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House of Commons
Session 2001- 02
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The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 29 April 2002

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Monday 29 April 2002, 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 29th APRIL

1  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff have been employed at the Central Office of Information in each year since 1997; and at what cost.

 (53260)

2  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if his Department is running a recruitment campaign to encourage graduates to join the Civil Service.

 (53261)

3  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by his Department since 1st January 1999 to assist staff in his Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

 (53389)

4  
N  
Mr John Greenway (Ryedale): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the cost to (a) community and amateur sports clubs and (b) the fitness industry of the proposed increase in national insurance contributions.

 (52759)

5  
N  
Mr John Greenway (Ryedale): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the cost to the tourism industry of the proposed increase in employers' national insurance contributions.

 (52757)

6  
N  
Mr John Greenway (Ryedale): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make a statement on the impact on tourism in England of the distribution by the Welsh Tourist Board of its marketing leaflet Wales—The Big Country; and what plans she has to enable the English Tourism Council to publish and distribute a similar leaflet in support of tourism in England.

 (52756)

7  
N  
Mr John Greenway (Ryedale): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the cost to museums, galleries and arts organisations of the proposed increase in national insurance contributions.

 (52758)

8  Jane Griffiths (Reading East): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what level of financial support Granada and Carlton have received from her Department for introducing digital services.

 (53603)

9  
N  
Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the effect on tourism in the North West of proposed closures of the West Coast line; and if she will make a statement.

 (53120)

10  Ian Lucas (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what buildings owned by her Department have solar panels installed.

 (53498)

11  Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what measures her Department proposes to take to combat video, DVD and internet piracy.

 (53442)

12  Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the losses suffered in each of the past five years by the British film, music, retail and rental industries as a result of internet piracy and the production and distribution of illegal copies of film and music; and if she will make a statement.

 (53440)

13  Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her officials have had with officials in other departments on combating video, DVD and internet piracy.

 (53441)

14  Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress she has made with the review of the procedure for the allocation of the Lottery licence.

 (53449)

15  Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what action the Government is taking to increase female participation in sport.

 (53422)

16  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by his Department since 1st January 1999 to assist staff in his Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

 (53387)

17  Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when aircraft designs for the A400M will be finalised; when contracts for the A400M will be signed off; when production of the A400M will start; and if he will make a statement on the A400M.

 (53418)

18  Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the in-year requirement for UK trained Army, Naval Service and Royal Air Force personnel has been in each of the past five years; and what the requirement will be in 2003.

 (53606)

19  Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) army, (b) navy and (c) RAF personnel are (i) assigned to operations but not deployed and (ii) are assigned to or deployed on public duties.

 (53527)

20  Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will estimate the full year cost of Budget changes to national insurance to the MoD in the first year of its operation.

 (53528)

21  Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on progress with trials of the Army's Apache AH Mk 1 attack helicopter.

 (53517)

22  Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on progress with the Technology Readiness and Risk Assessment programme.

 (53520)

23  Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on progress with the introduction of the primary casualty receiving ship.

 (53515)

24  
N  
Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what criteria are considered when determining an F680 application.

 (51735)

25  
N  
Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Banbury of 30th January, Official Report, column 335W, who decided to give preliminary clearance to supply an air traffic control system to Tanzania under the F680 procedure.

 (51746)

26  
N  
Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place a copy of the departmental communication with Siemens Plessey Electronic Systems confirming the preliminary clearance; and what conditions were applied to the preliminary clearance.

 (51747)

27  
N  
Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which (a) ministers and (b) other persons are consulted following an F680 application prior to a decision being reached; and if he will place a copy of the document setting out the rules of the F680 procedure in the Library.

 (51748)

28  Ian Lucas (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what buildings owned by his Department have solar panels installed.

 (53490)

29  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how often ministers in his Department visited United States Government military bases and establishments on United Kingdom territory between 1st January 1997 and 1st January 1999; which ministers were involved; what the date of the visit was; and which United States military facility was visited on each occasion.

 (53383)

30  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times ministers in his Department visited United States Government military bases and establishments on United Kingdom territory between 1st January 1997 and 1st January 1999; which ministers were involved; what the date of each visit was; and which United States military facility was visited.

 (53359)

31  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library copies of the documents held by his Department relating to a meeting on 5th February of representatives from his Department and the Medical Research Council Liaison Group regarding the epidemiological study into the health of service personnel who took part in experiments at the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down.

 (53348)

32  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what dates between 1st January 1997 and 1st January 1999 the Independent Ethics Committee overseeing human experiments at the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down discussed the question of the possible long-term effects of nerve gas on humans during its meetings.

 (53385)

33  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by his Department since 1st January 1999 to assist staff in his Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

 (53386)

34  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 17th December 2001, Official Report, column 72W, regarding Porton Down, which agencies conducted the searches of his Department's archives; what the locations were of the archives which were searched; and if he will make a statement.

 (53414)

35  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the report produced by the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down in 1987 entitled 'A Quantitive Investigation into the Effects of Pupil Diameter and Defocus on Contrast Sensitivity for an Extended Range of Spatial Frequencies in Natural and Homatropinized Eyes'.

 (53364)

36  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the report produced by the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down in 1985 entitled 'Evaluation of Pyrodostigmine Bromide as a Pretreatment for Nerve Agent Poisoning in Man'.

 (53363)

37  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) titles and (b) classmarks are of documents placed in the Public Record Office by his Department since 1972 regarding an official inquiry in 1970 into allegations that the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment Porton Down had experimented on old people for germ warfare purposes; and if he will make a statement.

 (53349)

38  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the protocol drawn up by the chemical defence establishment for the experiment which was recorded in 1973 in the report entitled 'A Comparative Study of Central Visual Field Changes Induced by GB Vapour and Physostigmine Salicylate Eyedrops'.

 (53345)

39  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 20th March, Official Report, column 316W, regarding Porton Down, if he will place in the Library a copy of the protocol drawn up by the chemical defence establishment for the experiment which was recorded in 1973 in the report entitled 'The Effects of a Chemical Agent on the Eyes of Aircrew'; on what dates the Ethics Committee overseeing the human experiments at the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down scrutinised this experiment; and if he will place in the Library copies of the papers of the Committee which relate to the discussion of this experiment.

 (53412)

40  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what dates since 1st January 1999 the Independent Ethics Committee overseeing human experiments at the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down has discussed the question of the possible long-term effects of (a) mustard gas and (b) pepper gas on humans during its meetings.

 (53384)

41  
N  
Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford & Southend East): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many asylum seekers have entered the sovereign base areas in Cyprus in the last 12 months; how many remain; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on this issue.

 (52976)

42  Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) EU member states and (b) the EU Commissioner for External Relations, regarding a European Union view on National Missile Defense.

 (53599)

43  Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what agreement have been made with the USA regarding the use of UK facilities at (a) Fylingdales and (b) Menwith Hill.

 (53585)

44  Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions his Department has had with UK firms bidding for work on the US-initiated programme of National Missile Defense; and if he will make a statement.

 (53598)

45  
N  
Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what adjustments have beeen made to her Department's premises following the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and what the cost of these adjustments was as a proportion of her Department's budget.

 (53027)

46  Ross Cranston (Dudley North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average annual increase in teachers' salaries has been in each of the last 10 years.

 (53347)

47  Jeff Ennis (Barnsley East & Mexborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when she expects to announce the location for the Sector Skills Development Agency.

 (53337)

48  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many medical degree places were offered by higher education institutions in each year since 1997.

 (53259)

49  Ian Lucas (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what buildings owned by her Department have solar panels installed.

 (53497)

50  
N  
Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make it her policy to award teachers in the FE and college sector pay awards equal to those teaching in secondary schools.

 (53122)

51  
N  
Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will award additional resources to the Learning and Skills Council to cover salary increases for (a) sixth form staff and (b) general FE staff agreed as part of their central negotiation structure.

 (53121)

52  Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when (a) the sector skills councils for the construction, engineering and hospitality sectors and (b) all sector skills councils will be fully operational.

 (53524)

53  Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what resources have been allocated to implement the conclusions for education made by the Barcelona European Council in March; and what timetable has been set for the implementation of the Council's proposals for (a) ensuring transparency of diplomas and qualifications, (b) the teaching of at least two foreign languages from a very early age, (c) the establishment of internet twinning with partner schools in Europe and (d) the promotion of the European dimension in education.

 (53525)

54  Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps she is taking to ensure that delays in the establishment of sector skills councils do not result in the loss of key staff of national training organisations to the training sector.

 (53523)

55  
N  
Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the cost was of the OFSTED inspection conducted in the Torbay Unitary Authority Area in 2001; how many officials were involved in undertaking the inspection; and what the cost was of producing a report after the inspection.

 (52486)

56  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by her Department since 1st January 1999 to assist staff in her Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

 (53362)

57  Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what measures are being taken to improve education for international understanding, as part of the UK programme of citizenship education.

 (53588)

58  Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will list the targets agreed by Sir John Cass's Foundation Redcoat School, London Borough of Tower Hamlets Local Education Authority, at the time of its acquistion of specialist status, identifying those not yet achieved.

 (53454)

59  Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will is the (a) new requirements placed on and (b) requirements removed from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools in the last year for which information is available.

 (53456)

60  Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will list the targets agreed by Millais School,West Sussex Local Education Authority, at the time of its acquisition of specialist status, identifying those not yet achieved.

 (53455)

61  Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans she has to compensate families who lose benefits when their child undertakes vocation work-based training.

 (53338)

62  
N  
Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans she has to provide schools and local education authorities with model role descriptions for teaching assistants.

 (53126)

63  
N  
Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans she has to provide a career structure for teaching assistants.

 (53125)

64  
N  
Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when she will reply to the question tabled by the honourable Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough on 19th March.

 (53025)

65  
N  
Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans she has to ensure Ofsted inspections and individual inspectors do not influence individual school reports by applying their religious beliefs to evidence of school performance.

 (53128)

66  
N  
Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what duties and responsibilities she has determined are appropriate for teaching assistants in (a) primary and (b) secondary sectors.

 (53124)

67  
N  
Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans she has to ask Ofsted to carry out a full inspection of Emmanuel College Gateshead.

 (53127)

68  Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 11th April, Official Report, column 519W, what conditions have been attached to the sponsorship by Sir Peter Vardy of the proposed South Middlesbrough Academy.

 (53401)

69  
N  
Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much direct grant was given to (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in (i) St Helens, (ii) Merseyside, (iii) the Northwest, (iv) the Southeast and (v) England in (A) 1997, (B) 1998, (C) 1999, (D) 2000 and (E) 2001.

 (50937)

70  
N  
Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much was spent by (a) St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council, (b) the average council in the North West, (c) the average council in the South East and (d) the average council in England on education in (i) 1997, (ii) 1998, (iii) 1999, (iv) 2000 and (v) 2001.

 (50938)

71  Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what measures she has introduced since 1997 to aid recruitment and retention of lecturers in higher education.

 (53628)

72  Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what recent improvements the Government has made to buildings and teaching facilities in higher education.

 (53629)

73  Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much more investment has been put into higher education in the current spending review than in the previous year.

 (53630)

74  Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much has been spent by her Department on research funding for universities for each year since 1997.

 (53678)

75  
N  
Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she will to make a further announcement about a vaccine for bovine TB; and if she will make a statement.

 (53247)

76  
N  
Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many cases there are of disputes over payment between her Department and contractors employed during the foot and mouth epidemic; and what the total value is of unpaid disputed invoices.

 (53248)

77  
N  
Mr A.J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total amount expended was on overnight accommodation for emergency staff working on the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001; and what proportion of this sum was spent in (a) guest-houses, (b) bed and breakfast accommodation and (c) small hotels.

 (51264)

78  Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she has taken to ensure that there is no contamination of drinking water from the leaks from the sludge storage tanks in Building B241 at Sellafield.

 (53660)

79  Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether drinking water is extracted from the groundwater under Sellafield.

 (53651)

80  Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what actions BNFI has taken to stop the leaks from the sludge storage tanks in Building B24L at Sellafield; and when this work will be complete.

 (53662)

81  Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much technetium has been discharged from Sellafield in each year since 1992.

 (53650)

82  Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she was first informed that the sludge storage tanks in Building B241 at Sellafield were leaking.

 (53631)

83  Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what action she has taken and when since she was informed that the sludge storage tanks in Building B241 at Sellafield were leaking.

 (53661)

84  
N  
Dr Jack Cunningham (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether it is the policy of her Department to allow the Environment Agency to (a) reduce the resources devoted to freshwater fisheries and (b) increase expenditure on other aspects of the Agency's work; and if she will make a statement.

 (52482)

85  
N  
Dr Jack Cunningham (Copeland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure that the Environment Agency BRITE proposals do not result in a transfer of funding and manpower from freshwater fisheries activities to other areas of the Agency's responsibilities; and if she will make a statement.

 (52483)

86  
N  
Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) bankruptcies and (b) people employed there were in the farming industry in (i) 1999-2000, (ii) 2000-01 and (iii) 2001-2002; and what was the average income in the industry in each of these years.

 (51293)

87  
N  
Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what changes have taken place in each of the past 10 years in the value of (a) farmland and (b) farms and farm buildings.

 (51281)

88  
N  
Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the compensation levels paid for (a) cattle and (b) sheep slaughtered in the foot and mouth disease outbreak were; and what percentage they represent of the current values paid for re-stocking.

 (51282)

89  Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans the Government has to claim agrimonetary compensation in the next six months.

 (53451)

90  Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on what dates (a) ministers and (b) officials in her Department held meetings with the Irish Government to discuss the British Nuclear Fuels plant at Sellafield between 7th June and 5th October 2001; where each meeting took place; which ministers were involved in each meeting; and which Irish Government departments were involved in each meeting.

 (53358)

91  Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what future plans there are to increase funding to the Environment Agency for flood defence.

 (53450)

92  Ian Lucas (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what buildings owned by her Department have solar panels installed.

 (53488)

93  Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that there is parity of support for arable farmers across the UK.

 (53424)

94  Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to monitor the illegal dumping of waste by shipping in the Bristol Channel.

 (53421)

95  Phil Sawford (Kettering): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what action she is taking to prevent illegal meat imports.

 (53677)

96  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by her Department since 1st January 1999 to assist staff in her Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

 (53361)

97  Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the financial support schemes sponsored by her Department and its agencies for (a) horticulture, (b) agriculture, (c) arboriculture, (d) fisheries, (e) pisciculture, (f) environmental projects and (g) environmental protection.

 (53402)

98  
N  
Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent studies on the transmissibility of BSE she has commissioned; and if she will make a statement.

 (53129)

99  Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proposals she has to introduce tariffs and labelling on wood imports.

 (53654)

100  Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what action the Government has taken to reduce the logging of rainforests and discuss these matters with mining companies.

 (53653)

101  Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what action the Government has taken since 1997 to prevent the killing of highly endangered species for bushmeat.

 (53652)

102  
N  
Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the dates since 1st May 1997 when (a) Ministers and (b) officials have met representatives of Westfield.

 (52165)

103  Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if the 50 per cent. tax credit on research and development into vaccines and medicines for the prevention of malaria, TB and some strains of AIDS in poorer countries will apply to (a) current and (b) future research and development.

 (53340)

104  Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer when the tax credit on research and development into vaccines and medicines for the prevention treatment of malaria, TB and some strains of AIDS in poorer countries announced in the Budget will be implemented.

 (53341)

105  Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reduce VAT on sun creams that meet agreed standards.

 (53443)

106  Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the vehicle fleet of Customs and Excise were equipped with online computer terminals in each of the last three years.

 (53477)

107  Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the net public capital expenditure has been in (a) cash, (b) real and (c) GDP terms in each year since 1998-99; and what the latest estimate is for the 2001-02 out-turn.

 (53482)

108  Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage share of expenditure from the National Insurance Fund was allocated to (a) the NHS, (b) each category of contributory benefit expenditure and (c) pension rebates in each year since 1996-97; and what the estimate is for 2001-02.

 (53475)

109  Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) individuals and (b) enterprises have negotiated forward payment contracts with the Inland Revenue for income and corporation tax in each year since 1996.

 (53476)

110  Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the levels of sickness absence were in each of the last three years in (a) Customs and Excise as a whole and (b) each division and regional collection of the VAT and Excise sections.

 (53479)

111  Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) size of fleet and (b) type and age of vehicles was in each division of Customs and Excise in the last three years.

 (53478)

112  Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many online computer terminals were available in each division of Customs and Excise in each of the last three years; what assessment was made of system reliability; and who the providers of the IT system were.

 (53481)

113  Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the Treasury's calculations for establishing the total cost to the public sector of the 1 per cent. rise in employers' national insurance contributions from April 2003.

 (53626)

114  Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the compatibility of the plans set out in Budget 2002 with the stability and growth pact.

 (53590)

115  Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the impact on VAT revenues of the 1 per cent. rise in employers' national insurance contributions from April 2003; whether this impact is included in the revenue estimates published in Table A.1 of the Red Book; what estimate he has made of the cost to the public sector of higher VAT charges resulting from the rise in employers' national insurance contributions; and whether the impact on public sector VAT bills of a higher rate of employers' national insurance has been included in his estimate of the total cost to the public sector of the increase in employers' national insurance contributions.

 (53627)

116  Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the underspends were in the financial year 2001-02; for the Departments of (a) Health, (b) Education and Skills, (c) Defence, (d) Home and (e) Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

 (53592)

117  Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he plans to allow underspend to be carried forward to departments other than the initial recipient department.

 (53586)

118  Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much departmental underspend was carried over from financial years (a) 2000-01 to 2001-02 and (b) 2001-02 to 2002-03 (i) in total and (ii) in the health budget.

 (53591)

119  
N  
Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of farmers in receipt of public subsidies are estimated to be millionaires.

 (51280)

120  Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to commission a study of the trends affecting social care.

 (53355)

121  Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the implication of his Budget statement for the Scotland Office DEL.

 (53332)

122  Mr David Lepper (Brighton, Pavilion): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many appeals have been listed in respect of entries in the 2000 Rating List; how many of these appeals have been dealt with fully; and what the cost has been of considering these appeals.

 (53499)

123  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have died from hepatitis C in each of the last 10 years.

 (53289)

124  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of (a) how many employees in the United Kingdom are covered by private medical insurance schemes provided by their employer and (b) the additional cost to those employers of the rise in national insurance contributions.

 (53267)

125  Mr Andrew Mitchell (Sutton Coldfield): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials in his Department were working on the New Deal in (a) 1998 and (b) 2001.

 (53410)

126  
N  
Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of stamp duty on commercial property on (a) property unit trusts and (b) the attractiveness of collective investment schemes investing in property for institutional pension fund investors.

 (52977)

127  Mr Martin Salter (Reading West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much income tax would have to rise if all local government expenditure currently funded via council tax and business rates was transferred to income tax.

 (53608)

128  Mr Martin Salter (Reading West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much more in income tax the average pensioner would pay if all the spending increases announced in the 2002 Budget were funded from income tax rather than national insurance contributions.

 (53609)

129  Mr Martin Salter (Reading West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much income tax would have to rise to fund the 2002 Budget increases for the NHS and other public services if income tax were used instead of the increases in National Insurance.

 (53607)

130  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what projected change in property prices underlies the revenue assumptions in Table C8 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report 2002; and if he will make a statement.

 (53404)

131  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the size is of the accounting adjustment made in Table C13 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report 2002, for life assurance premium relief; and if he will make a statement.

 (53407)

132  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated value is of the contaminated land tax credit in 2002-03.

 (53408)

133  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer by how many months excise duty collection was delayed as stated in paragraph C50 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report 2002; what estimate he has made of the interest costs of the delay; and if he will make a statement.

 (53403)

134  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by his Department since 1st January 1999 to assist staff in his Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

 (53388)

135  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the reasons are for the change in projected revenues from (a) air passenger duty and (b) capital taxes since the Budget of 2001 shown in Table C8 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report 2002; and if he will make a statement.

 (53405)

136  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many properties per annum he expects to benefit over the next three years from the exemptions from stamp duty for properties in disadvantaged areas listed in line 2 of Table A2.1 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report.

 (53406)

137  Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the figures in Table 4.4 of the Budget Red Book include the effects of (a) housing benefit and (b) council tax benefit; and how many people would be in each marginal deduction rate if their benefits were included.

 (53529)

138  Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimates are of take-up of tax credits underlying his figures for the effects of personal tax and benefit reforms on page 90 of the Red Book.

 (53530)

139  Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer following his account of classification of personal tax credits on page 216 of the Budget Red Book, how much of the expenditure on the WFTC in the latest year for which figures are available is less than equal to the tax liability of the household; how much expenditure on credits is exceeding liability; and what estimates he has made of his breakdown for the (a) child tax credit and (b) workers tax credit.

 (53648)

140  
N  
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on (a) the terms of reference and (b) the outcome of the meeting which took place on 23rd April in Madrid between the Foreign Secretary, the Minister for Europe and representatives of the Spanish Government regarding the future status of Gibraltar.

 (53123)

141  Ross Cranston (Dudley North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the health of Shafiq Rasul in Camp X-ray; and what steps he has taken to ensure that Shafiq Rasul has access to legal advice and assistance.

 (53346)

142  
N  
Jeff Ennis (Barnsley East & Mexborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the no fly zones in preventing Saddam Hussein from repressing the Iraqi people.

 (50972)

143  Jane Griffiths (Reading East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage the government of Burma to improve its human rights record.

 (53601)

144  Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which countries are the main contributors to the funding of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons; which of them are in arrears with their contributions; and by how much.

 (53458)

145  Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last met representatives of the Cambodian Government; and if he will make a statement on UK-Cambodian relations.

 (53392)

146  Ian Lucas (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 16th April, Official Report, column 828-9W, on international terrorism, if he will list the UN member states which have not fulfilled the obligation to submit a report to the Counter-Terrorism Committee on terrorist financing and providing safe havens for terrorists.

 (53605)

147  Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has received concerning the situation of (a) Ayub Masih and (b) other Christians in Pakistan; and if he will make a statement.

 (53655)

148  
N  
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when Her Majesty's Government was informed of the discriminatory pensions practices of Gibraltar that he reported to the House on 16th April, Official Report, column 453.

 (52966)

149  
N  
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the discriminatory pensions practices of Gibraltar that he referred to in the House on 16th April, Official Report, column 453.

 (52964)

150  
N  
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he was informed that the European Commission was embarking on an investigation into potentially illegal practices in relation to pensions in Gibraltar.

 (52962)

151  
N  
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on what occasions Ministers have informed the Committees of the House about the discriminatory pensions practices of Gibraltar that he reported to the House on 16th April, Official Report, column 453.

 (52952)

152  
N  
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on which dates the discriminatory pensions practices of Gibraltar have been formally raised with the Gibraltar Government in the past 10 years (a) in writing and (b) in discussions with Ministers.

 (52965)

153  
N  
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he informed the Government of Gibraltar prior to referring in the House on 16th April, Official Report, column 453, to the discriminatory pensions practices of Gibraltar.

 (52963)

154  
N  
Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what percentage of (a) the Diplomatic Service and (b) British ambassadors and high commissioners attended (i) Oxford or Cambridge universities and (ii) independent schools.

 (53234)

155  
N  
Phil Sawford (Kettering): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the US Administration regarding military action against terrorism in the Middle East.

 (50967)

156  
N  
Rachel Squire (Dunfermline West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the continuing need for the no fly zones over Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

 (50939)

157  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his Department's target time is for completing internal reviews under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information; when this target time was established; if he is aiming to improve this target time; and if he will make a statement.

 (53357)

158  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by his Department since 1st January 1999 to assist staff in his Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

 (53360)

159  Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with UK firms bidding for work on the US-initiated programme of National Missile Defense; and if he will make a statement.

 (53597)

160  Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions have taken place in the European Parliament about granting Taiwan observer status at the annual World Health Assembly.

 (53634)

161  Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last met representatives from Taiwan; and what was discussed.

 (53635)

162  Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations have been made to the World Health Organisation to re-admit Taiwan to the organisation.

 (53633)

163  
N  
Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the number of cases of autism in East Surrey; and if he will make a statement.

 (53249)

164  
N  
Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice he has issued to strategic health authorities and primary care trusts on (a) the implementation timetable for anti-TNFa drugs and (b) the implications for budgets.

 (52253)

165  Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will make a decision on the application by the SHE Trust for DOH Section 64 funding of a comparative survey of endometriosis.

 (53447)

166  Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 19th April, Official Report, column 1240W, on photodynamic therapy, under what circumstances the NHS will charge patients for photodynamic therapy.

 (53649)

167  Jane Griffiths (Reading East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to encourage the involvement of the (a) independent and (b) charitable sectors in the provision of care for adults with learning disabilities.

 (53602)

168  Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much money budgeted for repair and maintenance was not spent (a) in each NHS region and (b) in England, in the most recent year for which figures are available, indicating how much was attributable to (i) fire safety and (ii) other safety costs.

 (53400)

169  Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many intensive care beds were counted in the critical care census in each census since it began in 1999; and whether these beds were recorded as staffed and in use.

 (53416)

170  Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of primary care premises are over 30 years old.

 (53366)

171  Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of (a) inpatient and (b) outpatient appointments were missed in each of the last six years.

 (53369)

172  Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many mixed sex wards of eight or more there were in England on 1st April.

 (53365)

173  Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what consultations he undertook before adopting the two week wait target for cancer diagnosis in the NHS Cancer Plan.

 (53417)

174  Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the connection between the level of deprivation in an area and the quality of its primary care facilities.

 (53368)

175  Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 19th March, Official Report, column 300W, what figures he collates on repair and maintenance of NHS estates, broken down by region, in each of the last five years.

 (53371)

176  Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the percentage of prescriptions incurring a charge which were not dispensed in the last three years.

 (53367)

177  Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to include natural health research and therapies in policies aimed at tackling cardiovascular disease and cancer.

 (53352)

178  Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many responses were received by the Medicines Control Agency in response to the MLX 282 consultation document issued on 13th February; what percentage were in favour of the measures proposed; and how many and what percentage were from pharmaceutical companies.

 (53351)

179  Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the adoption of EU Directive 2001/83/EC into UK law and its impact on the use of natural health therapies.

 (53350)

180  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the level of MMR vaccination is in Darlington.

 (53295)

181  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer given to the honourable Member for East Worthing & Shoreham on 8th January, Official Report, column 674W, on student doctors, how many students who registered to study medicine degree courses, subsequently dropped out of their courses before completion.

 (53322)

182  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what occupational therapy is available for patients of the Villa psychiatric ward at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath.

 (53280)

183  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what analysis his Department has made of the most common ways of contracting hepatitis C.

 (53278)

184  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures have been taken by his Department to maintain records of children who have been vaccinated for measles, mumps and rubella by separate injections through private providers.

 (53269)

185  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has commissioned into the general practitioner service needs of elderly people.

 (53329)

186  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many antenatal maternity units have been modernised since 2001.

 (53316)

187  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many blood donations there were in (a) 2001 and (b) 2000.

 (53326)

188  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to make a statement on the review process of the qualification level for health authorities to receive the extra golden hello funding incentive for recruitment of general practitioners in their area.

 (53328)

189  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether (a) the local health authorities or (b) the private healthcare companies involved in sending NHS patients for treatment abroad have the final decision in selecting individual patients for the project.

 (53323)

190  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of the estimated population infected with hepatitis C have received treatment.

 (53285)

191  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people infected with hepatitis C in the United Kingdom.

 (53275)

192  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer given to the honourable Member for Woodspring of 25th March, Official Report, column 770W, on blood donations, what the Government is doing to encourage blood donations by those aged 17 to 20 years.

 (53325)

193  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what budget is available for cancer treatment at St Thomas's Hospital; and what the budget was in each of the last five years.

 (53296)

194  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost to the NHS was of liver transplants in the last 12 months.

 (53290)

195  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what work is taking place at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath to remove asbestos panelling in the Villa psychiatric ward.

 (53293)

196  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the main common characteristics of those suffering from hepatitis C in the United Kingdom.

 (53277)

197  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance has been provided to PCTs to make provision for the treatment and prevention of hepatitis C.

 (53287)

198  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the policy of the NHS is on providing operations to implant Activa brain stimulators; and how many such operations have been performed, and where, in the last 12 months.

 (53292)

199  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average occupancy rates are for (a) residential home beds and (b) nursing home beds in the last 12 months; and whether the figures he collates for capacity in those homes are based on (i) actual occupancy and (ii) availability for use.

 (53272)

200  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures his Department is taking to contact parents of children who have not received (a) the MMR vaccination and (b) appropriate single injections to urge them to have their children inoculated.

 (53270)

201  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding his Department is making available for research into kidney disease in 2002; and of this how much is to go to (a) companies and (b) charities.

 (53319)

202  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer given to the honourable Member for North-East Hertfordshire on 26th March, Official Report, column 945W, on NHS finance, when he will publish the annual audited accounts for NHS trusts, health authorities and PCTs.

 (53299)

203  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with central and eastern European governments on sharing smoking cessation campaigns information.

 (53317)

204  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many liver transplants he estimates will be required in (a) the current year and (b) in five years' time.

 (53288)

205  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what treatments are available for hepatitis C in the NHS; and how many (a) men and (b) women are receiving treatment for this condition.

 (53284)

206  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what resources are available for mental health in West Sussex; and what resources were available in each of the last five years.

 (53282)

207  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what national guidance his Department has issued to combat the hepatitis C virus.

 (53273)

208  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many heart bypass operations have been carried out in the NHS in each of the last 10 years.

 (53283)

209  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer to the honourable Member for Ellesmere Port on 25th March, Official Report, column 756W, on parliamentary questions, how much the investigation cost; what the Civil Service grade was of the civil servant who headed the investigation; how many civil servants were involved in the investigation; whether external consultants were involved in the investigation; and how many civil servants from other departments were seconded to the investigation.

 (53324)

210  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the number of (a) residential home beds and (b) nursing home beds which are unoccupied and likely to de-register for use in the next 12 months.

 (53268)

211  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects the expert steering group on hepatitis C set up in 2001 to produce its findings.

 (53286)

212  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representatives concerned with treatment of colo-rectal cancer sit on NICE appraisal panels assessing drugs used to treat colo-rectal cancer.

 (53297)

213  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many liver transplants have taken place in each of the last five years.

 (53291)

214  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received on behalf of patients regarding conditions at the Villa psychiatric ward at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath.

 (53279)

215  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many GP practices have failed to meet targets for MMR vaccination rates and missed out on target payments.

 (53294)

216  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) African-Caribbean and (b) Asian people in the United Kingdom have suffered from kidney disease in each year since 1997; and what the survival rate is.

 (53318)

217  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on waiting times for heart disease treatment, broken down by (a) regional health areas and (b) PCT areas.

 (53320)

218  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what duties matrons are expected to undertake.

 (53301)

219  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what security arrangements are in force for protection of medical records for psychiatric patients at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath.

 (53281)

220  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his estimate is of the number of (a) residential home and (b) nursing home beds in England provided by (i) local authorities (ii) the private sector and (iii) the voluntary sector.

 (53271)

221  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nurses have been recruited to Worthing & Southlands Hospital Trust; and, of these, how many have been recruited from overseas and from which countries.

 (53321)

222  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many matrons have been recruited since his Department's announcement on the issue, broken down by (a) PCT areas and (b) age.

 (53300)

223  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have been diagnosed with hepatitis C in the United Kingdom in the last 12 months.

 (53276)

224  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he proposes to publish a strategy to combat hepatitis C.

 (53274)

225  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) care homes have been closed and (b) care beds have been lost in each year since 1997 in the Darlington constituency.

 (53327)

226  Ian Lucas (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what buildings owned by his Department have solar panels installed.

 (53493)

227  Ian Lucas (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the UK Medicines Control Agency will approve the issuing of new licences for medicines containing lactose.

 (53427)

228  Mr Stephen McCabe (Birmingham, Hall Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the allocation of free nursing care outside hospital is monitored.

 (53461)

229  Mr Stephen McCabe (Birmingham, Hall Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what mechanisms exist within the NHS to ensure that nursing care outside hospital is free.

 (53460)

230  Mr Stephen McCabe (Birmingham, Hall Green): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what avenues exist for individuals and their relatives to appeal when (a) claimants are not adequately assessed for nursing care and (b) when necessary items are excluded and then subjected to charging and means testing.

 (53462)

231  Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what means of assessing the success of the Government's programme for health checks for the over-75s are available.

 (53409)

232  Dr Doug Naysmith (Bristol North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much of each individual (a) benzodiazepine and (b) antidepressant was prescribed by doctors in England in 2001.

 (53516)

233  Mr Peter Pike (Burnley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action the Government is taking to promote the benefits of breastfeeding in the UK; how many and what percentage of women in the UK breastfed their child in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

 (53521)

234  
N  
Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made with the review of acute services in East Kent; and when he expects it to make a decision.

 (52978)

235  
N  
Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason he has forbidden the Kent Ambulance NHS Trust to recruit substantively to senior management positions.

 (52980)

236  
N  
Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made with the review into the Kent Ambulance NHS Trust; and when it is expected to be complete.

 (52979)

237  
N  
Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the cost of the inspection conducted in the Torbay Unitary Authority area into social services; how many officials were involved in undertaking the inspection; and what the cost was of producing a report after the inspection.

 (52485)

238  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by his Department since 1st January 1999 to assist staff in his Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

 (53356)

239  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what dates (a) ministers and (b) officials in his Department held meetings with the Irish Government to discuss the British Nuclear Fuels plant at Sellafield between 1st January and 5th October 2001; where each meeting took place; which ministers were involved in each meeting; and which Irish Government departments were involved in each meeting.

 (53382)

240  Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of the new investment in the NHS is to be devoted to (a) workplace health and (b) the development of the occupational health service.

 (53600)

241  Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been spent on lung cancer treatment in each year since 1997.

 (53594)

242  Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of cases of lung cancer in the last five years can be attributed to smoking.

 (53595)

243  
N  
Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers are in post (a) in total and (b) in each police authority area.

 (52157)

244  
N  
Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what adjustments have been made to his Department's premises following the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and what the cost of these adjustments has been as a proportion of the Department's budget.

 (53026)

245  Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of sexual abuse were heard by the Court of Appeal; of these how many were (a) upheld and (b) discharged in each year since 1996; and if he will make a statement on the (i) reasons for discharge and (ii) classification of the cases discharged.

 (53415)

246  Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, to whom court transcripts are provided free of charge; and what the cost of purchasing court transcripts is.

 (53439)

247  Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police were assigned to Operation Patrol in Uniform in Wales in each year since 1997.

 (53485)

248  
N  
Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to take account of the cost to the South Wales Police of additional policing resulting from national events at the Millennium Stadium.

 (51284)

249  Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what percentage of reports made by accountants, solicitors and financial advisers to NCIS were (a) investigated and (b) led to confiscation, for the most recent convenient period.

 (53610)

250  Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what additional resources are planned to be made available to NCIS for the anticipated increase in money laundering reporting by professionals following the Proceeds of Crime Bill.

 (53611)

251  Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the length of time is before solicitors, accountants and financial advisers who report suspected money laundering to NCIS receiving guidance on how to proceed (a) on average and (b) in the 20 per cent. of cases where NCIS is slowest to give guidance.

 (53612)

252  Mr David Lepper (Brighton, Pavilion): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to provide funding to local retail crime prevention initiatives in (a) town and (b) secondary shopping centres.

 (53500)

253  Mr David Lepper (Brighton, Pavilion): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the correlation between (a) retail crime and street crime and (b) retail crime and drug abuse.

 (53501)

254  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the procedure is for distribution of homicide information packs by family liaison police officers to families of murder victims.

 (53263)

255  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers have left Sussex constabulary in the last 12 months through (a) retirement, (b) early retirement, (c) injury and (d) other employment.

 (53298)

256  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many homicide information packs were handed out by family liaison police officers in the last year.

 (53262)

257  Mr John Maples (Stratford-on-Avon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost to public spending was of the Diversity Training programme within the Prison Service; and how long it will take for all relevant prison staff to have completed the programme.

 (53419)

258  Mr John Maples (Stratford-on-Avon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much his Department has contributed to the Gays and Lesbians in the Prison Service Support Group.

 (53420)

259  Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans the Government has to introduce new measures to tackle anti-social behaviour.

 (53425)

260  Joyce Quin (Gateshead East & Washington West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment he has made of the cost of introducing a certification regime for the holding of air weapons.

 (53453)

261  Joyce Quin (Gateshead East & Washington West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the deliberations of the Firearms Consultative Committee on the use and ownership of air weapons.

 (53452)

262  Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the impact of the Work Permit Initiative for teachers on the shortage of teachers in the UK.

 (53640)

263  Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how the Work Permit Initiative will ensure that agencies observe the requirement to secure contracts of employment for work permit applicants; what checks Work Permits UK will have in place to ensure that a contract of employment exists; and for what reason (a) overseas teachers will require a contract of employment and (b) other agency staff are supplied on a contract-for-services basis.

 (53522)

264  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the progress of the Sirius project; and what contingency plans his Department has for the project not being completed on schedule.

 (53483)

265  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by his Department since 1st January 1999 to assist staff in his Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

 (53381)

266  Ms Candy Atherton (Falmouth & Camborne): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps are being taken to ensure that the interests of African farmers are being secured with regard to intellectual property rights.

 (53370)

267  Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what role her Department will play in the interpretation of humanitarian in relation to tax relief on the responsible donation of medical supplies and equipment to developing countries announced in the Budget.

 (53344)

268  Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what role her Department will play in deciding whether tax relief on donations of medical supplies and equipment to developing countries announced in the Budget is supportive of recipient countries health strategies.

 (53343)

269  Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of children's (a) participation in primary education and (b) access to health services in Cambodia.

 (53438)

270  Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what aid is being directed to Cambodia by (a) the UK and (b) the EU.

 (53393)

271  
N  
Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what information she has collated with regard to the bidding process in respect of potential suppliers of an air traffic control system to Tanzania; and if she will make a statement.

 (51736)

272  
N  
Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what information she has collated with regard to the formal procedures followed by the Government of Tanzania in respect of consideration of tenders for supply of an air traffic control system; and whether such procedures met recognised international standards.

 (51737)

273  Ian Lucas (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what buildings owned by her Department in the United Kingdom have solar panels installed.

 (53489)

274  Phil Sawford (Kettering): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department is giving to help reconstruction in the Gujarat region of India following the earthquake in January 2001.

 (53676)

275  Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how levels of debt sustainability calculated by the HIPC Initiative were changed by the events of 11th September.

 (53587)

276  Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the impact of falling commodity prices on debt sustainability; and whether she has changed her assessment of debt sustainability levels of heavily indebted poor countries accordingly.

 (53657)

277  Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the value is of the bilateral debt repayments held in trust by the UK.

 (53615)

278  Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what human development indicators are taken into account when debt sustainability levels are calculated; and how.

 (53583)

279  Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the total is of public and publicly guaranteed external debt owed by all developing countries; and what proportion of this is owed by the heavily indebted poor countries.

 (53622)

280  Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the impact of natural disasters on levels of debt sustainability of heavily indebted poor countries.

 (53656)

281  Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with the directors of the African Development Bank regarding their lending policy.

 (53624)

282  Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with developing country governments during the last six months regarding definitions of debt sustainability.

 (53658)

283  Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what contribution the structural adjustment programmes of the HIPC Initiative has made to the good of poverty reduction.

 (53620)

284  Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether HIV/Aids levels are taken into account in debt sustainability measurements of the HIPC Initiative.

 (53621)

285  Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what evidence her Department has collated on the impact that the structural adjustment programmes of the HIPC initiative has had on economic growth rates of each of the HIPC countries.

 (53618)

286  Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions she has had with the heavily indebted poor country governments regarding the structural adjustment programmes of the HIPC Intitiative.

 (53619)

287  Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many of the bilateral debt repayments held in trust by the UK have been repaid to developing countries.

 (53614)

288  Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of the debts owed by heavily indebted poor countries constitutes debts owed to the IDA.

 (53625)

289  Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what action her Department is taking to ensure that the costs of the structural adjustment programmes of the HIPC Initiative are not borne disproportionately by the poor.

 (53616)

290  Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the lending policies of (a) the World Bank, (b) the IDA, (c) the Asian Development Bank and (d) the EBRD.

 (53623)

291  Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions she has had with World Bank officials regarding the structural adjustment programmes of the HIPC Initiative.

 (53617)

292  Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how her Department defines debt sustainability.

 (53659)

293  Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how the Government calculates the cut-off date for eligibiity for debt relief; and what post cut-off date relief packages have been agreed.

 (53613)

294  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by her Department since 1st January 1999 to assist staff in her Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

 (53380)

295  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her Answer of 20th March, Official Report, column 369W, regarding Belize, when in November 2001 officials from her Department held a meeting with Prime Minister Musa and Minister Fonseca; and where this meeting took place.

 (53413)

296  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her Answer of 20th March, Official Report, column 369W, regarding Belize, when she took her decision not to grant debt relief under the Commonwealth Debt Initiative to Belize.

 (53411)

297  
N  
Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will break down her Department's budget for 2000 and 2001 into the amount allocated for (a) the HIPC initiative, (b) bilateral aid and (c) multilateral aid.

 (53024)

298  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what financial assistance for legal action is available to families of murder victims where the convicted murderer is related to the victim and has a claim as a beneficiary of the deceased estate.

 (53264)

299  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many parents convicted of murder against a spouse have been deprived of parental rights over children in the last five years.

 (53265)

300  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how much his Department is planning to spend on advertising the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information to the general public in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003.

 (53372)

301  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his Answer of 19th March, Official Report, column 188W, regarding the Data Protection Act 1998, since when his Department has conducted a review of the operation of the Data Protection Act 1998; and if he will place copies of the results of these reviews in the Library.

 (53426)

302  Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will place copies of OGC Gateway reviews of the Libra project in the Library.

 (53459)

303  
N  
Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on progress made in appointing a judge to review the murder inquiries as agreed at Weston Park.

 (52552)

304  Ian Lucas (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what buildings owned by his Department have solar panels installed.

 (53492)

305  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by his Department since 1st January 1999 to assist staff in his Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

 (53379)

306  
N  
Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Prime Minister, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Kuwait on proposed military action against Iraq.

 (53330)

307  
N  
Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Prime Minister, what his policy is in respect of the assassination of heads of state; and what recent discussions he has had with the US Administration on this policy.

 (52607)

308  
N  
Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will introduce plans for state funding for the work of political parties other than campaigning.

 (51279)

309  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by his Department since 1st January 1999 to assist staff in his Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

 (53390)

310  Mr Michael Connarty (Falkirk East): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many LPG production sites and distribution sites there are; how many there were in 1990; and if she will make a statement on LPG use in Scotland.

 (53589)

311  Mr Michael Connarty (Falkirk East): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions she, her ministers and officials have held with BP over future plans for the Grangemouth refinery since January; and if she will make a statement.

 (53593)

312  Ian Lucas (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what buildings owned by her Department have solar panels installed.

 (53496)

313  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if she will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by her Department since 1st January 1999 to assist staff in her Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

 (53378)

314  Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Solicitor General, in how many Northern Ireland conflict-related cases sovereign immunity has been sought since 1980; what reasons were given in each case; and what rulings were subsequently made by each court or tribunal.

 (53512)

315  Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Solicitor General, what solicitors he has appointed to represent the Government in proceedings brought by families of victims of the Dublin Monaghan bombing.

 (53513)

316  Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Solicitor General, what funds have been set aside to conduct a defence in proceedings brought by families of victims of the Dublin Monaghan bombing.

 (53514)

317  Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South): To ask the Solicitor General, on how many occasions in each of the last five years for which figures are available her Department was unable to complete the usual procedures in handling requests for referral of a sentence to the Court of Appeal on the grounds of undue lenience within the required time limit.

 (53396)

318  Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South): To ask the Solicitor General, what steps her Department has taken to ensure that victims of crime and other interested parties are routinely informed of the procedures and timescale for requesting that a sentence be referred to the Court of Appeal on the grounds of undue lenience.

 (53395)

319  Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South): To ask the Solicitor General, if she will make a statement on the procedure undertaken by her Department upon receipt of a request to refer a sentence to the Court of Appeal on the grounds of undue lenience.

 (53398)

320  Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South): To ask the Solicitor General, what deadlines and time limits exist on the referral of sentences to the Court of Appeal on the grounds of undue lenience; and if she will make a statement.

 (53397)

321  Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South): To ask the Solicitor General, how many sentences have been referred to the Court of Appeal on the grounds of undue lenience following representations from (a) the CPS and (b) other sources in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

 (53444)

322  Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South): To ask the Solicitor General, how many sentence referrals to the Court of Appeal on the grounds of undue lenience have resulted in sentences being increased in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

 (53399)

323  Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South): To ask the Solicitor General, what assessment she has made of the system for seeking to have sentences reviewed on the grounds of undue lenience.

 (53446)

324  Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South): To ask the Solicitor General, how many requests to refer sentences to the Court of Appeal on the grounds of undue lenience her Department has received in each of the last five years for which records are available from (a) the CPS and (b) other sources.

 (53445)

325  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Solicitor General, if she will place in the Library a copy of the request from Her Majesty's Coroner for Wiltshire and Swindon for a fresh inquest into the death of Ronald Maddison.

 (53394)

326  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Solicitor General, if she will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by her Department since 1st January 1999 to assist staff in her Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

 (53377)

327  
N  
Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, in what work Mr Bob Saunders will be involved at her Department while on secondment from BP.

 (52159)

328  
N  
Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if employees from BP have to sign the Official Secrets Acts when they are accepted on secondment to her Department; and if she will make a statement.

 (52161)

329  
N  
Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the dates since 1st May 1997 when (a) Ministers and (b) officials have met representatives of Westfield.

 (52164)

330  
N  
Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, on what date the secondment of Mr Bob Saunders from BP to her Department began; what the duration of the secondment will be; what the terms and conditions of the secondment are; and if she will make a statement.

 (52158)

331  
N  
Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what expenses and travel costs BP employees on secondment to her Department are allowed to claim.

 (52160)

332  
N  
Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the total cost to her Department for the secondment of BP employees since January 2000 has been.

 (52162)

333  
N  
Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will provide a breakdown by constituency of the percentage of people who live within one mile of a post office branch.

 (53031)

334  
N  
Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what adjustments have been made to her Department's premises following the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and what the cost of these adjustments was as a proportion of the Department's budget.

 (53030)

335  Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the total value of imports of (a) paper, (b) cloth, (c) chemicals, (d) foodstuffs, (e) medical supplies, (f) fruit, (g) grain, (h) cars, (i) computer equipment, (j) steel, (k) alcohol and (l) livestock to Wales was in each year since 1997.

 (53487)

336  Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the total value of exports of livestock from Wales was in each year since 1997.

 (53486)

337  Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much income was generated from foodstuffs exported from Wales in each year since 1997.

 (53484)

338  
N  
Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what criteria were taken into account in deciding to grant an export licence for BAE Systems in respect of its sale of an air traffic control system to Tanzania.

 (51750)

339  
N  
Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what account was taken of the effect on jobs at BAe Systems in deciding to grant an export licence for the sale of an air traffic control system to Tanzania.

 (51749)

340  
N  
Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the decision in 1997 to give preliminary clearance to Siemens Plessey Electronic Systems under the F680 procedure was taken into account in determining the application for an export licence.

 (51751)

341  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by her Department since 1st January 1999 to assist staff in her Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

 (53376)

342  Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent discussions her Department has had with UK firms bidding for work on the US-initiated programme of National Missile Defense; and if she will make a statement.

 (53596)

343  Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she has made of the number of employees who will not receive payment for the forthcoming Queen's Golden Jubilee bank holiday.

 (53339)

344  
N  
Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will list the dates since 1st May 1997 when (a) Ministers and (b) officials have met representatives of Westfield.

 (52163)

345  
N  
Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how much of the A43 between the M40 and the M1 is expected to be (a) wholly and (b) partially open by the weekend of 5th to 7th July; and if he will make a statement on action being taken to accelerate the works.

 (52255)

346  Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, for what reason district councils are not directly involved in local public service agreements; and what plans he has to extend them to district councils in the future.

 (53638)

347  Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what steps he is taking to ensure that the new grant formula that will replace SSA will (a) be improved and (b) address the needs of all classes of authority.

 (53637)

348  Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what steps he is taking to ensure that district authorities have the flexibility to fund and deliver high quality public services to local people.

 (53636)

349  Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what steps he will take to reduce disparity in total external support to local authorities.

 (53518)

350  Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what steps he will take to ensure that the new finance system for local authorities provides an effective framework within which councils can initiate new and innovative ways of delivering customer-focused services and lead their communities.

 (53639)

351  Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what total external support is received in 2002-03 by (a) local authorities covering the Waverley area and (b) the unitary authority of Bracknell.

 (53519)

352  
N  
Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many people in (a) Mid Essex and (b) the county of Essex have (i) died and (ii) been injured as a result of vehicle accidents since 1st January 2001.

 (52606)

353  
N  
Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what adjustments have been made to his Department's premises following the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and what the cost of these adjustments was as a proportion of the Department's budget.

 (53029)

354  Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when the conclusions of the Tyneside multi-modal study will be published.

 (53480)

355  
N  
Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what improvements to services and changes in passenger numbers have resulted from bus subsidies paid in each of the past four years.

 (51283)

356  Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what his policy is on the protection which will be given to rail freight operators against increases in track access charges by the Rail Regulator in future franchise agreements.

 (53508)

357  Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what his policy is on the number of times an applicant can delay consideration of a planning appeal.

 (53509)

358  Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what protection is given to rail freight operators against increases in track access charges by the Rail Regulator.

 (53507)

359  Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when the rail freight franchises will be renewed.

 (53506)

360  Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will make a statement on section 44.4 of the Chiltern franchise agreement, with particular reference to subsection (aa) and the reason that this clause was included in the agreement.

 (53503)

361  Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what his policy is on the use of kilometres on road distance indicator signs in the UK.

 (53510)

362  Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if it is his policy to continue the provision for train operating companies to be reimbursed by the Government for additional costs resulting from an interim review and adjustment of track access charges by the Rail Regulator when all the remaining franchises are renewed.

 (53505)

363  Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, whether Chiltern will continue to be reimbursed by the Government for additional costs resulting from an interim review and adjustment of track access charges by the Rail Regulator as part of its new franchise agreement.

 (53504)

364  Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what his policy is on the installation of a train protection system; if he will make a statement on the recent report from the Commission for Integrated Transport on this subject; and if he will make a statement.

 (53448)

365  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many times local authorities and police forces have had to move travellers on from (a) public and (b) private land in 2001.

 (53255)

366  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what the completion dates are for the (a) consultation period and (b) announcement of the preferred route for the East London aspect of the Crossrail project.

 (53256)

367  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many stations have been refurbished to ensure full disabled persons' access to railway platforms; and how many more are planned for completion by the end of 2002.

 (53258)

368  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, which groups of people will be involved in the consultation period for the East London aspect of the Crossrail project; and if the findings of the consultation period will be published.

 (53257)

369  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what extra funding has been made available to local authorities in (a) London and (b) West Sussex in their standard spending assessment budgets this year to provide for the cleaning up of public land left in an unsatisfactory state by travellers.

 (53254)

370  
N  
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when he expects to lay regulations enabling local authorities to switch to alternative year elections where they have reduced the number of councillors representing wards from three to two.

 (53266)

371  Ian Lucas (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what buildings owned by his Department have solar panels installed.

 (53494)

372  Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what steps he is taking to ensure that rail freight facilities through the Channel Tunnel return to the pre-November 2001 levels.

 (53437)

373  Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the security of seaports since 11th September.[R]

 (53647)

374  Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will bring an action against the French government for their record in observing the free movement of provisions of the Treaty of Rome with respect to freight movements through the Channel Tunnel.[R]

 (53646)

375  Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what measures he is taking to protect the Green Belt from further housing development.

 (53336)

376  Mr Peter Pike (Burnley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how much residual debt has been written off in each of the local authorities where housing stock transfers have taken place.

 (53526)

377  Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the progress made by local government in the field of e-government.

 (53423)

378  
N  
Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will ensure that local authorities covering the Malvern Hills receive support grants on the same basis as that received by the unitary authority of Herefordshire.

 (52975)

379  
N  
Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what the cost will be of the inspections to be conducted in the Torbay Unitary Authority area into (a) corporate governance and (b) first tier authorities; how many officials will be involved in undertaking each inspection; and what the cost will be of producing a report after each inspection.

 (52484)

380  Mr Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what representations he has received on the implications for road safety of the sale on the open market of the speed trap detector device, Snooper S5; and if he will make a statement.

 (53457)

381  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by his Department since 1st January 1999 to assist staff in his Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

 (53375)

382  Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assistance is given to public transport workers who are assaulted at work.

 (53642)

383  Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what discussions the Government has had with (a) Connex South Eastern and (b) other rail operators to discuss the extension of services during the night.

 (53645)

384  Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what action the Government has take since 1997 to protect (a) bus workers and (b) other public transport staff from assaults at work.

 (53641)

385  Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what proposals he has to ban members of the public from using public transport if they assault staff.

 (53643)

386  Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what proposals the Government has to increase the number of night buses and night bus routes.

 (53644)

387  Ian Lucas (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what buildings owned by his Department have solar panels installed.

 (53491)

388  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by his Department since 1st January 1999 to assist staff in his Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

 (53374)

389  
N  
Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what action he is taking in conjunction with the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority to monitor and control pension liberation schemes.

 (52254)

390  
N  
Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications have been made to the Access to Work scheme in the last five years; and whether the scheme will be open to those small employers who will be required to make adjustments prior to the extension of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in 2004.

 (53032)

391  
N  
Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what adjustments have been made to her Department's premises following the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; and what the cost of these adjustments was as a proportion of the Department's budget.

 (53028)

392  Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress has been made in discussions with the European Commission about the extent of the UK's legal obligations under European regulations on winter fuel payments; and if he will make a statement.

 (53502)

393  Ian Lucas (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what buildings owned by his Department have solar panels installed.

 (53495)

394  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by her Department since 1st January 1999 to assist staff in her Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998.

 (53373)

395  
N  
Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Government will save following the introduction of automated credit transfer for the delivery of benefits payments from 2003; and how much money the Government provides to post offices for administering benefits payments.

 [Transferred]   (53130)

396  Mr Colin Challen (Morley & Rothwell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what level of extra funding each primary care trust in Leeds may receive as a result of the changes announced in the Budget statement.

 [Transferred]   (53333)

397  Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assumptions underlie the capital value of the London Underground Public Private Partnership capital value as stated in Table C18 of Financial Statement and Budget Report 2002 (HC592); and if he will make a statement.

 [Transferred]   (53391)

398  Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will make a statement on the availability of the 1901 Census online.

 [Transferred]   (53604)

399  Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans there are to revise the WTO TRIPs agreement to allow staple food crops to be patented.

 [Transferred]   (53354)

400  Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the patenting of staple food crops.

 [Transferred]   (53353)

401  Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if his Department will outline new criteria to entitle companies to claim the research and development tax credit with vaccines and medicines for the prevention treatment of malaria, TB and some strains of AIDS in poorer countries announced in the Budget.

 [Transferred]   (53342)

402  Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when the Health and Safety Executive were first informed that the sludge storage tanks in Building B241 at Sellafield were leaking.

 [Transferred]   (53632)

403  Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason (a) a widow's pension is and (b) maintenance payments are not taken into account in assessing eligibility for working families tax credit.

 [Transferred]   (53511)



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