Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2001- 02
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Thursday 31 October 2002

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Thursday 31 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.

THURSDAY 31st OCTOBER

1   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park & Kensington North): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what measures he intends to bring forward to raise the density of new housing developments in London and the South East.

(78711)

2   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park & Kensington North): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he expects to announce a further round of the Neighbourhood Management scheme.

(78629)

3
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many parish councillors there are in the West Chelmsford parliamentary constituency; and how many have notified his Department that they have resigned from their parish councils as a result of the introduction of a code of conduct for parish councillors.

(77152)

4   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what grants his Department has allocated to community halls for the cost of installing disabled toilets in each of the last three years; what funds his Department is making available in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

(78425)

5   Mr Ian Cawsey (Brigg & Goole): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of rural deprivation in the local government formula grant review.

(78880)

6   Mr Ian Cawsey (Brigg & Goole): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what account he has taken of the extra cost of providing services in rural areas in the local government formula grant review.

(78879)

7   Mr Ian Cawsey (Brigg & Goole): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what impact changes in the local government formula grant will have on public services in (a) the East Riding of Yorkshire and (b) North Lincolnshire.

(78881)

8   Mr Ian Cawsey (Brigg & Goole): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what research was done by his Department into the impact of dispersal and settlement patterns on the cost of providing services in rural areas as part of the local government formula grant review.

(78882)

9
N   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what steps he is taking to protect post offices in areas of urban deprivation.

(76424)

10   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many (a) full-time and (b) full-time equivalent firefighters there were in Lancashire in each of the last five years.

(78626)

11
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much was spent on affordable housing in villages in rural England in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 to date.

(78406)

12
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much his Department has made available to implement a more flexible lettings policy by local authorities; and how much each rural local authority received in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 to date.

(78395)

13   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many units of affordable housing have been built in the Portsmouth South constituency in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

(78967)

14
N   Mr Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what progress he has made towards ending the two tier workforce in local authority services; and if he will make a statement.

(77990)

15
N   Mr Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he plans to publish the code of practice covering the recruitment of new staff on public sector contracts.

(77955)

16   Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what discussions his Department has had with the F40 group in the review of the local government education funding formula to provide a more even funding system for rural and inner city schools.

(78878)

17   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, who is responsible for the selection of Audit Commission representatives.

(78748)

18   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much has been spent by (a) his Department, (b) local councils and (c) other bodies on mayoral elections and referenda since January 2001.

(78630)

19   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what were the (a) total allocated funds and (b) allocated funds used for administering costs for each scheme manager of (i) round one and (ii) round two of the Starter Home Initiative.

(78631)

20
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much was allocated in housing grants in each year since 1997 to the Housing Corporation; and how many houses were built as a result.

(77869)

21   Brian White (North East Milton Keynes): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he will publish his report on public spaces; and when he will respond to the report of the Urban Green Spaces Taskforce.

(78710)

22   Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to (a) increase new social housing provision by 2005-06 and (b) set interim targets to reduce the number of non-decent social sector homes by 2006; and if he will make a statement.

(78893)

23   Mr Anthony D. Wright (Great Yarmouth): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he intends to publish the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit's annual review.

(78712)

24   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many awards have been made by the National Lottery to ex-servicemen's organisations in Scotland, in each of the last five years; and what the total amount awarded was in each of those years.

(78739)

25   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations have been made to her by the Scottish Executive on the operation of the New Opportunities Fund in Scotland.

(78733)

26
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much was spent of the New Opportunities Fund on PE and sports in schools in rural England (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 to date.

(78405)

27
N   Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with (a) charities and (b) sports clubs on rate relief; and if she will make a statement.

(78410)

28
N   Mr George Osborne (Tatton): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make a statement on her assessment of the impact of the Communications Bill on the independent radio industry.

(76428)

29   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what (a) recent discussions she has had with and (b) representations she has received regarding the Independent Football Commission; and if she will make a statement.

(78889)

30   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what research (a) has been conducted and (b) is planned by her Department on the Independent Football Commission; and if she will place the related documentation in the Library.

(78888)

31   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what measures she will take to support the UK delegation at the Dublin Special Olympics World Games.

(78887)

32   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many low flying training sorties have been flown over Dumfries and Galloway by the RAF in each of the last five years.

(78738)

33   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many complaints have been received from residents of Dumfries and Galloway by his Department in respect of low flying sorties by the RAF in each of the last five years.

(78737)

34   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what percentage of UK airspace is reserved for use by exclusively military aircraft.

(78724)

35   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what changes to designated military airspace will be implemented following the closure of West Freugh airfield.

(78735)

36   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many military landings and take-offs were recorded at RAF Machrihanish during each of the last five years.

(78731)

37   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civilian aircraft movements were recorded at RAF Machrihanish during each of the last five years.

(78734)

38   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Eurofighter Typhoons will be ordered by the armed forces; and when the armed forces will take delivery of the Eurofighter Typhoon.

(78632)

39   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Green Goddess fire engines will be deployed in the Portsmouth South constituency if the Fire Brigades Union takes action; how many servicemen will man each appliance; from what duties they are to be withdrawn from to provide fire service cover; and if he will make a statement.

(78968)

40   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Royal Navy's minelaying capability is; and what types of mine are in service.

(78661)

41   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason HMS Marlborough and HMS Northumberland have been withdrawn from the Joint Maritime Course off Scotland.

(78658)

42   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what technical difficulties have been encountered in the construction of HMS Albion; and if he will make a statement.

(78660)

43   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when each of the Type 42 destroyers will decommission.

(78657)

44   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost of (a) HMS Portland, (b) HMS Kent and (c) HMS St Albans was.

(78662)

45   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on his policy of refit intervals for Royal Navy warships.

(78659)

46   Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the incidence of reduced blood levels of the paraoxenase enzyme in Gulf War veterans.

(78606)

47   Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the current research programmes funded by the UK Government that involve examinations of UK Gulf War veterans.

(78607)

48   Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the use of magnetic resonance spectroscopy brain scanning as applied to UK Gulf War veterans.

(78605)

49   Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the rate of death of (a) UK Gulf War veterans and (b) other members of the public by motor vehicle accidents was in each year since 1992.

(78604)

50   Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the new STOVL Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.

(78973)

51   Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on progress on the Future Integrated Soldier Technology programme.

(78979)

52   Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the Royal Navy's Surface Combatant Maritime Rotorcraft requirement.

(78978)

53   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the Army indicated when last questioned that they believe that (a) harassment, (b) discrimination and (c) bullying are problems in (i) their immediate area of work and (ii) the Army as a whole; what percentage of those responding this represents; what percentage of actual strength this represents; and if he will make a statement.

(78634)

54   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the Army indicated when last questioned that they have been a victim of (a) harassment, (b) discrimination and (c) bullying in the Army; what percentage of those responding this represents; what percentage of actual strength this represents; and if he will make a statement.

(78635)

55   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimates his Department has made of how much, on average, individual members of the Army spent on purchasing additional or replacement clothing and equipment to supplement standard issue kit over the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

(78637)

56   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to (a) call up and (b) put on notice members of the defence medical services reserve forces; whether this will include former TA field hospitals; which specialties are being put on notice for call up in order to supplement regular defence medical services field hospitals and other facilities; and if he will make a statement.

(78638)

57   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the Army indicated when last questioned the preference that unmarried partners should be granted the same support and allowances as the spouses of officers and soldiers; what percentage of those responding this represents; what percentage of actual strength this represents; and if he will make a statement.

(78639)

58   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the forces have indicated that they (a) have and (b) have not purchased additional replacement (i) clothing and (ii) equipment supplementing kit issued by the Army in the last 12 months; what percentage of actual strength this represents in each case; and if he will make a statement.

(78636)

59   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the findings of the search for the anti-tank missiles lost in the Bristol Channel.

(78741)

60   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many issued (a) rifles, (b) handguns and (c) bullets were unaccounted for at each barracks in each month in Northern Ireland in the last year; what quantity of each was subsequently recovered outside the barracks from which they were taken; and what disciplinary and criminal actions were taken as a result.

(78793)

61   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the rank of officer is who is responsible for suicide prevention at (a) Deepcut Barracks, Surrey and (b) Catterick Barracks, Yorkshire.

(78794)

62   Mr Alan Reid (Argyll & Bute): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to shorten the runway at Machrihanish airport.

(78833)

63   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what research he has undertaken into the effects of submarine sonar on the behaviour and health of cetacians; and if he will make a statement on the conclusions of the research.

(78625)

64   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy to monitor the effects on cetacians of the use of sonar in anti-submarine warfare operations.

(78628)

65
N   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to include medical staff in a call up of reservists in respect of planned military action against terrorism.

(78577)

66   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what items of military equipment have been given as a gift to another state, and when, since June 1997; and what the estimated value of the gift was in each case.

(78650)

67   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 27, page 11 of the Government Response to the Defence Select Committee report on Defence and Security in the UK, HC 1230, with which authorities outside his Department he has had discussions in respect of the major programme of activities to reduce the vulnerabilities and strengthen the arrangements for consequence management at nuclear installations.

(78654)

68   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many inflatable tanks have been (a) stolen and (b) lost in each year since 1991; what the replacement value is of each lost tank; and what steps he has taken to improve protection measures for inflatable tamks.

(78653)

69   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions (a) his Department and (b) the relevant military authorities at the British Embassy in Washington DC had with the US Congressional Budget Office in preparation of the report of 30th September for the Chairman of the US Senate Committee on the Budget, with specific reference to the Report's estimate of UK force involvement.

(78799)

70
N   Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge & Malling): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the restrictions imposed by the Spanish Government on the movements of NATO military aircraft and warships in the vicinity of Gibraltar and in transit between Spain and Gibraltar; and what steps have recently been taken by the UK Government to have these restrictions lifted.

(77379)

71
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if she will make a statement on the role of her Department in improving access to childcare for working parents.

(76459)

72   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive regarding the interest rate on student loans.

(78779)

73   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to change the threshold over which graduates are required to repay student loans; and if will make a statement.

(78780)

74   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive regarding his Department's review of post-16 student support.

(78782)

75   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to increase the interest rate on student loans; and if he will make a statement.

(78778)

76   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when he intends to publish his Department's review of post-16 student support.

(78781)

77
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much of the Sure Start Rural Fund was spent in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 to date, broken down by project.

(78408)

78
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much government funding is available to connect schools to the National Grid for Learning; and how much was spent on rural schools in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 to date.

(78398)

79
N   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what definition of higher education is used in the context of his Department's target of increasing participation in higher education towards an entry rate of 50 per cent. of 18 to 30 year olds by 2010.

(78381)

80
N   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what projections he has made of the proportion of 18 to 30 year olds who will experience higher education courses in each year until 2010.

(78382)

81
N   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what projections he has made of the annual real terms funding per student in higher education in each year until 2010.

(78384)

82
N   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the annual real terms funding per student in higher education has been in each year since 1997.

(78383)

83
N   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps he has taken to gather evidence about cheating in national tests for 11 year olds; and if he will make a statement.

(78376)

84
N   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will set up an inquiry into the levels of cheating in national tests for 11 year olds.

(78377)

85
N   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what recent guidance his Department has given the QCA on preventing cheating in national tests for 11 year olds.

(78380)

86   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what proportion of lone parents exclusively (a) use registered childcare services and (b) rely on informal childcare in Portsmouth South; and if he will make a statement.

(78966)

87
N   Mr Charles Hendry (Wealden): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what his latest estimate is of the number of vacancies in the construction industry in each region of the country.

(78480)

88   Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of Option 5 in the review of the level of funding for education.

(78842)

89   Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what discussions he has had with the F40 group in the review of local government education funding formula to provide a more even funding system for rural and inner city schools.

(78877)

90   Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the SSA per head is in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Staffordshire.

(78843)

91   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) day nurseries, (b) childminders and (c) out of school clubs there were on 31st March; and what percentage of these were provided by the private sector.

(78593)

92   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many childcare places have been created through the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative; how many of these offer subsidised childcare; and at what level of subsidy these places are being offered over what period.

(78592)

93   Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when he will publish the report on the review of childcare by the Performance and Innovation Unit.

(78594)

94   Ian Lucas (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what measures are in place to assist students in full time education to fund child care.

(78792)

95   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how she plans to consult students on the review of higher education.

(78694)

96   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what evidence the Government collated on the impact of introducing top-up fees for students on access to higher education, with special reference to foreign examples.

(78693)

97   Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the maximum extra funding is that a child can receive under the ethnicity and other deprivation factors.

(78611)

98   Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many of the authorities that have more than 10 per cent. of children in their schools whose mother tongue is believed not to be English spent below their education SSA in the last year for which figures are available.

(78612)

99   Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what factors other than language are measured in the ethnicity factor; and what proportion of the ethnicity factor is based on additional language criteria.

(78610)

100   Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how ethnicity is measured by schools and local education authorities and what checks are carried out to ensure the accuracy of those figures.

(78609)

101   Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to (a) publish annual reports on his Department's targets for the rebuilding and repair of school infrastructure and (b) instruct his Department's Service Delivery Agreement to include fresh targets for (i) the number of schools to be rebuilt and remodelled, (ii) the number of schools to be in receipt of substantial repair and (iii) the elimination of the repair backlog by 2005-06; and if he will make a statement.

(78894)

102   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with (a) the Prime Minister and (b) Lord Haskins regarding the review of her Department; and if she will make a statement.

(78613)

103
N   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much was spent on areas of outstanding natural beauty in each region in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 to date.

(78391)

104   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) recent discussions she has had and (b) representations she has received regarding the Countryside Agency; and if she will make a statement.

(78614)

105   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been spent by her Department and its predecessors on research and development in each of the last 15 years broken down by category.

(78591)

106
N   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding is available through the Environmental Action Fund Grant; and how much was spent through it in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 to date.

(78392)

107   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many non-statutory inspections were carried out for illegal food imports in each of the last 10 years, broken down by category.

(78615)

108
N   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much was made available through the Woodland Grants Scheme in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03; and how many applicants and how much was received by each recipient through the scheme in each of those years.

(78393)

109   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many illegal meat imports were identified by Customs and Excise entering the UK in each of the last 10 years, broken down by category; and where they were discovered.

(78656)

110
N   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications were made and how much was spent through the Internet-linked Management and Best Practice Toolkit in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 to date; broken down by project.

(78394)

111
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her estimate is of the proportion of household waste that was recycled in the Chelmsford local authority area in (a) the last year for which figures are available, (b) 1998 and (c) 1995.

(77153)

112
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many refrigerators are awaiting disposal in Essex; and how much it will cost to dispose of them.

(77154)

113   Denzil Davies (Llanelli): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the terms are of the recently announced inquiry to be headed by Lord Haskins relating to her Department.

(78583)

114
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much was spent on National Park grants in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 to date.

(78390)

115
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been (a) applied for and (b) spent through the LEADER+ Programme by area in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 to date.

(78401)

116
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much her Department has spent on the School Milk Scheme in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 to date.

(78385)

117
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been spent by her Department on supporting small and medium sized abattoirs in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 to date, broken down by category of support.

(78403)

118
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been (a) applied for and (b) spent on market town regeneration by her Department in (i) 2000-01, (ii) 2001-02 and (iii) 2002-03 to date.

(78400)

119
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been spent and how many farmers have been supported, by category, through the (a) England Rural Development Programme and (b) Farm Business Advisory Service in (i) 2000-01, (ii) 2001-02 and (iii) 2002-03 to date.

(78386)

120
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been spent by her Department on Community Rail partnerships in rural areas in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 to date.

(78396)

121
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much of the fund for Community Development Work was spent in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 to date.

(78404)

122
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what meetings she had with her French and German counterparts to discuss European agriculture in the run-up to the EU meeting in Brussels from 24th to 25th October; and what was discussed.

(78409)

123
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding is available for the voluntary sector in terms of (a) grants and (b) core-funding by her Department; and how much of that money has been (i) applied for and (ii) spent in (A) 2000-01, (B) 2001-02 and (C) 2002-03 to date.

(78389)

124   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she has received a proposal from the Parrett catchment project to fund a sluice on the River Parrett.

(78751)

125   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the level of accuracy is of the digital mapping of farms across the UK.

(78745)

126   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Chairman of the Parrett catchment project has been paid in out-of-pocket expenses over the last two years.

(78750)

127   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she has received a proposal from the Parrett catchment project for a sluice on the Parrett.

(78747)

128   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, where the Chairman of the Parrett catchment project has visited overseas on official business in the last two years.

(78749)

129   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what procedure will be followed if farmers disagree with field size calculated by digital mapping.

(78746)

130
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason the United Kingdom has not submitted to the European Commission its programme for TSE tests; and when she intends to submit it.

(78363)

131
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason the United Kingdom made no application to the EU for a share of its 2003 funding programme to control animal diseases and zoonoser.

(78364)

132
N   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether it is the Government's policy to take decisions concerning the future of enriched cages at EU level.

(77360)

133
N   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the results of her Department's detailed assessment of the competition implications of the proposed ban on enriched laying cages.

(77362)

134
N   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she intends to make a decision on the future of enriched laying cages.

(77363)

135
N   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential change in employment in England as a result of a ban on the enriched laying cage.

(77361)

136   Mr Gwyn Prosser (Dover): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many live sheep were exported from Dover to continental Europe on (a) 17th October, (b) 18th October, (c) 20th October and (d) 24th October; when and where health certification was carried out in respect of the sheep; how many of the sheep were rejected as unfit for the intended journey (i) during inspection for health certification purposes and (ii) at Dover docks, and to where those sheep were taken; and what the address was of the final destination given on the route plan for each of the consignments.

(78620)

137   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many climate change levy underlying agreements within the meaning of paragraph 48 of Schedule 6 to the Finance Act 2000 she has (a) entered into and (b) varied and with whom; if she will indicate, in relation to each such agreement, the umbrella agreement within the meaning of the same paragraph to which it relates; and if she will place in the Library copies of all such agreements and variations.

(78725)

138   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many climate change agreements, within the meaning of paragraph 47 of Schedule 6 to the Finance Act 2000 and variations, she has entered into and with whom; if she will make a statement in relation to each such agreement on the description of energy-intensive installations within paragraph 51 of Schedule 6 to the Finance Act 2000 to which it relates; and if she will place in the Library copies of all such agreements and variations.

(78726)

139   Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she will publish the consultation paper on reforming the legislative framework for providing and maintaining public spaces.

(78621)

140   Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he will reply to the letter from the honourable Member for Leominster of 13th September, regarding the River Lugg Internal Drainage Board.

(78603)

141   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance he has given to his officials regarding their co-operation with the inquiry by Lord Penrose into Equitable Life.

(78839)

142   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what procedures are in place in his Department for responding to (a) correspondence and (b) requests for information from the Penrose Inquiry; and if he will publish these procedures.

(78829)

143   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to increase the amount per capita that is saved ahead of retirement each year in the UK economy.

(78834)

144   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what request for papers and other sources of evidence and information the inquiry by Lord Penrose has made to Her Majesty's Treasury; on what date each request was received; and when each was complied with.

(78827)

145   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many requests by Lord Penrose's inquiry for the production of documents he has declined; and on what grounds they were denied.

(78830)

146   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total income tax revenue was in each year since 1997.

(78837)

147   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what work is being undertaken by his Department in advance of a decision on whether to join the Eurozone; and if he will make a statement.

(78883)

148   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the requests for information from Lord Penrose's inquiry with which he has yet to comply; and when the request was made in each case.

(78831)

149   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations his Department received prior to the announcement of the revenue increase for the British Museum.

(78838)

150   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 22nd October, Official Report, column 220W, on the Penrose Inquiry, what criteria have been established in respect of decisions to withhold publication of Lord Penrose's report on legal and commercial grounds; and who will apply such criteria.

(78892)

151   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the documents and other evidence provided by Her Majesty's Treasury to the inquiry into Equitable Life by Lord Penrose.

(78828)

152   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answers of 5th February and 19th September, Offical Report, columns 845W and 207W, when he plans to publish the September 2000 to September 2001 Inland Revenue benchmarking exercise into the level of fraud in working families tax credit.

(78891)

153   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what his Deparment's projected income from (a) tax revenue and (b) corporation tax revenue is for (i) the financial year 2002-03 and (ii) each of the next three financial years.

(78835)

154   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps have been taken to ensure that information in the possession of the Treasury of relevance to Lord Penrose's enquiry but not specifically requested by him is made available to him; what steps have been taken to identify such information; and how much such information has been supplied to the inquiry.

(78826)

155   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to amend his growth forecasts in line with the recent forecast from the International Monetary Fund.

(78836)

156   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact of New Opportunity Fund expenditure in Scotland on the operation of the Barnett Formula.

(78736)

157   Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Truro and St Austell of 15th October, Offical Report, column 600W, on inheritance tax, if he will break down the cost of the inheritance tax cultural exemption scheme; and what the value was of each object accepted.

(78648)

158   Mr Michael Howard (Folkestone & Hythe): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what assumption his Department has made regarding the end date of the current economic cycle; and if he will make a statement.

(78649)

159
N   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer which Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise buildings are owned by (a) Mapeley UK Ltd, (b) Mapeley Steps Ltd, (c) Mapeley Steps Contractor Ltd and (d) Mapeley Columbus Ltd; and whether companies owning and maintaining Inland Revenue offices are based in Britain.

(78519)

160
N   Mr Alex Salmond (Banff & Buchan): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to alleviate the effect on small businesses of increases in insurance premium costs since 11th September 2001; if he will estimate the impact of Government policy on increasing insurance costs on small businesses.

(78211)

161
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate EU Member States' contributions to the EU budget in terms of (a) net contributions and (b) per capita contributions since the United Kingdom joined the EU.

(77651)

162
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the annual UK receipts from European Community Structural and Cohesion Funds from 1995 and the projected receipts for 2003 and 2004.

(77650)

163   Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the yield of the landfill levy was in the last 12 months; and what proportion of it was contributed by local authority levy payments.

(78655)

164
N   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department had with other government departments, concerning (a) proscribing Jemaah Islamiyah under the Terrorism Act 2000 and (b) freezing the assets of that group; and if he will make a statement.

(78324)

165
N   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when his Department was informed that the Government of Singapore had made a statement on responsibility for the attempted attack on the British High Commission in that country in December 2001; what assessment his Department made of that statement; what consequent threat assessment his Department has made; what action was taken and on what date; and if he will make a statement.

(78326)

166
N   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department has collated concerning links between Jemaah Islamiyah and organisations (a) based in Europe, (b) with assets held in Europe and (c) with close links to groups resident in Europe; and if he will make a statement.

(78325)

167   Mr Roger Berry (Kingswood): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry's Answer of 22nd October, Official Report, column 247W, on beryllium, what end-use monitoring has been undertaken in relation to the export of beryllium to Iran.

(78875)

168   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assistance the Government has given to each EU applicant country in terms of bilateral aid.

(78872)

169   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what proposals he has to increase the level of representation of black and Asian people in his Department.

(78866)

170   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he next plans to visit Pakistan.

(78870)

171   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if it is his policy to make the Charter of Fundamental Rights enforceable in law.

(78869)

172   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the opening of visas offices in (a) Jallander, (b) Ahamedblad and (c) Lahore.

(78871)

173   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his estimate is for a date for Turkey to join the EU.

(78867)

174   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to (a) increase the number of cancer nurses employed in the NHS, (b) improve cancer nurse retention, (c) increase cancer nurse training facilities, (d) encourage former cancer nurse staff to return and (e) increase international recruitment of cancer nurses.

(78956)

175   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis in the United Kingdom in each year since 1997.

(78939)

176   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps have been taken to ensure the health of students and staff in schools where meningitis outbreaks have occurred; and if he will make a statement.

(78938)

177   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what quality-of-life measures his Department employs in assessing cancer care outcomes.

(78957)

178   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the measures to increase awareness of meningitis and their allocated funding have been for each year since 1997.

(78945)

179   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures are in place within the NHS to ensure early diagnosis and fast treatments for (a) meningitis B and (b) meningitis C.

(78942)

180   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations his Department has received concerning (a) raising public awareness and (b) education in schools of meningitis.

(78943)

181   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations his Department has received concerning the ratio of meningitis vaccinated to unvaccinated children; and what the figures were for each year since 1997.

(78936)

182   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what (a) quantity and (b) proportion of patient records are computer-based; and what (i) quantity and (ii) proportion of cancer patient records are computer-based.

(78948)

183   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations his Department has received concering vaccination for meningitis for people aged 55 years and over.

(78931)

184   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of the population aged under 25 years have received the meningitis vaccination under the Government's immunisation programme.

(78930)

185   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to collect data on cancer-site specific (a) nurse specialists, (b) chemotherapy nurses, (c) palliative care nurse specialists and (d) additional nurses on cancer wards since April.

(78953)

186   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many meningitis outbreaks there have been in each year since 1997; and where they have been .

(78933)

187   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what proportion of cancer patients were comorbid in each year since 1998.

(78950)

188   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what instruments have been developed to classify different comorbid diseases; and whether a comorbidity index is a cancer registry requirement.

(78951)

189   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what determinants of job satisfaction are employed in assessing nurse retention policies.

(78928)

190   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what conditions need to be met before (a) school children in primary school and (b) students living in residence halls receive the meningitis vaccine.

(78932)

191   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, under what guidelines cancer networks audit their workforce requirements for (a) surgeons, (b) nurses and (c) cancer consultants.

(78955)

192   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list members of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence who are ethicists.

(78954)

193   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) school teachers and (b) staff have been vaccinated for meningitis in each year since 1997.

(78937)

194   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what reseach he is conducting into meningitis; what funding is allocated for meningitis research; and what the funding has been for each year since 1997.

(78941)

195   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many meningitis cases resulted in death in each year since 1997.

(78934)

196   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) students and (b) parents of children requested and received the meningitis vaccination before returning to school this autumn.

(78935)

197   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what quality-of-life benchmarks will be established to improve cancer care.

(78952)

198   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the error rate for (a) manual prescription writing and (b) manual prescription dispensing was in 2001-02.

(78947)

199   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures are in place to ensure the vaccination for meningitis of all students in state and independent education; and if he will break down the cost of these measures.

(78946)

200   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures are in place to ensure (a) parents, (b) school teachers and (c) GPs receive training in the identification of the early symptoms of meningitis.

(78944)

201   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures are in place to ensure uniform reporting standards in cancer care; and if he will make a statement on cancer care data reporting standards.

(78929)

202   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the data reporting standards for cancer, broken down by stage.

(78949)

203   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on developing a national specification for automated prescription dispensary systems.

(78958)

204   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what mechanisms he has in place to ensure the efficacy of cancer care data gathering measures.

(78927)

205   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken by his Department to minimise the risk of meningitis outbreaks following the recent outbreaks in Bexhill-on-Sea and Lanarkshire; and what measures his Department will take further to minimise the risk of meningitis outbreaks in the future.

(78940)

206   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many asthma-related deaths there were in each of the last five years, broken down by age group.

(78622)

207   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to introduce confidential enquiries into asthma deaths as a means of research into prevention and cure of this condition.

(78623)

208   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will ask primary care trusts to introduce enquiries into asthma deaths as a matter of course.

(78624)

209
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects inpatient waiting lists in the Mid Essex Hospital Trust area to fall below the level that they were at on 31st March 1997.

(77156)

210
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were waiting for inpatient treatment in each trust area in England at the latest available date; and of these, how many had been waiting for (a) 0 to 2, (b) 3 to 5, (c) 6 to 8, (d) 9 to 11, (e) 12 to 14 and (f) 15 plus months in each case.

(77155)

211
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will set out the (a) Health Professional Council registration fees for radiographers for each of the last three years and (b) proposed registration fees for the next two years.

(76820)

212
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) radiographers and (b) vacant posts for radiographers there were in each of the last five years, broken down by (i) health authority and (ii) region.

(76656)

213
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) reviews are being undertaken and (b) action plans are being developed to correct shortcomings reflected in the Better Care Higher Standards Charter, as set out on page 172 of the milestones of the National Service Framework for Older People.

(78423)

214
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the investigation into the suspicious deaths at the Gosport War Memorial Hospital.

(78426)

215
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what procedures he is putting in place to ensure strategic health authorities have designed their planning processes before the next financial year, as set out in paragraph 6.7 of the document Improvement, Expansion & Reform: The Next Three Years.

(78420)

216
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 16th October, Official Report, column 870W, on parliamentary questions, how many statistical tables requested by honourable Members in parliamentary questions have been placed in the Library and not published in the Official Report this session.

(78372)

217
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his definition of obesity in children is.

(78429)

218
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people, broken down by (a) age, (b) sex and (c) ethnicity were affected with Type II diabetes in each of the last three years.

(78430)

219
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that the Better Care Higher Standards charter is working, as set out on page 172 of the milestones of the National Service Framework for Older People.

(78422)

220
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many looked-after children have obtained (a) no GCSEs, (b) one A-G GCSE, (c) five A-G GCSEs, (d) one A*-C GCSE and (e) five A*-C GCSEs in each year since 1997; and what target his Department has set for educational standards for looked-after children in each of those years.

(78427)

221
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many ambulance personnel by region have been (a) shot, (b) stabbed and (c) assaulted in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(78428)

222
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 16th October, Official Report, column 869W, on ethical foreign nurse recruitment, if he will estimate how many nursing agencies in the UK recruit nurses from overseas.

(78528)

223
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd October, Official Report, column 259W, on microbiologists, what information his Department collates on the number of microbiologists working in the NHS.

(78527)

224
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average cost is per week of (a) keeping a person in hospital and (b) keeping that person in a nursing home at the latest date for which figures are available.

(78421)

225
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library copies of responses to the consultation on the complaints procedure for children in care, Listening to People, from 2000.

(78431)

226
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures his Department is taking to reduce the number of letters from honourable Members which have been awaiting replies for over six months.

(78432)

227
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many structures identifying nursing leaders with responsibility for older people have been developed as part of the milestones set out in the National Service Framework for Older People, page 172.

(78424)

228   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when it is intended to publish improvement plans for Barnet Hospital's league table performance; and if he will make a statement.

(78902)

229   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on progress on reducing waiting lists at Barnet Hospital.

(78904)

230   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on progress with reducing cancelled operations and appointments at Barnet Hospital in the last 12 months.

(78903)

231   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to move services provided at (a) Barnet Hospital to Chase Farm Hospital and (b) Chase Farm Hospital to Barnet Hospital; and if he will make a statement.

(78890)

232   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on progress on waiting times for accident and emergency services at Barnet Hospital.

(78901)

233   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans there are to consult the public over the recovery plan for Barnet Hospital.

(78900)

234   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans there are to discontinue services provided at Barnet Hospital; and if he will make a statement.

(78899)

235
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding is available from his Department for investment in 100 One-Stop Primary Care centres in (a) all and (b) rural England; and how much was spent in (i) 2000-01, (ii) 2001-02 and (iii) 2002-03 to date in (A) all and (B) rural England.

(78407)

236
N   Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which PCTs will have distributed copies of the patient prospectus by the end of October; and if he will make a statement.

(77992)

237
N   Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans the Department has to evaluate the patient prospectus initiative.

(77991)

238
N   Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been spent by each PCT on the patient prospectus initiative.

(77993)

239   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total running costs of NHS organisations serving (a) Portsmouth South and (b) Hampshire were in 1997; what the totals are now; and if he will make a statement.

(78965)

240   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff were employed to carry out administration for NHS services for residents of (a) Portsmouth South and (b) Hampshire in 1997; how many are employed; and if he will make a statement.

(78963)

241   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the reporting rates are to the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre by (a) public health laboratories and (b) NHS microbiology laboratories.

(78788)

242   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement setting out the timetable for consultation in respect of the transfer of individual laboratories from the Public Health Laboratory Service to local NHS management.

(78787)

243   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the terms and conditions of employment of staff transferred to the proposed Health Protection Agency will be arranged so that common terms and conditions apply to all staff, regardless of whether they came from the National Radiological Protection Board or the Public Health Laboratory Service.

(78789)

244   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which aspects of health protection are proposed to be dealt with by the proposed Health Protection Agency; and which posts with the Public Health Laboratory Service are to be transferred to the HPA.

(78790)

245   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what evaluation has been made of the case for abolition of the Public Health Laboratory Service.

(78791)

246   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many posts will be lost as a result of changes to the Public Health Laboratory Service.

(78786)

247   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the preparedness of systems to replace the Public Health Laboratory Service.

(78783)

248   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the impact on the existing effectiveness of the National Network of Microbiology Laboratories of the proposed changes to the Public Health Laboratory Service.

(78785)

249   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when new replacement managed pathology networks are proposed to be established and effective to replace the Public Health Laboratory Service.

(78784)

250
N   Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent guidance he has issued to ambulance trusts on making crews and vehicles available for hire to cover private functions.

(78375)

251   Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on progress of the Quality Protects Programme.

(78974)

252   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many public health laboratories will be privatised.

(78742)

253   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what budget will be allocated to strategic health authorities when they take over public health bodies.

(78743)

254   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what coordination there will be between public health laboratories; and who will be responsible for checks on them after they are privatised.

(78744)

255   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans there are to maintain standards in the public health laboratories after their privatisation.

(78740)

256
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to ban from the food chain meat from the breeds of sheep that are susceptible to scrapie.

(78362)

257   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 21st October, Official Report, column 128W, on social workers, if he will provide the provisional recruitment and departure figures referred to.

(78832)

258
N   Mr Richard Page (South West Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of (a) drug coated and (b) plain stents; and if he will publish relative success rates.

(78580)

259
N   Mr Richard Page (South West Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidelines his Department has issued to primary care trusts regarding the use of drug coated stents.

(78581)

260   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS staff are armed services reservists; and what (a) assessment he has made of the impact of call up connected to the war on terrorism on NHS services and (b) adjustments will be made to current year targets in the NHS.

(78713)

261   Mr Gerry Steinberg (City of Durham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average cost of an in-patient operation (a) on the NHS and (b) in a private hospital was in the last 12 months.

(78695)

262   Mr Gerry Steinberg (City of Durham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many surgical procedures have taken place in the private sector in the last six months; and what safeguards are in place to prevent a conflict of interests of those medical staff working in both the private and public sector.

(78697)

263   Mr Gerry Steinberg (City of Durham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many acute beds there were in each of the last five years; and how many he expects there to be in the next 12 months.

(78698)

264   Mr Gerry Steinberg (City of Durham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the number of people over the age of 50 who were covered by private medical insurance in the last five years, excluding people who were covered by their employment.

(78696)

265   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients at Eastbourne District General Hospital waited longer than (a) four and (b) 24 hours in accident and emergency in each of the last 12 months; and what proportion they were of the total.

(78699)

266   Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average bed occupancy rate was at Eastbourne District General Hospital in each of the last 24 months.

(78700)

267   Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the Advisory Committee on Resources Allocations committee recommendations and options; if he will consult on the (a) options and recommendations and (b) weighting that will be given to any measures used to determine need; and what weighting he plans to give to (i) basic per capita allocations, (ii) deprivation, (iii) ethnicity, (iv) poor health indicators, (v) ACA, (vi) low birth weight, (vii) income, (viii) unemployment, (ix) premature death rates and (x) other measures.

(78617)

268   Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) guidelines and (b) criteria are for the review of health allocation to local health trusts.

(78616)

269   Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has for (a) NHS Estates to publish six monthly updates on progress towards his Department's hospital building target, (b) interim targets for new facility provision by 2006 to be included in his Department's Service Delivery Agreement and (c) his Department's Service Delivery Agreement to include a long term target to eliminate the NHS Estate's repair backlog; and if he will make a statement.

(78895)

270   Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether local authorities will be given further provision to their social services budgets relating to asylum seekers' residential accommodation following the ruling on Westminster City Council v National Asylum Support Service on 17th October.

(78647)

271
N   Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what decision he has made in respect of the publication of the report which has been submitted to him by Stephen Moore, in respect of the circumstances of the fire at Yarlswood Detention Centre on 14th February; and if he will make a statement.

(78579)

272
N   Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the re-opened facility at Yarlswood, Bedfordshire will be used from April 2003 for (a) the long-term detention of asylum seekers and (b) their removal after refusal of their applications; and if he will make a statement.

(78578)

273   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on progress towards the introduction of an offence of corporate killing.

(78898)

274   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been paid to the PSNI and RUC, during each of the last three years, in respect of costs incurred in processing asylum applications made in Northern Ireland.

(78727)

275   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many persons were detained by the PSNI and RUC on immigration offences during each of the last three years.

(78730)

276   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many work permits were issued to foreign nationals in each of the last five years.

(78723)

277   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what resources are available to the Immigration Service in dealing with asylum applications made on entry to Northern Ireland from Eire.

(78728)

278   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 26th June, Official Report, column 959W, on prison farms, if he is now able to make a statement about the proposed closure of prison farms following the review of the future of the Farms and Gardens Estate.

(78959)

279
N   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many private contractors providing accommodation or support for asylum seekers have been dropped since 1997 because of dissatisfaction with their performance.

(78546)

280
N   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what geographical areas are covered in each region in the regional breakdown used by NASS; and what powers and responsibilities have been delegated to the individual regions.

(78545)

281   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the private contractors providing accommodation and support for asylum seekers that have been dropped since 1997 because of disatisfaction with their performance.

(78582)

282
N   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria are being used in assessing the suitability of contractors for operating the proposed new centres for asylum seekers; and who will decide on the award of contracts.

(78549)

283
N   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Iraqis applied for hard case support in each of the past 12 months; and how many received it.

(78543)

284
N   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) local authorities, (b) private sector contractors and (c) voluntary sector contractors are providing accommodation and support services for asylum seekers; and what the financial value is of tenders awarded to each sector.

(78544)

285   Dr Hywel Francis (Aberavon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to build a women's prison in Wales.

(78684)

286   Dr Hywel Francis (Aberavon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will implement the provisions in the Crime Sentences Act 1997 regarding (a) the imposition of curfew orders, (b) community punishment orders and (c) driving disqualifications for fine defaulters.

(78682)

287   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list (a) those schemes which have received funding under the targeted policing initiative, (b) the amount received and (c) the targets set to reduce crime under the schemes in Portsmouth South; and if he will make a statement.

(78962)

288   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been arrested for possession of (a) cannabis, (b) ecstacy and (c) heroin in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

(78961)

289   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been arrested in the Portsmouth South constituency in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

(78964)

290
N   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when his Department intends to reply to the letter of 1st August from Mrs S. Jakobi of Stoke Mandeville acknowledged by his Department's Immigration and Nationality Directorate, Liverpool, on 29th August (ref. 50507).

(78365)

291
N   Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been imprisoned for breaches of drug treatment and testing orders.

(78486)

292
N   Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made for a full year of the cost of the withdrawal of the work concession to asylum seekers in (a) added benefit and (b) payments to detainees; and what he estimates to be the net difference in the costs to each removal centre of employing contract and agency labour in place of detainees working in cleaning and kitchens.

(78484)

293
N   Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many drug treatment and testing orders have been made by the courts; and how many have been breached.

(78485)

294   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average cost to public funds was for policing at (a) Premiership, (b) Nationwide league and (c) non-league football ground on a match day in England in the last 12 months.

(78885)

295   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the cost to public funds of policing at Premiership football grounds in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

(78886)

296
N   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will postpone the deportation of Chechnyans to Russia.

(78526)

297   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures the Government have taken to reduce the number of women being stalked.

(78821)

298   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on stalking, with particular reference to younger women.

(78822)

299   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what figures he has collated on the extent of stalking of women; and how many women aged 16 to 24 years old have been stalked in the last three years.

(78820)

300   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his policies are on the use by illegal immigrants of (a) the UK's benefits systems, (b) the NHS and (c) the education system.

(78588)

301   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will open discussions with his Australian counterpart on a prisoner exchange arrangement.

(78586)

302   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to give further powers to the police to confiscate unopened bottles and cans of alcoholic drinks from youths gathered in public places.

(78595)

303   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent research he has commissioned on the factors which are attracting asylum seekers and illegal immigrants to Britain.

(78585)

304   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to promote the introduction of palm top personal computers in police forces.

(78587)

305   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with (a) Ms Beverley Bernard and (b) Mr Trevor Phillips about the chairmanship of the CRE.

(78864)

306   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received concerning children under 18 holding BNOCO and BDTC passports; and if he will make a statement.

(78873)

307   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received from Sir James Hodge concerning the status of BNOCO and BDTC passports in Hong Kong.

(78874)

308   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many persons died in each (a) prison and (b) young offenders institution in (i) 2001 and (ii) 2002.

(78865)

309
N   David Winnick (Walsall North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the consulation is due to end on the issue of entitlement cards.

(78352)

310   Mr Richard Shepherd (Aldridge - Brownhills): To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if, in the absence of a fire certificate for Portcullis House, the certificate of employers' liability insurance issued to honourable Members remain valid; and if the (a) fire safety doors, (b) alarm systems and (c) evacuation procedure meet British safety standards.

(78596)

311   Mr Richard Shepherd (Aldridge - Brownhills): To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many members of the Metropolitan Police Fire Section are based within the precinct of the Palace of Westminster; and if he will list (a) their duties and (b) the equipment available for use in an emergency.

(78597)

312   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the publications in which the post of the new chief executive of CDC Capital Partners was advertised.

(78667)

313   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking in respect of the East Timorese in refugee camps in West Timor.

(78718)

314   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions she has had with her French counterparts regarding the impact of agricultural subsidies on development in poor countries; and what these discussions have achieved.

(78669)

315   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what her Department's response is to the recent UN report into the exploitation of the natural resources of the Democratic Republic of Congo by (a) the Democratic Republic of Congo, (b) Rwanda, (c) Uganda and (d) Zimbabwe.

(78674)

316   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions her Department has had with Christian Solidarity Worldwide concerning East Timor.

(78971)

317   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions her Department has had with the UNHCR on its needs for funds; how much money her Department will give to the UNHCR in 2002-03; and if she will make a statement about the need for funds by the UNHCR.

(78676)

318   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which organizations her Department supports that work in the Ivory Coast.

(78707)

319   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what (a) bilateral, and (b) multilateral aid she will continue to provide to EU candidate countries after accession; how much aid will be given; to which countries; and through which bodies.

(78670)

320   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of (a) religious and (b) political freedom in East Timor.

(78715)

321   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on East Timor since its establishment as an independent sovereign state.

(78714)

322   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of (a) the health situation, (b) the education situation, (c) the employment situation and (d) poverty alleviation in East Timor.

(78717)

323   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the number of internally displaced people in the Ivory Coast; and what assistance her Department is providing to these people.

(78708)

324   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the report from the UN Office for Internal Oversight Services into the sexual exploitation of refugees in West Africa.

(78709)

325   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the countries for which her Department has produced country strategy papers.

(78972)

326   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with the Prime Minister's office regarding the impact on poor countries of the recent meeting of the European Council.

(78668)

327   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much money her Department is giving to East Timor in 2002-03.

(78716)

328   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of (a) poverty levels and (b) human rights abuses in Libya.

(78672)

329   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the projects by which her Department promotes (a) the freedom of the press and (b) religious freedom in developing countries.

(78671)

330   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what her Department's response is to the recent appeal by the UNHCR for funds; and what structures are in place in the event that the UNHCR does not receive the money following its appeal for funds and has to halt some of its aid programmes.

(78675)

331   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the recent ethnic strife in the Ivory Coast against the civilians from northern Dioula; and what discussions her Department has had with the government of the Ivory Coast on the subject.

(78678)

332   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions her Department has had with the UN about human rights violations in Burma.

(78704)

333   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of (a) political freedom, (b) religious freedom and (c) human rights in Burma.

(78701)

334   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what guidance her Department has provided to her Department's employees working in the Ivory Coast.

(78706)

335   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the creation of a UN International Tribunal to bring to justice the major perpetrators of crimes against humanity during Indonesia's occupation of East Timor; and what discussions her Department has had with (a) the UN, (b) the USA and (c) the Government of East Timor concerning the establishment of such a Tribunal.

(78719)

336   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the arrest and subsequent release of the leader of the opposition in Malawi; and what discussions she has had with the government of Malawi on the subject.

(78679)

337   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what financial support her Department provides to election observers; in which countries; and what guidance her Department issues to election observers.

(78664)

338   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to promote multiparty democracy in Uganda.

(78663)

339   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on her role in the recruitment of a new chief executive of CDC Capital Partners.

(78666)

340   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans she has to meet the Government of East Timor.

(78720)

341   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what projects her Department supports that operate in Libya.

(78721)

342   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of (a) the treatment of the Karen in Burma and (b) landmines in the Karen region.

(78702)

343   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the recent massacres in Uganda by the Lord's Resistance Army; and what discussions her Department has had with the government of Uganda concerning these massacres.

(78677)

344   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on (a) the work of the UN Commission on the Status of Women and (b) her Department's financial support for the Commission.

(78665)

345   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions her Department has had with the government of Burma.

(78703)

346   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the humanitarian situation in East Timor; what financial support her Department provides to East Timor; and which organizations her Department supports that work in East Timor.

(78705)

347   Dr Hywel Francis (Aberavon): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what role is envisaged for magistrates in the proposed local management boards; which agencies will sit on such boards; and who will ensure that objectives are (a) set and (b) met.

(78691)

348   Dr Hywel Francis (Aberavon): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when the national strategy on the recruitment of lay justices to achieve benches that reflect the community they serve will be published.

(78690)

349   Dr Hywel Francis (Aberavon): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, whether it is his policy for a discount to be offered to defendants for prompt payment of fines.

(78683)

350   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list the firearms seized in Rathcoole in October that have been identified as originating with HM armed forces; and from what regiments and from what barracks these weapons were last issued.

(78796)

351   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the cost was of organising and publicising the PSNI New Directions conference; what monies were expended on external consultancies and promoters; how many persons attended, broken down by sex and perceived community background; and if he will place the major speeches and papers from the conference in the Library.

(78795)

352   Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will propose changes to Standing Order No 13 to grant the power to initiate a recall of Parliament to the Speaker.

(78844)

353   Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North): To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 17th October, Official Report, column 78W, on the royal prerogative, if he will make a statement on the basis for his statement that the House is already given the opportunity to debate such decisions.

(78884)

354   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Prime Minister, what matters in respect of Sellafield were raised by his Irish counterpart at the Heads of Government Summit in Brussels on 25th October; and what response he made.

(78651)

355   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Prime Minister, what matters in respect of reform of the Common Agricultural Policy and the United Kingdom rebate were discussed with President Chirac of France at the European Summit in Brussels on 25th October.

(78652)

356
N   David Winnick (Walsall North): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the duties and responsibilities of Mr Andrew Adonis; what dealings he has directly with ministers; to whom he reports; and whether he has applied for leave of absence.

(78351)

357
N   David Winnick (Walsall North): To ask the Prime Minister, on what basis Mr Andrew Adonis was appointed; and for how long it is intended he remains in his present post.

(78350)

358
N   Andrew Bennett (Denton & Reddish): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what progress has been made with implementation of the Government's strategy for manufacturing industry.

(76435)

359   Mr Roger Berry (Kingswood): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many licence applications for the export of mass spectrometers to Iran have been made in each year since 1997; how many applications have been granted; how much and what value of mass spectrometers have been exported to Iran in each year; what undertakings were sought about end-use; and what end-use monitoring has been undertaken.

(78862)

360   Mr Roger Berry (Kingswood): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 22nd October, Official Report, column 247W, on beryllium, what written assurances were given in relation to the use of beryllium by the University of Sciences and Technology in Iran.

(78876)

361   Mr Roger Berry (Kingswood): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many licence applications for the export of furnaces to Iran have been made in each year since 1997; how many applications have been granted; how many and what value of furnaces have been exported to Iran in each year; what undertakings were sought about end-use; and what end-use monitoring has been undertaken.

(78863)

362   Mr Roger Berry (Kingswood): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many licence applications for the export of inertial equipment using accelerometers to Iran have been made in each year since 1997; how many applications have been granted; how many and what value of such equipment have been exported to Iran in each year; what undertakings were sought about end-use; and what end-use monitoring has been undertaken.

(78860)

363   Mr Roger Berry (Kingswood): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many licence applications for the export of maraging steels to Iran have been made in each year since 1997; how many applications have been granted; how much and what value of maraging steels have been exported to Iran in each year; what undertakings were sought about end-use; and what end-use monitoring has been undertaken.

(78861)

364
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment has been made of the impact the closure of urban post offices will have on the town of Chelmsford, including Broomfield and Great Baddow; and how many post offices in this area are expected to close.

(77151)

365   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to introduce a system of licensing for (a) independent motor vehicle garages and (b) franchised motor dealers; and if she will make a statement.

(78589)

366
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much has been (a) applied for and (b) spent through the Regional Innovation and Competitiveness Development Fund by rural local authority in (i) 2000-01, (ii) 2001-02 and (iii) 2002-03 to date.

(78402)

367
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much has been (a) applied for and (b) spent through the Redundant Building Grant Scheme in (i) 2000-01, (ii) 2001-02 and (iii) 2002-03 to date, broken down by county.

(78388)

368   Mr Charles Hendry (Wealden): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what support her Department gives to Young Enterprise.

(78481)

369
N   Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the discussions between regional development agencies and her Department on the creation of a commercial market for renewable energy and their relative responsibilities.

(78483)

370   Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made on the threat to UK business from e-terrorist attack.

(78975)

371   Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the average pension paid to members of the miners pension fund is in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) England; and what the average pension paid to widows or widowers is in the same scheme.

(78960)

372   Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the average pension paid to members of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme is in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) England; and what the average pension paid to widows and widowers is in the same scheme.

(78969)

373
N   Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made as to whether the Post Office card account will pass the Government's proposed CAT standard.

(76339)

374
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd October, Official Report, columns 157-8W, on air passengers, if he will estimate the forecast for air travel in 2030 based on a 1 per cent. per annum increase in air fares in real terms over the forecasting period.

(78547)

375
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd October, Official Report, column 158W, on aviation fuel, if he will estimate the total United Kingdom air passenger demand in 2030 if agreement is reached in ICAO to impose an international tax on aviation fuel equivalent to the current rate of duty on unleaded petrol and to impose a sales tax of 17.5 per cent. on all airline tickets.

(78548)

376
N   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the effect of the planting of foliage on the central reservations of UK motorways on reducing headlight glare from other carriageways.

(78353)

377   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what the maximum (a) length and (b) load is of lorries with on-board self-loading crane equipment under the Construction and Use Regulations.

(78817)

378   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what trials have taken place under the auspices of (a) the Strategic Rail Authority and (b) his Department relating to rail freight since June; what assessment is being made of these trials; when the outcomes of these trials are expected to be published; and if he will place related documentation in the Library.

(78815)

379   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what the (a) agreed outputs, (b) type of scheme and (c) timetable for introduction are of the winning scheme under the Strategic Rail Authority's Logistics Competition by (i) Blue Circles Industries, (ii) Excel and (iii) Minimodal; what progress has been made; and what the timetable is for further implementation of the schemes as originally outlined.

(78818)

380   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what the involvement of his Department was in the Strategic Rail Authority's Logistics Competition; and when trials of these schemes (a) were due to begin when the winners were announced and (b) will now begin.

(78819)

381   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, which lines on the rail network have (a) W6a, (b) W6a-Pb and (c) Sb 1c loading gauge under Railtrack Group Standards; and if he will place copies of maps showing these lines in the Library.

(78814)

382   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what representations have been received and what assessment has been made by his Department of the Strategic Rail Authority's cargo-sprinter train trials; what representations it has received; and what discussions the Department has held on the subject.

(78816)

383
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how much his Department has made available through the Home Zones Scheme Capital Modernisation Fund since 2000; and how much has been (a) applied for and (b) spent in rural areas in (i) 2000-01, (ii) 2001-02 and (iii) 2002-03 to date.

(78399)

384
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how much his Department has made available for the Rail Passenger Partnership since 2000; and how much was spent in rural areas in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 to date.

(78397)

385   Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will make it compulsory for users of motorised wheelchairs to hold third party liability insurance.

(78618)

386   Mr David Kidney (Stafford): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will amend his code of practice for class 3 vehicle users to include advice on the safe off-road storage of invalid carriages.

(78619)

387   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his Answer of 15th January, Official Report, column 208W, what plans he has to introduce legislation to provide powers to impose a levy to recoup the costs of the Air Travel Trust Fund; what action he plans to take to defray their debts; and what contingency plans he has made to deal with the situation following the collapse of a travel company; and if he will make a statement.

(78797)

388   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what resources he will allocate to a public service obligation for a regional air service between Inverness and London.

(78776)

389
N   Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the Central Railway project.

(78461)

390   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, for what reason residents of South Essex with homes affected by the Cliffe Airport additional runway were not consulted on the Cliffe Airway proposal.

(78590)

391   Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what plans he has for the 2002 National Road Maintenance Condition Survey to include the cost of outstanding repairs on the (a) local and (b) strategic road networks.

(78897)

392   Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what plans he has for his Department's forthcoming report on the Ten Year Transport Plan to include (a) a definition of congestion with benchmark figures and interim targets for its reduction, (b) a commitment for the multi-modal studies to be completed by March 2003 with a plan of action to be agreed within six months of completion, (c) interim targets for delivery of (i) new trunk and (ii) local road improvements to 2006 and (d) a commitment to publish annual progress reports on the implementation of the measures set out in the Plan; and if he will make a statement.

(78896)

393   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what steps he plans to take to promote regional airports in Wales.

(78633)

394   Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost would be of extending winter fuel payments to those families who receive disability living allowance.

(78645)

395   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the extent of delay in introducing new Child Support Agency assessment procedures.

(78732)

396   Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) young people, (b) over 50s and (c) people with a disability have signed up for the New Deal in Tamworth.

(78841)

397   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department's research programme for 2002-03 includes research into the impact on the health of mental health service users of his Department's benefits policies; and if he will make a statement.

(78608)

398   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what safeguards will be put in place to protect the interests of post office customers who open bank accounts in order to access their benefits, pensions and child benefits.

(78584)

399   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place the data underlying his Department's value for money scores in relation to the 1998 public service agreements in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

(78970)

400   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Cabinet Office, to how many Ministers paintings are loaned from (a) the National Gallery of England, (b) the National Gallery of Scotland, (c) the National Portrait Gallery, (d) the Royal Academy and (e) the National Maritime Museum.

(78644)

401   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Minister for Women, what assessment she has made of the impact of the Government's policies on reducing the disparities between men and women's pay.

(78825)

402   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Minister for Women, what assessment her Department has made of the recent Economic and Social Research Council Report on disparities in salaries between men and women.

(78824)

403
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 16th October, Official Report, column 872W, on NHS staff, which countries will be included in the Criminal Records Bureau's advisory service to employers about the availability of criminal records checks; and which countries perform a reciprocal service.

[Transferred] (78374)

404
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 16th October, Official Report, column 868W, on Criminal Records Bureau checks, how many checks on (a) social workers, (b) other social care staff and (c) voluntary health organisations working with children have been outstanding for (i) one month, (ii) two months, (iii) three months and (iv) longer than six months.

[Transferred] (78373)

405
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much has been spent on the National Fruit Scheme by the National Opportunities Fund in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03 to date, broken down by region.

[Transferred] (78387)

406
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the progress of her Department's review on registration of civil relationships.

[Transferred] (78354)

407   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance she is giving to countries in Africa to help combat AIDS.

[Transferred] (78926)

408   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what representations he has received from ADRs concerning the new EU Green Paper.

[Transferred] (78868)

409   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many current CSA assessments would be altered by implementation of the proposed changes in procedures.

[Transferred] (78729)

410   Dr Hywel Francis (Aberavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment the Government has made of the consequences of withholding child benefit if parents do not co-operate in preventing truancy.

[Transferred] (78692)

411   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of numbers of children who physically abuse their parent or parents.

[Transferred] (78823)

412   Dr Hywel Francis (Aberavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how she estimates the removal of licensing jurisdiction from the courts to the local authorities will contribute to the Government's aims to (a) reduce crime and the fear of crime and (b) increase public confidence.

[Transferred] (78685)

413   Dr Hywel Francis (Aberavon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to give magistrates the powers to allow payments to victims to be made directly from central funds and for courts to collect monies from defendants separately.

[Transferred] (78681)

414   Dr Hywel Francis (Aberavon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on consistency of approach to sentencing.

[Transferred] (78689)

415   Dr Hywel Francis (Aberavon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which magistrates' powers will be increased to allow their sentencing powers to be raised (a) to 12 months and (b) subsequently to 18 months as indicated in the White Paper, Justice for All.

[Transferred] (78687)

416   Dr Hywel Francis (Aberavon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of how the additional funds dedicated to information technology to promote closer working and streamline case management across the criminal justice system departments will (a) increase efficiency and (b) improve the system of measuring outcomes.

[Transferred] (78686)

417   Dr Hywel Francis (Aberavon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the Government's proposal to abolish commital for sentence.

[Transferred] (78688)

418   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on his Department's proposed spending plans on new prison building in 2003-04.

[Transferred] (78627)

419   Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will estimate the cost of extending the home energy efficiency scheme to families with disabled children.

[Transferred] (78646)

420   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the taxable benefits from accommodation for Cabinet ministers.

[Transferred] (78643)

421   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list benefits in kind to Ministers that are (a) tax exempt and (b) not tax exempt.

[Transferred] (78641)

422   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the maximum tax liability is for each benefit in kind to Ministers.

[Transferred] (78640)

423   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Government will initiate a review of benefits in kind to ministers and their taxable status.

[Transferred] (78642)

424   Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research he has taken into the threat to departmental computer systems from e-terrorist attack.

[Transferred] (78977)

425   Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the threat to e-government from e-terrorist attack.

[Transferred] (78976)