Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2001- 02
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 21 October 2002

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Monday 21 October 2002, of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

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

MONDAY 21st OCTOBER

1
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the eligibility criteria for disability facilities grant.

(73074)

2   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 7th May, Official Report, column 22W, on local authority capital receipts, concerning his intention to pool housing capital receipts from debt-free authorities (a) what proportion of the receipts will be pooled, (b) on what basis and to which other local authorities the money will be redistributed, (c) on what date this arrangement will be implemented; (d) how this arrangement will encourage existing debt-free authorities to remain so and others to become debt-free, (e) whether the new arrangements will apply to clawbacks from previous large scale voluntary transfers of council housing and (f) how these proposals will help those local authorities who have difficulties in providing additional affordable housing due to the high price of buildings.

(76525)

3   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what proposals he has to convert the current local authority repayable loans to registered social landlords into one-off grants.

(76383)

4   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many English local authorities who were debt-free were (a) Conservative, (b) Liberal, (c) Labour and (d) under no overall control in the latest year for which figures are available.

(76381)

5   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to abolish the local authority social housing grant and replace it with increased resources to the approved development programme to support the priorities of regional housing statements.

(76382)

6   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, by what date he expects the publication of the final recommendations of the Boundary Committee in respect of the Periodic Ward Boundary Review for the Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council; by what date he expects the recommendations to be implemented; and if he will make a statement.

(76282)

7   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the successful bidders for the second round of the Starter Home Initiative; and how much each one will receive.

(75967)

8   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much public money has been used for the purposes of settlements and payments relating to (a) redundancy and (b) termination of contracts for employees of the New Deal for Communities in the last five years.

(75965)

9   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many affordable housing units have been built in each year since 1980.

(75969)

10   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list for each year since 2000 the public service agreements made by his Department.

(76175)

11   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many homes have been compulsorily purchased using central government funding in each year since 1980.

(75966)

12   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many responses to the Government's regional government White Paper (a) favoured, (b) opposed and (c) suggested alternatives to devolved regional assemblies based on the Government's favoured boundaries, broken down by the region of the address of each response.

(76088)

13   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the responses given to his Department's consultation exercise on second homes and council tax.

(76087)

14   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many responses to the White Paper, Your Region: Your Choice, as a proportion of the total (a) were from Cornwall and (i) favoured the concept of setting up an elected Cornish Assembly and (ii) favoured regional government based on the Government's favoured boundaries, (b) were from addresses outside Cornwall and favoured an elected Cornish Assembly, (c) were from the Government's South West zone and favoured a regional assembly based on the Government's favoured boundaries, (d) were from Cornwall and opposed any form of regional assembly and (e) were from the addresses outside Cornwall but within the Government's South West zone and opposed any form of regional assembly.

(76091)

15
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he will announce whether the Cornish language will be specified within the Council of Europe Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

(76011)

16   Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many families, not including couples and single persons without children, were in bed-and-breakfast accommodation in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

(76481)

17   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what role he envisages for English regional assemblies in the governance of (a) trading standards and (b) the meat inspection service.

(75931)

18   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assistance has been given to local authorities to educate residents of the dangers of illegally imported bushmeat.

(75927)

19   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has for regional assemblies in England to administer the inspection of non-animal foodstuffs upon arrival at a dock or airport within their region.

(75918)

20   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has for the financial responsibility of the inspection of non-animal feedstuffs to be placed in the hands of regional assemblies in England.

(75938)

21   Martin Linton (Battersea): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the use of (a) vacant land and (b) unused buildings within council house estates in (i) Wandsworth and (ii) London by local planning authorities; and what further action he plans to encourage local authorities in London to develop a strategy for creating mixed communities using their planning powers.

(76231)

22   Martin Linton (Battersea): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what action he has taken to address the housing shortage for (a) key workers and (b) tenants of registered social landlords in overcrowded accommodation in Battersea.

(76229)

23   Martin Linton (Battersea): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the use by Wandsworth Borough Council of section 106 agreements to require affordable housing on site by developers within the borough.

(76230)

24
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many under 16s are living rough in (a) West Sussex and (b) London; and what plans he has to reduce this number.

(75559)

25
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many vacant council houses, by local authority area, there are in West Sussex; and what plans he has to work with West Sussex County Council to reduce the vacancy numbers.

(75557)

26   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make it his policy to use the actual costs incurred by schools in delivering education to their pupils as the principal determinant of the distribution of funding to local education authorities; and if he will make a statement.

(76263)

27   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the implications are for the detrunking programme of the local government finance formula grant distribution.

(76270)

28   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what additional monies will pass to the (a) shire counties and (b) unitary authorities on detrunking.

(76271)

29
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, to how many incidents firemen were called out to for each of the last five years, broken down by fire authority.

(75178)

30   Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many fatalities and serious injuries there have been in houses of multiple occupation by local authority area in each of the past 10 years.

(75879)

31   Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what level of rate support grant has been received by Milton Keynes Unitary Authority in each of the last five years at 2002 prices (a) in total and (b) per head of population.

(75911)

32   Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether the lack of explicit guidance on backland development in the present PPG3 signifies a relaxation of the controls on backland development outlined in the 1992 guidance; and if he will make a statement.

(75908)

33   Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many individual applications from local authorities under sections two and five of the Local Government Act 2000 have been determined by his Department to date.

(76315)

34   Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what mechanisms his Department has in place for dealing with applications from local authorities under sections two and five of the Local Government Act 2000.

(76317)

35   Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many individual applications he has received from local authorities under sections two and five of the Local Government Act 2000.

(76316)

36   Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what criteria will be used to determine the level of support necessary in Cheshire for the establishment of a regional assembly in the North West of England; and what level of turnout will be used as the democratically legitimate measure for an affirmative vote in any proposed referendum on regional government in the North West of England.

(76217)

37   Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the proposed size of an individual constituency in an elected regional assembly in the North West of England.

(76218)

38   Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the evidence used by his Department to support proposals for the devolution of powers and functions to elected regional assemblies.

(76219)

39   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk): To ask the honourable Member for Middlesborough, representing the Church Commissioners, what financial support the Church Comission gives the English Churches Housing Group.

(75962)

40
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to improve access to Lottery funds for village hall projects.

(75242)

41   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list the projects awarded funding by the New Opportunities Fund Green Spaces and Sustainable Communities Programme since its establishment and the level of funding for each.

(75971)

42   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, following her letter of 12th September to the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Geoffrey Walker, if she will provide the full reply promised for 13th September.

(76238)

43
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much National Lottery funding was granted to ex-servicemen's welfare organisations in West Sussex last year.

(75531)

44
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what help is being offered by her Department to the British Museum to clear its deficit.

(75530)

45
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 16th October, Ref 36810, what reasons underlay the length of time needed to provide a substantive reply.

(76176)

46
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 16th October, Ref 36810, if he will give the (a) dates of the occasions, (b) countries visited and (c) parliamentary private secretaries involved.

(76104)

47
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's contingency plans for the decontamination of British weapons systems covered by (a) Sarin, (b) Soman, (c) Ebola, (d) VX and (e) other similar long-lasting substances.

(76179)

48
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has been made of the HAARP programme; and what contribution, Britain is making to it.

(75022)

49   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the monitoring selection of sponsored resources will operate; what guidelines his Department have produced to monitor their performance; and if he will make a statement.

(76494)

50   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the in-service date is for the Photo Reconnaissance Imagery Strike Module Improved Date Modem; and if he will make a statement.

(75998)

51   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected cost is of the assessment phase of the British Army's Lightweight Mobile Artillery Weapon System Rocket; and if he will make a statement.

(76000)

52   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what project and equipment procurement are being considered for a private finance initiative scheme; if he will list the projected (a) start date, (b) value and (c) life of the contract; and if he will make a statement.

(76495)

53   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the UK/US Tracer Programme user trials will cost; how long these trials will be; when the results are expected to be published; and if he will make a statement.

(75997)

54   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many private finance initiative schemes are agreed and operating; for what projects within his Department private finance initiatives have been agreed; what the value of each project is; what the start date of each of the projects is; what the life of the contract is; and if he will make a statement.

(76496)

55   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what aspects of the design, development, manufacture, equipment and maintenance of the F35 aircraft were included in the intention to acquire up to 150 aircraft at a cost of up to £10 billion announced by his Department on 30th September.

(75952)

56   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the balance sheet value attributed to HMS Sheffield was in his Department's Consolidated Resource Accounts as at (a) 31st March 2001 and (b) 31st March 2002.

(76517)

57   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what payments he expects to make in each financial year from 2003-04 to 2011-12 in respect of the design, development, manufacture and purchase of the F35 aircraft.

(75951)

58   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what alternative arrangements are being made for the performance of those duties which HMS Sheffield would have performed during the next six years if she had remained in service; and what is the forecast cost of these alternative arrangements.

(76520)

59   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the specification for marinised carrier-based F35 aircraft will differ from that for land-based aircraft; and what the cost of marinisation will be.

(75954)

60   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will quantify the financial savings arising from the withdrawal of HMS Sheffield from service six years earlier than previously anticipated, broken down by category.

(76519)

61   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what aspects of the design, development, equipment, manufacture and maintenance of the F35 aircraft are included in his estimates of the through-life costs of acquiring and operating these aircraft; and what costs of their deployment and operation are not included in his estimates.

(75953)

62   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what changes will have been made to the balance sheet value of HMS Sheffield in respect of (a) depreciation and (b) carrying costs between 1st April and the date on which she is withdrawn from service.

(76516)

63   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what payments he expects to make in respect of the F35 aircraft in the financial year 2012-13 and each succeeding financial year while the aircraft is in service.

(75956)

64   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what impact the withdrawal from service of HMS Sheffield will have upon the variety of spare and replacement parts carried by the Defence Logistics Organisation.

(76521)

65   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the F35 aircraft to reach the end of its service life.

(75955)

66   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what payments he has made in previous financial years in respect of the design, development and manufacture of the F35 aircraft.

(75950)

67   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proceeds of sale of HMS Sheffield will be retained within the defence budget as an appropriation in aid.

(76518)

68   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what payments he has made and plans to make in the present financial year in respect of the design, development and manufacture of the F35 aircraft.

(75949)

69   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the withdrawal from service of HMS Sheffield will be treated for accounting purposes in his Department's Consolidated Resource Accounts for 2002-03.

(76515)

70
N   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the contract for military trucks.

(75028)

71   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Future Rapid Effect System will enter service with the armed forces.

(76367)

72   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what factors are taken into consideration in the assessment of the requirement of the numbers of Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.

(76368)

73   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Scorpion family of armoured vehicles will be retired from service.

(76366)

74   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what occasions in the past two years the Atlantic Patrol Ship (South) has been on station in the Caribbean.

(76354)

75   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Royal Navy ships have been recalled from sea so that crew members can be trained in firefighting duties in the last 12 months.

(76357)

76   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects delivery of the first tranche of 55 Eurofighters to be complete.

(76359)

77   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel from each service have been trained in firefighting duties in each of the past six months.

(76356)

78   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he plans to purchase 232 Eurofighter aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

(76369)

79   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which Fire Service roles service personnel will take on should they be required to cover firemen's duties in the event of a national firemen's strike.

(76374)

80   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what have been the salary costs of Ministry of Defence civilian personnel in each of the past four years; and what are the projected costs over the next four years.

(76355)

81   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the programme to maximise the effectiveness of AMRAAM equipped Tornado F3 aircraft; how much this will cost; and when he expects the work to be completed.

(76343)

82   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the in-service date is of the Nimrod MRA4; and if he will make a statement.

(76380)

83   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Apache helicopters are held in storage.

(76353)

84   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the planned NATO rapid reaction force; what missions it is envisaged this force will undertake; and whether any of its missions are the same as those to be undertaken by EU military forces deployed under the auspices of the European Security and Defence Policy.

(76370)

85   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, from which Royal Air Force squadrons personnel will be taken in the event of armed forces personnel taking on national firefighting duties.

(76373)

86   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the development of troops from neutral nations under the European Security and Defence Policy; and what restrictions govern the deployment of these troops.

(76372)

87   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost of the heavy-lift recovery of HMS Nottingham from Australia to the UK will be; where HMS Nottingham will be repaired in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

(76341)

88   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Clansman radio systems have been in operational service in each of the past five years.

(76350)

89   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on levels of Challenger II spares; and what surge capacity exists in event of conflict.

(76352)

90   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he anticipates that the ESDP will be fully operational by 2003; and when he expects European Union military forces will be able to deploy under its auspices.

(76371)

91   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what flying operations will be affected if RAF personnel have to cover firemen's duties in the event of the national firemen's strike.

(76375)

92   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the inventory is of Green Goddess fire engines; and how many are operational.

(76376)

93   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons the ASRAAM missile is not to be equipped to Harrier (a) GR7 and (b) GR9 variants.

(76345)

94   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Phoenix systems are operational.

(76362)

95   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what systems will take over the capabilities previously to be provided by the TRACER system.

(76365)

96   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the ISD is of ASTOR.

(76364)

97   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the nature and duration of firefighting training being undertaken by service personnel.

(76377)

98   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which Royal Navy warships have been on station in the Caribbean region as part of the Atlantic Patrol Task (North) in each of the past two years; and for how long each vessel was in the area.

(76342)

99   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on which operations and deployments the AMRAAM missile has been equipped to (a) Tornado F3 and (b) Sea Harrier aircraft.

(76344)

100   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the current ISD of the A400M.

(76363)

101   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many REME personnel have been qualified to work on Challenger II in each year since the tank has been in service.

(76351)

102   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the service breakdown of the Defence Intelligence Staff is; and from which service the Chief of Defence Intelligence is drawn.

(76348)

103   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when 16 Air Assault Brigade will become operational with its Apache helicopters.

(76361)

104   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to call up reservists in the event of a national firemen's strike.

(76378)

105   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether representatives from the Brazilian (a) Government and (b) armed forces have visited onboard HMS Fearless in the past year.

(76347)

106   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what sea trials have taken place in respect of the Apache helicopter operating from aircraft carriers and helicopter carriers.

(76346)

107   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if spare parts are being manufactured for Clansman radios; and if Clansman radio systems are cannibalised for spare parts.

(76349)

108   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many SSBNs are operational; and what refit, maintenance and lay up periods he expects each vessel to have in the next two years.

(76358)

109   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Primary Casualty Receiving Ship capability will enter service.

(76360)

110   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the six Chinook MSH/HC2A and eight Chinook MSH/HC3 ordered by his Department in 1995 will enter service with the RAF.

(76379)

111   Jim Knight (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the decision to agree in principle the relocation of DSTL staff from Winfrith has taken into account the economic impact (a) on rural areas and (b) of supporting locally based defence contractors in the South Dorset area.

(75939)

112   Jim Knight (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what research his Department has conducted to assess the cost benefits to be gained from moving DSTL staff from Winfrith to Portsdown Main; and what evidence has been gathered to prove the scientific benefits of co-location of staff.

(75940)

113
N   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how long the arrangement whereby employees of BAE Systems work on secondment to his Department has been in place, and where those staff are based; how many employees of BAE Systems are on secondment to the his Department; and how many employees of other defence manufacturers are on secondment to his Department, with the number of employees per company.

(75229)

114
N   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) murders and (b) kidnappings have taken place in Kabul in each month since ISAF was established.

(75223)

115   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much ammunition and explosives was reconditioned in the UK in the last two years.

(76136)

116   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 16th October, ref 73313, what steps he will take to find the anti-tank missiles lost in the Bristol Channel.

(76178)

117   Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what form of risk assessment is required before taking a squad of soldiers for a run.

(76324)

118   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the (a) countries and (b) organisations outside the UK to whom sale of arms and arms components is prohibited.

(76533)

119   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what systems are in place for monitoring (a) use and (b) onward sales of arms components sold abroad by UK companies.

(76532)

120   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what measures are in place to ensure that arms and arms components sold abroad are not acquired by (a) countries and (b) organisations outside the UK to whom sale of arms and arms components is prohibited.

(76534)

121   Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the financial and organisational support provided by the Defence Export Services Organisation to UK industry attending the (a) Aid and Trade International, Switzerland, (b) Pacific 2002, Australia, (c) Asian Air, Singapore, (d) DEFEXPOL, India, (e) FIDEA, Chile, (f) DSA Malaysia, Malaysia, (g) Eurosatory, France, (h) Africa Aerodef, South Africa, (i) Defendory, Greece, (j) Sofex, Jordan, (k) Euronaval, France and (l) Euronaval, Chile arms fairs.

(76531)

122   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what has been the annual cost of implementing the no-fly zones over northern and southern Iraq since RAF military overflights began; how many bombs have been dropped on Iraq by British aircraft over this period; and what United Nations resolutions give authority for the policing of the no-fly zone.

(75981)

123   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what innoculations against biological weapons and prophlactic measures against exposure to chemical weapon agents have been implemented in respect of United Kingdom armed forces and military auxillaries this year.

(75873)

124   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost was of scrambling an RAF aircraft following the breach of the air exclusion zone around Sellafield in August by a light aircraft; and what provisions exist to recharge BNFL for this security action.

(75883)

125
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will renegotiate the leasing arrangements with the Duchy of Cornwall to exclude the two highest points in the Dartmoor National Park for live firing purposes.

(74933)

126   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter sent to Veterans Agency customers informing them of their options for receiving benefit from April 2003.

(76107)

127   Mr Harry Barnes (North East Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment she has made of the amount of commercial activity and sponsorship targetted at children through their schools in each of the last five years and the amount of money such promotional activity has raised.

(76388)

128
N   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many English settlements with a population of 3,000 have (a) one, (b) two, (c) three and (d) four or more (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools by broken down by region.

(75180)

129
N   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much of the Small Schools Fund was spent in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 to date, broken down by local education authority.

(75188)

130
N   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many child care places were created in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 to date broken down by county.

(75181)

131
N   Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, who will be responsible for identifying gifted and talented children in asylum seekers' accommodation centres.

(76142)

132
N   Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, under what circumstances a school will have a duty to admit a child living in an asylum seekers' accommodation centre.

(76143)

133
N   Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will list the subject areas in the national curriculum that will not be available to children taught in asylum seekers' accommodation centres.

(76141)

134
N   Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what recent research she has commissioned on how children with English as an additional language learn English most quickly; and what the findings were of the research.

(76144)

135
N   Linda Gilroy (Plymouth, Sutton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans she has to educate (a) children seeking asylum and (b) other children recently arrived in the UK separately from other children.

(76140)

136   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many teachers from abroad are employed in the full-time teaching of non-linguistic subjects within the state sector.

(75935)

137   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, with which countries the UK shares reciprocity in the field of teacher qualifications.

(75936)

138   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which countries' teacher qualifications are recognised and accepted in the United Kingdom.

(75937)

139   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many foreign teachers in full-time education in the state sector are from (a) European Union countries and (b) non-European Union countries.

(75934)

140   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment she has made of the value of target-setting to the work of her Department.

(76492)

141   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what progress has been made by each local education authority in developing strategies to improve accessibility for disabled pupils; and if she will make a statement.

(76002)

142   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on student support for 2003-04.

(76491)

143   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what representations she has received since August on the future of A levels.

(76493)

144   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what recent progress has been made by further and higher education providers to ensure that course materials are accessible to disabled students; and if she will make a statement.

(76001)

145   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans she has to alter the administration of examinations in England.

(76490)

146   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the written Answer of 24th July, Official Report, column 1369W, on computers, what evaluation has been made of the success of the Computers Within Reach scheme; and how this will inform future policy on the Computers Within Reach concept.

(76026)

147   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans she has to incorporate the Spell-It infant research into mainstream schools.

(76120)

148   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what guidelines there are for local education authorities to allocate funds for special needs teaching in schools broken down by type of school.

(76119)

149   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, who is responsible for recruiting dyslexic teachers in English schools, broken down by type of school.

(76135)

150   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many dyslexic teachers there are in English schools; and how many there are in each county.

(76134)

151
N   Mr John MacDougall (Central Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, for what reason eligibility for student loans is restricted to those under the age of 55.

(76128)

152
N   Mr John MacDougall (Central Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, for what reason people aged 50 to 54 wishing to access loans have to state their intention to seek employment in writing.

(76129)

153   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when her Department first received correspondence from the A-level examination boards alerting them to the potential problems in the new A-level system.

(75895)

154   Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what links her Department has identified between additional educational needs and social and economic factors and indicators, other than parental take up of income support and working families tax credit.

(75978)

155
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what discussions she has had with the Treasury on the future of the Teachers' Pension Fund.

(75980)

156   Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what underspend her Department has identified in the current year's capital programme.

(75910)

157   Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when funds will be made available for new school building in Milton Keynes.

(75909)

158   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her Answer of 24th July, Official Report, column 1349W, if she will, for each pilot and Pathfinder initiative listed, give the criteria for the selection of the local authorities benefitting; whether all local authorities were invited to apply; by what criteria invitations to apply were allocated; where local authorities were invited to apply; which did so; and whether elements of local authority matched funding were required.

(76177)

159   Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will list the total grant per pupil allocated to each local education authority.

(76275)

160   Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will list the amounts that education authorities have spent above or below their education SSAs in the current year.

(76276)

161   Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of funding is distributed under the AEN for (a) deprivation, (b) ethnicity and (c) area cost adjustment; what criteria are used to access the need for increased funding for ethnicity in secondary and primary schools; and what plans she has to reduce the funding gap between schools.

(76274)

162
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what is her Department's position on acceptable thresholds for the adventitious presence of genetically modified organisms in seed batches of (a) oil seed rape, (b) tomatoes, (c) beet, (d) cotton, (e) chicory, (f) maize, (g) potatoes and (h) soya beans; and if she will make a statement.

(75244)

163
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will set out her policy towards draft EU proposals for new seed regulations.

(75243)

164   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Government's policy is on decoupling of subsidies from production as part of the mid-term review of the Common Agricultural Policy; and if she will make a statement.

(75959)

165   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the Government's policy on the European Commission's proposals on the mid-term review of the Common Agricultural Policy.

(75960)

166   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the Government's policy on the Common Agricultural Policy with regard to the mid-term review.

(75961)

167   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will estimate the yearly costs of the Common Agricultural Policy to the EU budget over the next four years if there (a) is and (b) is not decoupling of subsidies from production in the Common Agricultural Policy.

(75958)

168   Mr David Atkinson (Bournemouth East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria are used by her Department to determine entitlement to new investment to protect residential areas at risk from flooding.

(75896)

169
N   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much of the (a) Parish Plan scheme, (b) Community Services Grant and (c) Parish Transport Grant was (i) bid for and (ii) spent in (A) 2001-02 and (B) 2002-03 to date broken down by organisation.

(75182)

170
N   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been spent on supporting rural sub-post offices broken down by county since September 2001.

(75187)

171
N   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 6th February, Official Report, column 987W, on the Rural White Paper, what information on expenditure and assistance has since been carried out by her Department on market towns; and if she will publish it.

(75837)

172
N   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 26th September, Official Report, column 247W, on GM crops, how many tests for unauthorised genetically modified organisms have been undertaken by the GM Inspectorate; and what proportion of them showed a presence of unauthorised genetically modified organisms.

(75838)

173
N   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many abandoned cars each local authority in England and Wales stated they had removed in their submissions to the Municipal Waste Survey 2000-01.

(75174)

174
N   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which body is responsible for the regulation of genetic biotechnology on farm animals.

(75175)

175
N   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the Government's response to the Agriculture and Biotechnology Commission's advice to the Government that a public debate be held on genetic modification issues.

(75176)

176   Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of whether sites of special scientific interests are covered by the provisions of the Water Framework Directive established for protected areas.

(76386)

177   Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what she is doing to ensure that river basin management plans under the EC Water Framework Directive will help to deliver the Government's commitments to sites of special scientific interest.

(76385)

178   Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how she will ensure that transposition of the EC Water Framework Directive in England and Wales will contribute to the mitigation of floods and droughts.

(76384)

179   Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what mechanisms she is using to monitor the conservation duty on internal drainage boards in the Land Drainage Act 1994; and what action she is taking to enforce this duty.

(76387)

180   Mr Michael Connarty (Falkirk East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the outcome was of the Environment Council on 17th October; what the Government's stance was on each issue discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement.

(76395)

181   Mr Michael Connarty (Falkirk East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the outcome was of the Fisheries Council held in Brussels on 14th and 15th October; what the Government's stance was on each issue discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement.

(76019)

182
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to introduce a right-to-buy scheme for tenant farmers.

(75021)

183   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the (a) minimum, (b) average and (c) maximum time taken to remove TB reactor cattle from farms in the last 12 months was.

(76509)

184   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to include TB test dates on cattle passports.

(76512)

185   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many hire bulls are licensed in (a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales; and how many hire bulls are in areas that are TB tested every (i) six months, (ii) 12 months, (ii) two years, (iv) three years and (v) four years.

(76514)

186   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to provide financial assistance to farmers who need to improve biosecurity through new isolation facilities to cope with possible outbreaks of (a) TB and (b) other infectious animal diseases.

(76511)

187   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what targets her Department has set for the time it should take to remove from farms, cattle that react positively to the TB skin test.

(76508)

188   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of farmers suffering TB outbreaks in their herds have adequate isolation facilities in which to house infected cattle; and if she will make a statement.

(76510)

189   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many cattle pregnancies and lactations were generated by (a) artificial insemination and (b) hire bulls in the last 12 months.

(76513)

190   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many areas of outstanding natural beauty or SSI's have been the subject of planning applications in each of the past 10 years.

(76466)

191   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many houses the Environment Agency assesses are at risk of periodic flooding.

(76463)

192   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list areas periodically affected by flooding which are not covered by current flood relief schemes or by schemes scheduled for completion by 2006.

(76464)

193   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the average farm income was (a) in 1997 and (b) at the most recent available date in real terms.

(76465)

194   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many houses have been affected by flooding in England and Wales in the past five years.

(76462)

195   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what she is doing to encourage trading standards officers to prosecute those who trade in illegally imported bushmeat.

(75930)

196   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost was to the UK for each of the past five years of the inspection of imports of food of non-animal origin.

(75923)

197   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many incidents there have been of aflatoxin infections in each of the last five years.

(75922)

198   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost is per unit of X ray equipment capable of the detection of bushmeat in aircraft passenger luggage.

(75928)

199   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects harmonised European Union legislation will be in force covering food of non-animal origin.

(75921)

200   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assistance she proposes to support local councils with the additional expense of the increased regulations relating to the testing of food of non-animal origin at ports of entry.

(75919)

201   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assistance has been given to local authorities to educate residents on the dangers to livestock from illegally imported meat.

(75926)

202   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which of the notifiable diseases mentioned in Schedule 2A of the Government's Animal Health Bill 2001 he estimates are able to enter the country by illegally imported bushmeat.

(75933)

203   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many prosecutions there have been since January 2000 of persons found to be selling illegally imported meat products.

(75929)

204   Mr George Howarth (Knowsley North & Sefton East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the cost to pig farmers of the ban on pigswill.

(76313)

205   Mr George Howarth (Knowsley North & Sefton East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what procedures are in place to monitor imported pigmeat products to ensure (a) that they have not been fed on pigswill, and (b) in cases where they have, that swill is prepared up to acceptable standards of safety and hygiene.

(76304)

206   Mr George Howarth (Knowsley North & Sefton East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she has received, and what studies have been conducted, into the environmental impact of pigswill being disposed of to landfill; and what assessment her Department has made of the risk of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease or swine fever as a result.

(76303)

207   Mr George Howarth (Knowsley North & Sefton East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proposals she has to compensate pig farmers who have invested in pigswill processing plant, buildings and equipment.

(76312)

208   Mr George Howarth (Knowsley North & Sefton East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations Her Majesty's Government has made to the EU about EU member states still using pigswill.

(76314)

209   Mr George Howarth (Knowsley North & Sefton East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many representations she has received concerning pig farmers affected by the ban on the use of pigswill.

(26311)

210   Mr Boris Johnson (Henley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to promote the planting of biofuel crops on set aside land; and if she will make a statement.

(75948)

211   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what action she is taking in response to recommendations from the UN Committee on the Convention on the Rights of the Child on measures to promote breast feeding and adoption of the International Code for Marketing of breast milk substitutes.

(76402)

212   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people are employed by her Department.

(76137)

213   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what rules govern flood defence committees in the UK.

(76122)

214
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on her reasons for issuing a licence for the removal and slaughter of badgers at Saltdean, East Sussex.

(74909)

215
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the local authorities that operate a door-step recycling scheme; and what plans she has to encourage more local authorities to take up this initiative.

(75558)

216   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had and what expressions of interest she has received from parties relating to the purchase of land owned by her Department at Throckmorton; and if she will make a statement.

(76262)

217
N   Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what gains and losses in (a) actual and (b) percentage terms there have been in the size of the National Orchard in the last five years.

(75917)

218
N   Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who the independent members appointed by her Department to the Agricultural Wages Board are; and how many of the meetings of the AWB each has attended in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002.

(75916)

219   Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress is being made with negotiations for a marketing standard for apples.

(75914)

220   Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what economic assessment has been made of the cost of the recent Agricultural Wage Board settlement on (a) agriculture, (b) horticulture, (c) the soft fruit sector and (d) the top fruit sector.

(75915)

221   Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what corrective action is being taken by her Department following the criticisms made in the Quinquennial Review of Horticulture Research International.

(75913)

222   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what resources have been provided in the last 12 months to ensure that enforcement officers' searches of suspected illegal meat imports will take place.

(76010)

223   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many penalties have been imposed on illegal meat importers since May.

(76009)

224   Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to reduce the powers and role of drainage boards.

(76279)

225   Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will revise the reference level of water flow that is used by water supply companies to ensure that water pressure is sufficient to reach the top floor of domestic properties.

(76158)

226
N   Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 17th July, Official Report, column 313W, on sheep dips, whether the report has been received on the research study by CBD Porton Down into the dose effect profiles for OP sheep dips on brain electrical activity and sensitive behaviour indices in non-human primates.

(75839)

227   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to stop the illegal trade in ivory.

(76094)

228   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in which areas of the country flood insurance cover is not available; and if she will make a statement.

(76281)

229
N   David Winnick (Walsall North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the honourable Member for Walsall North will receive a reply to his letter of 19th August regarding a constituent, reference 174365.

(74913)

230
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the annual income to Exchequer funds which would arise from extending the present rate of road fuel duty on unleaded petrol to aviation fuel.

(75037)

231
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the annual income to the Exchequer which would arise from the imposition of a 17.5 per cent. sales tax on the purchase of tickets for commercial flight departures from United Kingdom airports.

(75036)

232   Ross Cranston (Dudley North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the operation of vulture funds; and if he will make a statement.

(76278)

233   Mr Boris Johnson (Henley): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to increase the rebate on biofuels; and if he will make a statement.

(75947)

234   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate by how much public borrowing as a percentage of GDP would have to be raised to cover the capital expenditure of all current and past projects financed through PFI/PPP.

(76012)

235   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many respondents to the consultation document on annuities put forward the suggestion for a money back guarantee on the purchase of pension annuities; and in what way the views of these respondents were reflected in the analysis of the responses to the consultation.

(76340)

236   Mr Jon Owen Jones (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total value of PFI and PPP schemes (a) completed and (b) signed are in (i) each of the regions of England, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Wales.

(75855)

237   Mr Jon Owen Jones (Cardiff Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many PFI and PPP schemes have been (a) completed and (b) signed in (i) each of the regions of England, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Wales, broken down by department.

(75854)

238   Mr Archy Kirkwood (Roxburgh & Berwickshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to act as an insurer of last resort in relation to employers' liability insurance and public liability insurance.

(75851)

239   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the proportion of (a) total income tax and (b) all taxes paid by the top 10 per cent. of income tax payers by income for each year since 1980-81.

(76294)

240
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the leaders of (a) Slovakia, (b) the Czech Republic and (c) Poland concerning their applications for EU membership.

(75698)

241
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the five year survival rates for (a) breast, (b) lung, (c) stomach and (d) colo-rectal cancer types; and on what authority they are based.

(75692)

242
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue was raised from taxation of private medical insurance cover offered by employers as a benefit in kind in each of the last five years.

(75695)

243
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment has been made by his Department of the number of people in the UK covered by (a) company medical insurance schemes and (b) personal medical insurance cover.

(75694)

244
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the cost of re-introducing tax relief for pensioners paying for their own private medical insurance cover.

(75696)

245   Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses (a) registered for VAT and (b) de-registered for VAT there were per 10,000 resident adult population in (i) the UK, (ii) the North West and (iii) Blackpool in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(75977)

246
N   Paddy Tipping (Sherwood): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the value of biofuels for road transport in contributing to achieving his environmental and rural development goals.

(75025)

247
N   Paddy Tipping (Sherwood): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about further reductions in the rates of duty on biodiesel and biomethanol; and if he will make a statement.

(75026)

248
N   Paddy Tipping (Sherwood): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the EU over reduced rates of duty for road gas fuels and hydrogen as a road fuel; and what plans he has for similar discussions to reduce the rates for biomethanol.

(75027)

249   Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the cases reviewed under the FSA Review of Personal Pensions Sales have indicated a financial loss necessitating compensation; and of these, in how many cases the reviewing company has (a) recompensed that financial loss and (b) yet to recompense that financial loss.

(76321)

250   Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases were reviewed and how many cases remain to be reviewed under (a) the Financial Services Authority Review of Personal Pensions Sales and (b) the FSA Review of Free Standing Additional Voluntary Contribution Sales.

(76320)

251   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the excess winter deaths for each English region and for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in each year from 1996-97 to 2001-02, broken down by (a) age and (b) sex for each year.

(76180)

252   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the categories of people who had to pay reduced rate class 1 national insurance contributions; and, for each category, whether entitlement to contributory benefits was gained.

(76114)

253   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the categories of people given the option to pay reduced rate class 1 national insurance contributions (a) before and (b) after 5th April 1977; and, for each category, whether entitlement to contributory benefits was gained.

(76113)

254   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated cost is of the CR74 computer system.

(76183)

255   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many letters have been sent in the last five years to inform people that they have been using an incorrect national insurance number; and if he will make a statement.

(76181)

256   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people using an incorrect national insurance number.

(76182)

257
N   David Winnick (Walsall North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason the delay occurred in transferring the letter of 19th August from the honourable Member for Walsall North concerning a constituent, reference 5/07848/2002, to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

(74912)

258   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department has collated concerning links between Saddam Hussein's regime and Mansour Thaer; and if he will make a statement.

(76021)

259   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with other departments following the attempted attack on the British High Commission in Jakarta in December 2001 concerning placing Jamaah Islamiyah on the UK list of proscribed terrorist organisations.

(76025)

260   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department made of the threat posed by Jamaah Islamiyah (a) following the Singapore authorities naming it as responsible for the attempted attack on the British High Commission in Jakarta in December 2001 and (b) following the terrorist attack on Bali on 12th October.

(76023)

261   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department has collated concerning the court procedures against Mansour Thaer in Germany and Italy; what evidence he has collated concerning links between Thaer and terrorist organizations; and if he will make a statement.

(76020)

262   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the statement by the Australian Prime Minister on 16th October that Australia's Foreign Affairs Department received United States intelligence reports in September 2002 which mentioned Bali as a place at risk from a terrorist attack; when his Department received these reports; what that information consisted of; what action his Department took in response to this information; and if he will make a statement.

(76024)

263   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representatations he has made to the Nigerian Government on the matter of the sentence of death by stoning passed on Ms Amina Lawal in Nigeria this year; and if he will make a statement.

(76528)

264   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department has collated concerning links between Al-Quaeda and Mansour Thaer; and if he will make a statement.

(76022)

265   Mr Martin Caton (Gower): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the situation of Mr. Ian Stillman, who is in an Indian prison.

(75964)

266   Mr Martin Caton (Gower): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the adoption of the E.C. Bird Directive by countries joining the European Union.

(75963)

267
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the most recent assessment is of the total area of land in Afghanistan under cultivation for poppies in each of the past 12 years; and what changes have occurred in the past year for which figures are available.

(75020)

268   Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reason the British Embassy in Cairo is no longer accepting applications for family reunion from Somali nationals.

(76530)

269   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many people are employed by the (a) Government Hospitality Fund Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine and (b) Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment; what their roles and terms of reference are; and what its annual budget for each year since 1997-98 was and its projected budget for the coming year.

(75972)

270   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the performance of the (a) Government Hospitality Fund Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine and (b) Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment; what performance targets he has set; what reports were published on their performance in the last three years; and if he will place copies in the Library.

(75973)

271   Mr George Howarth (Knowsley North & Sefton East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many requests have been received for consular assistance during the last 12 months in (a) Tenerife, (b) Corfu, (c) Majorca, (d) Benidorm, (e) Malaga and (f) Ibiza; how many of these were as a result of UK visitors being arrested by the police; and, of those arrested, how many have led to court appearances.

(76309)

272   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on his proposals for shared sovereignty with Spain over Gibraltar.

(76260)

273
N   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the involvement of Pakistan's ISI in terrorism in Kashmir; if he has raised with President Masharraf concerns with regard to ISI's alleged involvement in terrorism; and what reports he has received implicating Pakistan's ISI in terrorism elsewhere than in Kashmir.[R]

(75485)

274
N   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information he has received in the last three months indicating whether progress is being made in dismantling terrorist camps in Azad Kashmir administered by Pakistan; and if he will make a statement on Indian army allegations that the Pakistan army co-operates with terrorists infiltrating across the border into Kashmir.[R]

(75486)

275
N   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on progress in establishing a national security force in Afghanistan.

(75222)

276
N   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the security situation in Afghanistan outside Kabul.

(75221)

277
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he plans to consult the people of Gibraltar about the future of British sovereignty over the colony.

(75697)

278
N   Mr John MacDougall (Central Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the political and economic situation on the island of Lombok, Indonesia.

(76034)

279   Joyce Quin (Gateshead East & Washington West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on relations between the UK and (a) Ukraine and (b) Moldova.

(75957)

280   Mr Alan Reid (Argyll & Bute): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what new action he plans to take to protect the interests of UK citizens who are in detention in Indonesia.

(76318)

281   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place in the Library copies of all (a) reports produced by and (b) communications with The United Nations Inspection Body for Iraq, since the end of 1998.

(75869)

282   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the military exports to Iraq authorised for export since 17th March 1988.

(75946)

283   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list each of the United Nations Security Council resolutions which have not been implemented by UN member states since August 1990; and if he will set out what the United Kingdom has done in each case to press for implementations.

(75872)

284
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts within the European Union regarding a common EU position on bi-lateral agreements with the United States regarding the exemption of US citizens from the ICC.

(76014)

285   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has received from the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

(76093)

286   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Irish Foreign Minister concerning the referendum in Ireland on 20th October.

(76095)

287   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the progress of the reform agenda in the EU.

(76096)

288   Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement about the procedure for letting the contract for supply of smallpox vaccine; and if he will list the companies which he invited to put in tenders.

(76273)

289
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton & Honiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much of the money allocated to the NHS Cancer Plan for Specialist Palliative Care has gone to hospices.

(76171)

290
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton & Honiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much money has been received by the Exeter Hospice from the NHS Cancer Plan for Specialist Palliative Care.

(76170)

291
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton & Honiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he intends to respond to the letters of 7th May, 26th June and 2nd September concerning hospice funding from the honourable Member for Tiverton and Honiton.

(76172)

292
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were waiting (a) for inpatient treatment in each of the last three months and (b) over 13 weeks for an outpatient appointment in the last two available quarters in the Mid Essex Hospital Trust area.

(75691)

293   Mr Martin Caton (Gower): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the side effects of the anti-depressant drug Seroxat, including difficulty of withdrawal.

(76227)

294   Mr Martin Caton (Gower): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the accuracy of labelling and associated information material for the anti-depressant drug Seroxat, with regard to (a) side effects and (b) difficulty of withdrawal.

(76226)

295   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list for each NHS trust, the value of land and buildings disposed of in the last three years; what targets he has set for the next three years; and what proposals he has to amend the guidance on disposals so that more affordable housing can be provided for low paid employees in the NHS.

(76389)

296   Mr Michael Connarty (Falkirk East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he intends to make a decision before the end of 2002 on whether to make recombinant available to all people with haemophilia.

(75866)

297   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure adequate supplies of single component MMR vaccinations for those parents (a) whose children have already started a course of such vaccinations and (b) who wish their children to start a course of such vaccinations.

(76030)

298   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the annual cost was in 2001-02 to the NHS to social services of supporting people who suffer vision loss as a result of wet age-related macular degeneration; what assessment he has made of the impact of patients of the delay in NICE issuing guidance on the use of photodynamic therapy for age-related macular degeneration; and if he will provide funding for a nationally co-ordinated data collection exercise on the use of photodynamic therapy for age-related macular degeneration.

(76241)

299   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients have access through on-going clinical trials to photodynamic therapy for age-related macular degeneration; and how many patients will have access to this therapy as part of future clinical trials being planned.

(76242)

300   Linda Gilroy (Plymouth, Sutton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to raise the retirement age for general dental surgery principals; and what his policy is on retention of seniority payments for such principals.

(76247)

301   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department categorises ME as a neurological illness.

(76269)

302   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance he gives to general practitioners about ME.

(75976)

303   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the care of people with ME in the community.

(75974)

304   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many specialist centres for ME there are in the UK.

(75975)

305   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what instructions have been given to the Food Standards Agency in relation to its support of local councils responsible for the testing of imported food of non-animal origin.

(75920)

306   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which simian deseases are transmissible to man.

(75932)

307   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many visits the GP Czar has made to Portsmouth South; and if he will make a statement.

(76505)

308   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine; and if he will make a statement.

(75999)

309   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the 2002-03 budget was (a) finalised and (b) published for the (i) Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust and (ii) Portsmouth City Primary Care Trust; and if he will make a statement.

(76504)

310   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) NHS trusts and (b) health authorities have failed service reviews conducted by the Commission for Health Improvement; and if he will make a statement.

(76004)

311   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on staffing levels at (a) Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, (b) St Mary's Hospital, Portsmouth and (c) St James Hospital, Portsmouth.

(76506)

312   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many service reviews within (a) NHS trusts and (b) health authorities have been conducted by the Commission for Health Improvement; and if he will make a statement.

(75995)

313   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has for pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine to be assessed by NICE; and if he will make a statement.

(76006)

314   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his estimate is of the (a) number of residential care homes that have closed and (b) number of residential care home beds lost in Portsmouth South in each of the past five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(76489)

315   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have been prescribed the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in the last three years, broken down by NHS Trust; and if he will make a statement.

(76007)

316   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent on prescribing the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS trust; and if he will make a statement.

(76008)

317   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to bring an end to the Portsmouth Hospitals NHS trust deficit; and if he will make a statement.

(76497)

318   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many residential care home places for elderly people were closed in the Portsmouth South constituency during the last two months; and if he will make a statement.

(75996)

319   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment has been made of the results of the consultation on chiropody and podiatry services; and if he will make a statement.

(76003)

320   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has received the South East Health Board Review Panel's analysis of and recommendations for the Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust Renal Services; and if he will make a statement.

(76005)

321   Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice his Department offers NHS acute services trusts about the circumstances in which mergers of trusts would be beneficial.

(76112)

322   Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an assessment of the impact of his Department's recently published code of conduct for NHS managers on the propriety of managers casting votes on NHS boards and committees on matters in which they may have a pecuniary interest.

(76265)

323   Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the code of conduct for NHS managers published this month by his Department makes it a requirement on such managers to conform to the Nolan principles on standards in public life on selflessness; and if he will make a statement.

(76390)

324   Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list those NHS acute services trusts which operate hospitals more than 50 miles apart, listing the number of beds in service at each such hospital.

(76111)

325   Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many mergers between NHS acute services trusts there have been in each year since trusts were formed.

(76264)

326   Jim Knight (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he intends to accept the recommendations of the Royal College of Physicians made in their 1999 guidance Domiciliary Oxygen Therapy Services.

(75944)

327   Jim Knight (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he intends to publish the review of the Domiciliary Oxygen Service.

(75943)

328   Jim Knight (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what analysis has been undertaken of the benefits of liquid oxygen to those with respiratory problems; and if he will introduce a three modality system of oxygen supply for such patients.

(75945)

329   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his estimate is of the number of people who die prematurely in the UK each year (a) while waiting for NHS treatment and (b) as a consequence of negligent treatment within the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

(76292)

330   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his estimate is of the proportion of the total NHS budget which is lost as a result of (a) fraud, (b) blocked beds and (c) hospital related infections; and if he will make a statement.

(76293)

331   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the performance of accident and emergency wards in England; and if he will make a statement.

(76255)

332   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of doctors per head of population in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) each other European Union country; and if he will make a statement.

(76295)

333
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioners in the South East are operating a closed-list policy.

(75503)

334
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the average number of patient contacts per day by general practitioners in the Adur, Arun and Worthing PCT area in the last year for which figures are available.

(75499)

335
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many responses have been received to the consultation exercise regarding interpretation of regulations for care homes under the Care Standards Act 2000.

(75518)

336
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements for profit-related pay and bonuses have been made for senior executives of the Adur, Arun and Worthing PCT.

(75514)

337
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance has been issued by his Department to hospital trusts to ensure standards of spoken English for newly recruited nurses and doctors.

(75528)

338
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what training requirements are in place for new doctors to enable them to handle electronic patient records.

(75508)

339
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many kidney transplants were carried out in each of the last five years; and at what average cost.

(75540)

340
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many GPs were practising in England and Wales in each of the last five years, broken down by region.

(75525)

341
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his Department's estimate is of the number of hepatitis C sufferers who contracted the virus from NHS blood transfusions.

(75497)

342
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many heart patients waiting for more than six months have subsequently opted to be treated in private hospitals in the last five years.

(75529)

343
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which renal units in hospital trusts in England and Wales operate at weekends.

(75535)

344
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many former GPs have applied for the £10,000 welcome back initiative.

(75564)

345
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much it cost to establish the NHS Overseas Nurses Advice Line.

(75560)

346
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice he has issued to NHS dentists treating sufferers of hepatitis C.

(75496)

347
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many GP surgeries in (a) London and (b) South East England have (i) opened and (ii) closed in each of the last five years.

(75524)

348
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have been registered as organ donors in each of the last five years.

(75542)

349
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he proposes to publish his response to the consultation exercise on interpretation of regulations for care homes under the Care Standards Act 2000; and if he will place copies of the consultation responses in the Library.

(75519)

350
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the chief executives and chairmen of PCT's in England and Wales, and their respective remuneration.

(75515)

351
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to publish his NSF on renal conditions.

(75534)

352
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) children and (b) adults suffer from eczema; and what plans he has to tackle this.

(75566)

353
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average cost to the NHS is of (a) hip replacement, (b) knee replacement, (c) heart bypass surgery and (d) cataract operations.

(75547)

354
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average cost to the NHS is of (a) hip replacements, (b) knee replacements, (c) heart bypass surgery and (d) cataracts performed by the Worthing and Southlands Hospital Trust.

(75741)

355
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what training is available to medical students to enable them to write electronic patient records.

(75509)

356
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people qualified for free NHS eye tests in the last year (a) as a percentage of the population and (b) broken down by patient type.

(75544)

357
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements for profit-related pay and bonuses have been made for PCT management in England and Wales.

(75513)

358
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) nurses and (b) non-medical staff are employed on the NHS Overseas Nurses Advice Line.

(75561)

359
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) acute beds and (b) managers there are in the NHS; and what these figures are as a relative proportion.

(75502)

360
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many PCTs offer interferon combination drugs to hepatitis C sufferers.

(75498)

361
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many visits the GP tsar has made to Worthing in that capacity since his appointment.

(75512)

362
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many consultants specialising in renal medicine were employed in the NHS in each of the last five years.

(75539)

363
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many GP surgeries have been visited by the GP tsar in that capacity since his appointment.

(75511)

364
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made with the transfer of the Public Health Authority to form the proposed new Health Protection Agency.

(75507)

365
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the NHS properties sold in each of the last five years, with the proceeds raised; and what further sites have been identified for future disposal.

(75526)

366
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which PCTs operate electronic patient records.

(75522)

367
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting times are for hepatitis C sufferers to see a liver specialist, broken down by strategic regional health authority area.

(75536)

368
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many doctors from abroad started work in the NHS in the last year; and how many of them have subsequently ceased working.

(75516)

369
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of MRSA have been reported in the last (a) six months and (b) year; and what new plans he has to combat this disease.

(75567)

370
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioners vacancies are open in the Adur, Arun and Worthing PCT area.

(75501)

371
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the assessment is of his Department of the proportion of kidney failure cases linked to diabetes.

(75533)

372
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what hospitals were shortlisted by his Department to undertake heart operations under the Extending Patient Choice initiative.

(75505)

373
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to increase the number of GP walk in centres.

(75565)

374
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment has been made by his Department of the cost to optometrists of operating each free NHS eye test.

(75546)

375
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what paediatric renal services are available in (a) East Anglia and (b) Wales.

(75541)

376
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people received dialysis treatment in the NHS in each of the last five years.

(75537)

377
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been spent so far on the Extending Patient Choice initiative; and what hospitals have been contracted to perform the operations.

(75504)

378
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research is being funded by his Department into the prevalence of renal complaints amongst ethnic communities.

(75532)

379
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the terms of his contract with EDS to supply electronic appointment technology to the NHS; and if he will list the other firms that were invited to tender for the contract to supply electronic appointment technology to the NHS.

(75521)

380
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to introduce screening for hepatitis C.

(75495)

381
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of nurses starting work in the NHS in the last year were trained overseas.

(75527)

382
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many GP surgeries in England and Wales have (a) opened and (b) closed in each of the last five years.

(75523)

383
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people had free NHS eye tests in each of the last five years.

(75545)

384
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his target is for the number of PCTs equipped to operate electronic patient records by the end of 2004.

(75543)

385
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many calls the NHS Overseas Nurses Advice Line has received since it was established.

(75562)

386
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent on hepatitis C public awareness campaigns last year.

(75563)

387
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what contracts have been signed by his Department to bring teams of doctors from continental Europe to work in the NHS.

(75517)

388
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his Department's estimate is of the number of hepatitis C sufferers; and how many are receiving treatment in the NHS.

(75742)

389
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average cost is to the NHS of providing annual dialysis treatment for patients with kidney disorders.

(75538)

390
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of medical training courses for doctors in the UK deals with ICT in the NHS.

(75510)

391
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received from health professionals regarding the transfer of the Public Health Laboratory to the NHS.

(75506)

392
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many social workers have (a) been recruited, (b) left before normal retirement age, and (c) retired since the launch of his social worker recruitment campaign in 2001.

(75520)

393
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioners left their positions in the Adur, Arun and Worthing PCT area in the last year; and why.

(75500)

394
N   Mr John MacDougall (Central Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason there is an explicit upper age bar to (a) coronary care units and (b) cardiac rehabilitation units.

(76131)

395
N   Mr John MacDougall (Central Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason there is an explicit upper age limit for routine breast screening.

(76130)

396
N   Mr John MacDougall (Central Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in England who have been diagnosed as having the adrenoleukodystrophy gene are being treated with Lorenzo's oil.

(76032)

397
N   Mr John MacDougall (Central Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in England have adrenoleukodystrophy.

(76033)

398   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on cross-charging for delayed discharges.

(75892)

399
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the Advisory Committee on resource allocation will report on its review of the Your NHS Funding Formula; and if he will make the report public.

(75179)

400
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department has spent on silica cosmesis in each of the last two years.

(75856)

401
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department has made available for community equipment services in each of the last three years.

(75858)

402   Mr George Osborne (Tatton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the availability of the single dose mumps vaccine in the UK.

(76297)

403   Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures he has taken to tackle the issue of low birthweight; and what assessment he has made of the primary factors influencing low birthweight.

(76156)

404   Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to initiate research into low birthweight.

(76157)

405   Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) private and (b) government funded research programmes into low birth weight babies he has received since 1997; and what assessment he has made of this research.

(75880)

406   Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of low birth weight on (a) infant mortality and (b) long-term health.

(75882)

407   Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the incidence of low birthweight by county in descending order, for the most recent year for which available figures exist.

(76155)

408   Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the percentage incidence was of low birth weight babies, by local authority; for each of the last 20 years.

(75881)

409   Mr Clive Soley (Ealing, Acton & Shepherd's Bush): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the incidence of asthma in West London is, including the percentage change over the last five years; and if he will make a statement on the latest information on causation.

(76097)

410   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the National Health Service Trusts management structures and patient organisations in Essex with specific reference to (a) mental health, (b) dental care, (c) hospital trusts, (d) chiropody, (e) ambulance services, and (f) strategic management; how many (i) managers and (ii) administrative staff are in each category; and if he will make a statement on the reporting structure for national health care in Essex.

(75885)

411
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of NHS consultants, doctors and nurses who will be employed from (a) the EU and (b) outside the EU over the next five years.

(74932)

412
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of NHS medical staff who are not English-speaking; and what provision is made for linguistic tuition for non-English speaking NHS medical staff.

(74931)

413   Dr Richard Taylor (Wyre Forest): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement about the topics that are under consideration for future National Service Frameworks in the Health Service; and how they are selected.

(76246)

414   Dr Richard Taylor (Wyre Forest): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of (a) the average cost of dental treatment by an NHS dentist and (b) the average cost of treatment at the new NHS drop-in centres being developed.

(76245)

415   Dr Richard Taylor (Wyre Forest): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the financial deficit for the Worcestershire Health Authority at its dissolution on 1st April, and how this was divided between the primary care trusts that took over its commissioning role.

(76243)

416   Dr Richard Taylor (Wyre Forest): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance he has given to primary care trusts to allow patients waiting for cardiac surgery to be treated out of their area in (a) the UK and (b) abroad.

(76244)

417
N   Paddy Tipping (Sherwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what performance targets have been set for answering correspondence; and to what extent these targets are being met.

(74272)

418   Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on (a) the personal responsibilities of the Director General of NHS Information Technology, (b) his responsibility for the NHS Information Authority and (c) his role in directing the implementation of NHS information technology at regional level.

(76323)

419
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with the Health Professions Council regarding the increase in the retention fee for radiographers; and if he will make a statement.

(76015)

420   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) chiropody and (b) podiatry new episodes of care per head of population there were in each of the NHS regions in each of the last three years.

(76305)

421   Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the reform of the funding system for the NHS and the options, method of consultation and timetable for the review; and whether the review will take into account the number of people who have access to private medical treatment.

(76277)

422
N   Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what basis the £16.9 million cut in the income for 2002-03 was apportioned between the three acute hospital trusts in West Surrey.

(75491)

423
N   Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason an extra £16.9 million has been added to the 2002-03 income of the primary care trusts in West Surrey.

(75492)

424
N   Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason £7.9 million was cut from the 2002-03 income of the Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust in August.

(75490)

425
N   Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what additional financial and staff resources are being made available to the Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust to enable the implementation of its franchise plan.

(75489)

426
N   Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason £16.9 million was cut from the 2002-03 income of the three acute hospital trusts in West Surrey in August.

(75494)

427
N   Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to bring to an end the Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust running a deficit budget.

(75493)

428
N   Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, why the Franchise Plan for the Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust presented to the Government was not published until 10th October 2002.

(75488)

429
N   Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what dates the 2002-03 budget was (a) formally finalised and (b) published for (i) the Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust and (ii) North Surrey Primary Care Trust.

(75487)

430
N   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many burglaries were estimated to have been (a) reported and (b) unreported in (i) urban, (ii) rural and (iii) suburban areas for each year since 1979.

(75183)

431
N   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which police forces he classifies as rural.

(75184)

432
N   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much of the Rural Policing Fund was spent by force in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 to date.

(75185)

433   Mrs Anne Campbell (Cambridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Government's policy is on the detention of pregnant women seeking asylum; and how many pregnant women are detained while their asylum applications are considered.

(76280)

434   Mr Michael Connarty (Falkirk East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the outcome was of the Justice and Home Affairs and Civil Protection Council held in Brussels on 14th and 15th October; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

(76018)

435
N   Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list for each of the last five years for which statistics are available the number of asylum applicants (a) granted refugee status, (b) granted exceptional leave to remain and (c) refused, classified in each case as (i) post or (ii) in-country applications.

(75484)

436
N   Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if children with special educational needs who are living in accommodation centres will receive full-time education in (a) a local school or (b) the accommodation centre.

(76146)

437
N   Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the categories of children who will be considered as special cases for the purpose of education provision in accommodation centres.

(76145)

438   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 19th September, Official Report, column 74-5W, when he will introduce legislation to amend the regulation issued under section 13 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 in respect the confiscation of alcohol from under-age drinkers in public places.

(76527)

439   Mr Roger Godsiff (Birmingham, Sparkbrook & Small Heath): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many nationals of each country from which a visa is required applied for entry clearance to come to the United Kingdom for temporary purposes, including visitor and student applications in 2001; how many visas were issued for temporary purposes; how many recipients of these visas returned to their country of nationality before the visas expired; and how many applied (i) to remain permanently in the United Kingdom and (ii) for political asylum.

(76148)

440   Matthew Green (Ludlow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to suspend the checking of applicants from voluntary organisations by the Criminal Records Bureau; and what alternative arrangements he will put in place.

(76016)

441
N   Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many persons were given a mandatory sentence for (a) domestic burglary and (b) drug dealing in 2001.

(74717)

442   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many drug treatment and testing orders have been issued in (a) Hampshire and (b) the Portsmouth South constituency; and if he will make a statement.

(76526)

443   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued in (a) Hampshire and (b) Portsmouth South in the last six months; and if he will make a statement.

(76502)

444   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police have left the Hampshire Constabulary in the last 12 months because of (a) retirement, (b) early retirement, (c) injury and (d) other employment; and if he will make a statement.

(76503)

445   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have been directed to (a) Hampshire, (b) Portsmouth and (c) Southampton; and if he will make a statement.

(76507)

446   Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what restrictions there are on the entry into the UK of workers from Eire who have been accepted by that country from EU candidate countries.

(75904)

447   Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he will take to encourage use of community police support officers in Wales.

(76256)

448   Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders and acceptable behaviour contracts have been issued, broken down by police authority area in England and Wales.

(76257)

449   Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what evidence he has collated on the effectiveness of (a) anti-social behaviour orders and (b) acceptable behaviour contracts

(76258)

450   Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures the Government is using to encourage greater use of anti-social behaviour orders and acceptable behaviour contracts in Wales.

(76259)

451   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 24th June from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Amir Chaudhry.

(76237)

452   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 3rd September from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Baez Azez Baez.

(76235)

453   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 18th September from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr John Alosine Bangura.

(76239)

454   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 5th September from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs Vida Obiri (Yeboah-Burgess).

(76236)

455   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent guidelines he has issued to chief constables on the control of illegal raves in England.

(76121)

456
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects to reply to the letter of 2nd May to the former Immigration Minister from the honourable Member for Aylesbury on behalf of Mr D. C. about Miss S. A. (reference PO 9135/2).

(74911)

457
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers have left Sussex constabulary in the last 12 months because of (a) retirement, (b) early retirement, (c) injury and (d) other employment.

(75555)

458
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have (a) had cases initiated against them and (b) been prosecuted for cases which involve the death of minors in each of the last five years.

(75554)

459
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued in West Sussex in the last six months.

(75556)

460
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children have died from violence in each of the last five years.

(75553)

461
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proposals he has for altering the charitable status of hospitals and other medical facilities outside the NHS.

(75693)

462   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects to submit a planning notification to Wychavon District Council in relation to the proposed asylum accommodation centre at Throckmorton.

(76261)

463   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on policing in rural areas.

(75893)

464   Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on his policy relating to Romanies from the Czech Republic seeking asylum.

(75899)

465
N   Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many drug treatment and testing orders have been issued in the UK since their introduction; how many have been revoked for non-compliance; and what these figures are for Kent.

(75190)

466
N   Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the establishment for probation officers is in Kent; how many Kent has; and how many of these are (a) fully qualified main-grade officers and (b) trainees.

(75189)

467   Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many deaths and serious injuries have been caused by fireworks in the UK in each of the last 20 years; and if he will make a statement.

(76151)

468
N   Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the honourable Member for West Worcestershire will receive answers to his letters of 28th August and 24th June about Ms Jackie Neilson.

(76013)

469
N   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications were received in each month since January for clearance by the Criminal Records Bureau in respect of (a) nursery and school staff (employed), (b) nursery and school staff (voluntary), (c) youth service staff, (d) social services staff, (e) other voluntary workers and (f) other employed staff.

(76185)

470
N   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for clearance by the Criminal Records Bureau were received in each month since January; and in which month they were provided.

(76184)

471   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the backlog of honourable Members' correspondence at the IND is; what the target date is which he has set to clear the backlog at the IND; what discussions he has had with posts overseas concerning the processing of applicants for citizenship by British Overseas Citizens; how many persons are awaiting decisions on citizenship applications; and how many passports were lost by IND in 2002.

(76098)

472   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the case of Mr Ebrahim Solta of Leicester who was detained at Charles Street Police Station in October.

(76310)

473
N   David Winnick (Walsall North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the honourable Member for Walsall North will receive a reply to his letter of 29th July regarding a constituent, reference 15775/2; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay in replying.

(74914)

474   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what direct assistance is given to customs officers in (a) South American and (b) West African countries to prevent the illegal trade in bushmeat.

(75925)

475   Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many endangered wild animal species are classified as bushmeat.

(75924)

476   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the extent to which commitments made by the UK and other countries with regard to responding to the famine in Africa have been met.

(76220)

477
N   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many (a) deaths and (b) injuries it is estimated have been caused by unexploded bomblets following the use of cluster bombs in Afghanistan.

(75224)

478   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what impact she estimates the dispute over non-acceptance by African governments of genetically-modified grain supplied by the World Food Programme will have on famine relief efforts in the region.

(76100)

479
N   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the funding of water treatment projects in and around Kabul.

(75219)

480   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the impact that the spread of HIV/AIDS is having on the famine in Africa.

(76102)

481   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions the Government, in conjunction with the World Food Programme, has had with those African countries affected by famine regarding the supply of genetically-modified grain as part of relief efforts.

(76101)

482   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the concerns of the World Food Programme about its ability to cope with the famine in Africa.

(76224)

483
N   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the humanitarian and reconstruction needs of the (a) Shomali plains, (b) Dari-Suf, (c) Yak-aw-lang and central Bamyan, (d) Khawajaghar-Hazarbagh, (e) Takhar-Badakshan, (f) Mazar, (g) Herat-Ghor, (h) Kandahar, (i) Paktia-Paktika and (j) eastern Nangarhar areas of Afghanistan.

(75220)

484   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many people she estimates are suffering from malnutrition as a result of famine in (a) Mauritania, (b) Mali, (c) Senegal, (d) Eritrea, (e) Ethiopia, (f) Zambia, (g) Angola, (h) Zimbabwe, (i) Mozambique, (j) Lesotho and (k) Malawi.

(76223)

485   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on her policy on whether (a) Malawi, (b) Mozambique and (c) Zambia should be granted an immediate suspension of their HIPC debt repayments.

(76103)

486
N   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on progress being made in the safe disposal of the unexploded bomblets remaining following the use of cluster bombs in Afghanistan.

(75225)

487   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what her assessment is of the threat to human life being caused by the famine in Africa; and if she will make a statement.

(76221)

488   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what her assessment is of the effect the conflict in the Ivory Coast is having on UN famine relief efforts in Africa.

(76225)

489   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans her Department has to support those African countries affected by famine.

(76222)

490   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether the Government intends to make additional resources available to support the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS in the light of its contribution to the current famine in Africa.

(76099)

491   Syd Rapson (Portsmouth North): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will publish the text of the final list of requests for market access tabled by the European Commission under the general agreement on trade in services; and what she estimates their impact would be on (a) poverty and (b) sustainable development in each of the developing countries affected.

(76267)

492   Syd Rapson (Portsmouth North): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what she is doing to help developing countries protect their infant industries until they are strong enough to compete in world markets and to increase the efficiency and competitiveness of these industries.

(76272)

493   Syd Rapson (Portsmouth North): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what advice she will give to developing country governments on how they can (a) promote sustainable development and (b) reduce poverty whilst managing the (i) quality, (ii) timing, (iii) sequencing and (iv) scope of import liberalisation.

(76266)

494
N   Mr John MacDougall (Central Fife): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, for what reason people over the age of 70 are barred from (a) being magistrates and (b) jury service.

(76127)

495   Mr Tom Watson (West Bromwich East): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if the Lord Chancellor will estimate the saving to public funds of holding the next European elections and local elections on the same day; and if he will make a statement.

(76248)

496   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many patients in each health board in Northern Ireland hold priority status for occupational therapist assessment.

(76029)

497   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average patient waiting time is for occupational therapist assessment in Northern Ireland.

(76028)

498   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many patients are waiting assessment from occupational therapists in Northern Ireland.

(76027)

499
N   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the future of selective schools in Northern Ireland.

(75227)

500
N   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will rank the (a) GCSE and (b) A level performance in Northern Ireland's schools with that in English local education authority areas.

(75228)

501
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will set out the arrangements for remuneration and compensation which apply to members of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive consequent upon suspension of devolved government.

(76124)

502
N   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many applications under the SPED scheme have been made by (a) police officers and (b) prison officers so far this year; and what the estimated costs have been consequent upon their approval.

(75173)

503
N   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many investigators are employed by the Police Ombudsman in Northern Ireland.

(76153)

504
N   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many police officers have had to move home in response to the security threat arising from the break-in at Castlereagh Police Station; and what has been the cost to the taxpayer.

(76152)

505   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many police officers have been seconded to work with the Organised Crime Task Force and the Assets Recovery Agency in Northern Ireland.

(75907)

506
N   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) Roman Catholics, (b) Protestants and (c) others have been recruited to the Police Service of Northern Ireland since its inception.

(76154)

507   Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list the additional organisations to come within the remit of the new Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice.

(76302)

508   Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on progress made in appointing the new Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice.

(76301)

509   Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on progress made by the inquiry headed by Sir John Chilcot into the break-in at Castlereagh police station on 17th March.

(76300)

510   Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what measures he has taken to ensure all those who are under threat, as a result of the theft of intelligence information following a breach of security at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, are informed.

(76391)

511   Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will establish the post of a minister for men's issues.

(76308)

512
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton & Honiton): To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions he has had on a ban on swill feeding in the last two years.

(76173)

513   Mr George Osborne (Tatton): To ask the Prime Minister, what his role is in relation to authorisation of the use of the armed forces in the event of outbreaks of foot and mouth disease.

(76296)

514   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Prime Minister, what matters in respect of United Kingdom support for the dismantling and clear-up of Russia's nuclear weapons, and the management of surplus former military fissile material, were discussed during his meetings in Russia on 10th October.

(75874)

515   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Prime Minister, what assessment Her Majesty's Government made of the report on Iraq's military production and deployment capabilities published by the International Institute for Strategic Studies in September; and whether Iraq could assemble nuclear weapons within months if it had sufficent fissile materials.

(75868)

516   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Prime Minister, whether information from United States sources was used in the Iraq dossier on weapons of mass destruction.

(75871)

517   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Prime Minister, whether representatives of the United States Administration were shown the Iraq dossier prior to its publication on 24th September.

(75870)

518   David Winnick (Walsall North): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will state Her Majesty's Government's policy towards a viable and sovereign Palestinian state in the occupied territories; and what recent discussion he has had with President Bush on this issue.

(76307)

519   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Solicitor General, if he will make a statement on the level of successful prosecutions for fraud in (a) 1993, (b) 1997 and (c) 2002.

(75894)

520
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the average price of aircraft fuel was in September.

(75032)

521   Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what was (a) the budget and (b) the expenditure for the Passport to Export scheme in (i) financial year 2000-01 and (ii) financial year 2001-02.

(75864)

522   Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many county specific enterprise initiative schemes there are; and if she will list them and their budgets.

(75860)

523   Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the annual budget for Trade Partners UK for the financial year (a) 2001-02, (b) 2002-03 and (c) 2003-04.

(75862)

524   Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how frequently Trade Partners UK updates its website.

(75865)

525   Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how the Passport to Export scheme is promoted.

(75861)

526   Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she expects to grant an export licence to A. W. Plume Ltd in respect of their application of 20th August 2002 to export pneumatic and electrical components to Iran.

(75859)

527   Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many businesses took up the Passport to Export scheme in (a) financial year 2000-01 and (b) financial year 2001-02.

(75863)

528   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the progress she is making on putting policies in place to narrow the productivity gap relative to other industrialised countries.

(75912)

529
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the national oil emergency stock is above the level required by international obligations; and if she will make a statement.

(75177)

530   Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to restrict the sale and use of fireworks to (a) certain days of the year and (b) certain times of the day; and if she will make a statement.

(76392)

531   Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will estimate the number of domestic animals receiving veterinary treatment as a result of an accident involving a firework during October, November and December 2001; and what plans she has to launch an investigation into how the health of domestic animals is affected by fireworks.

(76529)

532
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what decisions have been taken regarding future financial support for British Energy and other energy companies; and what return taxpayers will receive on moneys given to British Energy.

(75023)

533   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many homes have been compulsorily purchased by regional development agencies since 1999.

(75968)

534   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the private companies involved in the Community Development Venture Capital Fund.

(75970)

535   Stephen Hesford (Wirral West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what she is doing to increase the number of women setting up their own business; and if she will make a statement.

(76228)

536   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which protocols have been signed by the United Kingdom banning the sale of beryllium to named countries.

(76393)

537   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she will publish a review of the operation of NETA.

(76398)

538   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make it her Department's policy to collect statistics on the number of jobs lost from the UK to other countries.

(76396)

539   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she expects to publish her Department's analysis of the responses to the energy review consultation document.

(76397)

540   Jim Knight (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures are being taken to ensure that gas suppliers are complying with Ofgem and Energywatch's Erroneous Transfer Customer Charter; and what enforcement powers are given to Ofgem to impose the Charter's provisions on fraudulent and negligent firms.

(75941)

541   Jim Knight (South Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures are being taken to ensure that gas suppliers are complying with Ofgem and Energywatch's Erroneous Transfer Customer Charter; and what enforcement powers are given to Ofgem to impose the Charter's provisions on fraudulent and negligent firms who do not correct an erroneous transfer within the designated time period as stipulated by the Charter.

(75942)

542
N   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the countries identified as those where sustainable development is likely to be an issue in respect of applying criterion 8 in determining applications for export licences.

(75226)

543   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what meetings she has held with British Energy since September.

(76132)

544   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many people are employed by British Energy in the UK.

(76133)

545
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many (a) rural and (b) urban post offices have closed in each of the last five years; and how many new ones have opened.

(75699)

546
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she expects to receive the Deloitte and Touche audit of the UK mobile phone operators' compliance and implementation of the voluntary code; and if she will make this public.

(75979)

547   Mr George Osborne (Tatton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many limited companies were incorporated between (a) 1st April and 30th June and (b) in the same quarter in 2001.

(76298)

548   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures she has taken to support small businesses in Romford.

(76394)

549   Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures he has taken to improve quality and safety controls on fireworks; and if he will make a statement.

(75876)

550   Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps he is taking to restrict the sale of fireworks outside the traditional sales period prior to Bonfire Night; and if he will make a statement.

(75877)

551   Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent representations he has received on restricting the use of fireworks; and if he will make a statement.

(75875)

552   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what British exports of material and technology capable of being used in biological weapons production were made to Iraq since 1972; and how many export licences were (a) granted and (b) rejected in respect of such material and technology over this period.

(75867)

553   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment was made of the likely end-use of Beryllium prior to export licences being granted for its export to Iran.

(75884)

554
N   Paddy Tipping (Sherwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the progress of her review of the legislation governing the sale of fireworks.

(74853)

555   Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what statutory minimums of service BT is obliged to abide by in standard telephone line provision.

(76159)

556   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations she has received on the impact of the judgment of the European Court of Justice in Aventis Pharma Deutschland GmbH V Kohpharma GmbH.

(76306)

557   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations she has received about improper transfer of energy accounts by npower; and if she will make a statement.

(75898)

558   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action she proposes to take in the light of the House of Lords decision in Customs and Excise v. Plantiflor Ltd.

(76299)

559
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the level of the public sector deflator in each month of the last 10 years.

(75239)

560
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the members of each regional development agency stating for each member the (a) date of, (b) length of, their appointment and (c) their qualifications for the job.

(75237)

561
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the level of inflation in the public sector.

(75230)

562
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the known political affiliations of members of the regional development agencies, stating whether she and her predecessors (a) had this information at the time of appointment of and (b) took account of the information when making the appointment.

(75235)

563
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the number of applicants for each vacancy for membership of the regional development agencies.

(75236)

564
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, on what date her Department began discussing with the Treasury the increase in the rate of National Insurance contributions in the last budget.

(75231)

565
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the cost to business of employers' and public liability insurance.

(75241)

566
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the appointments she has made since 8th June 2001.

(75234)

567
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list those regulations proposed by other departments that have been amended after comments from her Department since 2nd May 1997.

(75233)

568
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the process by which (a) chairmen and (b) members of regional development agencies are appointed.

(75238)

569
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the consultations being undertaken by her Department.

(75232)

570
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will estimate this impact on the forecast for total United Kingdom air passengers in 2030 if the assumption in his consultation paper of a 1.5 per cent. annual fall in the cost of air travel were replaced by an assumed increase in the cost of 1 per cent. a year.

(75035)

571
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will estimate the annual Exchequer income which would derive from auctioning take-off and landing slots at (a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick and (c) Manchester airports, in line with the announcement by the Deputy Prime Minister on 9th November 2000, using as a basis the estimates of slot values provided by the Civil Aviation Authority in its recommendations to the Competition Commission on airport price caps in February.

(75033)

572
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will estimate the total United Kingdom air passenger demand in 2030 if a tax, equivalent to the current level of duty on unleaded petrol, were imposed on aviation fuel in 2015 and a sales tax of 17.5 per cent. were imposed on airline tickets for United Kingdom flight departures at the same date.

(75034)

573
N   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how much of the (a) Rural Bus Subsidy Grant and (b) Rural Bus Challenge was spent in (i) 2001-02 and (ii) 2002-03 to date, broken down by county.

(75186)

574
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will place in the Library a copy of the national guidelines on the phasing of traffic lights.

(76126)

575
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will set out the matters discussed and the conclusions reached at his meeting with the Mayor of London on 26th September.

(76125)

576
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the future impact of congestion charges in London on his Department's PSA targets relating to congestion in London; and if he will make a statement.

(76123)

577   Jon Cruddas (Dagenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what discussions he has had with (a) Transport for London, (b) the Mayor of London and (c) Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on transport infrastructure to support the regeneration of the London Riverside Thames Gateway Zone of Change.

(76138)

578   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what plans exist for the continued use of the Waterloo terminal for Eurostar services after Phase II of the CTRL has been fully completed; and if he will make a statement.

(76234)

579   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will set out the rules governing the wearing of seat restraints for children under four years old; and what figures he has collated for incidents involving such children in the last five years.

(76232)

580   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will set out the United Kingdom's position in the draft directive amending Directive 91/671 on seat belts; and if he will make a statement in the likely timetable for adoption and implementation into UK domestic law.

(76233)

581   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how much money was (a) spent and (b) budgeted for the Transport Area Network in each financial year in which it has been allocated.

(76399)

582   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assessment has been conducted into the effectiveness of (a) the Traveline phone service and (b) the traveline.org.uk website; and if he will places copies of related correspondence in the Library.

(76475)

583   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what recent discussions have taken place between his Department, the Strategic Rail Authory and the Treasury into the role of bonds as a financing mechanism within the railways; and if he will place copies of related correspondence in the Library.

(76474)

584   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what (a) amendments to regulations and (b) new regulations (i) have been introduced and (ii) are planned relating to vehicle standards for school transport vehicles, including yellow school buses.

(76477)

585   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what changes are planned to the regulatory framework of the operating, licensing and compliance systems under the Transport Area Network; what consultation has taken place and is planned in relation to changes; and what discussions have taken place in relation to changes which (a) have taken place and (b) are planned.

(76204)

586   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the work conducted on Transport Direct by Journey Solutions; and what steps his Department is taking to act upon this work.

(76486)

587   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what discussions have taken place with the railway industry on the directives on (a) European Rail Agency Interoperability and Safety and (b) the Development of Community Railways being discussed within the European Parliament; and if he will place related documentation in the Library.

(76191)

588   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what submissions have been made by his Department to the European Commission on the forthcoming Third Railway Package; and if he will place copies in the Library.

(76202)

589   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will list statutory instruments which have been laid before Parliament in response to the First Railway Package introduced through the European Commission; and if he will indicate the date laid in each case.

(76500)

590   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what research has been conducted by and for (a) his Department and (b) the Strategic Rail Authority into the role of bonds as a financing mechanism within the railways; and if he will place copies in the Library.

(76195)

591   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will list (a) the number of people employed, (b) the role and terms of reference and (c) the annual budget of (i) the Northern Lighthouse Board and (ii) the Commission for Integrated Transport for each year since 1997-98.

(76524)

592   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what submissions have been made by his Department to the (a) European Commission and (b) European Parliament on the Directive on the Development of Community Railways being discussed within the European Parliament; and if he will place copies in the Library.

(76192)

593   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what discussions his Department has had, and what representations have been received, on the TAN21 self service online service for road hauliers to update operators licences.

(76498)

594   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many people are employed by (a) the Rail Passengers' committees and (b) the Traffic Commissioners; what their role and terms of reference are; what their annual budgets were for each year since 1997-98; and what their projected budgets are for 2003-04.

(76201)

595   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what steps have been taken to implement the DVO Blueprint Strategy and Work Programme; and what assessment has been made of its implementation.

(76488)

596   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when he expects to disseminate findings from market research to support Transport Direct.

(76487)

597   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what steps have been taken with regard to contracting market research relating to the future direction of the Traveline service.

(76200)

598   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assessment has been made of the performance of the (a) Rail Passengers Council and (b) the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Council; and what reports are published on their performance.

(76523)

599   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, which suppliers provide the TAN21 self service online service for road hauliers to update operators' licences.

(76205)

600   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what changes have been made to the timetable for the development and introduction of the Transport Area Network; what the reasons have been for these changes; and what costs were incurred as a result.

(76210)

601   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what plans he has to introduce regulations to give effect to European Directive 2001/16/EC.

(76476)

602   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what changes and improvements have been made to the Traveline website during 2002; what additional changes are planned; and by what date changes are planned to be implemented.

(76199)

603   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what representations have been made by (a) his Department and (b) the Strategic Rail Authority on the impact of the Enterprise Bill upon the railway industry.

(76499)

604   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what representations have been received by (a) his Department and (b) the Strategic Rail Authority on the role of bonds as a financing mechanism within the railways; and if he will place copies in the Library.

(76206)

605   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will list the percentage changes in electronic utilisation by customers of the Transport Area Network; and what assessment has been made.

(76485)

606   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the new systems which (a) have been implemented and (b) are planned to be introduced as part of the Transport Area Network.

(76193)

607   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the nature and investigation of each complaint that has been made against a railway business under the terms of the Competition Act 1998.

(76400)

608   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what representations have been received from, and discussions have taken place with, the railway industry on the Directive on Safety, Licensing and Levying of Charges Certification of Community Railways being discussed within the European Parliament; and if he will place copies of all related correspondence in the Library.

(76472)

609   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the study being conducted into the business case for bus real-time information; when he expects to publish the findings of this research; what steps are being taken to act upon these findings; and when he expects to produce best practice advice.

(76471)

610   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what discussions he has had with (a) the bus industry, (b) local authorities, (c) Transport for London, (d) passenger transport executives and (e) the Treasury on changes to the fuel duty rebate.

(76188)

611   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when new e-commerce services for the transport industry under the auspices of the Transport Area Network were introduced; what changes there have been to the timetable for the introduction and nature of this scheme; and what assessment has been made of its progress.

(76478)

612   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what research has been conducted for and by his Department on the effect of legislation covering school transport under the Education Act 1996 on (a) reducing congestion and (b) promoting social inclusion; and if he will place copies in the Library.

(76197)

613   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what discussions have taken place with the railway industry on progress with the implementation of the First Railway Package of the European Commission; and if he will place copies in the Library.

(76186)

614   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assessment has been made by (a) his Department and (b) the Strategic Rail Authority of the impact of the Competition Act 1998 upon the railway industry.

(76401)

615   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when the Transport Area Network is due to end its status as a part of the Department; and when he plans to make a decision on its future status.

(76203)

616   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assessment has been made of the performance of the Traffic Commissioners with specific reference to performance targets; and if he will publish a report on its performance.

(76483)

617   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what work has been undertaken on the Transport Direct business plan.

(76198)

618   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what recent assessment he has made of the performance of (a) Trinity House Lighthouse Service and (b) the Strategic Rail Authority, including details of performance targets; what reports are published on their performance ; and if he will place copies of such reports in the Library.

(76473)

619   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when the new finance system for the transport industry under the auspices of the Transport Area Network was introduced; what changes there have been to the timetable for introduction and nature of this scheme; and what assessment (a) has been made and (b) is planned of its progress.

(76209)

620   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what research has been conducted by his Department on the role of free home to school transport, on (a) reducing congestion and (b) promoting social inclusion.

(76484)

621   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many complaints have arisen against railway businesses in each year since 1998 under the terms of the Competition Act 1998.

(76211)

622   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how much private investment has been (a) spent and (b) allocated for roadbuilding (i) under the 10 year plan to date, (ii) projected by 2004-05 and (iii) projected for the period of the 10 year plan (A) at today's prices and (B) at outturn cost.

(76479)

623   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what research (a) has been conducted and (b) is planned by and for his Department on the progress of the Transport Area Network; and if he will place copies of completed research in the Library.

(76208)

624   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will make a statement on (a) how many people are employed, (b) the role and terms of reference and (c) the annual budget for each year since 1997-98 of the Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment Sustainable Development Education Panel.

(76482)

625   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assessment has been made of the potential of (a) amending existing regulations and (b) introducing new regulations to (i) reduce the cost of provision and (ii) increase the availability of school transport vehicles, including yellow school buses.

(76189)

626   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how much private investment has been (a) spent and (b) procured for the railways under the 10 year plan; how much is projected by 2004-05; and what is projected for the 10 year plan (i) at today's prices and (ii) at outturn cost.

(76194)

627   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what recent assessment has been made of the impact of changes in the density of road signs on the road network upon (a) road traffic speed, (b) congestion and (c) pollution; and if he will place copies of related correspondence in the Library.

(76480)

628   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assessment has been made by and and for his Department of the performance of (a) the Commission for Integrated Transport and (b) Rail Passengers' Committees including performance targets; what reports have been published on their performance; and if he will place copies of such reports not readily available in the Library.

(76207)

629   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when each of the targets for Transport Direct outlined in the 10 Year Plan will be met.

(76190)

630   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what representations have been received, and what discussions have taken place, with the railway industry on the Directive on the Interoperability of Trans-European Rail Transport.

(76501)

631   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many people are employed by (a) the Trinity House Lighthouse Service and (b) the Strategic Rail Authority; what their role and terms of reference are; what their annual budget was for each year since 1997-98; and what their projected budget is for 2002-03.

(76196)

632   Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, whether the Strategic Rail Authority has provided advice to him on Central Railway's proposed freight line.

(75905)

633   Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when he will introduce a bill to support Central Railway's proposed freight line.

(75906)

634   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will list the tram schemes (a) under construction, (b) being developed and (c) being considered for funding from his Department.

(76470)

635   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will list the estimated start-dates for construction of each of the projects in the 10-year plan.

(76467)

636   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what the latest timetable is for the upgrade to the South Central line.

(76469)

637   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how much of the public expenditure on transport listed in the 10-year plan remains uncommitted.

(76468)

638   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many schemes are in place on motorways in the UK where use is allowed of the hard shoulder during rush hours; and what plans he has to increase this number.

(76522)

639
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he has received the report he requested from the SRA on the Central Railway Project; and when he plans to publish the SRA's conclusions.

(74910)

640
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what action he is taking to reduce the number of (a) unlicenced and (b) untaxed cars on UK roads.

(75552)

641
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what discussions he has had with the management of Shoreham Port Authority regarding the appointment of a new Chief Executive.

(75551)

642
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, who sits on the interview panel for the selction of the new Chief Executive of Shoreham Harbour; who appointed them; and when.

(75550)

643
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many applications were received for the post of Chief Executive of Shoreham Harbour.

(75548)

644
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what stages have been completed in the appointment of the new Chief Executive of Shoreham Harbour; and what the appointment timetable is.

(75549)

645   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what funds Malpensa Airport received under the EU Trans-European Network programme; and what discussions he has had with the EU Commission to open up Malpensa Airport to (a) British and (b) other EU carriers.

(76147)

646   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will make a statement on his programme to tackle congestion and improve safety at junctions on trunk roads and motorways; and what impact his programme will have on his plans for de-trunking roads.

(76139)

647
N   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what percentage of take-offs under the Cliffe Airport option proposed by the Government would head east and then turn north over Essex; and over which Essex communities these would fly and at what height.

(74930)

648   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he will reply to the letters dated 28th August and 20th September from the honourable Member for Buckingham.

(76017)

649
N   Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been made of the current arrangements for winding up pension schemes; and what consideration will be given to providing greater protection to pension funds.

(75024)

650
N   Dr Hywel Francis (Aberavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with (a) the pensions industry, (b) employers and (c) trades unions to ensure that the public is better informed about their future pension provisions.

(75031)

651
N   Dr Hywel Francis (Aberavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with EU counterparts on protection of employees' pension rights.

(75029)

652
N   Dr Hywel Francis (Aberavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that advancements in information collection are used to inform pension-holders of their rights and opportunities.

(75030)

653
N   Mike Gapes (Ilford South): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average wait was for a disability benefit appeal hearing in the last 12 months; and what plans he has to improve the service.

(73067)

654   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what sanctions his Department has imposed upon the company responsible for managing the Benefits Agency's medical services tests of disabled and sick benefit recipients during the last three years for which records are available.

(76090)

655   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many disabled benefit recipients have failed his Department's tests in each of the last five years for which records are available; and how many have had those benefits restored on appeal for each of the different tests for which disabled people are required to undergo.

(76089)

656   Mr Archy Kirkwood (Roxburgh & Berwickshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what help he gives businesses in the Scottish Borders to improve health and safety in the workplace.

(75853)

657   Mr Archy Kirkwood (Roxburgh & Berwickshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of companies conducting business without employers' liability insurance.

(75850)

658   Mr Archy Kirkwood (Roxburgh & Berwickshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many companies have been fined for failure to insure their liability to their employees in the event of injury or disease sustained in the course of their employment in each year since 1997.

(75849)

659   Mr Archy Kirkwood (Roxburgh & Berwickshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to reform employer liability law.

(75852)

660   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he stopped paying attendance allowance to people in Scotland who are receiving free personal care for the elderly; and how many people in Scotland are receiving attendance allowance.

(76325)

661
N   Mr John MacDougall (Central Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the basis is for the difference in the qualifying period for old claimants and younger claimants for disability benefits.

(76035)

662
N   Mr John MacDougall (Central Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the basis is of his policy on payment to people who become disabled over the age of 65 years of the mobility component attached to disability benefits.

(76031)

663   Mr Simon Thomas (Ceredigion): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to allow recipients of disability living allowance to receive these benefits in another European Union Country.

(76268)

664   Mr Paul Truswell (Pudsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to publish the proposed Green Paper on pensions.

(76092)

665   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent representations he has received on pensioner poverty.

(75897)

666   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimates he has made of the change in average maintenance assessment under the new Child Support Scheme for a non-resident parent supporting (a) one qualifying child, (b) two qualifying children and (c) three or more qualifying children.

(76109)

667   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimates he has made of the rate of compliance under the new Child Support Scheme.

(76110)

668   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to publicise the availability of the new Post Office Card Account.

(76106)

669   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to inform benefit and tax credit claimants that they will be able to receive their entitlement in cash over the counter at the Post Office after April 2003.

(76105)

670   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter to be sent to child benefit customers on 28th October informing them of their options for receiving benefit from April 2003.

(76108)

671   Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South): To ask the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to expand UK Online Interactive; and if he will make a statement.

(76322)

672   Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South): To ask the Cabinet Office, what the cost of Phase One of the UK Online interactive project has been; and how this relates to planned costs.

(76319)

673
N   Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk): To ask the Cabinet Office, if he will make a statement on the promotion of (a) e-democracy and (b) e-government.

(75240)

674   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what arrangements are in place to permit United States military forces to use the air base in Diego Garcia; and what consultations have taken place with the Ilois islanders from Diego Garcia over military use of their islands.

[Transferred] (76216)

675
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department was consulted on the recent awarding of the motability tender.

[Transferred] (75857)

676   Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) UK-wide anti-speed campaigns and (b) Arrive Alive in North Wales; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (75878)

677   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment has been made by and for his Department of the performance of the Health and Safety Executive including recent performance targets; what reports have been published on its performance; and if he will place copies of such reports not readily available in the Library.

[Transferred] (76187)

678   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the decision to bomb command-and-control posts in Iraq was a joint decision of the US and UK governments; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (76240)