Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2000-01
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on Friday 11 May 2001

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Friday 11 May, of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

For other Written Questions for answer on Friday 11 May, of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order of Business.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer from Friday 11 May see Part 2 of this Paper.

Notes:
* Indicates a Question for Oral Answer.
+ Indicates a Question not included in the random selection process but accepted because the quota for that day had not been filled.
[N] Indicates a Question for Written Answer on a named day, i.e. the Member has indicated under S.O. No. 22(4) the day on which he wishes the Question to be answered.
[R] Indicates that a relevant interest has been declared.

FRIDAY 11th MAY

1
   Mr John Burnett (Torridge and West Devon):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what monitoring takes place at the Deep Moor landfill site, near Great Torrington, Devon to ensure that vehicles serving the site are not leaking animal effluent; what guidance has been given on the treatment of carcasses before burial there; and how many carcasses (a) have been buried and (b) are planned to be buried at this site.

(161057)

2
   Mr John Burnett (Torridge and West Devon):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, under what powers the Deep Moor landfill site, near Great Torrington, Devon is licensed for the disposal of carcasses; if the carcasses to be disposed of there are of infected animals; what lining is used to seal the site; if storage would render a virus inactive in the event of the disposal of an infected animal; what risk assessments have been carried out in respect of the use of this site for the burial of carcasses; if the Environment Agency will supervise the disposal of leachate for storage there; and for how long monitoring will take place at this site.

(161058)

3
   Mr Archy Kirkwood (Roxburgh and Berwickshire):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will establish a veterinary science unit to monitor movements of live sheep within the United Kingdom and the activities of the livestock dealers responsible for these movements.

(161053)

4
   Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made of the current risk to the New Forest of infection by the foot and mouth virus.

(161035)

5
N   Dr John Marek (Wrexham):    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the notional (a) minimum and (b) maximum salary is for each of the senior five administrative civil service grade pay scales assuming the same pay awards and an averaging of performance related pay for each grade.

(160857)

6
   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make representations to the BBC to transmit (a) BBC Online and (b) Westminster Live in ADSL broadband.

(161056)

7
   Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if English Heritage's Grant Aid Budget for privately-owned Grade I and II* listed buildings will remain unchanged in the current year; and what plans it has to alter the balance of funding between such buildings and those owned by English Heritage.

(161042)

8
   Ms Sandra Osborne (Ayr):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost was of capital expenditure spent on HMS Gannet in the previous 12 months.

(161019)

9
   Ms Sandra Osborne (Ayr):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when anti-submarine warfare operations will cease on a permanent basis from HMS Gannet.

(161020)

10
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 1st May, Official Report, column 551W, regarding Porton Down, if he will place in the Library a description of each piece of research which has been carried out in response to inquiries from (a) former volunteers, (b) parliamentarians and (c) the Wiltshire Police.

(161040)

11
   Mr Matthew Taylor (Truro and St Austell):    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 1st May, Official Report, column 551W, regarding Porton Down, if his Department's officials conducting the comprehensive survey will speak to (a) scientists and staff at Porton Down who conducted the experiments and (b) former service personnel who took part in the experiments; and if he will make a statement.

(161041)

12
   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what action he is taking to promote (a) training and (b) general education programmes for persons aged over 50 years.

(161030)

13
   Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow, Pollok):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will make a statement on the impact of the Glasgow Employment Zone, including statistics for the Pollok constituency where available; and if he will make a statement.

(161091)

14
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will re-start the Professional and Executive Service at job centres in Hampshire.

(160977)

15
   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, if he will assess the benefits of introducing a subsidised canteen system in English universities similar to that which operates in Germany; and if he will make a statement.

(161059)

16
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what restrictions are placed on companies receiving grants for the retraining of workers made redundant in respect of the use of those grants to retrain the company's existing workforce.

(161092)

17
   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what guidance is given to Learning and Skills Councils on the use of grants for the retraining of disabled persons.

(161095)

18
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the process for claiming rate relief for those businesses affected by foot and mouth disease.

(160860)

19
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what advice he is giving to local authorities on how they should approach (a) businesses that apply for rateable value revaluations and (b) businesses that apply for hardship relief in relation to foot and mouth disease.

(160861)

20
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will summarise the results of the study commissioned by his Department into the track and environmental costs of cars and light duty vehicles; and when he will publish the full report.

(160932)

21
   Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede and Weybridge):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if the review of the Central Railway proposal which he has requested from the SRA will include an appraisal of the financial viability of the project.

(161054)

22
   Ann Keen (Brentford and Isleworth):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will make a statement on his Department's policy in respect of the future of road safety units.

(161098)

23
   Mr Richard Livsey (Brecon and Radnorshire):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans there are to improve the A44 road between Worcester and Kington in Herefordshire.

(161066)

24
   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many deaths and serious injuries there were in road accidents in each constituency in Great Britain in 1999.

(161021)

25
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his estimate is of the annual cost of reducing taxation of petroleum fuel and related products in Northern Ireland to the levels applied in the Republic of Ireland.

(161093)

26
   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action he has taken following Spain's decision not to recognise Gilbraltar's international dialling code; what assessment he has made of the impact of this decision; and if he will make a statement.

(161085)

27
   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he intends to take legal action against Spain in respect of its instruction to mobile telephone operators not to sign roaming agreements with the Gibraltar Mobile Phone Company.

(161087)

28
   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the EU competition authorities regarding telecommunications and Gibraltar.

(161090)

29
   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what compensation he is seeking from Spain for damage to the Gibraltar economy as a result of Spain's decisions on telecommunications policy in respect of Gibraltar.

(161088)

30
   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the combined impact of the use of least cost routing and Spain's decision not to recognise Gibraltar's international dialling code on the Gibraltar economy.

(161089)

31
   John Austin (Erith and Thamesmead):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when Gibraltar exhausted its supply of telephone numbers; and what representations he has made to Spain on this subject.

(161086)

32
N   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action has been taken by (a) Amnesty International, (b) the International Committee for the Red Cross, (c) the International Commissioner for Human Rights and (d) his Department in attempting to secure the release of Israelis kidnapped on the Israeli side of the Israeli-Lebanon border.

(160990)

33
N   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make statement on the honouring of commitments made at the Oslo Accords by Israel and the Palestinians not to use violence as a means of furthering national aspirations.

(160992)

34
N   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he next expects to meet the Lebanese Prime Minister to discuss the presence of Hizbullah in Southern Lebanon; and if he will make a statement.

(160989)

35
N   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the number of members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad released from Palestinian Authority prisons since the start of the current intifada.

(160991)

36
N   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral Answer of 1st May, Official Report, column 731, what efforts he is making to monitor, and what representations he has made to Chairman Arafat, regarding the content of broadcasts from Palestinian Authority controlled television stations.

(160993)

37
N   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will discuss with the Government of Lebanon the whereabouts of (a) the three Israeli soldiers kidnapped on the Israeli side of the Israel-Lebanon border and (b) the Israeli civilian kidnapped in Switzerland.

(160988)

38
   Mr John McWilliam (Blaydon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the EU competition authorities about mobile telephone companies based in Gibraltar.

(161037)

39
   Mr John McWilliam (Blaydon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to take legal action against the Spanish Government relating to its actions on restricting mobile telephone use relating to mobile telephone companies based in Gibraltar.

(161039)

40
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 9th March, Official Report, column 392W, on the Treaty of Nice, if he will publish the latest version to which he has access of the consolidated versions of the Treaties on European Union and establishing the European Communities.

(161099)

41
   Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what matters were discussed in the te�te-a�-te�te discussions at the meeting referred to in the letter from G. P. Hinduja to the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister on 9th June 1998; and if the honourable Member for Leicester East was present.

(161101)

42
   Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the date was of his meeting with Brajesh Mishra in May and June 1998; and who else was present.

(161100)

43
   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many family doctors south of the railway in Worthing are accepting new patients other than at the direction of the health authority; and if he will make a statement.

(161096)

44
   Mr John Burnett (Torridge and West Devon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the Plymouth Derriford NHS Trust has spent on legal fees in (a) each of the last three financial years and (b) the financial year to date; and what steps have been taken in relation to the patients whose personal details came into the possession of Channel 4 Television.

(161055)

45
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the number of deaths ascribed to meningitis for each of the last 10 years.

(160927)

46
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on proposals to innoculate foreign students studying in the UK against meningitis.

(160928)

47
   Mr Paul Stinchcombe (Wellingborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what powers he has to intervene in respect of a person (a) in psychiatric hospital and (b) elsewhere who is seeking to fast to death; and what guidance he has issued to (i) health care workers, (ii) social workers and (iii) others, in respect of the exercise of such powers.

(161024)

48
N   Mr Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures the Government will take to ensure that criminals do not profit financially from past crimes.

(160853)

49
N   Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what total funds were (a) allocated and (b) spent on new CCTV projects in the last financial year for which figures are available.

(161011)

50
   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many special constables there were in each police force in England and Wales on (a) 31st March 2000, (b) 30th September 2000 and (c) the most recent date for which figures are available.

(161022)

51
N   Dr John Marek (Wrexham):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average morning peak waiting time is for non-EU passengers waiting to clear immigration at Gatwick airport.

(160858)

52
N   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have been dispersed through local authorities; and if his Department plans to use local authorities for this purpose in respect of new asylum seekers.

(160855)

53
N   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what date and for what reasons private accommodation providers were brought in to the process of dispersing asylum seekers to cluster areas.

(160854)

54
   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his estimate is of the total number of asylum seekers to be dispersed over the next six months, broken down by region.

(161070)

55
N   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what are the costs per asylum seeker of dispersal through (a) local authorities and (b) private accommodation providers.

(160856)

56
   Ms Sandra Osborne (Ayr):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have been dispersed to Scotland in the last 12 months; and at what cost.

(161018)

57
   Mr Paul Stinchcombe (Wellingborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information he publishes on where asylum seekers live.

(161025)

58
   Mr Paul Stinchcombe (Wellingborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what procedures exist for members of the public to require police forces to disclose information held about them.

(161028)

59
   Mr Paul Stinchcombe (Wellingborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what powers he has (a) to deal with and (b) to prevent harassment by covert filming.

(161027)

60
   Mr Paul Stinchcombe (Wellingborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what powers he has to intervene in respect of a person in custody in one of Her Majesty's prisons who is seeking to fast to death; and what guidance he has issued to (a) prison officers and (b) others in respect of the exercise of such powers.

(161023)

61
   Mr Paul Stinchcombe (Wellingborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of Northamptonshire about the investigation of a complaint by a constituent whose name has been forwarded to him.

(161029)

62
N   Dr John Marek (Wrexham):    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make it her policy to ensure an air strip is available in St Helena (a) at the same time and (b) before one becomes available at Pitcairn.

(160859)

63
   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will provide a breakdown of those arrested for stealing cars in Northern Ireland by the agencies responsible for handling the offenders' rehabilitation in each of the last five years.

(161094)

64
   Mr Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):    To ask the Prime Minister, what plans he has to visit St.Thomas's Hospital Pain Management Clinic in the next four weeks.

(161097)

65
   Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list all the occasions on which he has met any of the Hinduja brothers since 1st May 1997.

(161102)

66
   Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):    To ask the Prime Minister, if prior notification of the meeting of 4th June 1998 between the Prime Minister and S. P. Hinduja, G. P. Hinduja and Brajesh Mishra was given to the United States Administration.

(161081)

67
   Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):    To ask the Prime Minister, when he was first asked to agree to the meeting of 4th June 1998 with S. P. Hinduja, G. P. Hinduja and Brajesh Mishra.

(161083)

68
   Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):    To ask the Prime Minister, if the United States Administration was notified of the outcome of the meeting of 4th June 1998 between the Prime Minister and S. P. Hinduja, G. P. Hinduja and Brajesh Mishra.

(161082)

69
   Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):    To ask the Prime Minister, what assurances he received from the Government of India about the standing and status of S. P. Hinduja and G. P. Hinduja prior to his meeting with them and Brajesh Mishra on 4th June 1998; and if he will make a statement.

(161076)

70
   Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):    To ask the Prime Minister, what the purpose was of his meeting on 4th June 1998 with S. P. Hinduja, G. P. Hinduja and Brajesh Mishra; who else was present at the meeting; what official note of the meeting was taken and by whom; and if he will make a statement.

(161075)

71
   Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):    To ask the Prime Minister, if (a) he or (b) his office told Sir Anthony Hammond QC of the existence of the exchanges of correspondence that had taken place between him and the Hinduja brothers since 1st May 1997.

(161084)

72
   Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):    To ask the Prime Minister, if (a) he or (b) his office advised Sir Anthony Hammond QC of the Prime Minister's meeting with S. P. Hinduja, G. P. Hinduja and Brajesh Mishra on 4th June 1998.

(161077)

73
   Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):    To ask the Prime Minister, if the British High Commission in Delhi was consulted about the meeting with Brajesh Mishra and the Hinduja brothers on 4th June 1998 prior to its taking place.

(161080)

74
   Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):    To ask the Prime Minister, at whose instigation the meeting with S. P. Hinduja, G. P. Hinduja and Brajesh Mishra on 4th June 1998 took place; and if he will make a statement.

(161079)

75
   Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):    To ask the Prime Minister, if the Government took prior advice about the Prime Minister's meeting with S. P. Hinduja, G. P. Hinduja and Brajesh Mishra of 4th June 1998 from the Indian High Commissioner in London.

(161078)

76
   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many and what percentage of (a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples in the Torbay, Teignbridge and Totnes constituencies have weekly incomes below (i) £80, (ii) £90, (iii) £100, (iv) £125, (v) £150, (vi) £175 and (vii) £200.

(161032)

77
   Mr David Willetts (Havant):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many stakeholder pension schemes have been registered; and what other information the Government will routinely collect on this type of pension.

(161047)

78
   Mr David Willetts (Havant):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, how many child support cases have been calculated using the new assessment procedure in the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999.

(161049)

79
   Mr David Willetts (Havant):    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what estimate he has made of the number of people eligible for a non-automatic winter fuel payment for Winter 2000 who did not claim the benefit.

(161048)

80
   Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):    To ask the Solicitor General, what guidance he will give to the Crown Prosecution Service on the prosecution of motorists displaying the Union Flag on car number plates.

(161033)

81
   Mr Jeff Ennis (Barnsley East and Mexborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps his Department is taking to help identify former British Coal canteen workers and cleaners in order that they may receive their equal pay compensation awards.

(161068)

82
   Mr Jeff Ennis (Barnsley East and Mexborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when he expects former canteen workers and cleaners of British Coal to receive their recently agreed award for compensation under the equal pay agreement.

(161067)

83
   Mr Jeff Ennis (Barnsley East and Mexborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many former canteen workers and cleaners of British Coal have been identified as qualifying for an equal pay award under the recently resolved agreement.

(161069)

84
   Mr John McWilliam (Blaydon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will take action to stop the Spanish Government instructing Spanish mobile telephone companies not to sign roving agreements with the Gibraltar mobile telephone companies.

(161034)

85
   Mr John McWilliam (Blaydon):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will make representations to the Council of Ministers to press Spain to recognise Gibraltar's international dialing code.

(161038)

86
   Mr George Mudie (Leeds East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will publish the results of the consultations carried out last year on the proposals to change employment tribunal cost rules.

(161043)

87
   Ms Sandra Osborne (Ayr):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the average amount of compensation paid to former miners is for (a) vibration white finger and (b) emphysema.

(161016)

88
   Ms Sandra Osborne (Ayr):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many former miners have received compensation for (a) vibration white finger and (b) emphysema.

(161017)

89
N   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has made to the European Union competition authorities regarding the handling of internationally dialled telephone calls routed through Spain destined for Gibraltar; and what plans Her Majesty's Government has to take legal action agains the Government of Spain in respect of the effect on the Gibraltar economy of Spain's actions with the intention of seeking financial compensation.

(160930)

90
N   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has made in the European Union Council of Ministers to press Spain to recognise Gibraltar's international dialling code.

(160929)

91
N   Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations he has made to the European Union competition authorities to ensure that the competition cases relating to the handling of internationally dialled telephone calls routed through Spain destined for Gibraltar are processed speedily; and what plans Her Majesty's Government has to take legal action against the Spanish Government in respect of its instruction to mobile telephone operators not to sign roaming agreements with the Gibraltar mobile telephone company.

(160931)

92
   Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will make a statement on the operation of proportional representation in elections to the National Assembly of Wales.

(161036)

93
   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to reply to the letter from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton, dated 26th March and transferred to him by the Home Office, with regard to the Dahem family.

[Transferred] (161031)

94
   Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, for what reason liquid animal waste from animal carcasses was dumped in the Irish Sea in the period 1st February to 30th April as a result of the foot and mouth disease outbreak; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (161045)

95
   Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what the (a) geographical origin and (b) volume is of the liquid waste from animal carcasses which has been dumped in the Irish Sea as a result of the foot and mouth disease outbreak.

[Transferred] (161044)

96
   Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what action he is taking to prevent the further dumping of liquid waste from animal carcasses into the Irish Sea; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (161046)

97
   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel and South Downs):    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the mortality rates are for (a) those aged between 55 to 60 years and (b) those aged 60 years, broken down by (i) social class, (ii) sex and (iii) socio-economic ranking.

[Transferred] (161050)

98
   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what research has been carried out by the Health and Safety Executive into the long-term health effects and hazards presented by medium density fibre board; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (161051)

99
   Mr Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what information the Health and Safety Executive has collated from (a) European Union countries and (b) North America on (i) the rules governing the use of medium density fibre board and (ii) research undertaken into respiratory and other hazards presented by its use; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (161052)

100
   Mr Paul Stinchcombe (Wellingborough):    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans he has to improve (a) the response time of and (b) the public's access to the Local Government Ombudsman.

[Transferred] (161026)