Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2002 - 03
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Friday 28 February 2003

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Friday 28 February 2003, 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.

FRIDAY 28th FEBRUARY

1
N   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will estimate the total cost in 2002 to the Government Car and Despatch Agency for which departmental reimbursement would have been sought in congestion charge payments if the present scheme in London had been in operation throughout 2002 and the pattern of car use unchanged.

(99914)

2   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many animals are used by customs and excise authorities in the UK, broken down by species.

(100368)

3   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to increase the funding available to the Department for International Development to prepare for the humanitarian consequences of war with Iraq; and what contingency planning he has made to increase the funding available to the Department for International Development for this purpose.

(100263)

4   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many commercial stamp duty exemptions have been claimed in disadvantaged electoral wards; and what estimate he has made of the value of these exemptions.

(100362)

5   Mr Jimmy Hood (Clydesdale): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the outcome was of the ECOFIN Council held on 18th February; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

(100140)

6   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to remove tax relief on corrupt payments and bribes made by companies to secure (a) export orders and (b) domestic orders; and if he will make a statement.

(100390)

7   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many suicides have been recorded in each of the last 10 years for (a) males under 18, (b) females under 18, (c) males over 18 and (d) females over 18.

(100549)

8   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) total number of staff and (b) number of inspection staff employed by the Debt Management Office was in each year since 1997.

(100212)

9   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the percentage of the workforce earning below (a) £75, (b) £100, (c) £120, (d) £150, (e) £175, (f) £200, (g) £225, (h) £250, (i) £275, (j) £300, (k) £325, (l) £350, (m) £375 and (n) £400 per week within each parliamentary constituency.

(100398)

10
N   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 25th February, ref 94024, how many of the recipients of working tax credit will be childless.

(100125)

11
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to re-pay the capital sum raised through the sale of 3G licences to the successful bidder.

(100128)

12   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the working population is in (a) part-time and (b) full-time jobs.

(100479)

13   Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what action she plans to take to provide information to those who would benefit from television subtitles about (a) their existence and (b) how to gain access to them.

(100265)

14   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many racehorses have died (a) whilst flat racing and (b) whilst jump racing in each of the last five years.

(10379)

15   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what action her Department is taking to encourage the greyhound racing industry to make provisions for dogs when they retire.

(100380)

16   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to review the legislation governing (a) horseracing and (b) greyhound racing.

(100381)

17   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if the grant made to Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum through the Regional Renaissance initiative is additional to funding of the museum as a result of its status as a Designated Collection.

(100466)

18   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effects of privatising Channel Four; and if she will make a statement.

(100338)

19   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what local exercise action pilots have been introduced by Sport England in collaboration with the Countryside Agency and the Department of Health to tackle obesity and increase physical activity.

(100425)

20   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many staff were employed by the TV Licensing Agency in each year since 1997.

(100456)

21   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessments have been made of the economic and social impact of the 2002 Commonwealth Games on (a) the city of Manchester and (b) the UK.

(100341)

22   Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made in increasing Lottery funds allocated to coalfield areas.

(100291)

23   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what factors underlay his recent conclusion that the information which could be derived from an analysis of the actual effect of wounds to humans required to be supplemented with animal experiments inflicting wounds on animals.

(100404)

24   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the relative success rates using (a) in-vitro non-animal techniques and (b) animal experiments to develop antidotes to biological and chemical weapons in the last five years.

(100403)

25   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many animals, broken down by species, are employed by the armed forces; and in what capacity they are used.

(100369)

26   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what measures he has taken to ensure that the military planning for war on Iraq limits damage to vital infrastructure and supply routes is avoided as far as is possible.

(100262)

27   Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which countries have refused the UK's armed forces overfly rights in the last three months; and what reasons were provided in each case.

(100150)

28   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the current deployment is of British forces in Diego Garcia; and under whose command they operate.

(100274)

29   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what land is to be handed over under the offer made by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the revised 3rd draft of the Kofi Annan plan for a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus; what assets and facilities are situated there; what that land is used for; and if he will make a statement.

(100268)

30   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what effect the handover of land under the offer made by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the revised 3rd draft of the Kofi Annan plan for a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus is expected to have on the operation of the British sovereign base areas in Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

(100267)

31
N   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, who is responsible for deciding which members of the Armed Forces will be asked to complete The Continuous Attitude Surveys; what methodology is used to select recipients; and if he will make a statement.

(99709)

32
N   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to publish the Armed Forces continuous Attitude surveys; and if he will make a statement.

(99710)

33   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what methods are used by the Ministry of Defence to forecast (a) social trends and (b) risks in relation to (i) recruitment and (ii) retention; and if he will make a statement.

(100173)

34   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) establishment and (b) requirement is of (i) medical officers and (ii) other medical staff in military training establishments in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

(100174)

35   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Ministry of Defence's (a) suggested and (b) average supervisory ratios for initial training are; and if he will make a statement.

(100172)

36   Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) incidents and (b) offences of (i) bullying and (ii) harassment in the Armed Forces were recorded in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

(100171)

37   Patrick Mercer (Newark): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps are being taken to retain the services of regular reservists who wish to extend their tours of duty beyond their scheduled de-mobilisation.

(100225)

38   Patrick Mercer (Newark): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what measures exist to ensure that reservists report for duty when ordered to do so.

(100218)

39   Patrick Mercer (Newark): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what restrictions are placed on the deployment of regular reservists beyond the Balkan theatre.

(100224)

40   Patrick Mercer (Newark): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many reservists called up in the last three months have failed to report for duty.

(100219)

41   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether an environmental appraisal has been undertaken for the Sustainable Communities Plan.

(100365)

42   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many (a) social and (b) regulated social landlord properties in each London Borough were sold (i) to sitting tenants and (ii) on the open market in each of the last five years.

(100273)

43   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what action is being taken by his Department to ensure improvements in the performance of the London Borough of Islington.

(100518)

44   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what his Department's latest estimate is of the number of homeless people without regular shelter for each night; and how many there were in each of the last five years for each London borough; and if he will make a statement.

(100269)

45   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the housing improvement resources provided to the London Borough of Islington for each of the last five years and the projected expenditure for the financial year 2003-2004.

(100272)

46   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the definition of usual residency for those who have been placed by one social services department in the area of another department; and what funding implications there are if the former decides (a) to reduce and (b) to remove funding.

(100539)

47   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the transfer of funding between social services departments when one department chooses to place residents into residential care in the area of another.

(100540)

48   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what account is taken in the supporting people budget for re-allocation of funding between those local authorities who choose to place residents in other local authorities for the purposes of residential care.

(100541)

49   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list those local authorities whose housing revenue accounts are (a) in surplus and (b) in deficit, providing for each (i) the average surplus or deficit per dwelling and (ii) the number of dwellings.

(100253)

50   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many inspection staff have been employed by the Audit Commission responsible for inspecting local authorities in each year since 1997.

(100509)

51   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many fire safety officers have been employed by local authorities in each year since 1997.

(100214)

52   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many (a) health and safety officers, (b) trading standards officers, (c) environmental health officers, (d) road safety officers, (e) housing inspectors and (f) planning officers have been employed by local authorities in each year since 1997.

(100157)

53   Lembit O�pik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to introduce a statutory Purpose for Planning requirement into Northern Ireland planning legislation based on principles of sustainable development; and if he will make a statement.

(100176)

54   Lembit O�pik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the role of the planning system in delivering sustainable development in Northern Ireland.

(100175)

55
N   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the local authorities in housing account surplus, stating for each (a) the surplus and (b) the number of tenancies in the last year for which information is available.

(98609)

56   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what arrangements are in place for departmental and Funding Council monitoring of the access arrangements to higher education institutions.

(100156)

57   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether admission on merit to a higher education institution will discharge that institution's access obligations under the White Paper, 'The Future of Higher Education'.

(100155)

58   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he plans to differentiate fee caps by type of higher education institutions.

(100303)

59   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the annual cost of compliance with access regulation requirements falling on the higher education sector.

(100302)

60   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what representations he has received on collusion between higher education institutions in the setting of tuition fees; and what mechanism he uses to prevent collusion.

(100304)

61   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what arrangements he will make for accreditation of the (a) professional and (b) teaching skills of (i) full-time and (ii) part-time further education lecturers in connection with conditions on their continuing ability to teach in colleges.

(100153)

62   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list visits to higher education institutions by Ministers in his Department which have taken place since 22nd January.

(100154)

63   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how often the List 99 database is updated and maintained; and what checks are in place to ensure information is accurate.

(100146)

64   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many overseas students there were at each university in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001 and (d) 2002; and what percentage of the student body this represented in each case.

(100393)

65   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 24th February, ref 96714, what assessment he has made of the impact of narrow in-school variation on value-added standards of achievement at Key Stage 3 and GCSE.

(100255)

66   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 24th February, ref 96764, if he will list the independent evaluations of work experience placements which have taken place; and if he will make a statement.

(100256)

67   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether (a) Westfield Secondary School and (b) Grass Royal Junior School in Yeovil will be required under the departmental school net capacity formula to have three classrooms removed; and if he will make a statement.

(100413)

68   Angela Watkinson (Upminster): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what factors are taken into consideration in assessing deprivation in pupils.

(100220)

69   Angela Watkinson (Upminster): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what changes in funding will take place from April for advanced skills teachers to share their expertise in neighbouring schools.

(100223)

70   Angela Watkinson (Upminster): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average Education Funding Spending Share per (a) primary pupil and (b) secondary pupil is in London; and which London borough will receive the lowest EFSS per pupil in 2003-04.

(100221)

71   Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what reasons underlie the recent increase in university tuition fees.

(100359)

72   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to remove the lump sum payment from teachers' final pension package; and if he will make a statement.

(100127)

73   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what periods of history are studied in the schools curriculum from year 7 to year 13; and what choice is available to students wanting to specialise in certain areas.

(100436)

74   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to include political studies as part of the school curriculum during GCSE years.

(100439)

75   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the content of general studies lessons is; whether general studies covers guidance on how to complete (a) health, (b) benefits and (c) career-related forms; and if he will make a statement on the value of general studies periods.

(100438)

76   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will require the history syllabus in the schools curriculum to cover all periods of history by year 11.

(100437)

77   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent research she has evaluated concerning whether fish feel pain; and if she will make a statement.

(100360)

78   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many foxhound packs there are in England and Wales; and how many hunts have taken place in each of the last five years.

(100361)

79   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the issue of enriched cages for egg laying hens has been part of the consultation into the proposed Animal Welfare Bill; and what the Government's policy is on this matter.

(100375)

80   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many farms in the UK intensively produce eggs; and how many of these use the (a) barren battery cage system and (b) enriched cage system.

(100376)

81   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what percentage of farms, in each of the last 10 years, have intensively produced eggs in the UK.

(100377)

82   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she intends to publish her report on invasive plants; and if she will make a statement.

(100406)

83   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what involvement her Department had in the development of the Sustainable Communities Plan and its impact on the consumption of natural resources.

(100366)

84   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the annual emission was of (a) NOx, (b) SOx, (c) particulates and (d) CO2 at (i) London Gatwick Airport and (ii) London Stansted Airport in the last year for which figures are available.

(100399)

85   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations her Department is making to the European Union on the issue of enriched cages for egg laying hens; and if she will make a statement.

(100374)

86   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what strategy she has adopted to deal with (a) Australian swamp stonecrop, (b) Japanese knotweed and (c) other invasive plants.

(100407)

87   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans the Government has to review the findings of the Banner Committee's Report into the ethical implications of cloning animals.

(100408)

88   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the relevance of the findings of the Banner Committee's report to the ethical implications of cloning animals.

(100409)

89   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of the eggs sold in the UK were produced in (a) free-range systems, (b) barn systems and (c) cage systems in the last 12 months.

(100378)

90   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 20th February, Official Report, column 83W, on Capita, if she will list for each of the contracts awarded by her Department to Capita since 8th June 2001 (a) start and finish date of contract, (b) value of contract, (c) evaluation mechanism for successful delivery of contract, (d) penalty charges for failure to deliver, (e) penalty charges incurred, (f) service level agreements and (g) contract numbers; and if she will make a statement.

(100458)

91
N   Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what investigations she has carried out into the amount of household domestic waste which has been separated for recycling by the householder but has ended up in landfill (a) by Project Integra and (b) in England.

(100033)

92   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) incinerators and (b) waste to energy plants handle waste collected by local authorities in the UK; and where they are located.

(100473)

93   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Government's policy is on building new (a) incinerators and (b) waste to energy plants.

(100475)

94   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of UK waste the Government expects to dispose of through (a) incinerators and (b) waste to energy plants in the next five years.

(100474)

95   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance she has issued to local authorities about building new (a) incinerators and (b) waste to energy plants.

(100476)

96   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what local exercise action pilots have been introduced by the Countryside Agency in collaboration with Sport England and the Department of Health to tackle obesity and increase physical activity.

(100424)

97   Patrick Mercer (Newark): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what subsidies there are to encourage British farmers to produce crops capable of being transformed into biofuels.

(100217)

98   Patrick Mercer (Newark): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what financial inducements the Government is offering to farmers to farm non-food crops on set-aside land.

(100216)

99   Patrick Mercer (Newark): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what role biofuels will play in Government plans to address fuel poverty.

(100215)

100   Kali Mountford (Colne Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to prohibit the (a) partial beak amputation of pheasants and (b) use of bits and blinkers on these birds.

(100320)

101   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made since the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease to strengthen measures for dealing with any new outbreak.

(100551)

102   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures are in place to ensure that (a) the treatment of animals in transport is humane and (b) animal rights are protected.

(100552)

103   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with European Union colleagues regarding a European agreement on animal rights and treatment during transport.

(100553)

104   Ms Candy Atherton (Falmouth & Camborne): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of Brazil regarding the disappearance of street children.

(100205)

105   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what joint foreign policy iniatives have been (a) planned and (b) agreed with the US Administration in the last 12 months.

(100392)

106   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what systems are in place (a) to prevent the depositing of waste and (b) to secure the removal of deposited waste in British Antarctica.

(100364)

107   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the practicability of using the services of Vivendi Environmental to help clean up British Antarctica.

(100363)

108   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the widest possible support for the UK sponsored draft resolution on Iraq at the UN; and if he will make a statement.

(100276)

109   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions have been held with non-governmental human rights groups in preparation for the forthcoming UN Human Rights Convention which opens on 17th March in Geneva.

(100511)

110   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has held with UN officials concerning the date of a referendum on the future of the Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement.

(100510)

111   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations have been made to the Government of Indonesia on human rights abuses in West Papua; and if he will make a statement.

(100275)

112   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who the United Kingdom representatives will be at the United Nations Human Rights Conventions to be held in Geneva from 17th March.

(100517)

113   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what investigations have been undertaken by United Kingdom officials in Afghanistan of the deaths of Taliban prisoners held by the forces of the Northern Alliance.

(100516)

114   Mr Jimmy Hood (Clydesdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the outcome was of the General Affairs and External Relations Council held on 24th-25th February; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

(100141)

115   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Franco-British joint paper presented to the EU foreign ministers calling for the proposed EU Rapid Reaction Force to be deployed in Bosnia from early 2004.

(100266)

116   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the Chinese Government's attempts under Article 23 legislation to curtail the practice of Falan Gong in Hong Kong without consultation with the people of Hong Kong; and whether this is in contravention of safeguards given to the people of Hong Kong when the territory was returned to China.

(100470)

117   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to encourage signatories to the Biological and Toxic Weapons Convention to monitor their compliance with its terms.

(100251)

118
N   Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information he has on how many non-citizens there are in (a) Estonia and (b) Latvia; and what reports he has received on the age profiles of these groups.

(100024)

119
N   Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the non-citizens in Estonia and Latvia who hold special passports will be allowed to travel to the UK without visas for (a) recreation and (b) work following Estonia's accession to the EU.

(100025)

120
N   Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether non-citizens in Estonia and Latvia who hold special passports will enjoy parity of treatment with holders of Estonian and Latvian passports when seeking to travel to EU countries other than the UK, following accession; and if he will make a statement.

(100026)

121
N   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what precautions have been taken to protect against terrorist attacks against British citizens in Gibraltar.

(100126)

122   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans his Department has to celebrate the 300th anniversary of British sovereignty over Gibraltar; and what representations he has received from (a) the Gibraltar Government and (b) Spain concerning the anniversary.

(100312)

123   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the Indonesian Attorney General's Office on the case of Mr Peters and Mr Rennie since August 2000.

(100469)

124   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps remain to be taken before candidate countries become members of the EU.

(100519)

125   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with European counterparts regarding the Turkish application to join the EU; and what talks he has had with (a) Greek and (b) Cypriot representatives on the issue.

(100520)

126   Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to review the regulations concerning the declaration of vacancies for general practitioners.

(100318)

127   Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has held with his European counterparts on cloning; and if he will make a statement.

(100319)

128   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research he has conducted into whether there have been outbreaks of diseases in the UK that can be traced back to have resulted from the illegal importation of bush meat from Africa.

(100351)

129   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the health risks posed by the illegal importation of bush meat into the UK.

(100350)

130   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the health implications arising from the operation of the nuclear industry.

(100402)

131   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the recent research published by the European Commission on Radiation Risk and the implications for human health.

(100400)

132
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which local authorities in England received no income from home care charges in the latest available year for which figures are available.

(100129)

133   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he plans to issue an international code of conduct for the recruitment of overseas social worker staff.

(100144)

134   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the second stage of the Better Hospital Food Programme consists of.

(100411)

135   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received from overseas governments regarding the recruitment of social workers.

(100143)

136   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how often the PoCA database is updated and maintained; and what checks are in place to ensure information is accurate.

(100147)

137   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 24th February, Official Report, column 26W, on care homes, whether the statutory instrument will be (a) negative and (b) affirmative.

(100139)

138   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will publish figures for 2003 on the six key targets of the Better Hospital Food Programme.

(100410)

139   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average patient roll is for each general practitioner in the Camden and Islington area; what he expects the number to be in 2003-04; and if he will make a statement.

(100531)

140   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent in each year since its inception by the Camden and Islington Health Action zone; and if he will make a statement on its future.

(100532)

141   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received from (a) local institutions and (b) members of the public concerning the conversion of University College Hospital into a Foundation Hospital; and if he will make a statement.

(100527)

142   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Health Protection Agency will, from 1st April, be able to call for special investigations on outbreaks of infection.

(100394)

143
N   Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when his Department will have stocks of (a) The Score: Facts about drugs, (b) Drugs—The Facts A6 booklet, (c) A parent's guide to drugs and (d) drugs helpline cards; and if he will make a statement.

(100030)

144
N   Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the drugs helpline advertised on the new style cards is (a) confidential and (b) available 24 hours a day.

(100032)

145
N   Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how long the Department has been out of stock of (a) The Score: Facts about drugs, (b) Drugs the facts A6 booklet, (c) A parent's guide to drugs and (d) Drugs helpline cards: and what the reasons are in each case.

(100031)

146   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the number of beds in national health service hospitals which are being prepared in anticipation of casualties from hostilities in the Gulf; and what proposals he has to fund them.

(100412)

147   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many acute hospital trusts are in discussions with his Department about how to deal with projected overspends or budget deficits for the current financial year.

(100142)

148   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what attempts the Government made to improve General Practitioners recruitment; what the Government is offering in new contracts for GPs; what incentives there are for women GPs who have taken career breaks to return to the profession; and if he will make a statement.

(100300)

149   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action the Government is taking to ensure elderly people are being given the free care to which they are entitled; and if he will make a statement.

(100294)

150   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action the Government is taking to support unpaid carers; what plans he has to bring new funds to (a) help carers and (b) set up better support networks; and if he will make a statement.

(100295)

151   Mr Boris Johnson (Henley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of applicants for the post of non-executive director of primary care trusts have declared themselves, on the application form, to be active in the (a) Conservative Party, (b) Liberal Democrat Party and (c) Labour Party; and what percentage of applicants were successful in each case.

(100252)

152   Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many abortions were carried out in England and Wales in 2002 under the provisions of the Abortion Act 1967; what the commonest medical conditions were for which they were performed; what checks his Department carried out to determine the suitability of the medical conditions given; and if he will make a statement.

(100326)

153   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to make additional resources available to implement the recommendations of the review Sign of the Times; and how his Department will ensure that these resources are channelled directly to this purpose.

(100348)

154   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when his Department will announce the results of the consultation into mental health services for deaf people entitled Sign of the Times; and when the recommendations will be implemented.

(100347)

155   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that there are better linkages between specialist and local health services for deaf people with mental health problems.

(100346)

156   Mr Tom Levitt (High Peak): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his Department is doing to ensure that the National Service Framework for mental health services applies to British Sign Language users; and if he will make a statement on the process that will be followed to achieve this.

(100349)

157   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether it is possible for a local authority to be rated excellent for its child and family social services division without the child and adolescent mental health services element being rated good or better.

(100495)

158   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which module within the National Services Framework for children will include targets for improving the treatment of enuresis and paediatric continence.

(100418)

159   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many serious untoward incidents were recorded in each hospital trust last year.

(100550)

160   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS hospital trusts have an action plan to reduce the number of elderly people who fall in hospital; and whether these action plans include introducing bed guards or fall monitors for high-risk patients.

(100514)

161   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the honourable Member for East Worthing and Shoreham will receive answers to his Questions Refs (a) 89928, (b) 92551 and (c) 92538.

(100502)

162   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much remuneration an NHS childcare co-ordinator will receive.

(100500)

163   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he investigated the leaking of confidential contractual documents relating to the sale of Inventures at any point (a) before and (b) after the selection of the Miller Group as the preferred bidder.

(100537)

164   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much each hospital trust spent on agency recruited (a) nurses and (b) doctors, in the last 12 months; and how many posts this represents expressed as a percentage of total salary budgets.

(100548)

165   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 10th February, Official Report, column 586W, on ACPCs, which area child protection committees are complying with his guidance.

(100536)

166   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action he is taking to reduce the number of elderly people who fall in hospital wards.

(100512)

167   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list general practitioners who have piloted the CANTAB-PAL test technology for detecting early onset of Alzheimer's disease.

(100422)

168   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has conducted an audit of paediatric continence services in the United Kingdom.

(100417)

169   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which hospitals have been visited by his ministerial colleagues in the Department since 1st January 2002.

(100416)

170   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the variant bid for Inventures included in the unsuccessful William Pears Group bid was used in the successful bid from the Miller Group.

(100572)

171   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nursing agencies based overseas who provide agency nurses to the NHS subscribe to the NHS's Code of Practice in recruiting overseas nurses; and which countries these agencies are based in.

(100515)

172   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to monitor the child and adolescent mental health targets set out in his Department's publication Improvement, expansion and reform: the next three years.

(100554)

173   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the responses from the consultation on the National Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy.

(100535)

174   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether inspections by social service departments of child and family services include consideration of joint working with child and adolescent mental health services.

(100496)

175   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding to NHS trusts has been allocated this year for (a) essential repairs to hospital buildings and (b) ensuring that fire and safety regulations are met.

(100508)

176   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many non-UK passport holding children are being looked after by Social Services.

(100471)

177   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many elderly people were delayed from hospital discharge in the last quarter because of a fall within a hospital.

(100513)

178   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the findings of the Technologies Advisory Group study into the CANTAB-PAL test technology for detecting early onset of Alzheimer's in November 2001.

(100423)

179   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many on-site nurseries are operating in NHS establishments; how many have closed since the scheme started; and how many are expected to open this year as part of the NHS Childcare Strategy.

(100501)

180   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether appraisal suggestions rejected by NICE for lack of evidence are considered by the Department of Health Research Programme for further research.

(100545)

181   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much he has spent on legal fees with regard to the Miller Group bid for Inventures.

(100571)

182   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) mothers and (b) babies were harmed in childbirth last year in hospital; and what action he is taking to reduce incidence of harm in childbirth.

(100570)

183   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with local authority leaders regarding the recruitment of social workers (a) in general and (b) from abroad.

(100489)

184   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has discussed with the Chancellor of the Exchequer the mental health needs of children at risk.

(100494)

185   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, who was privy to the heads of terms documentation between the Miller Group and NHS Estates regarding the sale of Inventures.

(100414)

186   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what basis the Technologies Advisory Group in his Department declined to recommend the CANTAB-PAL test technology for detecting early onset of Alzheimer's disease for assessment by NICE.

(100421)

187   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has provided guidance to PCTs on improving (a) the treatment of enuresis and (b) paediatric continence services.

(100419)

188   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the advertising campaigns which (a) his Department and (b) the NHS have commissioned since 1997; and what the costs were in each case.

(100505)

189   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many paediatric intensive care nurses have been employed in the NHS in each of the last six years, expressed as whole time equivalent posts.

(100492)

190   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to apply for the Royal Charter for the NHS University.

(100504)

191   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ask the Home Secretary to incorporate the Commission for Health Improvement into the new inspection regime for youth offending teams.

(100555)

192   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to introduce training for (a) commissioners and (b) managers on managing comprehensive Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in accordance with the National Service Framework for children.

(100497)

193   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action he will take against local authority social services departments who have been found to have recruited social workers who have not had their qualifications validated with the General Social Care Council; and how many times this has happened in the last five years.

(100488)

194   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 24th February, Official Report, column 26W, on child protection, when the General Social Care Council is planning to report on the review of the current framework for post-qualifying training for social work; what the parameters of the review conducted by the General Social Care Council into post-qualifying training are; how many social workers hold the post-qualifying award; and if he will make a statement on the implementation by local authority social services departments of the action plan to effect planned developments.

(100487)

195   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when (a) he, (b) the head of the tuberculosis unit of the Public Health Laboratory Service and (c) senior officials from his Department last met NHS trust executives of areas with recorded rates of tuberculosis higher than the national average.

(100507)

196   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Fraud Squad on the subject of the sale of Inventures.

(100415)

197   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people are diagnosed with Alzheimers disease in each PCT area.

(100547)

198   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost of (a) producing and (b) distributing Primary Care magazine is; and how many copies have been circulated of each issue in the last 12 months.

(100503)

199   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to publish the annual NHS Workforce statistics.

(100498)

200   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ask the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to appraise the evidence relating to treating infant medical health problems.

(100556)

201   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to introduce a National Standards Framework to tackle obesity.

(100546)

202   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many specialist tuberculosis nurses were employed in (a) the NHS and (b) each health authority in London last year.

(100506)

203   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what tests are available through the NHS to detect early onset of Alzheimer's disease.

(100420)

204   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many letters he has received from (a) honourable Members and (b) NHS trust chief executives regarding the need to employ agency staff to cover vacancies.

(100499)

205
N   Sir Brian Mawhinney (North West Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the Right honourable Member for North West Cambridgeshire will receive a substantive reply to his letter of 21st November 2002 on behalf of his constituent Mrs Loosemore.

(100023)

206   Mr Kerry Pollard (St Albans): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the National Pharmaceutical Association regarding the Office of Fair Trading recommendations on pharmacies; and if he will make a statement.

(100493)

207   Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to provide funding for hospices.

(100357)

208   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what protective equipment is (a) routinely worn by police horses and police dogs in their everyday work and (b) available to be used in more dangerous situations.

(100373)

209   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action his Department is taking to increase detection and prosecution rates for crimes against animals.

(100358)

210   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) guide dogs for the blind and (b) hearing dogs for the deaf are employed in the UK.

(100372)

211   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) police horses and (b) police dogs have been injured in the line of duty in the last year for which records are kept.

(100371)

212   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many convictions there have been for animal cruelty in each of the last five years.

(100352)

213   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) dogs and (b) horses are employed by each police force, broken down by species.

(100370)

214   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many arrests there have been for animal cruelty in each of the last five years; and how many of them resulted in a prosecution.

(100353)

215   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 24th February, ref 97541, how many (a) network and (b) forensic investigators he estimates will be trained in (i) the current year and (ii) each of the next three years.

(100257)

216   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 9th January, Official Report, columns 911-3W, on the Criminal Records Bureau (Checks), if he will set out for each study the (a) total cost and (b) cost to his Department of (i) the Coopers Lybrand (1996) market research study, (ii) the Accent Market Research (March 2000) study, (iii) the labour force survey carried out between September and November 1999, (iv) the telephone survey with existing checkers that was carried out to validate the baseline information, (v) the Capita Account Managers research in December 2001, (vi) the ongoing joint Capita CRB forecasting work, (vii) the Rosslyn Research in 2000 to establish employer's requirements in terms of service standards and (viii) the consultation with registered employers from January to June 2001.

(100241)

217   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 5th February, Official Report, column 317W, on the overseas nurse advice line, when the decision to continue funding the helpline was made; what meetings were held; and if he will list the organisations which were consulted.

(100152)

218   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Criminal Records Bureau is processing disclosure applications in Madras; and if he will make a statement.

(100145)

219   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many vacancies there were at each (a) prison and (b) Young Offender's Institution on 31st December 2002; and if he will make a statement.

(100232)

220   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he plans to re-open the Bail Office at HMP/YOI Holloway; and if he will make a statement.

(100226)

221   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects the Resettlement programme to be reinstated at HMP/YOI Holloway; and if he will make a statement.

(100235)

222   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects children's visits to be reinstated at HMP/YOI Holloway; and if he will make a statement.

(100234)

223   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many vacancies there are for the Inner London Probation Service; and if he will make a statment.

(100227)

224   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list construction projects in the Prison Service in each of the last 10 years that have overspent; and if he will make a statement.

(100229)

225   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) 15 year olds, (b) 16 year olds and (c) 17 year olds have been held at HMP/YOI Holloway since April 2001; what the length was of each detention; and if he will make a statement.

(100236)

226   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners at HMP/YOI Holloway have been detained longer than necessary because home detention orders paperwork was not completed correctly, since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

(100239)

227   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he plans to review the Prison Service's contract with British Telecommunications; and if he will make a statement.

(100230)

228   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Youth Justice Board will announce its decision on funding for HMP/YOI Holloway's work with prisoners subject to detention and training orders; if he will investigate the reason for (a) previous lack of funding for this project and (b) the delay in the announcement; and if he will make a statement.

(100237)

229   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects the Prisoners Advice and Care Trust to take over the running of the visitors' centre booking line at HMP/YOI Holloway; and if he will make a statement.

(100238)

230   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he next plans to visit HMP/YOI Holloway; and if he will make a statement.

(100231)

231   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent representations he has received in connection with London-based Prison Staff's remuneration; and if he will make a statement.

(100233)

232   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the desert model in appendix 8, paragraph 3 of Making Punishments Work, in the sentencing framework of the Criminal Justice Bill.

(100137)

233   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what records are kept by the police of the time a person spends in custody (a) in England and (b) by Merseyside Police; for what period of time the police retain such records; who has access to this information; whether this information is publicly available; and within what period the police must respond to a request for details of custody.

(100135)

234   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Clause 126 of the Criminal Justice Bill complies with Principle A2 of the Council of Europe's recommendation on consistency of sentencing 1992 .

(100138)

235   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has undertaken of the risk of false conviction arising as a result of the implementation of Clause 81 of the Criminal Justice Bill.

(100136)

236   Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his estimate is of the number of illegally held firearms in each police force area in Wales.

(100148)

237
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his latest estimate is of the cost per year per inmate of (a) local authority secure units, (b) secure training centres and (c) young offenders' institutions.

(99797)

238
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average length of sentence (a) issued and (b) served for those young offenders sent to (i) local authority secure units, (ii) young offenders' institutions and (iii) secure training centres was in each of the last five years.

(99796)

239
N   Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) local authority secure units, (b) young offenders' institutions and (c) secure training centres have been in operation in each of the past five years; how many places there are in each; and what the average occupancy rate for each unit was in those years.

(99798)

240   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what role the Audit Commission plays in (a) auditing custody suites and (b) monitoring the cost of transfer of prisoners between custody cells and Court.

(100387)

241   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance he gives on the health and safety requirements for custody suites.

(100337)

242
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many persons are under the supervision of each multi-agency public protection panel in England and Wales; whether there is a central database of offenders who are under the supervision of each multi-agency public protection panel in England and Wales; and whether a protocol exists for multi-agency public protection panels regarding the passing of information to other agencies.

(99969)

243
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) police officers and (b) operational police officers per head of population there were in each police authority in England in (i) 2001 and (ii) 2002.

(99971)

244
N   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what additional resources will be allocated for drug treatment and testing orders in each of the next two financial years.

(99970)

245   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the timetable for implementing the recommendations of the House of Lords report on the use of animals in scientific procedures.

(100468)

246   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make it his policy to repeal the confidentiality clauses of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986; and if he will make a statement.

(100467)

247   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners who (a) maintain their innocence and (b) admit guilt for the offence for which they have been convicted have been granted parole or life licence in each of the last five years.

(100170)

248   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners who maintain their innocence have completed offending behaviour programmes in each of the last five years.

(100169)

249   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) unaccompanied children and (b) children unaccompanied by adults with parental responsibility arrived in the UK in each of the last five years.

(100477)

250   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times last year police officers from (a) the Metropolitan and (b) Sussex police force areas accompanied social workers to addresses of abusive and intimidating parents and guardians of children deemed at risk.

(100486)

251   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 12th February, Official Report, column 770W, on child protection, how many forces and authorities failed to submit their three year plans to him; and what action he will take against those forces and authorities who fail to comply with the 31st March submission date.

(100484)

252   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many special constables were serving in Sussex police in the last six months; and what steps he is taking with the Sussex Chief Constable to increase this number.

(100485)

253   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children claimed asylum on arrival in the UK in each of the last five years.

(100478)

254   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people found guilty of a criminal offence escaped from court last year; and of these, how many failed to be recaptured.

(100483)

255   Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research he has analysed on the benefits of extending CCTV to small towns and villages to help combat crime and anti-social behaviour; and if he will make a statement.

(100323)

256   Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what additional funding will be made available to police authorities for CCTV schemes in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05 and (c) 2005-06; and if he will make a statement.

(100324)

257   Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on funding for local authorities for CCTV schemes in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05 and (c) 2005-06.

(100325)

258   Mr Peter Pike (Burnley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he last reviewed provision under the Reviews of Sentencing Orders of 1994, 1995 and 2000; when his Department will next review this; and if he will make a statement.

(100207)

259   Mr Peter Pike (Burnley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many representations have been received in each year since 1988 regarding right to appeal cases to the Court of Appeal where the sentencing is seen to be unduly lenient; and if he will make a statement.

(100208)

260   Mr Peter Pike (Burnley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received to extend the range of cases over which the Attorney General has power to refer cases to the Court of Appeal where it appears that sentencing has been unduly lenient; and if he will make a statement.

(100209)

261   Mr Peter Pike (Burnley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with the Attorney General and the Courts regarding the current provision under Sections 35 and 36 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and the Reviews of Sentencing Orders of 1994, 1995 and 2000 to refer certain types of case to the Court of Appeal to further review sentencing orders to include further offences; and if he will make a statement.

(100210)

262   Ian Stewart (Eccles): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reply to the letter of 13th September 2002 from the honourable Member for Eccles concerning Ms Weyni Abraha, which her Department has acknowledged ref: 18797/2.

(100401)

263   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the projected numbers of inmates for UK prisons are for 2005; and what the capacity of UK prisons will be by 2005.

(100340)

264   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what procedural advice has been issued to schools in London in the event of (a) a terrorist alert and (b) a terrorist attack.

(100339)

265   Angela Watkinson (Upminster): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) clauses and (b) schedules were (i) fully debated, (ii) partly debated and (iii) not debated during the committee stage of the Extradition Bill.

(100222)

266
N   Mr Michael Weir (Angus): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Iraqi nationals from (a) the area of Iraq controlled by Saddam Hussein and (b) the Kurdish autonomous area have applied for asylum in the United Kingdom in each of the last twelve months.

(100028)

267   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what procedures are used to (a) identify child asylum seekers and (b) assist them in gaining contact with their parents.

(100316)

268   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children under 18 years of age have applied for asylum in each year since 1997.

(100313)

269   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he will take to ensure that unaccompanied child asylum seekers are not recruited for (a) sexual exploitation, (b) child labour and (c) other forms of child exploitation.

(100315)

270   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with European Union colleagues regarding a co-ordinated approach to (a) protecting child asylum seekers from exploitation and (b) identifying and assisting them in finding their families.

(100317)

271   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department takes to ensure that protection and assistance is given to children separated from their parents who are seeking asylum.

(100314)

272   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the cost of the aid that would be required to replace the Oil for Food Programme following a military campaign in Iraq.

(100290)

273   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian consequences of a war with Iraq; and if she will make a statement.

(100264)

274   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when the Lord Chancellor will announce the national strategy for the recruitment of lay magistrates.

(100464)

275   Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what assessment has been made of the impact of Amendment 3 of the Community Legal Services (Financial) Regulations 2001; and what assessment has been made of the impact on people with disposable incomes of between £263 and £695 per month.

(100465)

276   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if she will make an assessment of the effects of privatising the Public Records Office; and if she will make a statement.

(100391)

277   Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if the Lord Chancellor will introduce legistation to set a minimum limit for disability suffered before court actions arising from motor injury claims may be proceeded with.

(100305)

278   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people have applied to be members of the district policing partnerships in Northern Ireland; and how many were deemed to be appointable candidates.

(100435)

279   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the principal initiatives were of the former Central Community Relations Unit, to fulfil its objective of encouraging greater mutual understanding in Northern Ireland and greater respect for cultural diversity.

(100444)

280   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many annual reports the Columba Initiative have published; and if he will place them in the Library.

(100442)

281   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when the Columba Initiative was established; what was the Northern Ireland contribution in each financial year; and by which Department that money was contributed.

(100443)

282   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, who the members of the Steering Group for the Arts Council of Northern Ireland's research project on the Arts of Irish and Ulster-Scots are; and what organisations they represent.

(100445)

283   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people applied to be members of the Belfast District Policing Partnership; and how many were deemed to be appointable candidates.

(100440)

284   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the Linguistic Diversity Branch of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure has offered guidance to the BBC in Northern Ireland on how, as a public service broadcaster, it might meet the obligations of the Council of Europe Charter for Regional and Minority Languages in relation to the Ulster-Scots language.

(100441)

285   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the membership of the Steering Group for the Arts Council of Northern Ireland's research project on the Arts of Irish and Ulster-Scots includes equal representation from both cultural communities.

(100446)

286   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with counterparts in Edinburgh, Cardiff and London regarding the development of a pan-UK credit strategy, particularly with respect to a credit transcript system.

(100433)

287   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when the Skills Task Force will complete its investigation into labour supply and demand in the construction industry in Northern Ireland.

(100434)

288   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress has been made in implementing the report of the West Belfast Task Force.

(100426)

289   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, at what locations in the Southern Health and Social Services Board area physiotherapy treatment is available; and how many physiotherapists are based at each location.

(100431)

290   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many physiotherapy outpatients were treated each week for the last three months, broken down by location, in the Southern Health and Social Services Board area.

(100432)

291   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress is being made in implementing the Kurt/Salmon report into the textile industry in Northern Ireland.

(100429)

292   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the effect the current downturn in the stock market is having on industrial investment in Northern Ireland.

(100428)

293   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what criteria will be applied to the spending of the money which the Prime Minister recently allocated for interface areas of Belfast.

(100427)

294   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, why the advertised vacancy for a physiotherapist in Loane House, South Tyrone Hospital is for a temporary full-time position; and what funding will be made available to recruit a permanent full-time physiotherapist.

(100430)

295
N   Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire): To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his statement to the House of 25th February, Official Report, columns 123-140W, what contingency plans he has in place relating to the honouring of current oil contracts between Iraq and France and Russia.

(99968)

296
N   Mr Michael Weir (Angus): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent representations she has received from organisations representing the accountancy profession in Scotland as to the use of the term Accountant.

(100029)

297   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Solicitor General, how many animals have been returned to their owners after the owner has been convicted of causing cruelty to that animal in the last year for which records are available; and what percentage of convictions this represents.

(100355)

298   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Solicitor General, what the Government's policy is on animals that have been mistreated being returned to their owners after a court case has convicted the owner of cruelty.

(100354)

299   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Solicitor General, how many people in the United Kingdom are banned from keeping animals for life.

(100356)

300   Richard Ottaway (Croydon South): To ask the Solicitor General, what progress has been made in the investigation of suspected fraud in the National Health Service announced by the Serious Fraud Office on 10th April 2002.

(100293)

301   Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Right honourable Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what change is planned to the Departmental Expenditure Limit of the Electoral Commission for 2002-03.

(100321)

302   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what involvement her Department had in the development of the Sustainable Communities Plan regarding sustainable construction.

(100367)

303   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has made for assisting disabled people to use the new PIN number key pads for card accounts in post offices when accessing benefits.

(100447)

304   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the procedure is for benefit claimants changing designated individuals to collect payments on their behalf when their carer changes.

(100449)

305   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how quickly disabled people will be able to change designated individuals authorised to collect benefit payments on their behalf from post offices when card accounts come into operation.

(100450)

306   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action she has taken against accountancy firms who do not report suspicions of money laundering to the National Criminal Intelligence Service.

(100542)

307   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the inquiries that her Department made into the auditing standards of Arthur Andersen as a result of the Enron case.

(100544)

308   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the consultancy services that auditors are not permitted to sell to their audit clients.

(100526)

309   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what regulatory action was taken by her Department against the auditors of the Bank of Credit & Commerce International.

(100521)

310   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will introduce legislation under which accountants would be forbidden from acting as reporting accountants for a bank and then becoming liquidators and receivers on behalf of the same.

(100538)

311   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many (a) individuals and (b) firms are licensed by the recognised supervisory bodies to carry on their business as auditors.

(100543)

312   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many accountants have been prosecuted by her Department for failure to report suspicions of money laundering to the National Criminal Intelligence Service.

(100524)

313   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will propose legislation under which plcs would be required to publish their accounts within 90 days of the year end.

(100534)

314   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when, officials of her Department had meetings with partners in Arthur Andersen to discuss the firm's role in (a) Enron and (b) WorldCom.

(100525)

315   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will publish minutes of her meetings with the President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

(100522)

316   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the matters upon which her Deparment and the public bodies sponsored by her Department have obtained recent advice from Deloitte & Touche.

(100523)

317   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many inspection staff have been employed by (a) the Office of Fair Trading and (b) the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate in each year since 1997.

(100213)

318   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the (a) total number of staff and (b) number of inspection staff employed by the National Weights and Measures Laboratory was in each year since 1997.

(100211)

319   Sir Robert Smith (West Aberdeenshire & Kincardine): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the planned 2002-03 allocation of resources to the Broadband category listed in the Better Regulation Section on page 123 of the Department of Trade and Industry's Expenditure Plans 2002-03 to 2003-04, Cm 5416.

(100149)

320   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what incentives the Government has offered to encourage (a) BT and (b) other suppliers to provide affordable broadband in rural communities.

(100343)

321   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the economic impact on areas where people are unable to access broadband in the next three years.

(100344)

322   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what projections her Department has made of the level of access to broadband by the beginning of next year.

(100345)

323   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures her Department is taking to promote access to broadband in rural areas.

(100342)

324
N   Mr Michael Weir (Angus): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent representations she has received from bodies representing the accountancy profession on the use of the term Accountant.

(100027)

325   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps she is taking to ensure that part-time workers receive (a) the minimum wage and (b) appropriate levels of paid leave.

(100481)

326   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what guidance there is to (a) prevent and (b) deal with industrial accidents; and if she will make a statement.

(100472)

327   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps she is taking to accord part-time workers the same employment rights as those in full-time work.

(100480)

328   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had with European Union colleagues regarding a Europe-wide approach to securing parity of employment rights between part-time workers and full-time workers.

(100482)

329   Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had with the Office of Fair Trading on its investigation into restrictive and anticompetitive practices with respect to the Rugby Football Union.

(100240)

330   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on rail concessions for the elderly.

(100460)

331   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how his Department is encouraging a reduction in travel times on trains between the North West and London.

(100463)

332   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on travel restrictions on rail services from the North West to London.

(100462)

333   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidelines his Department gives to rail companies regarding the issuing of reduced price tickets.

(100459)

334   Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to ensure sufficient passenger capacity on cross country trains.

(100461)

335   Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent research he has conducted about the number of (a) fatalities and (b) serious injuries arising from accidents in which a driver involved was using a mobile phone; and if he will make a statement.

(100389)

336   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total cost of investment is in the East London Extension; and if he will make a statement on its progress.

(100271)

337   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total cost of investment is in the refurbishment of Finsbury Park Station by (a) the Department and (b) other sources; and if he will make a statement on progress of the scheme.

(100270)

338   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made by his Department on the effect of the central London congestion charge on (a) traffic levels, (b) traffic speeds, (c) bus usage, (d) air pollution and (e) road safety; and if he will make a statement.

(100533)

339   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on Rail Research UK.

(100228)

340   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many new trains are on order to South West Trains; how many of the new trains are expected to enter service on schedule; and if he will make a statement.

(100299)

341   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason public funds are being used to pay for the rectification of the shortage of power on the rail network in southern England; why the power supply problems were not realised at the time the order for new trains was placed; when the power supply upgrade will be completed; what effect he estimates this will have on the Government's target for increasing passenger traffic in the coming decade; and if he will make a statement.

(100301)

342   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many train carriages have been ordered in the last four years; how many carriages are expected to be ordered before 2010; and if he will make a statement.

(100296)

343   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking (a) to ensure better value for public money from the railways and (b) to prevent rail costs increasing; what is being done to limit the number of contactors and sub-contractors working on the railways; and if he will make a statement.

(100297)

344   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will extend the requirement to provide ATOL protection to all airlines and booking facilities offering bundled flight and accommodation services; and if he will make a statement.[R]

(100261)

345   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what measures he is taking to address the shortcomings in the provision of safety information by NATS to general aviation; and what assessment his Department has made of the risk posed by flying without access to safety information.

(100260)

346   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has had with NATS and the CAA concerning the provision of safety information by NATS to general aviation.

(100259)

347   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representations he has received on the provision of safety information by NATS to general aviation; and if he will make a statement.

(100258)

348   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff were employed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in each year since 1997.

(100457)

349   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent measures he has taken with his European colleagues to improve the safety of transport of oil cargo in European waters.

(100490)

350   Mr James Wray (Glasgow, Baillieston): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made since 1997 in reducing pollution in UK waters; what proposals he has to further reduce these levels; and if he will make a statement.

(100491)

351
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to use surveys to assess the effectiveness of the direct payment literature being sent to recipients of pensions and benfits; and if he will make a statement.

(99706)

352
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to assess the effectiveness of the direct payments literature being sent to recipients of pensions and benfits; and if he will make a statement.

(99707)

353
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to co-operate with consumer groups to assess the effectiveness of the direct payment literature being sent to recipients of pensions and benefits; and if he will make a statement.

(99708)

354   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his latest estimate is of (a) take-up and (b) administrative cost of minimum income guarantee of pensioners in the last three years.

(100528)

355   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his latest estimate is of the cost of minimum income guarantee in the last three years.

(100529)

356   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many employees reprimanded for contravening the guidance on dress codes for Jobcentre Plus are (a) former Benefits Agency employees and (b) Employment Service employees; and if he will make a statement.

(100308)

357   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place a copy of the guidance on dress codes for Jobcentre Plus employees in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

(100310)

358   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many employees reprimanded for contravening the guidance on dress codes for Jobcentre Plus are (a) frontline employees and (b) non frontline staff; and if he will make a statement.

(100307)

359   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what consultation was held when drawing up the new guidance on dress codes for Jobcentre Plus employees; and if he will make a statement.

(100311)

360   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many employees have been given (a) an oral warning, (b) a written warning and (c) a final warning for contravening the guidance on dress codes for Jobcentre Plus employees since its introduction; and if he will make a statement.

(100306)

361   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what legal advice he was given concerning the implications of the introduction of the new guidance on dress codes for Jobcentre Plus employees; and if he will make a statement.

(100309)

362   Mr Alan Reid (Argyll & Bute): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department's policy is regarding (a) access to JobCentre Plus offices and (b) meetings with JobCentre Plus staff for members of the public who have contracted hepatitis A, B, C, or D; and if he will make a statement.

(100322)

363   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many arrests have been made in the last five years for crimes relating to importing illegal bush meat; and how many convictions have resulted from those arrests.

[Transferred] (100396)

364   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what action her Department is taking to tackle the illegal importation of bush meat.

[Transferred] (100395)

365   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to increase vigilance at airports to discourage the importation of illegal bush meat from Africa.

[Transferred] (100397)

366   Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average household income is in each constituency.

[Transferred] (100405)

367   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have been registered for Post Office card accounts.

[Transferred] (100448)

368   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the shortfalls in company pension schemes as a result of compliance with FRS17.

[Transferred] (100530)

369   Sir Robert Smith (West Aberdeenshire & Kincardine): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer to the honourable Member for North-East Derbyshire of 16th January, Official Report, column 806, if he will place in the Library a copy of the script used by helpline staff when people wish to open a Post Office card account.

[Transferred] (100254)

370   Ms Candy Atherton (Falmouth & Camborne): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans there are to appoint an independent regulator to oversee the interests of inland waterway users.

[Transferred] (100206)

371   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the Government is doing to maintain the number of small manufacturers; what efforts are being made to improve resources and funding for the small business service; and if she will make a statement.

[Transferred] (100298)