Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2002 - 03
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 2 December 2002

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Monday 2 December 2002, of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

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

MONDAY 2nd DECEMBER

1   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on changes he has made to the workings of the planning system by the update of PPG22.

(84556)

2   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he proposes to make an order which will allow approved inspectors to check all types of work on all types of dwellings.

(85212)

3   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will take up the offer from Mike Bennett of Vantage Point, Mitcheldene, Gloucestershire, to make available fire station premises with two modern fully-equipped red fire engines.

(85182)

4   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he will reply to two letters from the Chairman of the Gloucestershire County Council requesting further assistance for extra Green Goddesses and crew to man them for Cinderford, Gloucestershire.

(85181)

5
N   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many (a) new home (i) starts and (ii) completions and (b) demolitions there were in each quarter from 1996 to the most recent available date in the City of Newcastle upon Tyne.

(84224)

6   Helen Jackson (Sheffield, Hillsborough): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the average waiting time between assessment and completion has been in each local authority in 2001-02 for householders requesting disabled adaptations in their homes.

(84563)

7   Helen Jackson (Sheffield, Hillsborough): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has for designing bathrooms with level access showers as part of the Homes for Life programme.

(84561)

8   Helen Jackson (Sheffield, Hillsborough): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has for legislation to simplify the way in which grant aid for disabled adaptations are managed.

(84566)

9   Helen Jackson (Sheffield, Hillsborough): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the projected expenditure is for each of the next five years on disabled facilities grants; and what has been spent to date in this financial year in disabled facilities grants.

(84565)

10   Helen Jackson (Sheffield, Hillsborough): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many households are waiting for adaptation grants to meet their disability needs in each local authority.

(84562)

11   Helen Jackson (Sheffield, Hillsborough): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what has been spent on disabled facilities grants in each of the last 10 years.

(84564)

12
N   Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the position of (a) Tamworth and (b) Sutton Coldfield constituencies is in the national table of deprivation.

(84174)

13   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to allow local authorities to charge a punitive level of council tax on long term visits.

(84968)

14   Mr Bob Laxton (Derby North): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many people have been prosecuted for not filling in their census forms (a) in Derby North and (b) in the UK.

(85079)

15
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer given to the honourable Member for East Worthing and Shoreham on 25th November, Official Report, column 119W, what action he is taking to encourage local authorities who do not have an anti-fraud and corruption strategy to implement one.

(84766)

16
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many letters he has received from (a) local authorities, (b) service providers and (c) service users regarding the implementation of the Supporting People strategy.

(84765)

17   Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to extend the polling hours for local referenda.

(85204)

18
N   Mr Richard Page (South West Hertfordshire): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the components that make up the modernisation programme for the Fire Brigade; and what anticipated pay uplift percentages would be awarded to each achieved component of the modernisation programme.

[R] (84488)

19   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the local performance indicators monitoring the activities of specific local authorities in (a) 2001-02 and (b) 2002-03, for each local authority with local performance indicators.

(84908)

20   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the cost is of the benefits that apply to a new entrant to the Fire Service; what financial and demographic assumptions are used to make this estimate; and when the mortality assumption for pensioners was last reviewed.

(84905)

21   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will publish (a) the current value of the liabilities for pensions of the Fire Service in payment and other liabilities in respect of service to date, (b) the amount by which it would increase if firefighters' pay were immediately to increase by 10 per cent. more than the rate of earnings growth allowed for and (c) the annual cost of (b), if that were spread over the expected working lifetime of current firefighters; what financial and demographic assumptions were used to make these estimates; and if he will make a statement.

(84910)

22   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the total expenditure of the Audit Commission was in each year since 1997 and its forecast budget for the coming year.

(84907)

23   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many best value performance indicators (a) monitored in 2001-02 and (b) are monitoring in 2002-03 the activities of (i) fire and (ii) local authorities.

(84906)

24   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the local PSA targets for each local authority that has entered into a local PSA agreement for (a) 2001-02 and (b) 2002-03.

(84909)

25   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what recent legislation has allowed greater discretion to be exercised by local councils and authorities.

(84718)

26   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the incidence of retirement on ill health grounds in the fire service; and if he will make a statement.

(84663)

27   Mr Andy Reed (Loughborough): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much has been paid to Charnwood Borough Council in SSA grant to compensate for student houses in multi-occupancy in the present financial year.

(85027)

28   Mr Andy Reed (Loughborough): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the number of student houses in multi-occupancy in Charnwood Borough Council.

(85028)

29   Mr Andy Reed (Loughborough): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what representations he has received about removing council tax exemption to student houses in multi-occupancy; and if he will make a statement.

(85029)

30   Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many concealed phone masts there are, ranked by county.

(85019)

31   Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to raise the level of urban design skills within the Government Offices for the regions.

(85193)

32   Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many registered architects, planners and urban designers are employed in (a) each of the Government Offices for the Regions and (b) his Department.

(85186)

33   Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether he requires the documents By Design and By Design: Better Places to Live to be material considerations in the planning system.

(85187)

34   Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what mechanisms are in place to ensure that the guidance in (a) By Design and (b) By Design: Better Places to Live is reflected in local authority plan-making.

(85192)

35   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what responsibilities he has for emergency planning and the co-ordination of the work of emergency planning authorities; and how his exercise of such responsibilities in London differs from that in (a) England and (b) the UK.

(84604)

36   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the honourable Member for Middlesborough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make a statement on the number of church employees who are covered by employment legislation.

(85197)

37   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the honourable Member for Middlesborough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make a statement on the clergy's status as office holders.

(84626)

38   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the honourable Member for Middlesborough, representing the Church Commissioners, what assessment the Commissioners have made of the cost of the new licensing provisions to churches and chapels; and if he will make a statement.

(84507)

39   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the honourable Member for Middlesborough, representing the Church Commissioners, what representations the Commissioners have received concerning the proposed enforcement of local authority licensing on church venues and the payment of fees for musical performances in churches; and if he will make a statement.

(84506)

40   Mrs Janet Dean (Burton): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will visit the National Football Centre development near Burton upon Trent to view the construction already in place.

(84627)

41   Mrs Janet Dean (Burton): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she (a) last met and (b) next plans to meet the Football Association to discuss the development of the National Football Centre.

(84628)

42   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she has received on introducing additional licence fees for churches that stage plays and concerts; and if she will make a statement.

(85149)

43   David Hamilton (Midlothian): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much money Sport Scotland has received since 2000.

(84548)

44   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what consultations she has had with representatives of faith organisations about the Government's proposals for entertainment licences for buildings whose prime purpose is religious.

(84618)

45   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list (a) the organisations she contacted offering consultation and (b) those who responded, in respect of entertainment licence proposals in the Licensing Bill.

(84617)

46   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if the licensing of religious buildings for entertainments under the provisions of the Licensing Bill extends to (a) churchyards and other open ground within the curtilage of the building and (b) other secular buildings within the curtilage of the religious building; and if she will make a statement.

(84619)

47
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer given to the honourable Member for East Worthing and Shoreham on 26th November, reference 83302, how many ex-servicemen's welfare organisations in West Sussex applied for National Lottery funding this year.

(84767)

48   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what costs she estimates will be incurred by Worcester Cathedral under the proposals in the Licensing Bill.

(84962)

49   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she has received concerning the proposed enforcement of local authority licensing on church venues and the payment of fees for musical performances in churches; and if she will make a statement.

(84504)

50   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many sports and social clubs (a) in England and (b) in York and North Yorkshire there were on 1st May (i) 1997 and (ii) 2000; and how many are there now.

(85163)

51   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the cost of the licensing provisions to churches and chapels; and if she will make a statement.

(84505)

52   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she has received concerning the level of closures of social and sports clubs; what measures the Government is taking to support social and sports clubs; and if she will make a statement.

(85162)

53   Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if the Government will (a) give, (b) loan and (c) underwrite further funding for the building of Wembley Stadium.

(85071)

54   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she will publish the Ladbrook Report on BBC News 24; whether the report has been sent to the BBC; and whether she plans to initiate similar reviews of the BBC digital channels.

(85083)

55
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how she intends to regulate the activities of Access Radio; and if she will make a statement.

(84861)

56
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the impact of Access Radio on the ability of local commercial radio stations to attract funding by carrying advertising.

(84860)

57
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the producers of videos about the provision of sub-titles for the hard of hearing; and if she will make a statement.

(84862)

58   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how she expects Access Radio will be funded; and if she will make a statement.

(84859)

59   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the armed forces indicated when last questioned that they had confidence in their fighting equipment; what percentage of respondents this represents; and if he will make a statement.

(85012)

60   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the armed forces indicated when last questioned that they were satisfied with their Combat 95 clothing; what percentage of respondents this represents; and if he will make a statement.

(85013)

61
N   Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 27th November Ref. 81327 if he will publish the conclusions of the report.

(84722)

62   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his latest estimate is of the recent possession valuation of the RAF Lyneham site after contamination re-evaluation.

(85183)

63   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what it would cost to move the Hercules C13J simulators from Lyneham to Brize Norton.

(85287)

64
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in the event of competing demands on UK forces from ESDP and NATO, to which organisation he will give priority.

(84876)

65
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place a copy of the Helsinki Headline Catalogue 2002 (HHC 2002) in the Library.

(84873)

66
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if it is the policy of the Government that EU-NATO relations should be established so that all force planning and military command functions should be through NATO military headquarters at SHAPE.

(84878)

67
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what agreements were reached at the Prague NATO summit which will increase the defence spending of European members of NATO.

(84875)

68
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what impact the conclusions of the NATO summit in Prague on 21st and 22nd November have had on the Government's policy that no ESDP operation should take place until permanent relations between the EU and NATO have been established.

(84877)

69
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral statement of 25th November, Official Report, column 129, on the contract for the desertisation of the Challenger 2 tank, on what date the contract was (a) let and (b) signed.

(84291)

70
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what meetings of the EU Council of Ministers are planned where defence and security issues will be discussed over the next 12 months.

(84874)

71   Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the employment policies of Dyn Corp in relation to its tendering for an MoD contract.

(84625)

72
N   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the Army indicated when last questioned, that they were satisfied with (a) the amount of entitled leave they are able to take, (b) the frequency of operational tours, (c) the length of operational tours and (d) intervals between operational tours; what percentage of those responding this represents; what percentage of actual strength this represents; and if he will make a statement.

(82482)

73   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to locate a regional headquarters of the Ministry of Defence Police on Salisbury Plain; and if he will make a statement.

(84614)

74   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how old are the Swingfire missiles that have been lost in the Bristol Channel.

(85061)

75
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer given to the honourable Member for East Worthing and Shoreham on 26th November, Official Report, column 177W, what plans he has to use the housing project for ex-servicemen in Richmond, North Yorkshire, as a model for other projects in England.

(84768)

76   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the dates and circumstances were of the deaths of each serviceman and woman (a) from 1st January 2001 to 31st December 2001 and (b) from 1st January 2002 to 1st November 2002.

(84871)

77   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many boards of inquiry have been established to examine deaths in each of the HM Armed Services since 1990; what statistical information is compiled about the work of the boards; and in what form the recommendations of the boards are (a) collected and (b) communicated to officers who may need to act upon them.

(84872)

78   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what logistical support his Department has offered to address the humanitarian crisis in southern Africa.

(85080)

79
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many military (a) units and (b) personnel are trained to deal with nuclear, chemical or biological incidents within the UK.

(84529)

80
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many NATO HQs are based in the UK.

(84536)

81
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what was the original cost of the refurbishment of his Department's main building; and what the current estimated cost is.

(84543)

82
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Al Qaida terrorists he estimates were (a) killed and (b) captured by British forces deployed in Task Force JACANA in Afghanistan.

(84527)

83
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the strength is of service personnel based in Northern Ireland.

(84530)

84
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects his Department's programmes work on theatre missile defence will be published.

(84537)

85
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many laptops and computers have been (a) stolen and (b) lost by his Department since December 2000; and how many in each category have been recovered.

(84608)

86
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what costs were incurred by his Department in providing military assistance in managing the foot and mouth epidemic.

(84528)

87
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many army exercises have been cancelled since January 2001.

(84535)

88
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason the expenditure of his Chief of Public Relations increased from 2000-01 to 2001-02.

(84538)

89
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason he has not established a standing headquarters for the Joint Force Logistic Component.

(84533)

90
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the uncertainties over funding were which have delayed the establishment of the Director General Training and Education Organisation.

(84540)

91
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons he has estimated the RAF experienced difficulties in maintaining the required levels of overall force element readiness.

(84531)

92
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to resolve the (a) logistical, (b) communications and (c) equipment failures identified through Exercise Saif Sareea II.

(84534)

93
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons the National Audit Office qualified his Departmental Resource Accounts for 2000-01.

(84541)

94
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of his Department's (a) military and (b) civilian personnel are dedicated to working on doctrine.

(84526)

95
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what measures he is taking to address the shortage of trained Royal Navy personnel identified in his Department's Performance Report.

(84532)

96
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason expenditure on the National Employers Liaison Committee (Territorial Army) decreased from 2000-01 to 2001-02.

(84539)

97
N   Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the (a) external and (b) internal bodies that audit the Ministry of Defence.

(84542)

98   Mr Gerry Steinberg (City of Durham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons the HK2 Chinook helicopters were sold back to the USA Government; whether the helicopters has been purchased outright; what the initial cost was of the helicopters; at what price they were resold to the US Government; whether there are plans to replace them; and what impact the sale of the helicopters has had on British Forces' operational ability.

(84572)

99
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to (a) review the working of the Criminal Injuries Compensation (Overseas Scheme) as it applies to his Department and (b) to extend the Scheme to include all MoD civilians.

(83520)

100
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many claims have been made by (a) members of HM Forces, (b) dependants and (c) civilian MoD employees under the Criminal Injuries Compensation (Overseas) Scheme in each year since 1997.

(83521)

101   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on NATO's future relations with Russia.

(85052)

102   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he last met the Russian Minister of Defence.

(85053)

103
N   Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support has been given to Mr Terry Jeans to enable him to attend court in Croatia; and what further support is to be offered to enable him to attend a public hearing on the case on 5th December.

(84008)

104   Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many consultants have been recruited to Defence Medical Services through the scheme which offers a £50,000 joining bonus.

(84623)

105   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the Prague Summit, with particular reference to increasing European defence capability, interoperability and enlargement.

(84847)

106   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the Urban Battlefield Trainer, with particular reference to its use in training soldiers for fighting in built-up areas.

(84848)

107   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with European colleagues regarding the use of Russian assets to achieve the Headline Goal.

(84846)

108   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on progress by the UK in achieving the European Headline Goal; and what discussions he has had with his European counterparts with regard to achieving the Goal.

(84845)

109   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what military forces are allocated to (a) NATO duties and exercises, (b) the EU Rapid Reaction force and (c) SEATO.

(84844)

110   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Bowman communications system will be replaced; and if he will make a statement on the Personal Role Radio.

(84851)

111   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progess is being made in the production of the RGSR respirator for the Army; when it will be in service; what advantages it offers over other respirators; and if he will make a statement.

(84852)

112   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made in the development of the FIST project; and what advantages it will offer to infantry soldiers.

(84850)

113   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what thermobaric weapons the British Army uses; what assessment has been made of their capability; and if he will make a statement on the extension of the technology.

(84849)

114   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much it will cost to upgrade the RAF Harrier to take over the role of the Sea Harrier when it is withdrawn from service; and what the capability shortfall is.

(84839)

115   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what air defences the Royal Navy will have when the RN Sea Harrier is withdrawn from service.

(84840)

116   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the financial consequences for his Department of withdrawing the RN Sea Harrier from service.

(84838)

117   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the warship building industry in the UK; and what is being done to encourage competition.

(84837)

118   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with agencies and other Government departments on homeland defence and security coordination and centralisation.

(84843)

119   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much funding he has allocated to NBC training and equipment; whether he has plans to increase this funding; which regiments have specialist NBC training; what plans he has to extend that training; and if he will make a statement.

(84853)

120   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on progress on procurement of the Type 45 Destroyer.

(84953)

121   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what regular armed forces are committed to home defence; if numbers are to be increased; and if he will make a statement.

(84842)

122   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on upgrading of the Type 42s Sea Dart missile; and what the effect of the upgrade will be.

(84841)

123   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what extra grant he has made available to schools for laboratory technicians.

(84755)

124
N   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many teaching vacancies there were in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each of the past five years in each London borough.

(84120)

125
N   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many further education lecturers were employed at colleges in England in each of the last five years, broken down by those on (a) permanent and (b) part-time contracts; and what average hours were worked by each group.

(84122)

126
N   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what representations he has received from London boroughs concerning limiting secondary school admission to children resident in their own borough; and if he will make a statement.

(84119)

127
N   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average salary of further education lecturers on permanent contract was, and what the average hourly rate of pay to sessional staff was, in each of the past five years.

(84121)

128
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether there is a guaranteed minimum wage level for lecturers of further education or higher education courses; and what proportions of lecturers are employed on the bottom of the payscale.

(84293)

129
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to provide assistance to schools to help them ensure that their course materials are accessible to disabled students in the next year.

(84294)

130
N   Mr Frank Dobson (Holborn & St Pancras): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 25th November, Official Report, column 96W, whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department were consulted about the proposal to merge Imperial College and University College, London.

(84469)

131   Jeff Ennis (Barnsley East & Mexborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many local education authorities have established total exclusion units to take pupils who have been permanently excluded from their schools.

(84978)

132
N   Mr Michael Jack (Fylde): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will publish the results of cost benefit studies undertaken by his Department in the last five years which show the value of its graduate labour force.

(83894)

133
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many expressions of interest in forming school federations have been received by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

(84230)

134
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students from Warrington entered higher education in the past five years, broken down by social class.

(84231)

135   Dr Stephen Ladyman (South Thanet): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps he is taking to monitor progress in implementing his Department's good practice guidelines on autism.

(84502)

136   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what help will be given to rural areas to help with adult learning.

(85060)

137   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children played truant from schools in West Sussex each day in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what plans he has to tackle this.

(84762)

138   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many people who recently left the armed forces took up higher education courses last year.

(84763)

139   Ian Lucas (Wrexham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what financial support is available for mature students in higher education in England.

(84964)

140
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much was available in each prison for education courses in each year since 1995 at current prices; and what the percentage increase was in each year.

(84554)

141
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of the prison population were engaged in education courses in each prison in each year since 1995; and how much funding has been provided per head of population of each prison for education courses in each year since 1995.

(84555)

142   Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list the meetings undertaken by his Department's Ministerial Design Champion in that capacity.

(85188)

143   Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when his Department's Ministerial Design Champion last met (a) the Commission of Architecture and the Built Environment, (b) the Royal Institution of British Architects and (c) officials from the DfES's Schools Building Design Unit.

(85189)

144   Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on how he intends to implement the recommendations in the joint Office of Government Commerce and Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment guidance, Improving standards of design in the procurement of public building.

(85191)

145   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what delays are being experienced by schools between employing (a) teaching, (b) classroom support, (c) voluntary and (d) other staff and their deployment into activities with children, arising from delays in screening by the Criminal Records Bureau.

(85068)

146   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what measures will be taken to increase the number of seven year old children reaching set literacy standards.

(85054)

147   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on geographical knowledge among schoolchildren; and what measures are planned to improve this.

(85051)

148   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the European Commission's proposal, COM (2002) 401 final, and the subsequent Council decision to invite students from third countries to participate in European exchange programmes.

(85056)

149
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list the schools in the top 10 per cent. of those with the greatest number of children who receive free school meals.

(84567)

150
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many trainees commenced the graduate training programme and registered training programme in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in (i) September 2001, (ii) January 2002 and (iii) April 2002; and in what subjects.

(84568)

151
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many people entered initial teacher training courses for (a) primary and (b) secondary subjects through (i) undergraduate, (ii) postgraduate and (iii) employment-based routes in the academic years (A) 2001-02 and (B) 2002-03.

(84570)

152   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many undergraduates started full-time teacher training courses in England in the academic year 2001-02 in each subject.

(84569)

153
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when further guidance will be issued to registered bodies about the postponement of Criminal Records Bureau checks.

(84607)

154   Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has held with her EU counterparts on proposals to introduce legislation concerning climate change; and if she will make a statement.

(84646)

155   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much money is being reclaimed by the European Commission from the United Kingdom because of inadequate control procedures or non-compliance with EU rules on agricultural expenditure.

(84522)

156   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the RSPCA and other animal welfare groups on the release of captured urban foxes into the countryside; and if she will make a statement.

(84624)

157   Mr William Hague (Richmond (Yorks)): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact upon business of the ban on pigswill; and what compensation her Department is providing to pigswill producers to compensate them for losses brought about by the ban.

(85082)

158
N   Mr Michael Jack (Fylde): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list her official engagements in the week commencing 25th November.

(84229)

159   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total remuneration is of the Chairman of the Parrett Catchment Project.

(84648)

160   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total value is of the fixed assets held by her Department, its agencies, non-departmental public bodies and public corporations.

(85010)

161   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will place in the Library a list of those assets identified by the National Asset Register, Cm 5221, as belonging to (a) the former Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions and (b) the former Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and their respective agencies, non-departmental bodies and public corporations, which now belong to her Department, together with the current value of each such asset.

(85011)

162   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funds have been allocated to the marketing and promotion of organic milk in the UK in each of the next five years; what funds have been spent in each of the years the Organic Farming Scheme has been in operation; and if he will make a statement.

(85009)

163   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the cost to egg producers of a ban on the use of enriched laying cages in England; what plans she has to provide financial assistance to egg producers in the event of such a ban; and if she will make a statement.

(84513)

164   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she has received concerning the application of the 20 day standstill period where the designated 20 days are exceeded relating to farm to farm sales; and if she will make a statement.

(84510)

165   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she has received on a proposed ban on the use of enriched egg laying cages in England.

(84508)

166   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she has received concerning the practicality of the exemption to the 20 day standstill rule granted to farmers in the form of a DEFRA licence for specialised calf rearing units; and if she will make a statement.

(84509)

167
N   Joyce Quin (Gateshead East & Washington West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications and how much money was awarded under the non-food crops scheme broken down by Government Office Regions in each year since the scheme was introduced.

(83384)

168
N   Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people were employed in horticulture in (a) 1972, (b) 1980, (c) 1990, (d) 1995, (e) 2000 and (f) 2001, broken down by (i) contractual and (ii) full time workers.

(84238)

169
N   Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the relevant qualifications are of the two new independent board members of the Agricultural Wages Board.

(84237)

170
N   Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, why the Chairman of the Agricultural Wages Board has resigned.

(84236)

171
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what vaccines exist for inoculating cattle against TB; what use is made of such vaccines; what advice she gives to farmers about the use of these vaccines; and if she will make a statement.

(84858)

172   Phil Sawford (Kettering): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures are in place to ensure prompt payments to farmers in respect of the beef premium, suckler cow premium and slaughter premiums.

(84965)

173
N   Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many food samples tested for pesticide, veterinary and other residues in each of the last 10 years were assessed to contain (a) a residue above the maximum residue level for the (i) UK and (ii) EU, (b) a residue not approved for use on UK crops and (c) a residue in organic samples.

(84159)

174   Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the level of PFI and PPP liabilities over the next 25 years, including contracts to be signed up to the end of financial year 2002-03.

(84611)

175   Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on how (a) UKAEA and (b) BNFL's liabilities are reflected in reports to Parliament about the national finances.

(84758)

176
N   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 26th November, ref 83459, if he will list the dates on which the Government has held discussions relating to compliance with the EU Draft Savings Directive with (a) the Cayman Islands and (b) Bermuda, since June 2001.

(84487)

177   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer to what the figure of 80 per cent. used by the Inland Revenue to judge whether a company's activities are primarily trading activities applies.

(85069)

178   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park & Kensington North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many recipients of the child care component of the Working Families Tax Credit there are in (a) England and (b) each region; what percentage of recipients of the child care component represents WFTC claimants in each region; and what percentage of recipients of the child care component represents households with children in each region.

(85184)

179   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the amount of foreign investment in the UK resulting from the non-domicile tax rules.

(85291)

180   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will increase the amount of money available to (a) the Community Care Grant and (b) the Budgeting Loan budget.

(85289)

181
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has made to the European Commission in respect of the EU Budget Surplus in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001; and if he will make a statement.

(84773)

182
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 26th November, ref 81821, what information he estimates is necessary in order to make an estimate of the cost.

(84489)

183   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the scheme which allows VAT liability on barristers' fees only to become due to be paid by the barrister after those fees are paid and received by the barrister and not at the time of provision of the services of the barrister or delivery of the fee note to the barrister's customer.

(84582)

184
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the publications produced by his Department that refer people to the Citizens Advice Bureau Service for advice and assistance; and whether Citizens Advice Scotland is informed of such referrals prior to publication.

(84154)

185
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue has been raised by ACT in each year since its introduction.

(84491)

186   Ian Lucas (Wrexham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer whether mature students in higher education in England whose spouses are in work will be eligible for child tax credit.

(84963)

187   Siobhain McDonagh (Mitcham & Morden): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what incentives he is introducing to encourage young people in deprived areas to start businesses.

(85185)

188   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he proposes to take in response to the report of the Quoted Companies Alliance, The Threat to Enterprise Britain.

(85202)

189   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on recent changes to his policy on VAT on energy saving material special reference to the impact of the judgment in Case 416/85 in the Court of Justice of the European Communities.

(84660)

190
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what revised gross domestic product figures for the Highlands and Islands regarding eligibility for Objective One status for 2000-06 the Office of National Statistics has calculated since the bids for Objective One status were submitted.

(84295)

191   Mark Tami (Alyn & Deeside): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates is the annual cost to the Exchequer of (a) under payment of NIC by those regarded as self-employed and (b) the avoidance of self-employment tax status.

(84581)

192   Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to the Treasury of the 2 per cent. incentive payments made to Appropriate Personal Pension arrangements was, where contracting out from SERPS commenced between 29th April 1988 and 30th June 1994.

(84717)

193   Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to the Treasury of 2 per cent. payments made to Appropriate Personal Pension arrangements was, where contracting out from SERPS commenced between 29th April 1988 and 30th June 1994 and those persons have subsequently been reinstated, as a result of the FSA Review of Personal Pension sales, into an arrangement where the 2 per cent. incentive would not have been payable.

(84715)

194   Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value of 2 per cent. incentive payments reclaimed by the Treasury was, where they were made to Appropriate Personal Pension arrangements where contracting out from SERPS commenced between 29th April 1988 and 30th June 1994, and where those persons were reinstated, as a result of the FSA Review of Personal Pension sales, into an arrangement where the 2 per cent. incentive would not have been payable.

(84716)

195   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the meeting between the Inland Revenue and the BCCI Staff Committee.

(85087)

196
N   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the European Commission's Communication on taxation of pensions.

(84400)

197   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether G8 funding for the New Partnership for Africa's Development is conditional on the inclusion of the peer review mechanism.

(84630)

198   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what evidence has been received by his Department on the adherence to basic human rights within prisons in Tanzania.

(84992)

199   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made towards the formulation of a universal set of standards for use by the African Union for the peer review mechanism of the New Partnership for Africa's Development.

(84629)

200   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the status of the peer review mechanism within the New Partnership for Africa's Development.

(84644)

201   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the Government's decision to increase military assistance to Ethiopia.

(84981)

202   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) sunset and (b) territoriality provisions are contained within the EC Regulations implementing the Kimberley Process of diamond certification.

(84632)

203   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the status of the ceasefire talks between CNDD-FDD and the transitional Government of Burundi.

(84645)

204   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the impact which the EC regulations implementing the Kimberley Process of diamond certification will have on conflict diamond trading in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

(84631)

205   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the compliance of the Guinean government with the UN arms embargo on Liberia.

(84986)

206   Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on developments in and involvement of UK representatives in the case of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh in Pakistan.

(84647)

207
N   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the total volume of fish, by type, landed from the British Indian Ocean Territories was in each of the last five years.

(84052)

208
N   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what income from fishing licences was received in each of the last five years in the British Indian Ocean Territories.

(84054)

209
N   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on recent approaches by the USA to the Government concerning preparation for participation in National Missile Defence.

(84123)

210
N   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what applications have been received from the USA to allow construction of new aircraft facilities on Diego Garcia; and if he will make a statement.

(84053)

211
N   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list landings on the Chagos Islands in each of the last five years that were not associated with US military activity on Diego Garcia.

(84055)

212
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what measures have been taken to prevent the export and manufacturing of leg irons in the UK.

(84292)

213   Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow, Pollok): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what instructions he gives (a) ambassadors and (b) other embassy staff on making statements in (i) written and (ii) broadcast media; what particular instructions he gives about public comment on political matters when referendums are to be held in a country; and how he decides when the rules relating to comment on referendum campaigns should take effect.

(84661)

214   Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow, Pollok): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how he defines an intervention in Irish public and political affairs in connection with the referendum on the Nice Treaty, with reference to the requirements on Her Majesty's Ambassador and embassy staff.

(84662)

215   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations have been made by the Government to the Belgian authorities concerning the potential impact on Pilckem Ridge of the projected route of the A19 motorway in Flanders.

(84521)

216   Jane Griffiths (Reading East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Indian authorities on the case of Ian Stillman.

(85169)

217   Stephen Hesford (Wirral West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the incidence of cross-border incursions and terrorist attacks across the Line of Control in India.

(84863)

218   Helen Jackson (Sheffield, Hillsborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received from Medact about the effects of a military conflict on civilians in Iraq.

(84864)

219   Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many applicants at biological research centres in (a) postgraduate institutes and (b) commercial laboratories and research facilities have been vetted under the voluntary security scheme and any other scheme in (i) the past five years and (ii) the past two years; how many were refused; and if he will make a statement.

(85024)

220   Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which UK postgraduate institutions whose work includes biological research comply with the voluntary arrangements for security vetting of applications by scientists seeking work and studies in such institutions; what percentage of them this represents; and which do not.

(85023)

221   Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the voluntary arrangements for security vetting applications by scientists seeking work and studies in the field of biological research in postgraduate institutions apply equally to (a) NHS facilities and (b) all categories of scientific, medical, paramedical and ancillary staff.

(85022)

222   Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the countries of origin were of scientists who had their applications for work or study in biological research rejected on grounds of security in the past five years.

(85025)

223
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with (a) the Russian Government, (b) the Turkish Government and (c) the United States Government, regarding restrictive regulations on registration of religious groups and religious persecution in Turkmenistan.

(84553)

224
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports his Department have received regarding harassment and persecution of religious groups in Turkmenistan; and if he will make a statement.

(84550)

225
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he takes to ensure that goods shipped from the UK under UK and EU export control regulations to Turkmenistan (a) have not been and (b) will not be used for internal repression or torture.

(84580)

226
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the Government of Turkmenistan regarding (a) restrictive regulations on the registration of religious groups in the country and (b) harassment of religious groups and repression of religious activity.

(84551)

227
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what UK delegations to Turkmenistan are planned; and if he will make a statement.

(84552)

228   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will raise the issue of restrictions on religious groups and their harassment and persecution in Turkmenistan at the Tenth OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Portugal; and if he will make a statement.

(84549)

229   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he plans to open the visa centre in Jallander, Punjab, India.

(84901)

230   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many ministers have visited India since 1st January 2001; and which department they were from.

(84902)

231   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on Danish proposals to alter the financial terms for the countries applying for EU membership in 2004.

(85058)

232   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he will name the successor to HM High Commissioner to India.

(84836)

233   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last met the Foreign Minister of India; and if he will make a statement.

(84903)

234   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many visas were issued at (a) New Delhi, (b) Mumbai, (c) Calcutta, (d) Dakla, (e) Sylhet, (f) Islamabad, (g) Karachi, (h) Washington and (i) New York in 2001.

(84904)

235
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will reply to the letter from the honourable Member for West Chelmsford of 8th August, reference PO1014287; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay in replying.

(84007)

236
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, (a) how many people and (b) how long over 75s experienced delayed discharge, broken down by (i) elective and (ii) emergency admissions in each region in the last quarter of 2002-03.

(84598)

237
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 25th November, Official Report, column 136W, regarding ethical foreign nurse recruitment, how he plans to inform (a) NHS organisations, (b) overseas governments, (c) overseas nurses and (d) other interested parties, of agencies that have been reported by the Workforce Development, Confederation for failure to adhere to the Code of Practice.

(84772)

238
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust decision on the use of NHS professionals.

(84599)

239
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 25th November, Official Report, column 135W, regarding ethical foreign nurse recruitment, if he will list the names of the agencies that have been reported; what investigations have been undertaken; and what action has been taken against any agency found guilty of breaches.

(84771)

240
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) acute trusts and (b) PCTs have set up pooled budgets with social services departments to tackle delayed discharge.

(84589)

241   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 25th November, Official Report, column 136W, regarding recruitment of foster carers, what methods he used to conclude that the profile of foster care had been raised by the recruitment campaign.

(84761)

242
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for care home insurance liability of the postponement of criminal records bureau checks and the Protection of Vulnerable Adults list.

(84592)

243   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 25th November, Official Report, column 136W, regarding recruitment of foster carers, how many people requested information packs; how many people who requested information packs subsequently became foster carers; and whether there is a shortage of foster carers.

(84760)

244
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS trusts ran financial deficits; and what the aggregate amount of the deficits was, in financial year 2001-02.

(84591)

245
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received from foreign governments about recruitment for the NHS of (a) nurses and (b) doctors in their countries.

(84593)

246
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many chief executives of former health authorities have taken (a) redundancy and (b) early retirement since April.

(84590)

247   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many prescriptions were issued for anti-malarial drugs in the UK in 2001; and how many were NHS prescriptions.

(85154)

248   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children in care have access to the Internet at home, broken down by local authority.

(85155)

249   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of malaria were diagnosed in the UK in 2001; and what the cost was to the NHS of treating them.

(85153)

250   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many CAMHS consultants are employed in the NHS in each health authority.

(85156)

251   John Cryer (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures he is taking to improve doctor-patient ratios within Havering Primary Care Trust; and if he will make a statement.

(85078)

252   John Cryer (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average number of patients allocated to GP practice lists in the Havering Primary Care Trust area is; how many GP practices have list sizes higher than the national average; which practices these are; and what the size of the list is in each case.

(85077)

253   John Cryer (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average age is of GPs in the Havering Primary Care Trust area; and how many will reach retirement age before 2006.

(85076)

254   Jim Dobbin (Heywood & Middleton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on signing the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Biomedicine (Oviedo Convention).

(84612)

255   Jim Dobbin (Heywood & Middleton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the Government expects to receive the findings of the Cancer Research UK study on the possible association between induced abortion and breast cancer.

(84753)

256   Jim Dobbin (Heywood & Middleton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason respondents to the questionnaire on the HFEA's consultation document, 'Sex Selection: Choice and responsibility in human reproduction' are asked to identify themselves as pro life.

(84613)

257
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) children, (b) older people, (c) people aged 16-59 years with learning difficulties and (d) others, received social service care in (i) Northumberland, (ii) North Yorkshire, (iii) Cumbria, (iv) Herefordshire, (v) Shropshire, (vi) Rutland, (vii) Devon, (viii) Lincolnshire, (ix) East Riding of Yorkshire, (x) Wiltshire, (xi) Wandsworth, (xii) Southwark, (xiii) Camden, (xiv) Tower Hamlets, (xv) Hackney, (xvi) Lambeth, (xvii) Hammersmith and Fulham, (xviii) Westminster, (xix) Islington and (xx) Kensington and Chelsea, in 2001-02.

(84160)

258   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations have been received from consumers and patient organisations as part of the HGC consultation on regulation of genetic testing services supplied direct to the public; and whether these organisations favoured (a) statutory regulation and (b) a voluntary industry code.

(85203)

259   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many responses the HGC received during their consultation on the regulation of genetic testing services supplied direct to the public; and how many were in favour of (a) no action being taken, (b) a voluntary code being established, (c) a code plus statutory restrictions and (d) statutory restrictions.

(85206)

260   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the procedures are for (a) appointing (i) members and (ii) chairpersons of working groups for the HGC and (b) addressing potential conflicts of interest amongst HGC working group members and chairpersons.

(85288)

261   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the HGC will be making recomnmendations to Government as a result of the consultation on regulation of genetic testing services supplied direct to the public.

(85207)

262   Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library the responses of the (a) Advertising Standards Agency, (b) British Embassies from Canada, Holland, Japan and the US, (c) DTI Policy Advisor on Internet Regulation, (d) Information Commissioner, (e) Medical Devices Agency, (f) Medical Research Council and (g) Occupational Health Advisory Committee to the HGC consultation on genetic testing.

(85205)

263   David Hamilton (Midlothian): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children have been diagnosed obese since 1997; and what percentage of these children were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

(84544)

264   David Hamilton (Midlothian): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nurses left the NHS last year, broken down by nation of the UK.

(84545)

265   David Hamilton (Midlothian): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many student nurses have failed to complete their studies since 1997, broken down by nation of the UK.

(84602)

266   David Hamilton (Midlothian): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many GPs have worked in the NHS since 1997, broken down by nation of the UK.

(84603)

267   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many representations he has received from non-Members on the reform of the child protection system; and if he will make a statement.

(85138)

268   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information is made available on current waiting times for treatment for types of cancer; and what plans he has to publish such information in the future.

(84969)

269   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many deaths from suicide were recorded of (a) doctors and (b) nurses, in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

(84971)

270   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of patients waited (a) over four hours, (b) between two and four hours and (c) under two hours in accident and emergency departments in (i) England and (ii) each NHS region in each quarter since the first quarter of 1996-97.

(84970)

271   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what extra resources have been allocated to the implementation of the two week waiting time target for referral of patients with (a) breast cancer, (b) prostate cancer and (c) other types of cancer.

(84972)

272   Mr Alan Hurst (Braintree): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proposals he has for increasing the number of doctors employed by the National Health Service; and if he will make a statement.

(84658)

273   Mr Alan Hurst (Braintree): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many students in the United Kingdom were training as doctors in (a) 1972, (b) 1982, (c) 1992 and (d) 2001.

(84657)

274
N   Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to review the criteria for the annual performance rating for hospitals.

(82992)

275
N   Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what weighting is given to each of the criteria in performance ratings for hospitals, with particular reference to (a) clinical excellence and (b) good administration.

(82993)

276
N   Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures he is taking to increase hospital security.

(82994)

277
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will review statutory guidance on hospital discharge to ensure that the needs of carers in paid employment are taken into account during discharge planning.

(84233)

278
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of patients have been re-admitted to hospital within two months of their discharge, in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(84232)

279
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ensure that benchmarking standards for NHS trusts promote support for carers; and if he will make a statement.

(84235)

280
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ensure that the Patient Advocacy and Liaison Service provides carers with information about the discharge of patients and the support services available to their carers; and if he will make a statement.

(84234)

281   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the waiting times are for occupational therapy services for children in (a) Birmingham Health Authority, (b) Birmingham and Black Country Strategic Health Authority area and (c) England.

(84967)

282   Dr Stephen Ladyman (South Thanet): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to monitor progress in implementing his Department's good practice guidelines in respect to autism.

(84503)

283
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which developing countries have offered warm support, as stated by a Department of Health spokesman on 26th November, for the Government's approach to ethical international recruitment.

(84891)

284
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with which developing countries the NHS has an agreement to recruit nurses (a) directly and (b) through commercial agencies.

(84890)

285
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 25th November 2002, on flu immunisation, (ref. 83320), what the national average take-up by the over-65s of flu vaccinations was.

(84897)

286
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with the South African Health Department regarding the recruitment of nurses to the UK.

(84893)

287
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action his Department is taking to encourage private recruitment agencies to sign up to the Government's guidelines on banning the recruitment of nurses from developing countries.

(84892)

288
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many calls the NHS Overseas Nurses Advice Line has received since it was established; and what the average cost to the NHS is per call.

(84895)

289
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many caseworkers are employed by the NHS Litigation Authority; and how many were employed in each year since 1998.

(84894)

290
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 25th November 2002, on flu immunisation, Official Report, column 135W, what percentage of over 65s in West Sussex to be immunised against flu were over 85 years old; and what percentage this represented as a whole for the county.

(84898)

291
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospital doctors left the NHS in each of the last four years on grounds of (a) retirement, (b) early retirement, (c) ill health and (d) taking up an alternative post.

(84889)

292
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dedicated teams of staff with health careers expertise are working on the NHS Overseas Nurses Advice Line.

(84896)

293   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nutrients and nutrient sources on the United Kingdom market are absent from the list of permitted nutrients included in the annexes to the Food Supplements Directive; and what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) commissioning the research and (b) producing a dossier to the standards required by the European Scientific Committee for Foods for consideration for approval to be given for the addition of such missing nutrients to the annexes in the future.

(84525)

294   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whom he has recently met from the natural health specialist retail sector and its consumers to discuss the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive; what views those individuals expressed to him; and what action he intends to take.

(85086)

295   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has received from (a) industry and (b) the Food Standards Agency a list of those nutrients missing from the lists of approved nutrients and nutrient sources contained within the annexes of the Food Supplements Directive; what information he has received from industry as to which of those nutrients are the subject of projects to prepare adequate dossiers for consideration by the European Union Standing Committee for Foods; and what steps he intends to take to ensure the remaining nutrients are added to those annexes in the future.

(84574)

296   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) role and (b) grade is of Mr Richard Woodfield within the Medicines Control Agency; and what assessment he has made of the performance of Mr Woodfield in relation to the specialist natural health retail sector.

(85084)

297   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many products which are accepted as safe by the Food Standards Agency he expects to (a) be removed from the United Kingdom market and (b) have to be substantially reformulated when the full provisions of the Food Supplements Directive are implemented; and what estimate he has made of the costs of such compliance.

(84573)

298   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he intends to take to secure a continued route to market, other than full pharmaceutical licensing, for those products which are not able to demonstrate they have been on the European market for the period specified by the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive, but which are able to demonstrate a tradition of safe use in another country.

(84524)

299   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to introduce simiplified registration schemes for herbal remedies under the provisons of the amendments made by the European Parliament to the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive.

(85085)

300   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he will make it his policy to seek an amendment to the Food Supplements Directive prior to its full implementation to allow member states to permit onto their own national markets those products which fall outside the technical restrictions of that Directive but which the competent authority accepts as safe and appropriately labelled; and if he will make a statement.

(84523)

301
N   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average number of GPs per 1,000 of the population was in (a) rural and (b) urban areas in each year from 1997 to 2002.

(84498)

302
N   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many trainee GPs failed to complete their training in each year since 1977.

(84494)

303
N   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many places are available for the training of GPs in England and Wales; and what percentage of trainee places have been filled.

(84492)

304
N   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what targets have been set for the recruitment of GPs in England.

(84496)

305
N   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many GPs retired (a) early and (b) due to ill-health in each year since 1977; and how many left the profession in each year.

(84495)

306
N   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the recruitment of general practitioners has changed in (a) Shropshire and (b) the UK, in the last five years.

(84493)

307
N   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average number of GPs per 1,000 of the population in (a) Shropshire and (b) the UK was in each year from 1997 to 2002.

(84497)

308
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what amount of the NHS budget has been spent on providing specialist treatment for people with dementia in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(84856)

309
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what provision the NHS makes for specialist staff to treat people with dementia; and if he will make a statement.

(84855)

310
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to (a) develop specialist care and (b) to increase funding, for the treatment of people suffering from dementia; and if he will make a statement.

(84857)

311
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to increase the value of vouchers for the purchase of spectacles for people on low incomes; and if he will make a statement.

(84854)

312   Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has undertaken into the effects of radio waves on leukaemia cells, with particular reference to mobile phone users.

(85018)

313   Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on how he intends to implement the recommendations in the joint OGC/CABE report, Improving standards of design in the procurement of public building.

(85190)

314   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the budget for the Food Standards Agency debate on GM foods; who will be contracted to conduct the debate; and how the Government's own debate on GM foods will interact with that of the FSA.

(85148)

315   Mr John Smith (Vale of Glamorgan): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statment on the delay in commencing the World Health Organisation's large epidemiological study into thrombo-embolic disease and air travel.

(85196)

316
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on the use of the drug seroxat; and what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effects of the drug.

(83518)

317
N   Mr Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress he has made in establishing a supervisory board for children's services within Greater Manchester for primary, secondary and tertiary paediatric services.

(84571)

318   Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to reply to the letter of Ronnie Cairnduff of Hampshire Care dated 31st July.

(84724)

319   Mark Tami (Alyn & Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what dedicated facilities and support are available to children diagnosed with ADHD in the UK.

(84584)

320   Mark Tami (Alyn & Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimates he has made of the number of school-aged children diagnosed with ADHD.

(84586)

321   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to make periodontal treatment available on the NHS in all dental practices.

(84595)

322   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that the full range of dentistry treatment is available on the NHS.

(84596)

323   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the provision of dentistry treatment on the NHS; and how many dentists in each PCT are (a) practising, (b) offering the full range of treatment on the NHS and (c) able to take on new patients on the NHS.

(84597)

324   Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Independent Monitor of Accommodation Centres will be able to consider whether the location of a centre prevents a need of its residents from being met only once it has been built.

(85015)

325   Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if it is the responsibility of the Independent Monitor of Accommodation Centres to monitor the operation of the whole of Part 2 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.

(85016)

326   Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the views of the Independent Monitor of Accommodation Centres will be taken into account by the Secretary of State in his evaluation of sites for further accommodation centres.

(85017)

327   Tony Baldry (Banbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will take into account views expressed by the Independent Monitor of Accommodation Centres as to whether a place as a location for the provision of premises to accommodate asylum seekers and their dependants prevents a need of its residents from being met.

(85014)

328   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the forecast budget is for (a) local authority secure units, (b) young offenders institutions and (c) secure training centres in (i) 2002-03, (ii) 2003-04 and (iii) 2004-05.

(85200)

329   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans his Department has for expanding (a) local authority secure units, (b) young offenders institutions and (c) secure training centres; and if he will make a statement.

(85198)

330   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many places in (a) local authority secure units, (b) young offender institutions and (c) secure training centres are planned in (i) 2002-03, (ii) 2003-04, and (iii) 2004-05.

(85199)

331   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 25th November, Offical Report, column 98W, regarding the Burrell Case, when he was informed that the trial would collapse.

(84621)

332   John Cryer (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of violent crime were recorded in the London Borough of Havering in the last year, broken down into (a) offences of violence against the person, (b) sexual offences, (c) robbery and (d) criminal damage; what proportion of those offences occurred within Romford town centre between 7 pm and 6 am; and what percentage of recorded violent crime within Havering this represents.

(85074)

333   John Cryer (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will set out, including statistical information relating as directly as possible to the constituency, the effect on the Hornchurch constituency of his Department's policies and actions since 2nd May 1997.

(85081)

334   John Cryer (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will estimate the policing and public order costs generated by entertainment venues in Romford town centre.

(85073)

335   John Cryer (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many calls to police within the London Borough of Havering were logged in the period 1st October 2001 to 30th September 2002 relating to incidents of (a) noise nuisance, (b) disturbance in a public place, (c) drunkenness, (d) criminal damage, (e) community problems and (f) other unlisted disturbances; and which localities are defined as hotspots for this type of offence.

(85075)

336   John Cryer (Hornchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress he has made in developing arrangements under which entertainment venues would contribute to the policing and public order costs arising from their activities.

(85072)

337
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many reported cases of domestic violence there have been in (a) the West Midlands and (b) England and Wales in the last four years; and how many of those cases resulted in a conviction.

(84398)

338
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether there will be restrictions on the types of previous convictions that could be mentioned during a trial under the new criminal justice reforms.

(84399)

339
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many urban areas are under 24-hour surveillance through the use of CCTV cameras; and what plans he has to extend the use of CCTV cameras for street surveillance.

(84396)

340   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his policy is on the use of leg restraints on people in the custody of the Police.

(84659)

341
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he plans to take to improve the integration of police and CPS functions.

(84397)

342   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the consequences of the case of R (H) v Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

(84650)

343
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the publications produced by his Department that refer people to the Citizens Advice Bureau Service for advice and assistance; and whether Citizens Advice Scotland is informed of such referrals prior to publication.

(84156)

344
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which clauses of the Extradition Bill officials from the Scottish Executive played a role in drafting.

(84226)

345
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will seek legal advice on Council of the European Union Framework Decision 2002/584/JHA on the European arrest warrant and the surrender procedures between member states with regard to (a) its implementation in Scots law and (b) whether its implementation is a reserved matter.

(84225)

346
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what legal advice he has received on Council of the European Union Framework Decision 2002/584/JHA on the European arrest warrant and the surrender procedures between member states with regard to (a) its implementation in Scots law and (b) whether its implementation is a reserved matter.

(84228)

347
N   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what contractual relationship exists between his Department and Clearsprings Ltd, with regard to the (a) processing and (b) housing of asylum seekers.

(84175)

348
N   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the honourable Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton will receive the letters answering his Questions (ref 37513 and 78627) of session 2001-02.

(84476)

349   Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners who have taken the Alpha Course in prisons have re-offended.

(84749)

350   David Hamilton (Midlothian): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures the Government is taking to rehabilitate prisoners who are drug addicts.

(84546)

351   David Hamilton (Midlothian): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures the Government is taking to find the suspected paedophiles at large whose details were given to the police six months ago.

(84547)

352   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time between completion of all stages of the asylum seeking process and notice of removal being issued was in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

(84882)

353   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers awaiting removal from the country his Department has failed to contact; what steps have been taken with regard to these asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement.

(84881)

354   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have completed all stages of their application and are awaiting removal from the country; and if he will make a statement.

(84880)

355   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average cost of legal aid for an asylum seeker was in the last 12 months; how much was spent in the last year on legal aid for asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement.

(84879)

356
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much the National Probation Directorate charges each probation area for the maintenance of each computer terminal under the STEPS contract; and how much is paid to STERIA by the National Probation Directorate for the maintenance of each computer terminal as part of the STEPS Contract.

(84301)

357
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many persistent offenders he estimates there are in England and Wales aged (a) under 18 years, (b) 18 to 20 years and (c) 21 years and over.

(84296)

358
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many drug treatment and testing orders have been issued; at what cost; and how many of the orders have been successfully completed.

(84307)

359
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many probation service areas will (a) receive an increase in real terms in their budget for the next financial year, (b) receive the same budget as this year and (c) receive a reduction in their budget.

(84304)

360
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many persons have been jailed in each year since 1999 under the provisions of the Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000, section 111, for a third offence of burglary.

(84299)

361
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the (a) remit, (b) composition and (c) work programme of the Home Office Anti-Social Behaviour Unit.

(84309)

362
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the likely impact of custody plus on the number of people sentenced to a period of imprisonment of under 12 months in each of the next five years.

(84306)

363
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the honourable Member for North Southwark and Bermondsey will receive substantive replies in writing to his parliamentary questions of 31st October regarding (a) the Greater London Lay Observers' Panel, (b) the preparation of court reports by the probation service within specified time limits, (c) imprisonment following breach proceedings in respect of criminal community orders, (d) the number of trained probation officers who leave the probation service, (e) the employment of civilian staff with criminal convictions by the police service, (f) responses to the Criminal Justice White Paper consultation, and (g) representations from RoadPeace.

(84402)

364
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals were convicted of offences relating to (a) graffiti, (b) excess noise and (c) fly tipping in each of the last 10 years; and what were the (i) maximum and (ii) minimum penalties imposed.

(84312)

365
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has for the construction of new prisons over the next seven years, with reference to the latest population projection.

(84305)

366
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many persons have been recalled to custody following a breach of a prison licence in each month since March 2001.

(84302)

367
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he intends to make performance data relating to police basic command units publicly available; and if he will make a statement.

(84311)

368
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the cost of (a) introducing and (b) running the custody plus scheme.

(84308)

369
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the expected gross increase in the National Probation Service budget is for the next financial year; how much of that increase will be spent on (a) National Directorate administration and programmes, (b) probation officer training, (c) hostels revenue grant and (d) probation board revenue resource allocation; and how much of the Probation Board allocation will be spent on (i) property and estate charges and (ii) national information technology increases.

(84303)

370
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners are held in police cells; and what action is being taken to reduce this number.

(84298)

371
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to publish (a) Criminal Statistics England and Wales 2001 and (b) Prison Statistics England and Wales 2002.

(84310)

372
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list each initiative under the Crime Reduction Fund, indicating (a) the amount budgeted for each initiative and in total in 2001-02 and (b) the total expended for each initiative and in total in 2001-02; and if he will make a statement.

(84297)

373
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the honourable Member for North Southwark and Bermondsey will receive a substantive reply in writing to his parliamentary questions of 31st October regarding (a) the staff of the National Probation Directorate, (b) the case of Daniel Bishop, (c) numbers of probation officers, trainee probation officers, and clerical, secretarial and administrative staff within the Probation Service, (d) the National Probation Service budget, (e) performance data on enforcement and breach of probation orders, (f) the allocation of probation area budgets to the National Probation Directorate, (g) prison treatment programmes for drugs, alcohol and self-harm, (h) the release of prisoners in error, (i) vacancies in the London, Sussex and Kent probation areas, (j) the publication of responses to Lay Observers' Panel reports and (k) the prioritisation of Probation Service workloads.

(84403)

374   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 27th September from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Winston Frank Tracey.

(85143)

375   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 25th September from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to the National Asylum Support Service.

(85144)

376   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 16th October from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mrs Inder Kavr Singh Taz.

(85147)

377   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 14th October from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mihai Tudoreslu.

(85145)

378   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 14th October from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr Amjed Abu-Jazar.

(85139)

379   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on problems affecting asylum seekers in Clearsprings houses in the UK.

(84655)

380   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what contract Clearsprings have with the Home Office.

(84649)

381   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers there were in Somerset in each of the last three years.

(85062)

382   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who monitors the performance and the running of homes run by Clearsprings.

(84654)

383   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what rights district councils have to stop asylum seekers coming into an area.

(84651)

384   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what powers he has to compel a county council to accept asylum seekers.

(85063)

385   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much Clearsprings receives for looking after asylum seekers in the UK.

(84653)

386   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidelines he sets for Clearsprings in receipt of housing for asylum seekers.

(84652)

387
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police stations have (a) opened and (b) closed in West Sussex this year.

(84764)

388   Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of those granted visas to visit the UK, with conditions attached, failed to abide by those conditions in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001.

(85137)

389   Alan Simpson (Nottingham South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what animal experiments licensed by the Home Office have involved the feeding of genetically modified crop plants to farm animals and poultry since 1997; when the experiments took place and how many animals were involved; which genetically modified crops were used in the experiments; how long the experiments lasted; what their respective completion dates were; what their reference numbers were; and which experiments received public funding.

(85070)

390   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many sexual offences against children were reported in each of the last ten years, broken down by category of offence; and what proportion of these resulted in conviction.

(85116)

391   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been convicted of sexual offences against children in each of the last ten years; and what percentage of the population has been convicted of a sexual offence against a child.

(85117)

392   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the prevalence of child abuse in the home within different categories of family configuration and marital status.

(85102)

393   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the average number of children abused by each paedophile convicted in the last five years.

(85118)

394   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research into the prevalence of child abuse in the home has been funded by central government in the last five years; and which of these studies break down their results by family configuration and marital status.

(85115)

395   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs met to discuss its 2002 report on the classification of cannabis prior to its completion; which members of the Council attended each meeting; and if he will place the minutes of the meetings in the Library.

(85093)

396   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what basis members of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs are appointed.

(85092)

397   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the concentration of the active ingredients in cannabis used in the United Kingdom, with particular reference to THC; and what changes have occurred in this respect since 1972.

(85098)

398   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will ask the Advisory Committee on the Misuse of Drugs to review their recommendation on the reclassification of cannabis following recent research into a causal relationship between the drug and mental illness.

(85099)

399   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much central government funding was provided to Drugscope in each of the last five years.

(85097)

400   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on the basis of what scientific evidence the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on the Misuse of Drugs to downgrade the classification of cannabis was made; and what research led the Advisory Committee on the Misuse of Drugs to conclude that the original decision on the classification of cannabis should be changed.

(85096)

401   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the conclusions to the 2002 Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs report on the classification of cannabis apply to all forms of cannabis.

(85094)

402   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if his intention to reclassify cannabis applies to all forms of the drug.

(85095)

403   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the survey conducted by the Schools Health Education Unit on cannabis use by younger teenagers.

(85101)

404   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of recent research into the causal relationship between cannabis use and mental illness; and if he will make a statement.

(85100)

405   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what responsibilities he has for emergency planning and the co-ordination of the work of emergency planning authorities; and how his exercise of such responsibilities in London differs from that elsewhere in (a) England and (b) the UK.

(84605)

406   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in which Indian cities the outsource of personnel of the Criminal Records Bureau is located.

(84922)

407
N   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the implications for (a) patterns and (b) levels of crime of the phased withdrawal of payable order books for payment of social security benefits, with particular reference to sources of finance for the purchase of illegal drugs.

(84401)

408
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone & The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what emergency accommodation he plans to use to ease prison overcrowding.

(82132)

409
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone & The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on projected prison population figures for the next five years.

(82133)

410
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone & The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the next batch of new prison places will become available; and how many there will be.

(82134)

411
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone & The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of prisoners are sharing (a) two to a cell designed for one and (b) three to a cell designed for two.

(82135)

412
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone & The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the use of police cells to house those (a) sentenced and (b) remanded in custody by the courts.

(82136)

413
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone & The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has for the expansion of places in Her Majesty's Prisons.

(82137)

414
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone & The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total (a) operational capacity, (b) prison population and (c) certified accommodation capacity in prisons is.

(82138)

415
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone & The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the impact of the rise in the prison population on (a) the assault rate on (i) prisoners and (ii) staff, (b) offending behaviour courses, (c) staff-prisoner ratios, (d) family visits and (e) purposeful activity.

(82424)

416   Mr Alan Williams (Swansea West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether letters to honourable Members and signed by officials at the IND Integrated Case Work Unit are cleared by Ministers before they are sent; and what ministerial accountability is accepted for each letter.

(84984)

417   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the (a) budgeted and (b) outturn cost was of the College Green ticket office.

(84721)

418   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what was (a) the capital cost and (b) the gross and net annual budgetted running cost of the Westminster Hall cafeteria in the last three years.

(84720)

419   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the cost was of the new security arrangements in New Palace Yard.

(84719)

420   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the potential danger arising from flooding of the River Congo during the coming rainy season.

(84989)

421   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding has been allocated for (a) World Health Allocation, (b) International Organisation for Migration and (c) United Nations Development Programme, as part of the response of her Department to the 2002 United Nations Consolidated Appeal for Uganda; and if she will make a statement.

(84952)

422   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what evidence has been received by her Department indicating a shortage of medical supplies within hospitals in the Central African Republic.

(84641)

423   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance she is providing to help halt the spread of cholera in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

(84988)

424   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding her Department has made available for the (a) recovery and infrastructure and (b) protection and human rights sections of the 2002 United Nations Consolidated Appeal for Uganda.

(84951)

425   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will provide financial assistance for the small scale food security projects proposed by the Red Crescent Society in Mauritania.

(84642)

426   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the level of malnutrition among children in Mauritania.

(84980)

427   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the impact which availability of seaports is having on the transportation of food aid to Ethiopia.

(84947)

428   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the funding shortfall within UNHCR; and if she will make a statement.

(84638)

429   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the latest levels of Rinderpest disease in (a) Southern Somalia and (b) Northern Kenya.

(84635)

430   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what evidence has been collated by her Department regarding manipulation of food distribution by the Malawian Government for political gain.

(84985)

431   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what response she will make to the 2002 consolidated appeal by the United Nations for (a) Eritrea, (b) Burundi and (c) Uganda.

(84948)

432   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the outbreak of haemorrhagic fever in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

(84991)

433   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance she has offered in response to the UN appeal of 21st November for Cote d'Ivoire.

(84636)

434   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what action she is taking to ensure children attending schools in Southern Africa are provided with a nutritional meal during their day's work.

(84637)

435   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what evidence has been collected by her Department indicating the potential for a resurgence in the Rinderpest livestock disease in Africa.

(84633)

436   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what progress is being made in the repatriation of Rwandan refugees in Tanzania.

(84990)

437   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on food security levels in Mauritania.

(84643)

438   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations she has made to the Government of Tanzania regarding prison overcrowding in the country; and if she will make a statement.

(84983)

439   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what precautionary steps are being taken to ensure the trade of cattle across the Red Sea does not result in the spread of Rinderpest disease.

(84634)

440   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what reports she has received on the origin of the virulent flu outbreak in the Equateur Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo; how many people are estimated to be infected with it in the DRC; and what response she has made to the outbreak in the north western region of the DRC.

(84982)

441   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what financial aid she has allocated for the assistance of the elections in Rwanda in July 2003.

(84639)

442   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she has taken to assist in rehabilitation efforts in south western Uganda.

(84950)

443   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the humanitarian requirements in Northern Uganda.

(84949)

444   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance she is giving to ensure adequate training of police officers in human rights issues in Tanzania; and if she will make a statement.

(84987)

445   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what action she is taking to help replenish stocks of anti-tuberculosis drugs in the Central African Republic.

(84640)

446
N   Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster & Wyre): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many companies have signed up to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.

(84050)

447
N   Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster & Wyre): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans she has to publish a country strategy paper on Sudan.

(84051)

448   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, for what reason her Department has no involvement in the water sector in Malawi.

(84616)

449   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on how the focus on health and sustainable livelihoods in the bilateral donor programme in Malawi relates to her integrated approach to water supply, sanitation and hygiene designed to improve health and combat poverty.

(84615)

450
N   Mr John Lyons (Strathkelvin & Bearsden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department is giving to the promotion of fair trade.

(84501)

451   Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent initiatives she has taken to help fund and encourage the education of girls in Pakistan.

(84664)

452   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the level of aid being provided to Afghanistan by the British Government.

(84748)

453   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on US proposals globally to abolish tariffs on manufactured goods; and what the level of US tariffs is for EU goods.

(85057)

454   Vera Baird (Redcar): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans he has to issue guidance on the inferences to be drawn from the timing of complaints by victims of sexual assaults.

(84610)

455   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if the Lord Chancellor will place the schedule of meetings of the Family Proceedings Rules Committee for the next six months in the Library.

(84756)

456
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when the midnight courts pilots in Manchester and London (a) commenced and (b) terminated; how many defendants were dealt with by each court; how many were sentenced on the evening of their appearance; and how many were remanded or bailed to a future date.

(84300)

457   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when the Lord Chancellor intends to reply to the letter to him dated 21st October from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs C. Whitehurst.

(85146)

458
N   Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when he will make a decision on the future of West Wiltshire Magistrates Court.

(84157)

459   Dr Doug Naysmith (Bristol North West): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will reimburse actual lost pay of lay magistrates, rather than a sum based on average earnings; and if he will make a statement.

(84723)

460   Mark Tami (Alyn & Deeside): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what training and support is given to individuals taking up magistrates posts.

(84587)

461   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many public appointments he has made, other than judicial appointments, since 1st June 2001.

(85050)

462   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many (a) writs and (b) county court summonses were issued in each year since 1997.

(84899)

463   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if she will list the high court judges the Lord Chancellor has appointed since 1997.

(84900)

464   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many abandoned vehicles were dealt with under the Pollution Control and Local Government (NI) Order 1978 in each year since 1997; and what the average cost is of dealing with abandoned vehicles under this Order.

(84520)

465   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans there are to ensure that ex-RUC officers murdered by terrorists are recognised (a) on police memorials and (b) in the Book of Remembrance.

(84519)

466   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will ensure that (a) charging and (b) means testing are not introduced for those in receipt of housing support services once the new Supporting People arrangements are put into place.

(84515)

467   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what work has been carried out to assess the change in demand for services at the Belfast City and Royal Victoria Hospitals; if the proposals to downgrade services at Whiteabbey and the Mater Hospitals, in North Belfast are proceeded with.

(84516)

468   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the Government of the Republic of Ireland about (a) the pension scheme, (b) redundancy payments and (c) outstanding holiday pay entitlements for employees of the IFI/Richardsons Plant in Belfast.

(84750)

469   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will grant full rights of access to the Police Pension Scheme to all serving and former full-time Police Reserve officers in Northern Ireland.

(84514)

470   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will ensure the retention of accident and emergency care at Whiteabbey Hospital in North Belfast.

(84517)

471   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assistance is available to dependants of ex-RUC officers murdered by terrorists.

(84518)

472
N   Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the institutional relationship of the employers' side of the negotiating body for Fire Service personnel within Northern Ireland with the employers' side of the negotiating body involved in the Fire Brigade dispute.

(84473)

473
N   Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on how the employers' side of the negotiating machinery for the Fire Service of Northern Ireland (a) is mandated and (b) formulates its negotiating positions at the time of pay and service conditions bargaining.

(84474)

474
N   Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, who will be responsible during direct rule for deciding the proportion or level of contribution from Northern Ireland rates for the Fire Service.

(84470)

475
N   Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, who constitutes the employers' side of the negotiating machinery for the Fire Service of Northern Ireland; and who appoints them.

(84475)

476   Lembit O�pik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether it is the Government's policy to require resignations or redundancies from over-represented sections in the event of a resignation by a trainee police officer in order to maintain the 50/50 recruitment quota for Catholics/non-Catholics in the Police Service of Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

(84606)

477   Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester): To ask the President of the Council, what the (a) dates, (b) location and (c) sources were of attributable (i) articles, interviews or contributions for the media, books, newspapers or other journals and (ii) speeches or presentations made in the public domain by departmental special advisers since June 2001; who in his Department authorised the activity; and on what date this activity was recorded with the departmental Head of Information.

(85119)

478   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Prime Minister, what plans he has to visit Gibraltar.

(84747)

479   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Prime Minister, when he last met the Prime Minister of Sweden.

(85150)

480   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to her Written Ministerial Statement of 27th November, Official Report, column 29WS, whether the Scotland Office is running a budget surplus in the current financial year.

(85194)

481   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to her Written Ministerial Statement of 27th November, Official Report, column 29WS, what factors account for the increase in the Scotland Departmental Expenditure Limit arising from the take-up of the End Year Flexibility.

(85195)

482   Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when the Government intends to make a decision on funding for phase 2 of the Photovoltaic Major Demonstration Programme; and if she will make a statement.

(84759)

483   Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she last met representatives of the European and Japanese solar photovoltaic industries.

(84754)

484   Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much public funding is available for training and skills development in the solar photovoltaics and solar thermal industries; and if she will make a statement.

(84757)

485   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had with the Mayor of London on the Government's policy on promoting a model of economic growth that would not discourage development in the regions of the UK.

(84665)

486   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the Government's regional energy strategy.

(85111)

487   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when the Torness power station will be generating electricity again.

(85108)

488   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many telephone exchanges in the UK are broadband-enabled; what percentage this is of the national total of telephone exchanges; what measures she has introduced to extend broadband coverage to locations more than five kilometres from a broadband-enabled telephone exchange; and which constituencies have less than 10 per cent. of their telephone exchanges broadband-enabled.

(84973)

489   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what size onshore wind farm buffer zones are in relation to (a) roads, railways and canals and (b) airports.

(84557)

490   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how host communities of renewable energy projects benefit in terms of revenue royalties from such projects; and what plans she has to introduce further royalty-based benefits for host communities of renewable energy projects.

(85114)

491   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what renewable energy targets have been set for local authorities.

(85113)

492   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many people in the UK are employed in the renewable energy industry.

(85104)

493   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what support the Government is providing for community combined heat and power schemes based on renewable energy.

(85103)

494   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the UK's total installed electricity generating capacity is; what the maximum daily peak demand for electricity is; and what proportion of this is met by (a) nuclear power generation and (b) energy from renewable sources.

(85106)

495   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the Government's role in encouraging the manufacture of renewable energy equipment in the United Kingdom.

(85105)

496   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what evaluation she has made of the initiative between British Telecom and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to extend broadband coverage; and how she intends promoting similar initiatives to other remote and rural areas within the UK.

(84966)

497   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much of the funding made available to support renewable technologies in March 2001 has been allocated to (a) existing and (b) new onshore wind programmes.

(85110)

498   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the national base resource scenario for onshore wind targets is with regard to (a) minimum average wind speed, (b) maximum wind farm density, (c) spacing of the centres of the wind farms from each others and (d) minimum and maximum wind farm size.

(84558)

499   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assistance her Department has made available to UK businesses to enable them to access broadband via satellite technology.

(85107)

500   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the Government's initiatives on educating (a) local authorities and (b) the public on the objectives of the national drive towards renewable energy generation; and how much funding is being dedicated to these initiatives.

(85112)

501
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 25th November, Official Report, column 36W, if she will set out the criteria used to assess whether a parliamentary question is a round robin in respect of which guidance is expected.

(84486)

502
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 25th November, Official Report, column 36W, for what reason guidance was necessary; when and by whom guidance was supplied; and if the wording was supplied by a different Government Department.

(84485)

503
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the publications produced by her Department that refer people to the Citizens Advice Bureau Service for advice and assistance; and whether Citizens Advice Scotland is made aware of such referrals prior to publication.

(84155)

504
N   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the members of her Department's investment committee that will assume responsibility for business support schemes, together with their (a) corporate positions and (b) experience.

(84158)

505   Mr Ivan Henderson (Harwich): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to promote and support the right of developing countries to provide targeted protection for their local producers to benefit from international trade.

(85091)

506
N   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer given on 27th November (Ref. 83035), whether an export licence was granted in respect of spare parts for Hawk aircraft for export to a country other than Zimbabwe which have subsequently been exported to Zimbabwe, contrary to the conditions of the export licence.

(84725)

507   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations she has received concerning (a) the Working Conditions of Temporary (Agency) Workers Directive, (b) the Employment Status in Relation to Statutory Employment Rights Review and (c) the Employment Agencies Consultation on New Regulations; and if she will make a statement.

(85165)

508   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the impact of (a) the Working Conditions of Temporary (Agency) Workers Directive, (b) the Employment Status in Relation to Statutory Employment Rights Review and (c) the Employment Agencies Consultation on New Regulations, on people engaged in interim management consultancy.

(85166)

509   Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer of 25th November, Official Report, column 30W, on the Post Office, when she expects to announce the details of funding for the rural post office network; and what preliminary discussions she had with the European Commission on state aids clearance.

(84579)

510   Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action she proposes to take in response to the report of the Quoted Companies Alliance, The Threat to Enterprise Britain.

(85201)

511   Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures are being taken to improve security arrangements at rural post offices; and if she will make a statement.

(85021)

512   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will name those persons she appointed to public bodies in October.

(84925)

513   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many ethnic minority persons are employed at each grade in her Department.

(84924)

514   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what financial support her Department gives to the organisation India First.

(84923)

515   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many responses had been received by 30th November in response to (a) the consultation document, Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: A National Consultation and (b) each of the regional consultation documents on the Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom (i) in total and (ii) for each region.

(85209)

516   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many copies of the (a) main document and (b) summary of the (i) national and (ii) regional consultation documents on Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom have been issued in hard copy as a result of each exhibition which has taken place to promote the consultation as of 30th November.

(85211)

517   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many copies of the (a) main document and (b) summary of the consultation documents (i) Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: A National Consultation, (ii) Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: North of England, (iii) Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: South West, (iv) Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: Midlands, (v) Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: Wales and (vi) Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: South East have been (A) issued in hard copy and (B) downloaded from the website by 30th November.

(85208)

518   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what the cost to his Department has been of (a) the exhibitions promoting the consultation documents on the Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom and (b) the printing costs relating to the publication of the consultation documents as of 30th November.

(85210)

519   Mr Alan Hurst (Braintree): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many (a) injury and (b) non injury road accidents have been reported since 1990 on the A12 road in Essex between Witham and Marks Tey.

(84656)

520   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, for what reason the northbound carriageway of the M1 motorway near junction 34 has been closed; what steps have been taken to reduce traffic congestion and delays; and when all three lanes on both north and southbound carriageways in this area will be fully operational.

(84609)

521
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the Answer of 25th November, Official Report, column 74W, which London Underground stations are step free.

(84769)

522   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the need for the Traffic Commissioners to take account of environmental issues when granting operator licences for the use of heavy goods vehicles.

(84921)

523   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what account the Transport Commissioners are required to take of local road safety congestion and the amenity of local committees when granting a heavy goods vehicle operator licence.

(84912)

524   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what steps the Traffic Commissioners take to ensure an applicant for a heavy goods vehicle operator licence is a bona fide business and otherwise suitably qualified individual.

(84917)

525   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will make it his policy to require the Transport Commissioners to notify local councils of applications for heavy goods vehicle operator licenses within their council area.

(84914)

526   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will list the valid heavy goods vehicle operator licences in effect in (a) Wychavon, (b) Cotswold, and (c) Stratford-upon-Avon district council areas.

(84911)

527   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will make it his policy to require the Transport Commissioners to satisfy themselves that an appropriate planning permission exists on a site for which an application for a heavy goods vehicle operator licence has been made before granting any such licence.

(84913)

528   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, for what reason the independent Traffic Commissioners are limited in what they may consider when deciding an operator's licence application.

(84916)

529   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what account the Traffic Commissioners take of practicability of (a) gaining access to and (b) manoeuvering vehicles on a site before granting an operator licence for heavy goods vehicles.

(84919)

530   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will list those bodies and individuals the Traffic Commissioners are obliged to consult before issuing operators licences; and what plans he has to add bodies and individuals to this list.

(84920)

531   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what steps the Traffic Commissioners take to ensure that a site on which a heavy goods vehicle operator licence is applied for has the appropriate planning permission.

(84918)

532   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, why the responsibility to advertise an application for a heavy goods vehicle operator licence rests with the applicant.

(84915)

533   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, by what method the detrunked roads programme will be incorporated into the local government finance system; and when he expects the integration programme to be (a) started and (b) completed.

(84512)

534   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, when he will announce his investment decisions on projects envisaged under the 10 year transport plan; if he will publish a timetable for the implementation of each project; and what proportion of the funding under the 10 year transport plan will be spent on subsidised bus services.[R]

(85161)

535   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what the costs so far have been of the Multimodal Studies; and what the total estimated cost is.

(85160)

536
N   Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, if he will make a statement on the future policing of seaports.

(82305)

537
N   Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his Answers of 26th November, refs 82497 and 82787, with whom in Thurrock venue options were discussed for holding a public consultation exhibition on the Cliffe airport option.

(84471)

538
N   Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his Answers of 26th November, refs 82497 and 82787, what reasons underlay the choice of venues for public exhibitions on the Cliffe airport option.

(84472)

539   Mr David Marshall (Glasgow, Shettleston): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how much subsidy was paid to operators in the (a) aviation and (b) rail industries from public funds in each of the last five years.

(84751)

540
N   Mr David Marshall (Glasgow, Shettleston): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what plans he has to regulate low cost carriers in the UK civil aviation industry; and if he will make a statement.

(84770)

541   Mr Greg Pope (Hyndburn): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many road traffic speed cameras there were in Lancashire in (a) 1996-97 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available.

(84975)

542   Mr Greg Pope (Hyndburn): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many road traffic fatalities there were in Lancashire in (a) 1996-97 and (b) the last year for which figures are available.

(84974)

543   Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many completed questionnaires have been returned following the consultation paper (a) The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom: Midlands and (b) The Future Development of Air Transport in the UK: South East.

(84979)

544   Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what funding under the modern facilities stations programme has been spent, ranked by local authority area of England and Wales.

(85026)

545   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what his policy is on the establishment of public service obligations on air routes serving peripheral or development regions where no subsidy is involved.

(84868)

546   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what plans he has to submit proposals to the European Commission on the revision of Article 14 of Council Regulations (EEC) 95/93 on slot allocations at community airports; what timetable has been established for such proposals to be submitted; and what nature of consultation he envisages.

(84865)

547
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what plans he has to review the ban on the use of vehicles which use LPG fuel from the Channel Tunnel.

(83519)

548   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what his Department's policy is on the (a) sale and (b) swapping of take-off and landing slots at (i) Gatwick and (ii) Heathrow by airlines.

(84870)

549   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many public service obligations have been imposed on peripheral or development regions since the passing of Article 14 of Council Regulation (EEC) 95/93, broken down by (a) subsidy and (b) non-subsidy.

(84867)

550
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what plans he has to develop the use of freight facilities groups to encourage the movement of freight off roads.

(83522)

551   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the ownership of take-off and landing slots at (i) Gatwick and (ii) Heathrow airport.

(84869)

552   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what discussions he has had with (a) EU transport ministers, (b) Commission officials and (c) the Council of Ministers, on the common application of public service obligations across Europe.

(84866)

553   Dr Howard Stoate (Dartford): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, whether the current timetable for the air transport consultation process for the south east will be affected by the high court ruling on 26th November regarding the omission of Gatwick Airport from the air transport consultation document; and if he will make a statement.

(85020)

554   Mark Tami (Alyn & Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what type of (a) fixed speed cameras and (b) mobile speed cameras are in operation in the UK; and how much they cost.

(84585)

555   Mark Tami (Alyn & Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what estimate he has made of the cost of individuals failing to pay road fund licences in the UK in the last year for which figures are available.

(84588)

556   Mark Tami (Alyn & Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many fixed site speed cameras are in operation.

(84594)

557   Mark Tami (Alyn & Deeside): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what guidelines he has issued to local authorities regarding suitable speed limits on roads adjoining school premises.

(84583)

558   Mr John Taylor (Solihull): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, who will (a) analyse and (b) collate the responses to the air transport consultation; and whether they or their employees have previously been employees of airlines or airport operators.

(84560)

559   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how many passenger miles were travelled in journeys by (a) train, (b) car, (c) bus, (d) aeroplane and (e) ship in the last year for which information is available.

(85089)

560   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, what methods he uses to estimate the relative environmental impact of journeys by (a) train, (b) aeroplane and (c) ferry; and if he will make a statement.

(85088)

561   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, how much was spent in support of (a) road, (b) rail, (c) air and (d) sea transport in the last year for which information is available.

(85090)

562   Andrew Bennett (Denton & Reddish): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many inspections per band 3 inspector are made on average in the North West Division of the Health and Safety Executive each working week; and what proposals there are to increase the frequency of inspections, excluding complaint and accident investigations.

(84775)

563   Andrew Bennett (Denton & Reddish): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether above standard hours of working have been ended in HSE at each grade.

(84782)

564   Andrew Bennett (Denton & Reddish): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what formal qualifications the (a) Director General and (b) Deputy Director General (Operations) of HSE have in health and safety management.

(84779)

565   Andrew Bennett (Denton & Reddish): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many HSE staff are suffering from (a) stress and (b) RSI; and what estimate has been made of the cost of meeting claims by staff in future years.

(84781)

566   Andrew Bennett (Denton & Reddish): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what action has been taken to increase the inspection rate of principal inspectors and band 3 inspectors at the North West Division Office of the Health and Safety Executive.

(84776)

567   Andrew Bennett (Denton & Reddish): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what expenditure was made in 2001-02 on casual staff supplied by Reed Employment in the North West Division of the Health and Safety Executive.

(84783)

568   Andrew Bennett (Denton & Reddish): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which division of the HSE is the largest employer of casual staff in the FO Division.

(85059)

569   Andrew Bennett (Denton & Reddish): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many of the Regional Directors and Operational Managers in the Health and Safety Executive possess a formal qualification in management.

(84778)

570   Andrew Bennett (Denton & Reddish): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Band 6 administrative staff have resigned from the North West Division office in Manchester since its relocation in January 2001.

(84774)

571   Andrew Bennett (Denton & Reddish): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an assessment of trends in the number of inspections carried out by local offices of the Health and Safety Executive since 1997.

(84777)

572   Andrew Bennett (Denton & Reddish): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Health and Safety Executive staff are pursuing cases against the Executive on equal pay grounds.

(84780)

573   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) discretionary payments on account and (b) crisis loan alignment payments were made to applicants for benefit who faced hardship while their benefit application was being considered in the last four years for which figures are available; and what the total expenditure was on these payments.

(85152)

574   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what change in real terms spending power was provided by the cash rise in the community care grant budget from 1997-1998 to 2002-03; and if he will make a statement.

(85157)

575   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the standard of decision-making on community care grant applications.

(85164)

576   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will change the rules and guidance for community care grants and crisis loans to ensure that applicants without (a) a cooker and (b) a bed are given a grant or loan.

(85167)

577   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what is the average amount by which community care grant payments have fallen short of the amounts applied for in the last four years for which figures are available.

(85159)

578   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will extend the eligibility for community care grants and budgeting loans from the Social Fund to people (a) whose sole income is (i) incapacity benefit and (ii) contribution based jobseekers allowance and (b) who are receiving the maximum child tax credit.

(85168)

579   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will commission research into the impact of Social Fund repayments on the (a) standard of living and (b) indebtedness of recipients of budgeting loans.

(85151)

580   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on his Department's response to the recommendations in the report of Policy Action Team 14 on Access to Financial Services on the scope of the Social Fund.

(85180)

581   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the arrangements are for customers to apply for and receive a crisis loan when they live a long way from the office that decides upon crisis loan applications.

(85290)

582
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many benefit claim packs are issued by his Department which refer claimants to Citizens Advice Bureau for advice and assistance.

(84227)

583
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants have participated on the 25 Plus New Deal on (a) more than one, (b) more than two and (c) more than three occasions.

(84499)

584
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 26th November, reference 83513, on the New Deal for Lone Parents, how many lone parents have found work on the New Deal for Lone Parents, disregarding lone parents who had entered the New Deal gateway on a previous occasion.

(84443)

585
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of the freedom of establishment treaty between Switzerland and the EU on employment opportunities for British workers in Switzerland.

(84577)

586
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the sustainability of employment under the New Deal.

(84438)

587
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the informal barriers to employment for British workers in the EU.

(84576)

588
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data is collected on the number of persons who have entered the New Deal gateway more than once; and if he will make a statement.

(84439)

589
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what research his Department has undertaken into the sustainability of employment under the New Deal; and if he will place it in the Library.

(84437)

590
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many young people have taken up a place on the Environmental Task Force option of the New Deal to date; what has been the (a) total and (b) annual cost of the option to date; and if he will make a statement.

(84440)

591
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the barriers to employment faced by UK workers in Switzerland.

(84578)

592
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the relative benefits payable in respect of equal contributions under (a) the Graduated Retirement Benefit Scheme and (b) contracted out equivalent pension benefits; and if he will make a statement.

(84435)

593
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 26th November, reference 83513, on the New Deal for Lone Parents, how many of the 152,230 lone parents referred to had previously entered the New Deal gateway (a) once, (b) twice and (c) three times or more.

(84442)

594
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of impediments to employment faced by British workers in Belgium.

(84575)

595
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people (a) contracted out of graduated retirement benefit and (b) were reinstated; and if he will make a statement.

(84434)

596
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 26th November, reference 83513, on the New Deal for Lone Parents, how many lone parents have found work on the New Deal for Lone Parents, broken down (a) monthly and (b) by gender.

(84441)

597
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on how many occasions the Ministerial Taskforce on Civil Rights for Disabled People has met since its establishment; and if he will list its membership.

(84436)

598   Mr David Heath (Somerton & Frome): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many appeals by pensioners living alone were received against incorrect awards of winter fuel payments in (a) 2000 and (b) 2001.

(85142)

599   Mr David Heath (Somerton & Frome): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what way his Department distinguish between single pensioner households and those with more than one pensioner when distributing winter fuel payments.

(85141)

600
N   Mr David Heath (Somerton & Frome): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what distinction is made when sending winter fuel payments between houses with numbered addresses and those with house names but no numbers.

(85140)

601   Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will simplify the procedures for the payment of incapacity benefit to councillors in receipt of councillors' allowances.

(84622)

602
N   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his oral statement of 25th November, Official Report, column 12, on stakeholder pensions, if he will set out the basis for his estimate that more than one million people who did not have a pension 18 months ago have one now.

(84484)

603   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the number of companies under the regulations introduced on 8th October 2001 (a) are obliged to provide and (b) have so far failed to offer, access to a stakeholder scheme; and what plans he has to ensure that employers who have not complied with the requirement to offer a stakeholder scheme, do so.

(84620)

604   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Cabinet Office, what the (a) remuneration package and (b) grade is of (i) the e-Envoy and (ii) his deputy.

(85064)

605   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Cabinet Office, how many consultants were used and employed by the e-Envoy in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and (c) 2001-02; and what they cost in each year.

(85067)

606   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Cabinet Office, what the budget is for the e-Envoy; and how many staff he has.

(85066)

607   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Cabinet Office, what government departments have bought into the new design for departmental websites.

(85065)

608   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Cabinet Office, who is on the (a) advisory committees on justices of the peace in Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside, (b) Better Regulation Task Force and (c) Civil Service Appeals Board.

(85055)

609
N   Mr David Cameron (Witney): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many military personnel were undergoing training on red fire engines; and how many fire engines were being used for such training before the outbreak of the firefighters' strike.

[Transferred] (84223)

610   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, which types of designated areas within the United Kingdom are protected from future development of onshore wind farms; and what legislation enforces this protection.

[Transferred] (84559)

611   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had about (a) liquor and (b) public entertainment licensing of village halls.

[Transferred] (85158)

612   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the installed capacity for combined heat and power in the UK is; and how many combined heat and power plants in the United Kingdom (a) operate and (b) are due to become operational before 2010.

[Transferred] (85109)

613   Mr Greg Pope (Hyndburn): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many motorists were fined owing to being caught speeding by road traffic speed cameras in Lancashire in (a) 1996-97 and (b) the last year for which figures are available.

[Transferred] (84976)

614   Mr Greg Pope (Hyndburn): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total amount of revenue generated by road traffic speed cameras in Lancashire was in (a) 1996-97 and (b) the last year for which figures are available.

[Transferred] (84977)