Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2001- 02
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Wednesday 24 July 2002

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 24 July 2002, of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

For other Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 24 July 2002, of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order of Business.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer from Tuesday 15 October 2002 see Part 2 of this Paper.

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

WEDNESDAY 24th JULY

1
N   Hugh Bayley (City of York): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library a document specifying for each of the last three years (a) the number of people presenting as homeless, (b) the number of council homes sold under the right to buy, (c) the number of new affordable homes completed, (d) the capital value of public investment in affordable housing and (e) the number of new lets of affordable homes, and at a specifed date in each of the last three years (i) the number of people on the housing waiting list and (ii) the stock of affordable homes in each (A) English region and (B) housing authority in England.

(72014)

2   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the proposed percentage rates are of the floors and ceilings in relation to the transition to the new local government funding methodology set out in Formula Grant Distribution: A Consultation Paper.

(72904)

3   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what options he is considering for the length of the transition period for the new formula grant distribution system.

(72905)

4   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will estimate for each London borough the effects of each of the options set out in Chapter 9 of Formula Grant Distribution: A Consultation Paper.

(72906)

5   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will revise the exemplifications of each of the options set out in Formula Grant Distribution: A Consultation Paper to take account of the comprehensive spending review decisions.

(72907)

6
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many people claimed housing benefit as a percentage of the (a) population of London and (b) population of the UK in (i) each London constituency and (ii) each London borough in each year since 1995; and if he will make a statement.

(72834)

7
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much it will cost to set up and run the Single Housing Inspectorate; and if he will make a statement.

(72510)

8   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what statutory restrictions there are on people who want to build extensions to their home.

(72857)

9   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what height restrictions there are on buildings in major cities throughout the UK.

(72859)

10   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many council homes in the UK do not have double glazing; and what is being done to ensure that modernisations to council housing take place as soon as possible.

(72858)

11
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many jobs under the remit of his Department in (a) the core department, (b) non-departmental public bodies, (c) executive agencies and (d) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by his Department and other such organisations, are located in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, excluding Greater London, (iii) Greater London, (iv) Wales, (v) Northern Ireland and (vi) overseas, broken down by (A) whole-time equivalent jobs and (B) the percentage per individual department, body or organisation.

(72734)

12
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many formal and official inter-ministerial meetings his Department has held with the Scottish Executive since May 1999, broken down by (a) Scottish Executive department, (b) subject and (c) date.

(72715)

13
N   Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to bring forward proposals to change the Crichel Down rules.

(72770)

14
N   Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of progress with the deal to hand over the Millennium Dome to Anschutz Entertainment Group; and if he will make a statement.

(72516)

15
N   Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the suitability of the Anschutz Entertainment Group as partner for the Millennium Dome's development; and if he will make a statement.

(72513)

16
N   Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what representations his Department has had regarding the fitness of Anschutz Entertainment Group to proceed with the deal to hand over the Millennium Dome; and if he will make a statement.

(72515)

17
N   Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what processes of due diligence have been undertaken by his Department during the deal to hand over the Millennium Dome to the Anshutz Entertainment Group; and if he will make a statement.

(72514)

18   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he received the planning application submitted to the London Borough of Southwark on behalf of Sellar Properties by Healey and Baker, registered as LBS application reference 0100476 and granted planning permission by LBS on 11th March, subject to call in by the Secretary of State; when he expects to make a decision on whether to call in the application for public inquiry; and if he will make a statement.

(72999)

19   Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment has been made of the accuracy of the figures used for deprivation in the DETR report Indices of Deprivation 2000; and what use is made of these figures.

(73000)

20
N   Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what indices of deprivation he will use to allocate funds within the proposed new formula for the SSA for education.

(71743)

21   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what powers are available to local authorities to mediate in disputes involving the problems of high hedges and rapidly growing trees; and if he will make a statement.

(73015)

22   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will set out illustrative grant charges for Wokingham DC and West Berkshire DC for the current year on the assumption that each of his possible changes to grant distribution was taking effect this year.

(72896)

23   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, which councils retain control of council housing.

(73032)

24   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many planning appeals relating to Castle Point were successful in each of the last five years which statistics are available.

(73031)

25
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the annual cost is of the Improvement and Development Agency to public funds; how many staff have been employed there in each of the last four years; and what evaluation has taken place as to its effectiveness.

(72745)

26
N   Mr Neil Turner (Wigan): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what proportion of properties are in (a) Band A, (b) Band B and (c) Band H in (i) Wigan MBC, (ii) the North West Region, (iii) Inner London Boroughs, (iv) Outer London Boroughs and (v) England.

(71894)

27   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many planning matters were being considered by ministers on 22nd July.

(73245)

28   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many appeals have been made concerning applications for out of town shopping centres; and how many have been successful since 7th June.

(73244)

29
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many jobs under the remit of her Department in (a) the core department, (b) non-departmental public bodies, (c) executive agencies and (d) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by her Department, the BBC and other such organisations, are located in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, excluding Greater London, (iii) Greater London, (iv) Wales, (v) Northern Ireland and (vi) overseas, broken down by (A) whole time equivalent jobs and (B) the percentage per individual department, body or organisation.

(72739)

30
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many formal and official inter-ministerial meetings her Department has held with the Scottish Executive since May 1999, broken down by (a) Scottish Executive department, (b) subject and (c) date.

(72711)

31   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many tourists visited (a) Somerset and (b) Taunton Deane in (i) 2001 and (ii) 2000.

(73273)

32   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many households are entitled to free television licences in Taunton; and if she will make a statement.

(73272)

33
N   Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she has received regarding the BBC's digital curriculum proposition; and if she will make a statement.

(72337)

34
N   Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when her Department expects to receive the Office of Fair Trading's report on the BBC's UK programme quotas; and if she will make a statement.

(72338)

35
N   Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she expects to make a decision on the BBC's digital curriculum proposition; and if she will make a statement.

(72336)

36   Jim Knight (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what action she intends to take to ensure that the Portable Antiquities Scheme is continued and that her Department will provide long term financial support for the scheme.

(73146)

37   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she will announce the next round of sport action zones; and if she will make a statement.

(73013)

38
N   Dr Doug Naysmith (Bristol North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to assist the funding of science and discovery centres; and if she will make a statement.

(72324)

39
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many formal and official inter-ministerial meetings his Department has held with the Scottish Executive since May 1999, broken down by (a) Scottish Executive department, (b) subject and (c) date.

(72714)

40
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the injury-related deaths involving serving members of the Army at army bases in Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Germany between 1990 and 2002 were linked to an army-issued weapon.

(72704)

41
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many soldiers from Scotland are included in the injury-related deaths in Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Germany between 1990 and 2002 involving serving members of the Army at army bases.

(72707)

42
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the injury-related deaths involving serving members of the Army at army bases in Great Britain between 1990 and 2002 occurred at army bases in Scotland.

(72703)

43
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many jobs under the remit of his Department in (a) the core department, (b) arms of the armed forces and their support staff, (c) non-departmental public bodies, (d) executive agencies and (e) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by his Department and other such organisations, are located in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, excluding Greater London, (iii) Greater London, (iv) Wales, (v) Northern Ireland and (vi) overseas, broken down by (A) whole time equivalent jobs and (B) the percentage per individual department, body or organisation.

(72742)

44   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list active military sites in Somerset.

(73261)

45   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what air traffic control restrictions on movements into and out of RAF Brize Norton are necessitated by the air tattoo at RAF Fairford; for what reason the C-17s are training out of RAF Lyneham during the Fairford Tattoo; what consideration his study of RAF Brize Norton, RAF Lyneham and RAF St Mowgan is giving to air traffic control issues; and if he will make a statement.

(72863)

46   Mr John Greenway (Ryedale): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many retired disabled officers in receipt of a pension granted on account of medical unfitness attributable to military service have been assessed by the War Pensions Agency as having a 0 per cent. level of disability.

(72852)

47   Mr John Greenway (Ryedale): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many retired disabled officers in receipt of a pension granted on account of medical unfitness attributable to military service who have been identified as potentially entitled to a refund of wrongly deducted income tax (a) have received a full refund, (b) have been declined a refund and (c) have their cases subject to review.

(72851)

48
N   Sandra Osborne (Ayr): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the MoD will begin pilot projects on the selected sites to trial Pay as you Dine for military sites.

(71800)

49
N   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 1st July, Official Report, column 36W, if the Investment Approvals Board has further considered the Colchester Garrison PFI project; if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Board's considerations; and when it will next meet to consider this matter.

(72608)

50   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 11th July, Official Report, column 1138W, how many service families' accommodation units in England and Wales were sold to Annington Homes Limited; and what the average price per dwelling was.

(73025)

51   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 11th July, Official Report, column 1138W, how much has been paid to Annington Homes Limited for family quarters in (a) England and Wales, (b) Colchester, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland since the sale of service families' accommodation and the commencement of the leaseback agreement.

(73024)

52   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 11th July, Official Report, column 1138W, how much has been received by the Exchequer under the Sale of Agreement profit share scheme with Annington Homes Limited in respect of former service families' accommodation in (a) Colchester and (b) England and Wales; and what the average share from sales of dwellings was in (i) Colchester and (ii) England and Wales.

(73023)

53   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what nuclear weapons accident exercises his Department plans to hold in the next 12 months.

(73186)

54   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the transfer of activities at Rolls Royce Nuclear, Derby, qualifies for its appraisal under REPPIR.

(73188)

55   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what lessons were learnt from the nuclear weapons accident exercises in East Anglia conducted on 24th May.

(73185)

56   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has for bringing the non-legislative LAESI guidelines into line with the new REPPIR requirements in respect of the transport of nuclear materials.

(73300)

57   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps have been taken to test the level of UK compliance with the new REPPIR nuclear safety regulations; what requirements are set down by the Health and Safety Executive in respect of the new nuclear safety regulations; and whether his Department has provided the HSE with information to calculate safety zone distances in respect of a nuclear accident.

(73187)

58   Mr Clive Soley (Ealing, Acton & Shepherd's Bush): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the (a) Defence Housing Executive and (b) Addington Housing Association are permitted to raise funds on the private market based on the rental income of his Department's properties.

(73028)

59
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of his Department's airfields in the UK have runways in excess of 1800 metres in length; how many have a runway and taxiway bearing strength sufficient to take large civil aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

(71899)

60   Mr Michael Weir (Angus): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to establish a register of UK and EU arms brokers; and if he will oblige UK arms brokering and shipping agents to obtain licences for arms transfers even when the arms do not touch UK or EU territory.

(73297)

61   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what research has been done into unmanned and uninhabited aerial vehicles; how many of these vehicles the armed forces possess; and what plans there are to extend their use.

(72918)

62   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proposals he has to bring the 12th Mechanised Infantry Brigade at Aldershot up to full manpower strength.

(72937)

63   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what air defence will be provided for the Royal Navy between 2007 and 2012.

(72936)

64   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the products of PFI projects will be used by private companies and hired out to the armed services when they are needed; and what arrangements will exist for control by the armed forces of such projects.

(72915)

65   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the Watchkeeper program; what funding has been allocated to it; and what its capability is intended to be.

(72916)

66   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the Future Strategic Tanker Air Craft Programme; when the aircraft will come into service; and when the (a) VC-10 and (b) Tri-Star tankers will be retired.

(72917)

67   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on allowing regular army infantry units some special forces training in order to upgrade skills and make them more versatile.

(72934)

68   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions have taken place with European colleagues on increasing defence manufacturing cooperation in Europe; and if he will make a statement on progress made since 1997.

(72914)

69   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the future of UK military aircraft manufacturing in Britain; and what measures are being taken to maintain and expand the industry.

(72935)

70   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many defence technology centres will be created; what the cost will be; and if he will make a statement on their use in securing more (a) foreign and (b) domestic contracts.

(72913)

71   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what equipment in use with the armed forces has been procured from abroad.

(72933)

72   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will review the two operations commitment.

(72939)

73   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the shortfall in manpower is in each of the six manoeuvre brigades.

(72938)

74   Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow, Pollok): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what recent evidence she has evaluated on the improvements in educational results to be realised through (a) marginal reductions in average class sizes and (b) alternative, more flexible uses of the same scale of resources within the educational system; and if she will make a statement.

(72988)

75
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many jobs under the remit of her Department in (a) the core department, (b) non-departmental public bodies, (c) executive agencies and (d) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by her Department and other such organisations, are located in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, excluding Greater London, (iii) Greater London, (iv) Wales, (v) Northern Ireland and (vi) overseas, broken down by (A) whole time equivalent jobs and (B) the percentage per individual department, body or organisation.

(72740)

76
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many formal and official inter-ministerial meetings her Department has held with the Scottish Executive since May 1999, broken down by (a) Scottish Executive department, (b) subject and (c) date.

(72712)

77   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the ethnic ratio is for schools in the Taunton constituency; and if she will make a statement.

(73257)

78   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of full-time students stayed in education in the Taunton constituency after the age of (a) 16 and (b) 18 years in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2001; and if she will make a statement.

(73264)

79   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will list the activities pursued by her Department that have had a particular impact on Somerset since 7th June 2001.

(73256)

80   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what levels of funding for further education will be given to Somerset College for Arts and Technology in (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04 and (c) 2004-05.

(73254)

81   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many vacancies, unfilled with permanent staff, in secondary schools there are in the Taunton constituency; and how many there were in 1997.

(73265)

82   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many people have enrolled on Learn Direct Plus in the constituency of Taunton since it began; how many courses are provided in Taunton constituency; how much funding has been provided for these courses; and if she will make a statement.

(73255)

83
N   Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment she made of alternatives to the former DTLR's Index of Multiple Deprivation 2000 in determining funding for different levels of deprivation in the schools' formula budget; and for what reason the Index was not used.

(71745)

84
N   Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what contribution her Department made to determining the indices of deprivation to be used to allocate funds within the proposed new formula for the SSA for education.

(71742)

85
N   Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment she made of alternatives to the former DTLR's Index of Multiple Deprivation 2000 in determining funding for different levels of deprivation in the schools' formula budget; and for what reason the IMD was not used.

(71746)

86
N   Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether the Department for Education and Skills has formulated a sum for basic allocation within the new SSA formula for education for (a) under fives, (b) primary schools and (c) secondary schools, as envisaged in the consultation paper on reforming the Formula Grant System issued on 8th July.

(71744)

87   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what additional support is provided to schools in deprived communities; and if she will make a statement.

(73008)

88   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what action is being taken to assist those local authorities with a shortfall of secondary transfer places for September; and if she will make a statement.

(73017)

89
N   Judy Mallaber (Amber Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what action she is taking to secure the continuation of the Strategic Training for Apparel and Textiles programme after June.

(72206)

90
N   Dr Doug Naysmith (Bristol North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans she has to assist the funding of science and discovery centres; and if she will make a statement.

(72321)

91   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on proposals for new grammar schools as part of her schools specialisation policy.

(72888)

92   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average change in annual revenue budget was for an English (a) secondary and (b) primary school placed in special measures over the last five years.

(73039)

93   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average time spent in special measures by English (a) secondary and (b) primary schools has been in the last five years.

(73040)

94   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many English (a) secondary and (b) primary schools have been put into special measures in each of the last five years.

(73041)

95
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the recommended amount of preparation time is for Key Stage (a) 1, (b) 2 and (c) 3 SATs exams.

(72828)

96
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many and what proportion of serving head teachers have achieved the (a) Leadership Programme for Serving Head Teachers and (b) National Professional Qualification for Headship.

(72822)

97
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many hours (a) AS level, (b) A level and (c) GCSE students spend on average in (i) exams and (ii) mock exams.

(72826)

98
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many and what proportion of teachers have achieved the National Professional Qualification for Headship.

(72823)

99
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many and what proportion of serving headteachers have participated in the Leadership and Management Programme for New Head Teachers.

(72824)

100
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the recommended amount of preparation time is for year 5 pupils taking SATs exams.

(72827)

101
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much time (a) Key Stage 1 SATs exams, (b) Key Stage 2 SATs exams and (c) Key Stage 3 SATs exams take on average (i) per pupil and (ii) per school.

(72825)

102   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what provision there is to provide an aid package to support UK farmers whose pasture lands have become water-logged or been destroyed by persistent wet weather.

(73120)

103   Andrew Bennett (Denton & Reddish): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many water undertakings have achieved the leakage targets set by the Deputy Prime Minister in 1997.

(72868)

104   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many new pieces of legislation originating in the European Union were implemented by her Department in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

(73140)

105   Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what new arrangements there are to deal with the disposal in the United Kingdom of (a) refrigerators and (b) tyres; and if she will make a statement.

(73191)

106   Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow, Pollok): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what regulations remain in force to deal with the impact of Chernobyl radioactive pollution; which geographical areas are affected; and if she will make a statement.

(72991)

107
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many jobs under the remit of her Department in (a) the core department, (b) non-departmental public bodies, (c) executive agencies and (d) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by her Department and other such organisations are located in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, excluding Greater London, (iii) Greater London, (iv) Wales, (v) Northern Ireland and (vi) overseas, broken down by (A) whole-time equivalent jobs and (B) the percentage per individual department, body or organisation.

(72730)

108
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17th July, Official Report, column 309W, which Scottish Executive Minister she met on 15th July in Brussels prior to the EU Agriculture Council meeting.

(72708)

109
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many formal and official inter-ministerial meetings her Department has held with the Scottish Executive since May 1999, broken down by (a) Scottish Executive department, (b) subject and (c) date.

(72719)

110   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the availability of plastic recyling facilities in (a) the South West and (b) Somerset.

(73249)

111   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what outbreaks of disease in animals in Somerset have been linked to the import of illegal meat products in the past five years.

(73250)

112   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps (a) have been taken and (b) are planned by her Department to increase the number of trees planted in the South West; and if she will make a statement.

(73251)

113   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations she has received on the 20 day standstill rule in Somerset.

(73252)

114   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the practical implications of the 20 day standstill order on agricultural shows in Somerset.

(73253)

115
N   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects to publish her consultation paper on farm waste.

(72169)

116
N   Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many letters from honourable Members received by her Department before 1st January have not been answered.

(72018)

117
N   Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to improve the peformance of her Department in replying to correspondence.

(72016)

118
N   Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the average time taken by her Department has been to answer a letter from an honourable Member since January; and what the longest time for which such a letter has been awaiting a reply is in this period.

(72017)

119   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will consult (a) honourable Members whose constituencies have fishing interests, (b) fishermen's organisations and (c) other groups before a decision is made to impose a fishing ban in the vicinity of Lundy Island.

(72947)

120   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent evaluation her Department has carried out on the risk posed to seaside communities by rising sea levels; and if she will make a statement.

(72945)

121   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what evidence has been supplied to her by English Nature on the impact of imposing a fishing ban in the vicinity of Lundy Island; and what assessment of such evidence will be carried out by her officials before a decision is made.

(72946)

122   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total cost was to public funds of her Department's exhibition stands at county and agricultural shows held since 1st April.

(73174)

123
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the intelligent motor generator technology developed by Ricardo in reducing fuel consumption in road vehicles.

(72625)

124   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Environment Agency will (a) commence and (b) complete the feasibility study into the causes and relief of flooding in Salmon's Brook in the Lea Valley; and if she will make a statement.

(73022)

125   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 10th July, Official Report, column 310W, what evaluation has taken place of the effectiveness of the Environment Agency in identifying the case for investment in flood alleviation measures following the flooding of October 2000; and if she will make a statement.

(73012)

126   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what PSAs have been set for the Environment Agency regarding (a) flood forecasting, (b) flood warning and (c) flood alleviation; and if she will make a statement.

(73019)

127   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what timescale is set for the Environment Agency to complete the investment in flood alleviation measures arising from a flooding incident; and if she will make a statement.

(73020)

128
N   John Mann (Bassetlaw): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made with the review on legislation covering the trafficking of endangered species.

(72702)

129   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will undertake not to make a decision on the future of enriched egg laying cages until after the results of her Department's funded research have been published.

(73121)

130   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the scientific research which informed her decision to hold a full public consultation into the future of the enriched egg laying cage.

(73113)

131   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3rd July, Official Report, column 368W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Management Committee of the common organisations of agricultural markets for natural fibres; and if she will make a statement.

(73180)

132   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2nd July, Official Report, column 248W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Management Committee of the common organisations of agricultural markets for beef and veal; and if she will make a statement.

(73175)

133   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3rd July, Official Report, column 371W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Management Committee of the common organisations of agricutural markets for pigmeat; and if she will make a statement.

(73178)

134   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 26th June, Official Report, column 914W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Committee on geographical indications and protected designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs; and if she will make a statement.

(73292)

135   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4th July, Official Report, column 607W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Committee for the adaptation to technical and scientific progress of the Directive on the prevention and reduction of environmental pollution by asbestos; and if she will make a statement.

(73181)

136   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8th July, Official Report, column 691W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Committee for the implementation of legislation on ambient air quality assessment and management; and if she will make a statement.

(73291)

137   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8th July, Official Report, column 691W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Advisory Committee for the implementation of the directive on the reduction of the sulphur content of certain liquid fuels; and if she will make a statement.

(73290)

138   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11th July, Official Report, column 1124W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Management Committee for Fisheries Products; and if she will make a statement.

(73171)

139   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 26th June, Official Report, column 914W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Committee on conservation, characterisation, collection and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture; and if she will make a statement.

(73293)

140   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 2nd July, Official Report, column 248W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Management Committee of the common organisations of agricultural markets for sheep and goats; and if she will make a statement.

(73176)

141   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4th July, Official Report, column 607W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Committee on agricultural structures and rural development; and if she will make a statement.

(73167)

142   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 1st July, Official Report, column 69W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Committee on the implementation of the Directive establishing a Community policy regarding water; and if she will make a statement.

(73170)

143   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with regard to the Answer of 26th June, Official Report, column 913W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Implementation Committee for Spirit Drinks; and if she will make a statement.

(73296)

144   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21st June, Official Report, column 606W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Committee on the Directive on packaging and packaging waste; and if she will make a statement.

(73177)

145   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11th July, Official Report, column 124W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Management Committee for the fisheries and aquaculture sector; and if she will make a statement.

(73182)

146   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3rd July, Official Report, columns 368-9W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Committee for the adaptation to scientific and technical progress of the directive on water intended for human consumption; and if she will make a statement.

(73295)

147   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9th July, Official Report, column 842W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Committee for the adaptation to scientific and technical progress of the Directive on protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources; and if she will make a statement.

(73173)

148   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3rd July, Official Report, column 370W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Committee on certificates of specific character for agricultural products and foodstuffs; and if she will make a statement.

(73179)

149   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 1st July, Official Report, column 70W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU management committees of the common organisations of agricultural markets for cereals; and if she will make a statement.

(73289)

150   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which regulations under Part I of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 need to be in force before the Act can be implemented in any region before 2005.

(72940)

151   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what biotechnology research projects in (a) agriculture and (b) biomedics have been supported by the Department; and what level of public investment has gone into them in each of the last three years.

(73241)

152
N   Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much money by way of grants and subsidies her Department has paid to the RSPB, broken down by category, in each of the last five years.

(71747)

153   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent studies have been carried out into the number of (a) rabbits, (b) hares, (c) foxes, (d) grey crows, (e) magpies, (f) otters, (g) feral mink and (h) jays in England; and what trends have been detected in the population levels of each species.

(73042)

154
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she has received concerning planning applications for the erection of mobile and static free range poultry units.

(72519)

155
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the role small free range poultry units can play in reviving the agricultural sector; and if she will make a statement.

(72518)

156
N   Mr Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 3rd July, Official Report, column 381W, if she will place copies of the surveys of public awareness and attitudes in the Library.

(72829)

157
N   Mr Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures she is taking to enhance the effectiveness of the Are You Doing Your Bit? campaign; and if she will make a statement.

(72743)

158
N   Mr Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the level of funding for the Are You Doing Your Bit? campaign was in each year since 1998; what funds have been made available to support this campaign in (a) this and (b) the next three years; and if she will make a statement.

(72744)

159   Paddy Tipping (Sherwood): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what financial resources she has made available to local authorities in 2002-03 to help with the storage and disposal of refrigerators; and how much each local authority has been allocated.

(72925)

160   Mr Michael Weir (Angus): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with representatives of the farming industry on reduction of the use of pesticides.

(73199)

161   Mr Michael Weir (Angus): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent research her Department has carried out to determine the level of pesticide residues in food within the UK; what checks are carried out on imported foods to determine the level of pesticide residues; and what plans she has to introduce statutory targets to reduce the use of pesticides in food production.

(73202)

162   Mr Michael Weir (Angus): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations she has had from environmental groups on pesticide residues in food.

(73201)

163   Mr Michael Weir (Angus): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with (a) representatives of the food retail industry and (b) consumer representatives on pesticide residues in food.

(73200)

164
N   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many vehicles have been impounded by HM Customs and Excise in respect of white van imports since 1st January 2000.

(72505)

165
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to extend the reduced rate of five per cent VAT to all purchases of energy efficiency materials.

(72705)

166
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many jobs under the remit of his Department in (a) the core department, (b) non-departmental public bodies, (c) executive agencies and (d) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by his Department and other such organisations are, located in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, excluding Greater London, (iii) Greater London, (iv) Wales, (v) Northern Ireland and (vi) overseas, broken down by (A) whole-time equivalent jobs and (B) the percentage per individual department, body or organisation.

(72727)

167
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to increase the number of customs staff employed in Scotland.

(72706)

168
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many formal and official inter-ministerial meetings his Department has held with the Scottish Executive since May 1999, broken down by (a) Scottish Executive department, (b) subject and (c) date.

(72721)

169   Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer which (a) companies and (b) individuals in Buckinghamshire have been found to have committed offences by the FSA; and what action was taken in each case.

(73145)

170   Mr John Greenway (Ryedale): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice his Department has given to the Ministry of Defence about the eligibility of retired disabled officers in receipt of a pension granted on account of medical unfitness attributable to military service to (a) have their pensions exempted from income tax and (b) be awarded a refund of tax wrongly deducted from their pension; and what advice it gave on whether such entitlement should be backdated to the date of discharge.

(72853)

171   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total cost involved to date in collating, drafting, completing and publishing the National Changeover Plan.

(72948)

172   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Inland Revenue review of pension taxation will be completed; whether the report will be published; and if he will make a statement.

(73018)

173
N   Mr John McWilliam (Blaydon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has carried out on the impact of the DTI guidelines on the definition of development for tax purposes on the research and development tax credit in respect of large companies; and if he will make a statement.

(70864)

174   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the document he sent to the EU giving the six monthly report on the UK's economy.

(72897)

175   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what rate of entry he regards as suitable to join the euro.

(72900)

176   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the (a) real and (b) nominal annual rate of return on UK equities between May 1997 and 16th July 2002.

(72903)

177
N   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the period the UK should hold steady at his preferred rate for joining the euro before holding a referendum.

(72899)

178   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has obtained EU permission to enter the euro without first rejoining the ERM, subject to a referendum.

(72898)

179   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer when the EU Customs Code Committee on the movement of air or sea passengers' baggage (technical problems) is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement.

(73150)

180   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer when the EU Customs Code Committee on favourable tariff treatment (nature or end-use of goods) is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement.

(73151)

181   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer when the EU Customs Code Committee on counterfeit and pirated goods is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement.

(73148)

182   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer when the EU Customs Code Committee on the single administrative document is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement.

(73149)

183   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer when the EU Customs Code Committee on general customs rules is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement.

(73156)

184   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer when the EU Customs Code Committee on the recovery of claims is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement.

(73157)

185   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer when the EU Customs Code Committee on customs procedures with economic impact is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement.

(73147)

186   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer when the EU Customs Code Committee on customs valuation is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement.

(73144)

187   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what new incentives he will introduce to stimulate the use of less environmentally damaging vehicles as (a) taxis and (b) other public service carriers.

(73207)

188
N   Rachel Squire (Dunfermline West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to exempt from tax the hearing aids required for hearing impaired people to pursue employment.

(72203)

189   Paddy Tipping (Sherwood): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of British overseas trade in 2001 took place using the euro.

(72923)

190
N   Mr Neil Turner (Wigan): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the population in (a) Wigan MBC, (b) the North West Region and (c) England had an income of (i) up to twice, (ii) up to five times and (iii) more than five times the national average in each of the past 10 years.

(71898)

191
N   Mr Neil Turner (Wigan): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the total relevant population were higher rate tax payers in (a) Wigan MBC, (b) the North West Region and (c) England for each of the last 10 years.

(71897)

192   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times he has permitted charities to use 11 Downing Street for functions since 1997; and how much money has been raised.

(73243)

193   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what accounting procedures exist to log the amount of funds given to solicitors from private practice who are instructed to act for the Treasury.

(73242)

194   Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow, Pollok): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what rules will apply to the Ambassador and staff of the British Embassy in Dublin during the forthcoming Irish referendum on the Nice Treaty; what guidelines will be issued on intervention in Irish public and political affairs (a) in the run up to and (b) during the referendum; and if he will make a statement.

(72990)

195   Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow, Pollok): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his latest assessment is of the situation regarding cross-border terrorist incursions into India.

(73057)

196
N   Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland & Melton): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had and what representations (a) he has made and (b) plans to make on the moving of international sporting events from Zimbabwe, as part of his policy on sanctions against Mr Mugabe.

(72627)

197
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many formal and official inter-ministerial meetings his Department has held with the Scottish Executive since May 1999, broken down by (a) Scottish Executive department, (b) subject and (c) date.

(72720)

198
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many jobs under the remit of his Department in (a) the core department, (b) non-departmental public bodies, (c) executive agencies and (d) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by his Department and (e) embassy, consular other such organisations, are located in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, excluding Greater London, (iii) Greater London, (iv) Wales, (v) Northern Ireland and (vi) overseas, broken down by (A) whole-time equivalent jobs and (B) the percentage per individual department, body or organisation.

(72729)

199
N   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information he had collated on how many executions there were on average in Iran each month in each year since 1997 and 2002 to date; how many women and men have been stoned to death since President Khatami came to power; and how many women and men have been punished by flogging in the same period; and what estimate he has made of the impact of his representations on these matters to the Government of Iran in the last 10 months.

(72171)

200
N   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to support the establishment of a UN Special Rapporteur on violence against children.

(72327)

201
N   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of Iran on the discrimination against women set out in child custody laws reported on by the UN special representative for Human Rights in Iran in the report to the UN Human Rights Commission earlier this year.

(72170)

202   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will provide support to the British Council to enable it to undertake its proposals to develop further its Connecting Futures programme.

(73197)

203   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will provide assistance to enable the British Council to open new regional centres in (a) Kaliningrad, (b) Banya Luka and (c) Sarajevo.

(73194)

204   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Burundi; and if he will make a statement.

(73014)

205   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Tooting of 16th July, Official Report, column 178W, on Cyprus, if he will set out the framework of relevant Security Council resolutions and treaties to be considered in the comprehensive peace negotiation between the two communities in Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

(73021)

206   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) the German Government, (b) representatives of the German Government in London and (c) his own representatives in Berlin, concerning the German Act to Introduce the Code of Crimes Against International Law of 26th June; what advice he has received on its implications for citizens of the UK; and if he will make a statement.

(73193)

207   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what communications he has received in the last 10 months concerning the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline; and if he will make a statement.

(73165)

208   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action the Government has taken in the European Court to address border queues between Spain and Gibraltar.

(72861)

209
N   Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge & Malling): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the actual and planned grant-in-aid to the (a) BBC World Service and (b) British Council for each of the years 1990-91 to 2005-06, expressed in constant prices.

(72769)

210   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he will meet the honourable Member for Leicester East and other honourable Members to discuss the reduced visa facilities in New Delhi, Mumbai, Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore.

(73051)

211   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many immigration officers and support staff work in the Consulate in New Delhi, Mumbai, Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore when the operations are fully operational.

(73052)

212   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions have taken place with European colleagues over intensifying cooperation to neutralise funding for terrorist purposes.

(73209)

213   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on progress in increasing cooperation between member states of the EU in the war on terrorism since 11th September 2001.

(73212)

214   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action his Department is taking to improve services for pulmonary rehabilitation for those suffering from chronic respiratory diseases.

(72928)

215   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action his Department is taking to encourage good practice in (a) the treatment at primary care level and (b) the self-management of sleep apnoea.

(72927)

216   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on progress in the implementation of the Learning Disabilities Strategy set out in the White Paper Valuing People.

(72985)

217   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements he is making to monitor the implementation of the White Paper on learning disabilities Valuing People by local learning disability partnership boards.

(72986)

218
N   Mr Keith Bradley (Manchester, Withington): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 16th July, Official Report, column 124W, on henoch chonlein purpura, what criteria his Department uses to allocate funding in respect of combating henoch chonlein purpura amongst children.

(72725)

219
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of routine appointment wait times in (a) Twickenham and (b) the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames at general practice surgeries; and if he will make a statement.

(72836)

220
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much it will cost to set up and run the New Merged Health and Social Care Inspectorates; and if he will make a statement.

(72511)

221   Jim Dowd (Lewisham West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action he is taking to encourage recruitment of general practitioners to serve in the London Borough of Lewisham.

(73237)

222
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many jobs under the remit of his Department in (a) the core department, (b) non-departmental public bodies, (c) executive agencies and (d) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by his Department and other such organisations, are located in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, excluding Greater London, (iii) Greater London, (iv) Wales, (v) Northern Ireland and (vi) overseas, broken down by (A) whole time equivalent jobs and (B) the percentage per individual department, body or organisation.

(72735)

223
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many formal and official inter-ministerial meetings his Department has held with the Scottish Executive since May 1999, broken down by (a) Scottish Executive department, (b) subject and (c) date.

(72716)

224   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the teenage pregnancy rate in Taunton was at the latest date for which figures are available.

(73271)

225   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of improvements in service at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(73270)

226   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress is being made in making beta interferon available for MS sufferers by (a) primary care trusts and (b) hospital trusts serving (i) West Somerset and (ii) Taunton Deane.

(73269)

227   Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the Medical Control Agency will report on the effects of the drug Roaccutane; and if he will make a statement.

(73141)

228   Jane Griffiths (Reading East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost is per pregnancy of an early pregnancy unit.

(72994)

229   Jane Griffiths (Reading East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average cost is to the NHS of an ectopic pregnancy.

(72993)

230   Jane Griffiths (Reading East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many ectopic pregnancies have occurred in each of the last 10 years; and how many women have (a) been hospitalised and (b) died as a result of ectopic pregnancies in each of the last 10 years.

(72995)

231   Jane Griffiths (Reading East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the percentage of ectopic pregnancies caused by chlamydia infections.

(72996)

232
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to promote epilepsy specialist nurses.

(72844)

233
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to address the information and support needs for bereaved families affected by (a) SUDEP and (b) other epilepsy deaths.

(72752)

234
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made in negotiations with BUPA to create a diagnostic and treatment centre at the Redwood Hospital.

(72755)

235
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has for the involvement of health professionals and the voluntary sector in the implementation of the Action Plan to address Epilepsy-Related death.

(72761)

236
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to address the finding in the epilepsy deaths report on the adequacy of post-mortem investigations.

(72750)

237
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to set a national target for reduction of epilepsy deaths.

(72753)

238
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the information and training needs of (a) people with epilepsy and (b) their carers.

(72759)

239
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what consideration the Government has given to the finding of the National Audit of Epilepsy-Related Death relating to deficiencies in the implementation of existing NICE guidelines; and what plans he has to ensure the implementation of the guideline due in 2004.

(72763)

240
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to improve public awareness of epilepsy.

(72748)

241
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to ensure that people with epilepsy receive six monthly check-ups with their GP or an epilepsy specialist to review their medication.

(72757)

242
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what further initiatives the Government will take to improve levels of epilepsy care across the country.

(72749)

243
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures are (a) in place and (b) planned to ensure that clinical assessments for epilepsy are performed to a satisfactory standard, including the accurate recording of seizure types, seizure triggers and seizure frequency.

(72758)

244
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to improve the awareness of GPs and health professionals of epilepsy and epilepsy related death.

(72760)

245
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans there are to increase the number of neurologists and paediatric neurologists with a specialism in epilepsy.

(72765)

246
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans the Government has for implementation and funding of the Action Plan to address Epilepsy-Related Death.

(72754)

247
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to increase the availability of information for health professionals surrounding the issue of drug management for epilepsy medication.

(72756)

248
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many neurologists and paediatric neurologists with a specialism in epilepsy there are in the UK.

(72764)

249
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to inform those with epilepsy of the risks of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy and ways of reducing risk.

(72747)

250
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Home Office is being consulted on the Action Plan to address the finding in the National Audit of Epilepsy-Related Death on the adequacy of post-mortem investigations.

(72751)

251
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans are in place to ensure that primary care trusts will act on the NICE recommendation that local NHS clinicians and organisations should establish or review policies of practices regarding the management of epilepsy.

(72762)

252   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many residential care home places for elderly people were closed in (a) England and (b) the NHS during the last 12 months.

(72951)

253
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 18th July, ref 71069, how many of the nurse, midwife and health visitor consultant posts being approved have been taken up by experienced nurses who have returned to the NHS following a substantial period outside the profession.

(72838)

254
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 18th July, ref 71071, how much his Department has spent on recruitment campaigns to encourage people to become involved as foster carers since 1997.

(72839)

255
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what studies his Department has undertaken during each of the last 10 years into the safety of the abortion drug RU-486; and if he will make a statement.

(70114)

256
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what he estimates will be the savings during each of the next five years to the National Health Service of using the abortion drug RU-486 instead of surgical abortion; and if he will make a statement.

(70115)

257
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that the abortion drug RU-486 will be administered in accordance with the Abortion Act 1967, as amended by section 37 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990; and if he will make a statement.

(70116)

258
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many abortions were carried out in each of the last 10 years using the abortion drug RU-486.

(70117)

259
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his proposed target levels in 2002-03 are for use of the abortion drug RU-486; and if he will make a statement.

(70118)

260
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what was the total cost to the National Health Service in each of the last five years of providing the abortion drug RU-486.

(70119)

261
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) contra-indications and (b) side effects are of the use of the abortion drug RU486; and if he will make a statement.

(70218)

262
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the rate of incomplete abortions following the use of the abortion drug RU486 is; and if he will make a statement.

(70219)

263
N   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what counselling is offered to a woman (a) contemplating, (b) during and (c) after an abortion using the abortion drug RU486; and if he will make a statement.

(70220)

264
N   John Mann (Bassetlaw): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will allow Liam and Joel Blood, constituents, to put their father's name on their birth certificates.

(72772)

265   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what changes in hospital doctor productivity he anticipates over the next three years.

(72902)

266   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has for funding PCTs that have more GPs than the recommended average per 100,000 people.

(72887)

267   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the OJEC advertisements were placed for the South West regional procurement process for NHS IT.

(73122)

268   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the South West regional procurement process for NHS IT was initiated.

(73123)

269   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what independent evaluation has been made of the single procurement process for electronic patient record systems for NHS trusts in the South West; and if he will make a statement.

(73124)

270   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many trusts in the South West have signed contracts with a minimum value of £1 million for hospital-wide electronic patient record systems through the South-West regional procurement process for NHS IT; and how many contracts of this minimum value are expected to be signed in the next three months.

(73125)

271   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he intends to require NHS trusts in the Eastern region to follow the South West NHS IT procurement model.

(73126)

272   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he intends to introduce a single procurement process for electronic patient record systems for the Thames Valley, Kent and Birmingham area NHS trusts.

(73127)

273   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his estimate is of financial savings that have been achieved since the commencement of the single procurement process for NHS IT in the South West; and what his next estimate is of future savings for the current and five financial years.

(73128)

274   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS Executive officials directly involved in the establishment of single procurement arrangements for NHS trusts in the South West were previously involved in (a) development and (b) management of the Hospital Information Support Systems initiative.

(73129)

275   Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many deaths resulted from the failure of ambulances to arrive at their destinations on 17th and 18th July (a) this year and (b) 2001.

(73026)

276   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the research findings published by the Food Standards Agency on the transfer of GM DNA from food to bacteria in the human gut, (a) what level of GM DNA was present in the commercial samples fed to participants in the research, (b) what proportion of the GM DNA was complete rather than in fragments, (c) to what extent the research looked at whether GM DNA passed through the gut and into the blood stream and blood cells, (d) what reference was made to the experiment on mice, post 1997, documenting the ability of GM DNA to pass through the gut wall into the bloodstream, the liver and spleen and (e) which scientific experts concluded from this research that humans were not at risk.

(73190)

277   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what biotechnology research projects in (a) agriculture and (b) biomedics have been supported by the Department; and what level of public investment has gone into them in each of the last three years.

(73240)

278   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to change the HFEA's (a) code of practice and (b) operating procedures to prevent the pre-selection of physical or mental characteristics other than to find a match for those of the prospective father's characteristics or to provide a healthy embryo.

(73037)

279   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the IVF clinics at which prospective parents seeking IVF treatment, may select by donor, (a) eye colour, (b) height, (c) build, (d) hair colour, (e) profession, (f) IQ, (g) sporting ability, (h) career achievement and (i) educational or professional qualification achievement, irrespective of their consistency with the father's characteristics.

(73038)

280   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what controls are in place to prevent the importation of donor sperm to meet desired genetic physical or mental characteristics other than those necessary to produce a healthy child with characteristics consistent with those of that child's prospective parents.

(73036)

281   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which donor sperm characteristics cannot be requested by potential parents seeking IVF treatment.

(73035)

282   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what (a) strategies, (b) systems and (c) technologies he plans to introduce to reduce the number of adverse patient incidents in the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

(73045)

283   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ask the HFEA to suspend the licence of IVF clinics that offer choice of donor sperm characteristics that are not consistent with those of the prospective father or necessary for the creation of a healthy baby.

(73034)

284   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what safeguards there are to prevent (a) clinics and (b) prospective parents intervening in IVF treatment to manipulate the physical or mental characteristics of an embryo, other than those necessary to ensure the health and well-being of the baby; and if he will make a statement.

(73033)

285   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the Spoonful of Sugar medicine management in NHS hospitals, Audit Commission report of December 2001, and what strategy he has to reduce the human and financial costs of mistakes in the NHS.

(73029)

286   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the Serious Hazards of Transfusion Report (2000-01); and what strategy he has to reduce the number of mistakes made in patient identity.

(73030)

287   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the National Patient Safety Agency 17th June report; and what strategy he has for reducing the percentage of NHS hospital admissions that experience adverse incidents caused by human error.

(73044)

288   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what (a) technologies and (b) systems he plans to introduce in the NHS to reduce the risk of the wrong drugs or inappropriate quantities of drugs being given to patients; and if he will make a statement.

(73118)

289   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the overall cost to the NHS of adverse patient incidents in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(73115)

290   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action he has taken following the SHOT report to adopt new systems and technology to prevent patient identity errors.

(73114)

291   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the level of compensation to be budgeted for by the NHS in respect of adverse patient incidents in the (a) current and (b) next financial years.

(73117)

292   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of NHS beds lost due to adverse patient incidents in each of the last five years.

(73116)

293
N   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to allow new care homes to be commissioned before a full inspection takes place while there is a backlog of registrations and bed shortages; and if he will make a statement.

(72078)

294
N   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting time is between a new care home seeking a registration for the purposes of the care home regulations and an inspection taking place.

(72079)

295   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the prescribing of growth hormones for adults on the NHS.

(73111)

296
N   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what priority is given to new establishments seeking first registration for the purpose of the care home regulations; and if he will make a statement.

(72076)

297
N   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many new establishments are awaiting a first registration for the purposes of the care home regulations; and if he will make a statement.

(72077)

298
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much it will cost to set up and run the New Police Standards Unit; and if he will make a statement.

(72512)

299
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued in London broken down by (a) London borough and (b) London constituency; and if she will make a statement.

(72835)

300   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of Operation Street Cred in the Wirral.

(72867)

301
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many jobs under the remit of his Department in (a) the core department, (b) non-departmental public bodies, (c) executive agencies and (d) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by his Department and other such organisations, are located in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, excluding Greater London, (iii) Greater London, (iv) Wales, (v) Northern Ireland and (vi) overseas, broken down by (A) whole-time equivalent jobs and (B) the percentage per individual department, body or organisation.

(72728)

302
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many formal and official inter-ministerial meetings his Department has held with the Scottish Executive since May 1999, broken down by (a) Scottish Executive department, (b) subject and (c) date.

(72724)

303   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average waiting time is for a telephone call to a local police station which is answered by the central answering service for Avon and Somerset Police.

(73262)

304   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were (a) arrested and (b) charged with possession of Class (i) A, (ii) B and (iii) C drugs in the West Somerset Division of Avon and Somerset Police in each year since 1997.

(73263)

305   Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time is for fingerprint evidence to be processed in (a) England and Wales and (b) Thames Valley Police in each year since 1997.

(73142)

306   Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been spent on Identikit support in each police authority area in each year since 1997.

(73143)

307
N   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the population of the potential client group for each local authority with youth offending teams has been; how many offences have been recorded since the youth offending teams were set up; what the pro rata offence figures are; what the general, referral and drugs order funding was for 2002-03; and what the pro rata funding allocation for each offender was in that year.

(72325)

308
N   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will indicate, for each prison, youth offenders institution and other institutions for offenders, people on remand and ex-offenders (a) the way in which drug prescriptions are recorded and (b) the progress being made towards this work being dealt with using information technology.

(72333)

309
N   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish the criteria for the way in which deprivation indices were calculated as part of the formula for funding youth offending teams in England and Wales, indicating differences in calculations made for youth offending teams in (a) England and (b) Wales.

(72334)

310
N   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many deaths in custody there were in each of the last 10 years broken down by prison service region, indicating (a) where these were challenged at the inquest and (b) how many challenges were successful.

(72329)

311
N   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the institutions being (a) built and (b) extended to deal with offenders; and whether these will be equipped with the appropriate information technology to enable high quality clinical audits to be carried out.

(72330)

312
N   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will meet representatives of the Welsh Assembly Government, local authorities with youth offending teams in England and Wales, and the relevant, police, probation and health service bodies, to develop common criteria for assessing (a) funding needs and (b) the contribution of each partner to the work of the youth offending teams.

(72335)

313
N   Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assistance and advice his Department provides to charities having difficulty obtaining public liability insurance after 11th September 2001.

(72015)

314   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of robberies recorded by the police in each of the 10 robbery hotspots involved the theft of a mobile phone in the latest period for which figures are available.

(73226)

315   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has for the closure of (a) courts and (b) prisons.

(73222)

316   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) adult males, (b) women and (c) juveniles were remanded into Prison Service custody in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available.

(73215)

317   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Director General for Criminal Justice System Information Technology was appointed.

(73227)

318   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which prisons are the (a) most expensive and (b) cheapest in terms of cost per prisoner; and what criteria govern the differential allocation of funds to these prisons.

(73214)

319   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many failed asylum seekers from Afghanistan have been repatriated in each of the last 12 months.

(73220)

320   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which police authorities have the (a) highest and (b) lowest detection rates in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

(73223)

321   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much money is owed within the Criminal Records Bureau; and (a) by and (b) to whom it is owed.

(73288)

322   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which statutory body has responsibility for the welfare of children in care who have been committed to a young offender institution or adult prison; and if he will make a statement.

(73058)

323   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average cost of providing (a) cash-only support and (b) full support was per asylum seeker in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

(72931)

324   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what regulations and standards govern the treatment of prisoners held in police cells.

(73219)

325   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much money is owed within the probation service; and (a) by and (b) to whom it is owed.

(73225)

326   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners are being held in police cells; in what areas of the country they are held; and at what cost to the Prison Service.

(72313)

327   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many parents have been imprisoned as a result of their children's truancy under the provisions of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000.

(73229)

328   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) adult male prisoners, (b) women prisoners and (c) juveniles were held in police cells in each of the last six weeks; and for how long in each case.

(73217)

329   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of (a) registered young offenders, (b) registered offenders, (c) young offenders resident in youth offender institutions, (d) offenders resident in adult prisons, (e) persons convicted of drug-related offences and (f) persons convicted of violent crimes are known to have a history of being in care.

(72929)

330   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many arrests have been made in Lambeth for (a) dealing in cannabis and (b) dealing in class A drugs in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available.

(73218)

331   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers are receiving cash-only support; and if he will make a statement.

(72930)

332   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Coventry South of 4th July, Official Report, columns 533-4W, what form the consultation on the extension of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 will take.

(73216)

333   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the use of weekend imprisonment in other countries.

(73221)

334   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the extra cost of providing full support to those asylum seekers currently receiving cash-only support; and if he will make a statement.

(72932)

335   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many immigration cases are awaiting allocation to a case worker following receipt of application documents; for how many years the largest outstanding case has been waiting; and how many are from addresses in Beckenham constituency.

(73112)

336   Mr Peter Lilley (Hitchin & Harpenden): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals have been detected through the matching of fingerprints as having made two or more applications for asylum in each year since 1993.

(73005)

337   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action is being taken to (a) monitor and (b) arrest and convict those involved in (i) distributing anti-semitic material and (ii) anti-semitic activity against people and property; and if he will make a statement.

(73006)

338   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the health and environmental implications of locating (a) pregnant and (b) other asylum seekers at Throckmorton, with particular reference to (i) the Hill of Moor landfill site and (ii) the foot and mouth disease burial site; and if he will make a statement.

(72920)

339
N   John Mann (Bassetlaw): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action he is taking about UK internet sites used as an incitement to paedophilia.

(72701)

340   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on pay and responsibilities for the rank of chief inspector within the police service.

(72866)

341   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) sergeants, (b) inspectors and (c) chief inspectors there were in March 2000; and how many he estimates there will be in Spring 2003.

(72865)

342   Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many deaths resulted from the failure of police and fire services to arrive at their destinations (a) on the day of the recent London Underground strike and (b) the same date in the previous year.

(73027)

343
N   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list those organisations which have had charitable status withdrawn since June 2001, stating the reasons in each case.

(72766)

344   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on Freemasons in the police force.

(73246)

345   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many officers in (a) the Metropolitan Police, (b) Leicestershire Police and (c) Nottinghamshire Police have declared themselves to be Freemasons.

(73247)

346   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 12th July, Official Report, column 1248W, how many of the deaths resulted in (a) an internal inquiry, (b) an external inquiry and (c) compensation being paid to the next of kin of the victims.

(73248)

347   Mr Michael Weir (Angus): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign students have received visas to enter the UK to work as seasonal workers in agriculture in each of the last five years, broken down by nation and region.

(73055)

348   Mr Michael Weir (Angus): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what regulations are in force relating to (a) the employment of foreign students as seasonal workers in agriculture, (b) the standards of welfare and accommodation provided for foreign students employed as seasonal workers in agriculture and (c) remuneration of foreign students employed as seasonal workers in agriculture.

(73056)

349   Mr Michael Weir (Angus): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to review regulations relating to the employment of foreign students as seasonal workers in agriculture.

(73054)

350   Mr Michael Weir (Angus): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which authority is charged with supervising standards of accommodation welfare and remuneration of foreign students employed as seasonal workers in agriculture.

(73053)

351   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what strategy he has to ensure that all people who work with children have the necessary skills and experience to do the job.

(72909)

352   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much money was spent by her Department in each year since 1998-99 on overseas superannuation, referred to on page 98 of the 2002 Departmental Report.

(73131)

353   Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the impact of the most recent G8 meeting on the capacity of the UK Government to meet its millennium development goals; and if she will make a statement.

(72987)

354
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many formal and official inter-ministerial meetings her Department has held with the Scottish Executive since May 1999, broken down by (a) Scottish Executive department, (b) subject and (c) date.

(72723)

355
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many jobs under the remit of her Department in (a) the core department, (b) non-departmental public bodies, (c) executive agencies and (d) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by her Department and other such organisations, are located in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, excluding Greater London, (iii) Greater London, (iv) Wales, (v) Northern Ireland and (vi) overseas, broken down by (A) whole-time equivalent jobs and (B) the percentage per individual department, body or organisation.

(72731)

356
N   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on progress in implementing the EU health programme in Sierra Leone.

(72168)

357
N   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate she has made of how many street children there are in the developing world; and what plans she has to provide support for the work being done in developing countries to bring street children into mainstream society to benefit from more general education and health programmes.

(72326)

358
N   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement about progress being made with the Chieftons' Government reform projects in Sierra Leone; and what plans she has for developing this work further.

(72331)

359
N   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the progress being made with the campaign for good governance her Department is supporting in Sierra Leone; and what plans she has for developing further this work.

(72332)

360
N   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what account her Department will take of the policy statement on promoting and protecting the rights of street children formulated by the South Asian Civil Society Forum meeting in Colombo last December when developing programmes to support governments in South Asia combating poverty, ill health and poor education.

(72167)

361   Mr Jon Owen Jones (Cardiff Central): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she estimates that, as a result of the G8 talks, the UK is on target to meet its millennium development goals; and if she will make a statement.

(72849)

362   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will provide support for the British Council's plans to develop its programmes in support of the New Partnership for Africa's Development.

(73196)

363   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assistance she has given to the Government of Lebanon for the re-building of its infrastucture; and if she will make a statement.

(73016)

364   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what activities are being undertaken in (a) Rwanda and (b) Burundi by her Department to improve the human rights situation; and if she will make a statement.

(73010)

365   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her Answer of 25th February, Official Report, columns 883-6W, how much money her Department has given to the (a) health and sexual education programme in Bolivia since 1997 and (b) Orissa Reproductive Health Project in India in each year since 1997; what these amounts represent in percentage terms of her Department's per annum expenditure for population reproductive health programmes; and if she will make a statement.

(73172)

366   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 25th February, Official Report, columns 883-6W, what is meant by rights-based response to HIV/AIDS in Nepal; and if she will make a statement.

(73294)

367   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her Answer of 25th February, Official Report, columns 883-6W, how much money her Department has given to (a) the reproductive health programme in Peru, (b) the STD programme in the Russian Federation and (c) the Central American regional programme for improving sexual and reproductive health services in each year since 1997; what these amounts represent in percentage terms of her Department's per annum expenditure for population reproductive health programmes; and if she will make a statement.

(73184)

368   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her Answer of 25th February, Official Report, columns 883-6W, how much money her Department has given in support of the Russian Family Planning Association per annum since 1997; what that represents in percentage terms of her Department's per annum expenditure for population reproductive health programmes; if she will explain the makeup of the Russian Family Planning Association; and if she will make a statement.

(73183)

369   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what biotechnology research projects in (a) agriculture and (b) biomedics have been supported by her Department; and what public investment has gone into them in each of the last three years.

(73238)

370   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what links her Department has with the UNHCR offices in Kenya.

(73279)

371   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions her Department has had with (a) the UNHCR, (b) the Kenyan Government and (c) refugees in Kenya regarding the resettlement of refugees in Kenya.

(73276)

372   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to encourage Ethiopia to fulfil its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

(73285)

373   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the UNHCR has spent in the last 12 months in Kenya.

(73278)

374   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions her Department has had with the UNHCR regarding the protection afforded to refugees in Kenya and the security of refugee camps in Kenya; and if she will make a statement.

(73275)

375   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when she last visited Kenya; whom she met; what discussions she had; and when she next intends to visit Kenya.

(73274)

376   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what action she has taken to counter corruption in the Kenyan offices of the UNHCR.

(73280)

377   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the countries in which her Department operates a sector wide approach to development.

(73283)

378   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the countries in which her Department supports land reform programmes.

(73282)

379   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the UNHCR's resettlement policy in East Africa, with specific reference to Kenya.

(73277)

380   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what her Department's policy is on deforestation.

(73281)

381   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of (a) the number of political prisoners and (b) the level of torture in Ethiopia.

(73286)

382   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department has provided (a) bilaterally and (b) multilaterally to the EPRDF in Ethiopia in each of the last five years.

(73284)

383   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what she is doing to promote good government in Ethopia.

(73287)

384
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when she expects the additional resources committed for good quality primary education to the group of 18 countries selected to receive immediate financing to be provided.

(72767)

385
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many contracts her Department has had with the Adam Smith Institute over the last three years; and if she will break them down by (a) subject and (b) value.

(72773)

386
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the European Commission's proposal for the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, with particular reference to farmers in developing countries; and if she will make a statement.

(72768)

387   Mr John Greenway (Ryedale): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when the Pensions Appeal Tribunal finds that a pension payable to a retired disabled officer was granted on account of medical unfitness attributable to military service from when payments of that pension are payable.

(72850)

388   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many ministerial and other staff cars were available in his Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(73043)

389
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will reply to the questions tabled by the honourable Member for Putney transferred to his Department by the Department of Trade and Industry, refs, 67261 and 67262, before 24th July.

(72520)

390   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will make a statement on the Central Council of Magistrates' response to the Criminal Courts Review.

(73049)

391   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when he next plans to meet Mr Duncan Webster and Mr David Wilkinson.

(73050)

392   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans he has to open additional IATs.

(73048)

393   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when he proposes to open the new IAT in Leicester.

(73047)

394
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what additional resources he plans to make available for the protection of (a) ambulance and (b) fire personnel when on active duty; and if he will make a statement.

(72833)

395
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many jobs under the remit of his Department in (a) the core department, (b) non-departmental public bodies, (c) executive agencies and (d) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by his Department and other such organisations, are located in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, excluding Greater London, (iii) Greater London, (iv) Wales, (v) Northern Ireland and (vi) overseas, broken down by (A) whole time equivalent jobs and (B) the percentage per individual department, body or organisation.

(72736)

396   Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what records he (a) keeps and (b) publishes of (i) mutilations, (ii) beatings, (iii) shootings, (iv) forced exiles and (v) acts of intimidation believed to have been carried out by paramilitary groups.

(72921)

397
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the President of the Council, what his policy is for the disposal of computer equipment that has been updated; and if he will make a statement.

(72843)

398   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the President of the Council, what proposals he has to improve parliamentary scrutiny of ministerial decisions which are made using the Royal Prerogative.

(72954)

399   Peter Bradley (The Wrekin): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list, broken down by party, the honourable and Right honourable Members that have been knighted in each year since 1979.

(72942)

400
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Prime Minister, how many formal and official meetings he has held with the First Minister of Scotland since May 1999, broken down by (a) subject and (b) date.

(72722)

401
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Prime Minister, how many jobs under the remit of his offices excluding those under the departmental remit of his Cabinet Ministers, are located in (a) Scotland, (b) England, excluding Greater London, (c) Greater London, (d) Wales, (e) Northern Ireland and (f) overseas, broken down by (i) whole-time equivalent jobs and (ii) the percentage per each individual body or organisation.

(72726)

402   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Prime Minister, what plans he has for the future of the Prime Minister's Initiative to attract more international students to the UK.

(73195)

403   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make an official visit to Throckmorton to study the effects of his Government's policies.

(72922)

404   Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough): To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission, whether the Commission has considered the National Audit Office's Corporate Plan for 2003-04 to 2005-06.

(73004)

405
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many jobs under the remit of her Department in (a) the core department, (b) non-departmental public bodies, (c) executive agencies and (d) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by her Department and other such organisations, are located in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, excluding Greater London, (iii) Greater London, (iv) Wales, (v) Northern Ireland and (vi) overseas, broken down by (A) whole time equivalent jobs and (B) the percentage per individual department, body or organisation.

(72738)

406
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many formal and official inter-ministerial meetings her Department has held with the Scottish Executive since May 1999, broken down by (a) Scottish Executive department, (b) subject and (c) date.

(72710)

407
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if she will list the location of each liquid petroleum gas vehicle filling station in Scotland.

(72709)

408   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions she is having with Customs and Excise on (a) detecting the people responsible for importing illegal meat products from China and (b) increasing checks on meat imports coming into Scotland.

(73002)

409   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he is having with the Scottish Executive on illegally imported meat from China found on sale in shops; and if she will make a statement.

(73003)

410   Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Solicitor General, how many prosecutions for manslaughter have been brought against doctors since 1974; and how many of them have been acquitted by the jury, and at what cost to public funds.

(72997)

411   John Austin (Erith & Thamesmead): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what investigations are being carried out by the ECGD following the judgement of Judge Cullinan in Lesotho, on British companies that received ECGD support; and whether they have referred this case to the relevant external investigatory body.

(72919)

412   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, with reference to Target 2 on page 16 of the 2002 Departmental Report, what plans she has to issue further competitiveness indicators in each of the next three years.

(73132)

413   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what information she collated on the performance of the companies that were spun out of universities in 1999-2000.

(73130)

414
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the employment status of modified sub-postmasters/mistresses.

(72831)

415   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many cars were recorded as having been (a) abandoned and (b) scrapped in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

(73138)

416
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many petrol retailers (a) are in operation and (b) have been closed and sealed since 1990, broken down by (i) oil company sites, (ii) main retailer sites, (iii) supermarket sites, (iv) smaller retailer sites and (v) other unbranded sites; and if she will make a statement.

(72506)

417   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many cash machines are installed in Post Office branches; and if she will make a statement.

(73232)

418   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many new pieces of legislation originating in the European Union were implemented by her Department in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

(73136)

419
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she expects the Penrose Inquiry to be published in 2002; and if she will make a statement.

(72837)

420   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many employees are employed in the UK in (a) small, (b) medium sized enterprises and (c) in total; and if she will make a statement.

(73134)

421   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when the Government's evaluation of the Your Guide pilot will be completed; and if she will make a statement.

(73234)

422   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what percentage of (a) businesses and (b) employees would be excluded if those firms with up to 10 employees were exempted from regulation; and if she will make a statement.

(73139)

423
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what redundancy package has been agreed with Consignia; and if she will make a statement.

(72507)

424
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many modified subpostmasters' offices are run by (a) the self-employed and (b) employees of Consignia; and if she will make a statement.

(72840)

425   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how Consignia measures and calculates its quality of service targets; and if she will make a statement.

(73231)

426   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the (a) one off administration costs and (b) ongoing recurring costs to May 2002 for the Part-Time Workers Directive were; and if she will make a statement.

(73135)

427   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent action she has taken with the competition authorities to ensure that a free and open market between fuel suppliers operates within the UK petrol retail industry; and if she will make a statement.

(73236)

428
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what costs are associated with the (a) formation, (b) printing, (c) publishing and (d) distribution of Consignia's annual report and accounts; and if she will make a statement.

(72508)

429
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what provision has been made by Consignia to compensate modified post offices for loss of income from ACT; and if she will make a statement.

(72832)

430   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which Post Office branches will have cash machines installed by March 2003 broken down by constituency; and if she will make a statement.

(73233)

431   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to increase the (a) number and (b) capacity of centres that can be registered as approved to treat vehicles according to the End of Life Vehicle Directive; and if she will make a statement.

(73137)

432   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the charitable donations made by Consignia since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

(73298)

433
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the Government's target is for the number of Post Office card accounts to be operational in (a) 2003, (b) 2004, (c) 2005 and (d) 2006; what the estimated cost is to the Government of those accounts; and if she will make a statement.

(72509)

434   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what tender process was used to select companies involved in non-audit services provided to the Post Office in 2001-02; and if she will make a statement.

(73235)

435
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many modified sub-postmasters offices have closed since 1997, listing for each year the reasons why the office was closed; and if she will make a statement.

(72830)

436
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the total of (a) premiums earned, (b) recoveries received, (c) claims paid and (d) interest support was in Export Credits Guarantee Department operations in relation to their defence business in (i) 2000-01 and (ii) 2001-02.

(72504)

437
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the total was of (a) premiums and (b) claims paid by the Export Credits Guarantee Department in the financial year 2001-02.

(72606)

438   Mr Tony Colman (Putney): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what ECGD support has been granted for (a) fossil fuel, (b) renewable energy and (c) nuclear power projects, broken down by country, in each year from 1997 to 2002.

(72864)

439   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 21st June, Official Report, column 588W, on ECGD, if she will break down the figures for the financial years (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01 by country.

(72926)

440   Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow, Pollok): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what limit is set on the financial liability of nuclear operators for damage arising from a nuclear accident; and if she will make a statement.

(72989)

441   Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow, Pollok): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the estimated clean up costs are for each (a) current and (b) past nuclear power station.

(73119)

442
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many formal and official inter-ministerial meetings her Department has held with the Scottish Executive since May 1999, broken down by (a) Scottish Executive department, (b) subject and (c) date.

(72713)

443
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many jobs under the remit of her Department in (a) the core department, (b) non-departmental public bodies, (c) executive agencies and (d) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by her Department and other such organisations, are located in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, excluding Greater London, (iii) Greater London, (iv) Wales, (v) Northern Ireland and (vi) overseas, broken down by (A) whole time equivalent jobs and (B) the percentage per individual department, body or organisation.

(72741)

444   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which telephone exchanges in Somerset have been converted to DSL; and what plans there are to convert the remaining exchanges.

(73258)

445   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action the Government has taken to attract business to (a) Somerset and (b) Taunton since 1997.

(73259)

446   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what initiatives her Department has to extend the availability of broadband internet provision to rural Somerset; and if she will make a statement.

(73260)

447   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessments she is making of the electricity generation programme now in place at Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire; how long she expects such evaluation to take place; and what plans she has to encourage further air-powered generation.

(72950)

448
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the intelligent motor generator technology developed by Ricardo in reducing fuel consumption in road vehicles.

(72626)

449   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when the review of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 will be completed; what the terms of reference of that review are; and if she will make a statement.

(73011)

450
N   Judy Mallaber (Amber Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action she is taking to secure the continuation of the Strategic Training for Apparel and Textiles programme after June 2002.

(72205)

451
N   Dr Doug Naysmith (Bristol North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had with other departments about the funding of science and discovery centres; and if she will make a statement.

(72322)

452
N   Dr Doug Naysmith (Bristol North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to assist the funding of science and discovery centres; and if she will make a statement.

(72323)

453   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many arms export licences were (a) requested and (b) granted for exports to (i) Georgia and (ii) Russia in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

(73164)

454   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many arms export licences were (a) requested and (b) granted for exports to the Ukraine (i) from 1997 to August 2000 and (ii) since August 2000; and if she will make a statement.

(73162)

455   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many arms export licences were (a) requested and (b) granted for exports to Belorus (i) from 1997 to August 2001 and (ii) since August 2001; and if she will make a statement.

(73163)

456   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what biotechnology research projects in (a) agriculture and (b) biomedics have been supported by her Department; and what level of public investment has gone into them in each of the last three years.

(73239)

457   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the payback period is on available photovoltaic and other domestic solar power installations; what contribution the Government's major photovoltaics demonstration programme makes to reducing the payback period; what the comparative payback period is for solar energy technology; and what packages of financial support are available to support and promote the use of solar energy.

(73192)

458   Paddy Tipping (Sherwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the (a) minimum, (b) maximum and (c) average final compensation settlements made to date in respect of (i) VWF and (ii) COPD are.

(72924)

459
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what plans he has to introduce legislation (a) enforcing a ban and (b) introducing a criminal offence for driving whilst operating a hand held mobile telephone; and if he will make a statement.

(72517)

460
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many jobs under the remit of his Department in (a) the core department, (b) non-departmental public bodies, (c) executive agencies and (d) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by his Department and other such organisations, are located in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, excluding Greater London, (iii) Greater London, (iv) Wales, (v) Northern Ireland and (vi) overseas, broken down by (A) whole-time equivalent jobs and (B) the percentage per individual department, body or organisation.

(71733)

461
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many formal and official inter-ministerial meetings his Department has held with the Scottish Executive since May 1999, broken down by (a) Scottish Executive department, (b) subject and (c) date.

(72717)

462   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what recent assessment he has made of the reliability of rail services to Taunton.

(73268)

463   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what plans he has to encourage the greater use of bus travel (a) within Taunton, (b) within Wellington and (c) in and around Wiveliscombe in Somerset.

(73267)

464   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what plans he has for new road schemes in the South West; and what the (a) cost and (b) commencement date is in each case.

(73266)

465   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what value for preventing a fatality is used by (a) his Department and (b) the Highways Agency when assessing cost-benefit ratios on (i) the roads and (ii) the railways; and how these are calculated.

(72943)

466
N   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will place in the Library an updated copy of Table A3 from the Ten Year Transport Plan (a) at outturn prices or (b) at today's prices.

(72771)

467   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what value for preventing a fatality is used in assessments conducted (a) by and (b) for his Department from the fitting of (i) train protection and warning system, (ii) ERTMS level 1, (iii) ERTMS level 2 and (iv) ERTMS level 3.

(72944)

468   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will bring forward proposals to restrict the power of the Mayor of London to introduce congestion charging.

(72953)

469   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will take powers to prevent local authorities and elected mayors from altering the timing on traffic lights other than for the purpose of improving traffic flows commensurate with safety.

(72952)

470   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what advice his Department issues to the Highways Agency with regard to the (a) phasing of roadworks and (b) timing of verge grass cutting.

(72949)

471   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what progress has been made in extending the terms of the Stockholm Agreement to ferries operating in Southern Europe.

(73198)

472
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the intelligent motor generator technology developed by Ricardo in reducing fuel consumption in road vehicles.

(72624)

473   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what action he is taking to ensure that Railtrack and its successor body are undertaking the work necessary (a) to maintain, (b) to clean and (c) to keep free of birds those railway bridges in its ownership; and if he will make statement.

(73009)

474   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what his estimated date is for the first day of trading of Network Rail CLG.

(72895)

475   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many miles of new (a) motorway and (b) trunk roads have been completed in the last two years; and how many are planned for the next two years.

(72893)

476   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many new carriages have been delivered to train operating companies in Britain in the last year.

(72889)

477   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many miles of new railway line have been completed in the last year; and how many are planned for each of the next two years.

(72892)

478   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how much was spent on maintenance of track by Railtrack in each of the financial years since 1996-97.

(72901)

479   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what has been the expenditure on capital account by Railtrack in Administration since being placed in administration.

(72890)

480   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how much money has been drawn down by (a) Railtrack in Administration and (b) Network Rail.

(72891)

481   Mr John Redwood (Wokingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when he expects to send the first payments to London Underground PPP contractors.

(72894)

482   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when the EC-Poland Joint Transport Committee is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement.

(73159)

483   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when the EC-Hungary Joint Transport Committee is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement.

(73158)

484   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when the Joint Committee on the carriage of goods and passengers by inland waterway (EC- Czech Republic-Republic of Poland-Slovak Republic) is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement.

(73153)

485   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when the EC-Slovak Republic Joint Transport Committee is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement.

(73154)

486   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when the EC-Czech Republic Joint Transport Committee is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if he will make a statement.

(73155)

487
N   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when he expects work to be completed on connecting the Colchester Northern Approach Road to the A12.

(72097)

488   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will license a new class of taxis in inner city areas based on smaller vehicles.

(73203)

489   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what steps he is taking to improve the sustainability and environmental quality of buses and taxis in city areas.

(73206)

490   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assessment his Department has made of the Smart car and similar vehicles as taxis for city areas.

(73205)

491   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will establish a working group to review the quality of taxi systems in major English cities.

(73204)

492   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many structures on the railtrack system have been subject to speed restrictions in each year since 1992.

(72847)

493   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many square metres of gridland stone work on the railway system have been repointed in each year since 1992.

(72848)

494   Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will ask the Highways Agency to remove the bollards at the pedestrian safety refuge on the A46 at Little Beckford.

(72860)

495
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what discussions he has had with the Ministry of Defence about opening up more RAF airfields for civil operations; if such openings will be on a full cost recovery basis; and if they will recognise the obligations on other Government owned airfields.

(71905)

496
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many take-off and landing slots have been handed back to the airport co-ordination slot co-ordinator at London Gatwick in the last 12 months, broken down by airlines.

(71902)

497
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many take-off and landing slots have been bought at London Heathrow and Gatwick in the last 12 months, broken down by company.

(71904)

498
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if the Government is evaluating runway options for Heathrow and Gatwick that will provide additional runway capacity in five years or less; and if he will make a statement.

(71900)

499
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many Ministry of Defence airfields have been included in the Government review of UK aviation policy and subsequent consultations; and if he will make a statement.

(71801)

500
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, whether his Department has ensured that in the negotiations with the EU on changes to the slot allocation rules the existing mechanisms to allow for ring fencing of slots and application of public service obligation protection will be maintained after the change in the rules.

(71895)

501
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what plans he has to hold discussions with airlines giving up slots on re-allocating them through the slot co-ordinators for use by regional air services.

(71903)

502
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what steps he is taking to ensure that London Gatwick maintains a network of full service operators and operations to enable passengers from UK regional points who fly into Gatwick to make connections to a network of world-wide services.

(71901)

503
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many jobs under the remit of his Department in (a) the core department, (b) non-departmental public bodies, (c) executive agencies and (d) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by his Department and other such organisations, are located in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, excluding Greater London, (iii) Greater London, (iv) Wales, (v) Northern Ireland and (vi) overseas, broken down by (A) whole time equivalent jobs and (B) the percentage per individual department, body or organisation.

(72737)

504   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of occupational pensions that are in independent trusteeship.

(73133)

505   Mr David Crausby (Bolton North East): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to ensure that recipients of benefits who do not choose to have benefits paid by automated credit transfer will retain the option of payment by order book.

(73299)

506
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many jobs under the remit of his Department in (a) the core department, (b) non-departmental public bodies, (c) executive agencies and (d) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by his Department and other such organisations, are located in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, excluding Greater London, (iii) Greater London, (iv) Wales, (v) Northern Ireland and (vi) overseas, broken down by (A) whole-time equivalent jobs and (B) the percentage per individual department, body or organisation.

(72732)

507
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many formal and official inter-ministerial meetings his Department has held with the Scottish Executive since May 1999, broken down by (a) Scottish Executive department, (b) subject and (c) date.

(72718)

508   Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he intends to implement the recommendations of the Disability Rights Taskforce to extend protection from discrimination to those people with HIV from the point of diagnosis.

(72992)

509   Mr David Hinchliffe (Wakefield): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what type of (a) pension and (b) benefit entitlement was paid to national insurance number AX 81 12 29D from 1st January 1980 to 11th May 1984.

(72869)

510   Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the cost to the Treasury of the proposals in the Pickering Report to end (a) the compulsory indexation of occupational pensions and (b) the compulsory provision of survivor spouses benefits.

(72998)

511   Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total expenditure was in (a) grants and (b) loans from the Social Fund in each year from 1990; what the projected expenditure for the next three years is; and if he will make a statement.

(73007)

512
N   Judy Mallaber (Amber Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Deparment will extend the Strategic Training in Apparel and Textiles programme after June.

(72207)

513   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 16th July, Official Report, column 270W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Advisory Committee on employment; and if he will make a statement.

(73169)

514
N   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the value of the basic state retirement pension if the retirement age were raised to (a) 70 years and (b) 75 years of age and if the pension tax credit were abolished in its first full year of implementation and the savings used to increase the basic state retirement pension.

(71575)

515
N   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the value of the basic state retirement pension if government spending on the basic state pension for 2002-03 were kept constant but the retirement age was raised to (a) 70 years and (b) 75 years of age.

(71576)

516
N   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the Exchequer will be of the pension tax credit when implemented for (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05, (c) 2005-06 and (d) 2006-07.

(71577)

517
N   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the saving in expenditure on the basic state retirement pension in 2002-03 if the retirement age were raised to (a) 70 and (b) 75 years of age.

(71578)

518
N   Mr Alex Salmond (Banff & Buchan): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many individuals in (a) Banff and Buchan and (b) Scotland were entitled to but did not claim (i) guardian's allowance, (ii) income support, (iii) disability living allowance, (iv) attendance allowance, (v) disablement benefit, (vi) reduced earnings allowance, (vii) retirement allowance, (viii) widow's pension, (ix) bereavement payment, (x) graduated retirement allowance, (xi) severe disablement allowance, (xii) invalid care allowance, (xiii) child benefit, (xiv) incapacity benefit, (xv) maternity allowance, (xvi) widow's payment and (xvii) widowed mother's payment in each year since 1997.

(72841)

519
N   Rachel Squire (Dunfermline West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to ensure that those on incapacity benefit who reach their 65th birthday and move on to retirement pension do not experience a benefit gap between the end of the benefit and the start of the pension.

(72204)

520   Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in receipt of incapacity benefit have been helped into permitted work through the Access to Work Scheme since its introduction.

(73046)

521
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what evaluation he has made of the number of jobs that will be lost as a result of the closure of rural jobcentres; how many rural jobcentres will be closed; how many new Jobcentre Plus facilities will be established in towns; and what assessment he has made of the impact of the closure of local jobcentres in rural areas on rural employment seekers and local businesses.

(72746)

522   Ian Stewart (Eccles): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many payments have been made under the vaccine damage payment scheme in each year since 1995.

(72941)

523
N   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what purpose there is a six month delay between a decision to grant a claim for attendance allowance and the commencement of payments; and if he will make a statement.

(72341)

524
N   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the purpose is of the six month period between a grant of higher rate disability living allowance and the commencement of payments; and if he will make a statement.

(71649)

525
N   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the cost of abolishing the six month period between qualification and payment of higher rate disability living alowance in the current financial year; and if he will make a statement.

(71650)

526
N   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will implement a policy of paying attendance allowances from the date a claim is granted; and if he will make a statement.

(72339)

527
N   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the cost of paying attendance allowance from the date a claim is granted; and if he will make a statement.

(72340)

528
N   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay in introducing the new child support scheme.

(72775)

529
N   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the latest anticipated date is by which the computer system to support delivery of the new child support scheme will be completed and fully tested; and what the latest anticipated dates are for (a) new clients and (b) existing clients to be assessed under the new scheme.

(72774)

530
N   Mr Neil Turner (Wigan): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in the Wigan MB are claiming housing benefit as a percentage of the total population there; and what the equivalent statistics are for (a) the North West Region and (b) England.

(71896)

531
N   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the oral statement of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Official Report, 18th July, column 173W, on the Pension Service, whether the decision to carry out a home visit to a pensioner will be made by the pensioner.

(72842)

532
N   Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether, in preparing a response to the UN General Assembly Special Assembly for Children held in May, she will report on the work of other departments affecting children both in the UK and overseas.

[Transferred] (72328)

533
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 31st October 2001, Official Report, column 695W, when the migration and marketing strategy for the Post Office Card Account will be developed; in what timescale it will be implemented; and if she will make a statement.

[Transferred] (72607)

534   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what the meaning is of the term 'carrier' as used in REPPIR.

[Transferred] (73189)

535   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what purpose commercial poppy growing has been licensed in Hampshire; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (72846)

536   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the Answer of 4th July, Official Report, columns 606-7W, when members of the Scottish Executive have attended meetings of the EU Committee on the control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances (SEVESO II); and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (73168)

537   Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK takes a leading role in meeting the European Commission's objective of a 20 per cent. substitution by alternative fuels in the road transport sector by 2020.

[Transferred] (72862)

538   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what action Customs and Excise are taking in Scotland against the illegal importation of meat from China.

[Transferred] (73001)

539   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions have taken place on (a) common border controls for the EU and (b) action against the clandestine transportation of illegal immigrants through member states.

[Transferred] (73211)

540   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent proposals he has put to European colleagues for the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.

[Transferred] (73210)

541   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on the Common Foreign and Security Policy's Headline Goal; and if he will make a statement on when the forces will be available for use.

[Transferred] (73208)

542   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how much money is owed within the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service; and (a) by and (b) to whom it is owed.

[Transferred] (73224)

543   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans he has to improve the enforcement of fines imposed by the courts.

[Transferred] (73228)

544   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will consider proposals from the NSPCC for the creation of a child safeguarding board and the establishment of multi-agency child safeguarding teams to increase the effectiveness of professionals working together.

[Transferred] (72908)

545   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on the work of the Children and Young People's Unit; and what work it has done since November 2001 relating to combating child abuse.

[Transferred] (72912)

546   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding has been given to the child protection system in each year since 1997.

[Transferred] (72910)

547   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures the Government has taken (a) to make it easier for children to report abuse and neglect and (b) to raise public awareness of child abuse.

[Transferred] (72911)

548   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when the EU Committee for the implementation of the Regulation establishing an Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-accession is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement.

[Transferred] (73160)

549   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when the EU Committee of experts on the transit of electricity through grids is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement.

[Transferred] (73152)

550   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when the EU Advisory Committee on the development and reconversion of regions is next due to meet; whether representatives of the Scottish Executive (a) have been and (b) are members of it; and if she will make a statement.

[Transferred] (73161)

551   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures are in place to ensure that women are paid the same as men when they are in the same job.

[Transferred] (72854)

552   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action can be taken against companies that do not enforce an equal pay policy.

[Transferred] (72855)

553   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps she takes to ensure that women at work have suitable avenues to report sexual harrassment.

[Transferred] (72856)