risks to human health from (a) the inhalation and (b) the ingestion of the chemicals released in the fire at the Wilton Bradley factory, Long Road, Paignton; and if he will make a statement.

(102897)

172
N   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish the tactical information plan for the Wilton Bradley factory, Long Road, Paignton.

(102893)

173
N   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Devon Fire Service Chemdata in respect of the Wilton Bradley factory, Long Road, Paignton, was last updated; and if he will make a statement.

(102894)

174
   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is his policy on the (a) repeal and (b) amendment of section 201 of the Income Tax (Guernsey) Law 1975; and what representations he has received from the States of Guernsey on the repeal and amendment of the section.

(103137)

175
   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received on the (a) repeal and (b) amendment of section 201 of the Income Tax (Guernsey) Law 1975.

(103136)

176
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what meetings she held with members and officials of the United States Government during her visits to the United States on 4th-6th October 1998 and 10th-11th December 1998; who was present from the US Government at each meeting; and what was the date and location of each meeting.

(103048)

177
N   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if adult students from Northern Ireland are eligible for adult education bursaries in higher education; and if he will make a statement.

(102680)

178
N   Mr Hilary Benn (Leeds Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what support is available from his Department for adult students from Northern Ireland to attend (a) Ruskin College, Oxford and (b) other institutions; and if he will make a statement.

(102681)

179
N   Dr Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Inverclyde): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent representations HM Government has received from (a) political parties in Northern Ireland, (b) other governments and (c) other interested parties concerning the reform of the Royal Ulster Constabulary; and if he will make a statement.

(102623)

180
N   Dr Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Inverclyde): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent representations he has received from (a) political parties and (b) community groups concerning the withdrawal of troops and the dismantling of military structures; and if he will make a statement.

(102622)

181
   Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the President of the Council, if she will put forward proposals for reform of the procedures for dealing with Private Member's Bills.

(103173)

182
   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the remit of the Joint Cabinet Consultative Committee.

(103047)

183
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask the Prime Minister, how many Ministers and officials accompanied him on his visit to the United States from 4th to 7th February 1998.

(103180)

184
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask the Prime Minister, how many meetings he held with members and officials of the United States Government, other than President Clinton, during his visit of 20th to 23rd June 1997, indicating the date and locations of each meeting, and the names of the persons met.

(103139)

185
N   Dr Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Inverclyde): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what projects are currently being undertaken by the New Deal Environmental Task Force in the constituencies of Greenoch and Inverclyde and West Renfrewshire; and if he will make a statement.

(102624)

186
N   Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many departmental special advisers have been given severance packages when leaving employment in Scotland in the last 12 months; what amount has been paid to them; and what conditions were attached to the payment.

(102917)

187
   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, when he will establish the consultation group on inherited rights to SERPS for widows and widowers after 6th April 2000; and if this group will be established before regulations made under the Welfare Reform and Pension Act 1999 are published.

(103322)

188
   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will make a statement on inherited rights to SERPS for widows and widowers after 6th April 2000.

(103323)

189
   Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many pensioner households there are in the London Borough of Wandsworth.

(103171)

190
   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate he has made of (a) the cost of benefit fraud in the last financial year and (b) the surplus on unclaimed benefits in the last financial year.

(103191)

191
   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to propose a statutory obligation to uprate means-tested benefits in line with inflation.

(103192)

192
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his Answer of 6th December, Official Report, column 372W, what part of the benefit payment modernisation programme will not be completed until 31st December 2005; and when the computerisation of the entire Post Office network will be completed.

(103000)

193
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many companies are currently engaged in firm negotiations with the Government to introduce Stakeholder pensions.

(103001)

194
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West and Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what the change in average income has been since 1997; how the real income after housing costs of (a) the poorest 10 per cent. and (b) the richest 10 per cent. in the UK have changed since 1997; and what was the average income for (i) men and (ii) women in each year since 1997.

(102890)

195
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, which areas of the powers and responsibilities of the Pensions Ombudsman he is reviewing.

(103160)

196
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will make a statement on the current powers and responsibilities of the Pensions Ombudsman.

(103159)

197
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what recent representations he has received from the Pensions Ombudsman concerning additional powers.

(103162)

198
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will make it his policy to oblige the Pensions Ombudsman to hear oral evidence.

(103161)

199
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will confer on the Pensions Ombudsman comparable powers concerning the admissibility of documents and evidence and standards of proof as employed in courts of law.

(103158)

200
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what plans he has to seek amendment of the law to allow class actions by members of the same pension scheme.

(103165)

201
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what assessment he has made of the powers of the Pensions Ombudsman to deal with complaints.

(103163)

202
   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the process by which complainants are reimbursed the costs of bringing their cases before the Pensions Ombudsman.

(103164)

203
   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the unit cost to the Benefits Agency of making benefit payments by (a) voucher, (b) Girocheque, (c) payable order and (d) automated credit transfer.

(103144)

204
   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the (a) cost in the next five years and (b) eventual cost of re-introducing a lone parent premium within the means-tested benefits system for those lone parents with a child aged under five years, to apply immediately to all existing recipients.

(103141)

205
   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate (a) the gross cost, (b) the savings in means-tested benefits and (c) the additional income tax revenue which would result from the introduction in April 2000 of age additions to the basic state pension of £10 for those aged 80 years and over and £5 for those aged 75 to 79 years.

(103148)

206
N   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will issue an instruction to all Benefits Agency staff requiring them to disregard the value of the winter fuel payment when assessing the value of capital in any assessments of entitlement to income-related benefits.

(102998)

207
   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will estimate the cost of doubling the rate of child benefit (a) for each child aged under five years and (b) for the youngest child aged under five years, assuming (i) corresponding increases in child rates of means-tested benefits and (ii) no corresponding changes in means-tested benefit rates.

(103147)

208
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if the compensation paid to ex-coalminers or to their widows, on account of their suffering from emphysema or chronic bronchitis, will be liable to reduction on the basis of their receiving extra social security benefits (a) after giving up work and (b) for their loss of earnings.

(103062)

209
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps are being taken by (a) his Department and (b) OFTEL to prevent telecommunications fraud, with particular reference to the use of high cost line and call charges.

(102837)

210
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps he is taking to monitor and control the use of telephone pornography services offered by telecommunications providers.

(102838)

211
   Mr Jim Dobbin (Heywood and Middleton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of the impact on employment of decisions taken by regulators on the prices charged to consumers by the regulated industries.

(103051)

212
   Mr Michael Foster (Worcester): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will estimate the amount of EU subsidies paid to manufacturing industry within Worcestershire for (a) the calendar year 1998 and (b) the financial year 1998-99.

(103308)

213
   Mr Michael Foster (Worcester): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many manufacturing businesses were operating in Worcestershire during 1998.

(103309)

214
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many submissions were received by the Export Credits Guarantee Department during the recent consultation exercise on its mission and status; if these submissions will be made public; and if he will place a list of the submissions in the Library.

(103066)

215
   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will estimate the unit cost to Post Office Counters Limited of processing a benefit payment by (a) voucher, (b) Girocheque and (c) payable order.

(103143)

216
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many (a) coalminers and (b) coalminers' widows are entitled to compensation as a result of suffering from emphysema or chronic bronchitis; and how many of them have received (i) full and (ii) partial compensation payments.

(103061)

217
N   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, to which countries he has paid official visits since 1st July.

(102869)

218
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list the public bodies to which he makes appointments.

(103052)

219
   Dr Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): To ask the Prime Minister, what reports have been prepared by the Performance and Innovation Unit; and which of these have been published.

[Transferred] (103130)

220
   Mr Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what were the reasons for the resignation of the Director General of the Ordnance Survey; what advice he has given Ministers as to working relationships between Ordnance Survey and local government; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (103135)

221
   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on taxation levels for vehicles over 25 years old.

[Transferred] (103153)

222
   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to seek an amendment to the taxation levels on vintage and veteran cars and motor-cycles.

[Transferred] (103154)

223
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on his plans to modify age restrictions under the New Deal, indicating the date from which all changes will take effect and the categories of restrictions which will remain after limiting the payment of £10 per person per week above benefit levels for unemployed people taking up job opportunities on such schemes.

[Transferred] (103299)

224
   Mr Kenneth Clarke (Rushcliffe): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what was the average time taken from arrest to sentence of persistent young offenders in Nottinghamshire in the latest month for which figures are available; and what was the equivalent figure for the same month one year earlier.

[Transferred] (103184)

225
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what are the criteria which will be used to determine which countries, and which categories of debt, will be eligible for 100 per cent. relief.

[Transferred] (103176)

226
   Mr Dafydd Wigley (Caernarfon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the total job losses (a) in England and Wales and (b) in Scotland arising from redundancies in the water industry; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (103138)