Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2002 - 03
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 10 March 2003

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Monday 10 March 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.

MONDAY 10th MARCH

1
N   Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make a statement on the trends in spending on public information by (a) the UK Government and (b) the European Union in the last five years.

(101088)

2   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Department spent on advertising in Scotland in each year since 1999 on (a) television, (b) newspapers, (c) radio, (d) magazines, (e) billboards and (f) sporting events.

(102325)

3   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what account he has taken of the trends in relative transport costs of (a) car, (b) bus and (c) train over the last 30 years in determining his policy on fuel tax for private vehicles.

(102480)

4   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the annual income from fuel duties in each year from 1973.

(102478)

5   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the selective use by the EU of economic instruments where the aim is to influence environmental behaviour.

(102473)

6   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he takes to ensure that his use of economic instruments is consistent with sound environmental practice; if proposals for tax changes are always subject to prior environmental impact assessment; and if he will make a statement.

(102474)

7   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the impact on road traffic levels he estimates would be from (a) a decrease in petrol duty by 5p a litre, (b) a decrease in petrol duty by 10p a litre, (c) an increase in petrol duty by 5p a litre, (d) an increase in petrol duty by 10p a litre, (e) an increase in petrol duty by 20p a litre and (f) an increase in petrol duty by 50p a litre; and what he estimates the change to revenues to the Treasury would be from (a) to (f).

(102476)

8
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of 16 to 18 year olds were not in education, training or employment in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002 in (i) Coventry and (ii) the UK.

(101188)

9   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of income is paid in tax by those earning (a) the lowest 20 per cent. and (b) the top 5 per cent. in earnings; and if he will make a statement.

(102505)

10   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the reasons for miscalculation of working families tax credit by the Inland Revenue; how many people were affected; what steps have been taken to correct the miscalculations; how much it has cost to correct the miscalculations; and if he will make a statement.

(102508)

11   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Inland Revenue has spent on its internet tax return system since its inception; what the estimated (a) manning and (b) set-up costs were; what estimate he has made of the percentage of tax payers that will use the system; and if he will make a statement.

(102507)

12   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax return forms were submitted with inaccuracies in 2001-02; what the cost of follow-up work on inaccurate returns was; and if he will make a statement.

(102510)

13   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 5th February from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to parishioners of St James with the Holy Innocents.

(102185)

14
N   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what request he has recently made to the Office of National Statistics in relation to confirming the correct accounting treatment for the classification of the borrowings of foundation hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

(101620)

15   Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford & Stortford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates his Department has made of the costs of the promotional campaign for the new tax credits, broken down by (a) design, print and production of promotional materials, (b) television and radio advertisements, (c) press advertising, (d) online design related website costs and (e) the provision of fanback facilities.

(102416)

16   Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford & Stortford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates his Department has made of the costs of the provision of (a) public and (b) honourable Member helplines following the introduction of the new tax credit.

(102417)

17   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are being taken to enable the administration of the new Landfill Tax Credit Scheme.

(102343)

18   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Department spent on advertising in Scotland in each year since 1999 on (a) television, (b) newspapers, (c) radio, (d) magazines, (e) billboards and (f) sporting events.

(102335)

19   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Department spent on advertising in Scotland in each year since 1999 on (a) television, (b) newspapers, (c) radio, (d) magazines, (e) billboards and (f) sporting events.

(102326)

20   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many research contracts were placed by his Department with UK universities and other academic research centres in each of the last five years; and what their values where.

(102211)

21   Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what advice his Department provides to universities and other academic research centres regarding (a) the management of defence research contracts and (b) the sharing of intellectual property.

(102210)

22   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the financial contracts entered into by his Department since 1st January 2002 where QinetiQ have acted as advisors to the Government.

(102483)

23   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what agreement is in place between Royal Mail and MoD for MoD use of the Rail Mail, and if he will place a copy in the Library.

(102422)

24   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what investment the MoD has made in the (a) Rail Mail and (b) MoD equivalent in each of the last five years.

(102421)

25   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many press officers from his Department he has sent to Kuwait in each of the last eight weeks.

(102248)

26   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what menus are being used for troops stationed in Kuwait; and what plans he has to place troops on food rations.

(102251)

27   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the use of water by troops stationed in Kuwait for personal hygiene; and what estimate he has made of the amount of water military personnel will consume per day.

(102252)

28
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of disabling nerve agents with international obligations governing chemical weapons.

(101941)

29
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether British troops in the Gulf are equipped with disabling nerve agents; and under what circumstances they can be used.

(101942)

30   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many soldiers are based in Northern Ireland; and from what regiments.

(102315)

31   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the estimated cost of building HMS Albion and Bulwark was; what their initial expected in-service date with the Royal Navy was; what his estimate of their actual building cost is; whether any additional cost will be met by the government; and if he will make a statement.

(102415)

32   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations he has made to the United States administration about the British Government's policy on the use by British armed forces of incapacitant and calmative weapons, and irritant chemical agents during wartime.

(102414)

33   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it is the British Government's policy to forbid British armed forces from handling riot control agents such as CS gas and pepper spray during wartime.

(102413)

34   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the British Government's policy is on British armed forces taking part in joint military operations with other countries where riot control agents are used.

(102412)

35   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what authority the UK Government has given the US Government to load cruise missles on to B52 bombers at RAF Gloucestershire; and for what purpose.

(102419)

36
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether plans for the closure of Dean Hill munitions depot remain as before; and if he will make a statement.

(101662)

37   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the potential use of anti-personnel mines in a conflict with Iraq.

(102351)

38   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the hazard posed by unexploded cluster munitions to the reconstruction of Iraq following military action there.

(102357)

39   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it is the intention of the US to bring anti-personnel mines ashore onto Diego Garcia in order for them to be used in any attack on Iraq.

(102350)

40   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the use by the RAF of cluster munitions.

(102360)

41   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions there have been with the US Government regarding the use of (a) anti-personnel mines and (b) cluster munitions in a possible conflict with Iraq.

(102354)

42   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the occasions since UK ratification of the Ottawa Treaty on which UK forces personnel have been involved with operations involving the use of anti-personnel mines by other countries.

(102361)

43   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on compliance by the UK with the Ottawa Convention on the use of anti-personnel mines.

(102352)

44   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many cluster bombs are stockpiled by the Ministry of Defence, broken down by type.

(102358)

45   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations he has received from the US Government concerning (a) the basing at Diego Garcia of US Navy vessels carrying anti-personnel mines and (b) the possible use in a conflict with Iraq of anti-personnel mines by US military using stocks held in vessels at or near Diego Garcia.

(102353)

46   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how far out to sea off Diego Garcia ammunition ships containing anti-personnel mines are anchored.

(102348)

47   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which types of cluster munitions the UK armed forces possess.

(102359)

48   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many anti-personnel mines belonging to other countries are stored on UK territory, broken down by country of storage; and which countries these weapons belong to.

(102362)

49   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how far British territory extends around Diego Garcia.

(102349)

50   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 13th February, Official Report, column 867W, on the Defence Diversification Industry, where the 18 offices of the Defence Diversification Agency are located.

(102406)

51
N   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether an abatement was made to the salary of servicemen in each of the armed forces between 1973 and 1975; and if he will make a statement.

(102079)

52   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British servicemen have been prosecuted under the Landmines Act 1998.

(102246)

53   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Department spent on advertising in Scotland in each year since 1999 on (a) television, (b) newspapers, (c) radio, (d) magazines, (e) billboards and (f) sporting events.

(102327)

54   Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many non-regular permanent staff over 60 are employed in the TA; and in which districts.

(102206)

55   Mr John Burnett (Torridge & West Devon): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what proposals he has to create a buffer zone between on-shore wind turbines and domestic properties.

(102401)

56
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will produce (a) a regulatory impact assessment and (b) an assessment of the burden on local government in respect of the proposals in the High Hedges Bill [Lords].

(102132)

57   Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many properties were compulsorily purchased by The Housing Corporation in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001 and (d) 2002.

(102409)

58   Angela Eagle (Wallasey): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to introduce co-payments for the public services for which he is responsible.

(102201)

59
N   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many clauses were (a) fully, (b) partially and (c) not debated during the Committee Stage of the Local Government Bill.

(101871)

60   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many affordable housing units he estimates will be built in 2003-04 by (a) debt-free authorities with transitional local authority social housing class grant (LASHG) funding and (b) with-debt authorities with LASHG funding.

(102309)

61   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many do-it-yourself shared ownership (DIYSO) purchases were funded through (a) the Housing Corporation and (b) local authority social housing grant in each Government office region in each year since 1995-96; and how many DIYSO purchases were funded through (i) the Housing Corporation and (ii) local authority social housing grant in each local authority in London in each year since 1995-96.

(102312)

62   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 19th December 2002, Official Report, column 954W, on homelessness, what proportion of lettings were made available to homeless households in priority need by (a) local authorities and (b) registered social landlords in each Government Office Region in (i) 2000-01 and (ii) 2001-02.

(102310)

63   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many staff were employed by local authorities to operate and administer speed cameras in each year since 1997.

(102230)

64
N   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether all planning considerations of individual small-scale applications will be removed from local councils under his plans for regional assemblies.

(101663)

65   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to register English regional assemblies as limited companies.

(102342)

66
N   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the interaction between changes in aggregate external finance to local authorities and passporting of schools funding; and what arrangements are in place to ensure that the latter is not undermined by the former.

(102033)

67   Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he intends to revise fire service guidance on the employment of people with diabetes as firefighters.

(102411)

68   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much the Department spent on advertising in Scotland in each year since 1999 on (a) television, (b) newspapers, (c) radio, (d) magazines, (e) billboards and (f) sporting events.

(102331)

69   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which member states of the European Union assist individual learners by (a) tax relief, (b) government grants and (c) otherwise.

(102389)

70
N   Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list schools with sixth forms for which the provisional funding for their sixth form for the next financial year would be lower than that for the current year, giving the (a) cash value and (b) percentage of the reduction in each case.

(102153)

71
N   Mr Chris Bryant (Rhondda): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on funding for university museums.

(101464)

72   Mr John Burnett (Torridge & West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has for the disbandment of the milk voucher system for school children.

(102400)

73
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many schools with a specialist designation there were in each of the last five years; and what percentage of specialist schools have chosen to exercise the option to select by aptitude.

(101038)

74
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list the (a) specialist schools and (b) local education authorities that exercised the option to select up to 10 per cent. of pupils by aptitude in each of the last three years, indicating (i) the nature of the specialism, (ii) the status of the school, (iii) the percentage of pupils selected, (iv) the percentage of pupils with statements and (v) the percentage of pupils receiving free school meals.

(101039)

75
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many, and what percentage, of (a) applicants and (b) successful applicants there were to (i) Oxford and (ii) Cambridge University from (a) fee paying schools, (b) local authority 11-18 comprehensive schools, (c) sixth form colleges, (d) state grammar schools and (e) further education colleges, in each of the last three years, broken down by constituent college.

(101040)

76
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) assessed on the relationship between A level points scores and class of final degree; and if he will make a statement.

(101041)

77   Angela Eagle (Wallasey): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to introduce co-payments for the public services for which he is responsible; and for which services.

(102203)

78   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children from refugee and asylum-seeking families in schools in England do not have English as a first language; if he will list the schemes to teach them English; and how much the Department has spent and will spend on such teaching in each year from 2001-02 to 2005-06.

(102289)

79   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many grammar schools there were in each education authority in (a) 1980, (b) 1990 and (c) 2000.

(102424)

80   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many education targets his Department has (a) introduced and (b) failed to attain since 1997.

(102292)

81   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) schools and (b) universities he and each of his ministerial colleagues have visited in the past 12 months.

(102295)

82   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many publications have been sent out to schools relating to the Standards Fund in each year since its introduction.

(102293)

83   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) asylum seeker and (b) refugee children there were in schools, broken down by education authority, in each academic year since 1997-98.

(102296)

84   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what funding has been allocated for the 14-19 working group.

(102298)

85   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much funding has been allocated for the education of (a) asylum seeker and (b) refugee children since 1997-98 in each education authority.

(102297)

86   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the levels of participation in higher education were in each education authority in (a) 1980, (b) 1990 and (c) 2000.

(102425)

87   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the GCSE results were of the pupils who did not achieve level four at Key Stage Two in 1997.

(102290)

88   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many officials in his Department are employed to work on the Standards Fund.

(102291)

89   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much money will be allocated to widening participation in universities in each academic year to 2010-11.

(102304)

90   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimates he has made of how many schools will achieve the target of 85 per cent. of children attaining level 4 at Key Stage Two by 2004.

(102294)

91   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how long it takes for a new qualification to be approved under Section 9 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000; what measures he has taken to reduce this period; and if he will make a statement.

(102423)

92   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the rates of (a) truancy and (b) school exclusions were in each of the Youth Inclusion Programme areas in (i) 1999, (ii) 2000, (iii) 2001, and (iv) 2002.

(102471)

93   Mr Greg Pope (Hyndburn): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the total debt of universities in England was in the last year for which figures are available.

(102398)

94   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many newly qualified teachers employed in (a) the primary and (b) the secondary sector have left their posts within (i) one year, (ii) two years and (iii) three years in each of the past six years, broken down in the case of secondary school teachers by the subject of their qualification.

(102253)

95   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much the Department spent on advertising in Scotland in each year since 1999 on (a) television, (b) newspapers, (c) radio, (d) magazines, (e) billboards and (f) sporting events.

(102328)

96   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will include the use of snares in the proposed Animal Welfare Bill.

(102481)

97   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent research she has commissioned into the percentage of animals caught in snares which were non-target species.

(102482)

98   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the EU Directive relating to noise emissions from outdoor equipment.

(102475)

99   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many grants have been approved under the land-based schemes of the England Rural Development Programme since its inception; and what proportion of the total available budget this represented in each year.

(102404)

100   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to (a) encourage the take-up and (b) speed up the processing of grants for land-based schemes of the England Rural Development Programme.

(102405)

101   Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 11th February, Official Report, column 664W, on nuclear fuel reprocessing, what radioactive materials make up (a) the 28,000 cubic metres low level waste, (b) the 14,000 cubic metres intermediate level waste and (c) the 480 cubic metres high level waste.

(102503)

102   Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 11th February, Official Report, column 664W, on nuclear fuel reprocessing, what the storage plans are for the various components of (a) the 28,000 cubic metres low level waste, (b) the 14,000 cubic metres intermediate level waste and (c) the 480 cubic metres high level waste.

(102504)

103   Sue Doughty (Guildford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the self-reported breaches of emissions regulations by waste incinerator operators for (a) 2001 and (b) 2002.

(102204)

104   Angela Eagle (Wallasey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to introduce co-payments for the public services for which she is responsible.

(102202)

105
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Written Ministerial Statement of 3rd March, Official Report, column 71WS, for what reason domestic legislation was introduced to protect the ruddy duck population.

(101380)

106
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Written Ministerial Statement on 3rd March, Official Report, column 71WS, how much additional money she will be spending on future research work into the ruddy and white-headed duck populations.

(101381)

107
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her written ministerial statement of 3rd March, Official Report, column 71WS, on ruddy duck culling, whether those ruddy ducks culled under the control scheme will be made available for human consumption.

(101621)

108   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the additional water supplies needed for the planned expansion of Ashford; and if she will make a statement.

(102288)

109   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what targets are being set for energy efficiency and renewable energy; and if she will make a statement.

(102506)

110   Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of household waste was recycled in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997.

(102356)

111   Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what further measures are planned to help increase the amount of household waste which is recycled.

(102355)

112   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the estimated cost is of her Department's plans to reduce the numbers of the ruddy duck.

(102339)

113   Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact on the rural proofing of housing policy of the withdrawal of local authority social housing grant.

(102337)

114
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to (a) encourage a reversal in the decline of the number of wet birds, (b) ensure refuges for wintering birds, (c) safeguard resting places for migrating birds travelling north and south and (d) reverse the decline in rare water plants; and if she will make a statement.

(101874)

115   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many litres of soft drinks were, on average, consumed by each British consumer in the last year for which figures are available.

(102255)

116   Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Government spent on preventing avian influenza being brought to the UK in each of the last five years.

(102367)

117   Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps farmers can take to improve bio security to prevent avian influenza.

(102368)

118   Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what symptoms are shown by poultry with avian influenza.

(102365)

119   Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to protect the British poultry industry from avian influenza.

(102372)

120   Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many veterinarians are available from the Government's veterinary service to deal with the outbreak of avian influenza.

(102373)

121   Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance she gives on the treatment of chickens which do not die from avian influenza but which are on infected farms.

(102402)

122   Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) chickens and (b) eggs were imported from (i) Holland, (ii) Germany and (iii) Italy in the last year for which figures are available.

(102370)

123   Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent research into avian influenza she has commissioned.

(102371)

124   Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which vectors carry avian influenza.

(102364)

125   Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which countries had outbreaks of avian influenza in (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002.

(102369)

126   Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what compensation her Department will make available to farmers affected by avian influenza.

(102363)

127   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Department spent on advertising in Scotland in each year since 1999 on (a) television, (b) newspapers, (c) radio, (d) magazines, (e) billboards and (f) sporting events.

(102329)

128   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the US Secretary of State on post-war reconstruction of Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

(102509)

129
N   Mr John Horam (Orpington): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on trade sanctions against the Government of Myanmar; and if he will make a statement.

(101383)

130   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the US Government about the loading of cruise missiles on to B52 bombers at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.

(102418)

131   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the United States administration in respect of the research, development and deployment of CS gas and pepper spray for US forces in the Gulf.

(102485)

132   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the research and development of calmative weapons for deployment by US forces in the Gulf.

(102487)

133   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 13th February, Official Report, column 1070, to the honourable Member for Nottingham South, whether he has been notified that US forces plan to deploy CS gas to the Gulf.

(102486)

134
N   Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans the British Government has to sponsor a resolution against (a) Libya, (b) Zimbabwe and (c) Iraq at the UN Commission on Human Rights Session in Geneva, Switzerland, on 17th March; and if he will make a statement.

(101802)

135
N   Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford & Southend East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of terrorist incidents which have taken place in each of the past five years.

(102085)

136
N   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the human rights situations in (a) Uzbekistan, (b) Turkmenistan, (c) Kyrgistan,
(d) Algeria, (e) Jordan, (f) Qatar and (g) Pakistan.

(101619)

137
N   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the salary paid to each Primary Care Group chairman in the year up to October 2002.

(101732)

138   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost of agency and bank nurses in (a) Sutton and (b) London in the last 12 months; and what assessment he has made of the impact of these costs on the respective primary care trusts.

(102249)

139
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the trend in the number of women accepting their invitations for breast-screening; and what action his Department is taking to encourage women to attend.

(101187)

140
N   Mr Frank Dobson (Holborn & St Pancras): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, in what way a co-payment for health or social services will differ from a charge.

(102151)

141   Sue Doughty (Guildford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the role of preventative medicine in the National Health Service.

(102205)

142   Angela Eagle (Wallasey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to introduce co-payments for the public services for which he is responsible.

(102200)

143
N   Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many Spanish GPs have (a) signed contracts agreeing to work and (b) commenced work in the Southend PCT area; and if he will make a statement on recent progress in recruitment of Spanish GPs.

(101934)

144
N   Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioners are expected to retire in the next 12 months in (a) the Southend PCT area, (b) the Rochford and Castle Point PCT area and (c) the Maldon and South Chelmsford PCT area; and if he will make a statement.

(101935)

145
N   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the recommendations and conclusions of the report commissioned by the Department of Health to assess the capacity of the supplier market in relation to the National Programme for IT.

(102080)

146   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy that the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection should be able to alter the targets on which the star rating system is based.

(102208)

147   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the acute NHS trusts which have expressed interest in applying for foundation trust status.

(102207)

148   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether trusts applying for foundation status will be obliged to have consulted other acute trusts in their local area before being granted foundation status.

(102209)

149   Mr Jimmy Hood (Clydesdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the outcome was of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council held on 6th March; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

(102212)

150   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, in which prisons condoms are available to prisoners (a) through the prison doctor, (b) through the prison shop and (c) from other sources; and if he will make a statement.

(102470)

151
N   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which trade unions he has met to discuss his proposals for foundation trusts; when the meetings were; and which unions have expressed support for his proposals.

(101661)

152
N   Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the former Runwell Hospital site in Wickford, Essex has been included in the bulk sale of properties in the Inventures disposal; what (a) price and (b) terms will be secured by its sale; whether it will be sold with planning permission; and how much has been spent on the (i) maintenance and (ii) refurbishment of the site in the last three years.

(102152)

153
N   Mrs Marion Roe (Broxbourne): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the honourable Member for Broxbourne will receive a reply to her letters of (a) 14th November 2002, (b) 11th December 2002, (c) 7th January, (d) 6th February and (e) 5th March relating to her constituent Mrs Heather Peto of Hoddesdon.

(101932)

154   Peter Bradley (The Wrekin): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer by the honourable Member for Stretford and Urmston, on the Angel Group, ref 99702, if he will identify the nature of the contract to which the Answer refers.

(102488)

155
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what soft information is given to (a) employers and (b) employees who have requested an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check.

(100167)

156
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how long applications for Criminal Records Bureau checks will be sent to Madras for processing; what the cost is to his Department of sending those applications; what measures are in place to ensure that forms are securely transferred between the UK and India; and if he will make a statement.

(100168)

157   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what powers are available to (a) the police and (b) local authorities to tackle problems caused by motorised scooters using pavements.

(102284)

158
N   Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster & Wyre): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children under 18 in 2002 were made subject to category A status in prison when they were (a) remanded and (b) sentenced.

(101255)

159
N   Mr Hilton Dawson (Lancaster & Wyre): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children under the age of 18 were held in category A security conditions in prison in 2002, broken down by (a) age, (b) gender, (c) ethnicity and (d) location.

(101256)

160   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when a decision will be made on whether to exempt small charities, with an annual income under £10,000 per annum, from current legislation with regard to charitable file status.

(102407)

161   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received on the subject of exempting small charities from charitable status legislation; and how many were (a) for and (b) against.

(102408)

162   Angela Eagle (Wallasey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to introduce co-payments for the public services for which he is responsible.

(102199)

163
N   Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent guidance on emergency planning has been issued to local authorities.

(102134)

164   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Huntingdon of 5th March, Official Report, column 772W, what forms of (a) drug detoxification and (b) other types of rehabilitation programme are available for prisoners serving sentences of less that two years; and if he will make a statement.

(102468)

165   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what form of drug treatment is available for prisoners (a) on remand and (b) serving sentences of less than two years.

(102465)

166   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners were held in prisons in England and Wales on 30th June 2002, broken down by ethnic group.

(102456)

167   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he plans to expand the number of areas in which the Youth Inclusion Programme operates.

(102459)

168   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many local drop-in centres for asylum seekers there were in each of the last five years; and who provided the service.

(102464)

169   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total funding is for the Youth Inclusion Programme for (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05 and (c) 2005-06.

(102458)

170   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding arrangements are in place to enable the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to meet the target to halve the number of asylum applicants by September.

(102469)

171   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) robberies, (b) burglaries, (c) drugs offences, (d) offences of violence against the person and (e) thefts of motor vehicles were recorded in each of the Youth Inclusion Programme areas in (i) 1999, (ii) 2000, (iii) 2001 and (iv) 2002.

(102460)

172   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research has been commissioned by his Department into the operation of Haslar Removal Centre since February 2002; and if he will place copies in the Library.

(102450)

173   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how long it is taking to process (a) straightforward and (b) non-straightforward cases for (i) asylum and (ii) British citizenship.

(102463)

174   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average number of offenders under supervision per probation officer was in each probation area in each of the last five years.

(102451)

175   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many 13-16 year olds participated in the Youth Inclusion Programme in (i) 1999, (ii) 2000, (iii) 2001 and (iv) 2002; and what percentage of those young people are considered to remain at risk of offending.

(102462)

176   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many 13-16 year olds were arrested in each of the Youth Inclusion Programme areas in (i) 1999, (ii) 2000, (iii) 2001 and (iv) 2002.

(102461)

177   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applications have been outstanding for (a) more than three months and (b) more than 6 months.

(102438)

178   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners were (a) considered and (b) approved for parole in each of the last five years.

(102457)

179   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's budget for (a) staff and (b) IT in (i) 2000-01 and (ii) 2001-02; and what the planned budget is for (A) 2002-03 and (B) 2003-04.

(102454)

180   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of 18-20 year olds who were reconvicted within two years of leaving prison in each of the last three years were drug-addicts; and if he will make a statement.

(102447)

181   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action he is taking to protect the parliamentary estate against potential terrorist attacks.

(102455)

182   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how well equipped the National Probation Agency is to provide a drug-rehabilitation service to offenders on leaving prison, with specific reference to those offenders whose sentence length prevents them from attending drug rehabilitation courses while in prison; how much money has been allocated to provide this service; and if he will make a statement.

(102446)

183   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many appeals made from outside the UK were successful in each of the last three years for (a) asylum, (b) tourist visas, (c) work permits and (d) British citizenship.

(102445)

184   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of prisoners aged (a) 18-20 and (b) juvenile prisoners are drug dependent on entering prison.

(102448)

185   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether work permits can be issued to individuals who have entered the UK illegally.

(102466)

186   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff are employed in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, broken down by grade.

(102453)

187   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many immigration detainees are being held in prisons.

(102467)

188   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what drug treatment facilities are available for juveniles in (a) local authority secure units, (b) secure training centres and (c) young offender institutions; and who provides them.

(102449)

189   Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 10th February, Official Report, column 537W, on the Advisory Panel on Country Information, what progress has been made to date in setting up the Panel; and what his timetable is for appointing (i) the chairman and (ii) the members of the Panel.

(102452)

190   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 19th December from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Amir Chaudhry.

(102188)

191   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, why he has not replied to the letter to him dated 16th January from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Roz Hughes.

(102186)

192   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, why he has not replied to the letter to him dated 23rd December from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs Lutfi.

(102190)

193   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, why he has not replied to the letter to him dated 20th December from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Mark Kissingu.

(102187)

194
N   Mr Robert Marshall-Andrews (Medway): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a trial judge sitting alone under clause 37 of the Criminal Justice Bill will conduct applications relating to Public Interest Immunity in chambers in the absence of the defendant.

(102082)

195
N   Mr Robert Marshall-Andrews (Medway): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a trial judge sitting alone under clauses 38 and 40 of the Criminal Justice Bill will consider evidence of allegations relating to jury tampering in the absence of the defendant.

(102081)

196
N   Mr Robert Marshall-Andrews (Medway): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many complex or lengthy trials, as defined by clause 37 of the Criminal Justice Bill, were tried by jury trial in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001; and how many were not serious fraud trials in each case.

(102084)

197
N   Mr Robert Marshall-Andrews (Medway): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a successful application by the prosecution under clauses 38 and 40 of the Criminal Justice Bill will apply to all defendants tried on the same indictment.

(102083)

198
N   Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will give a substantive reply to the letter from the honourable Member for North Shropshire dated 4th March concerning Mrs Judith Acun.

(101664)

199   Mr Peter Pike (Burnley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reply to the letters from the honourable Member for Burnley to the Home Office re Mrs S B Shah Ref S 851373/x of 4th February and 7th November 2002.

(102390)

200
N   Mrs Marion Roe (Broxbourne): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the honourable Member for Broxbourne will receive a reply to her letters of (a) 10th October 2002, (b) 7th November 2002, (c) 5th December 2002, (d) 2nd January, (e) 6th February and (f) 5th March relating to her constituent Mr Bilal Mumtaz Bhatti of Turnford.

(101933)

201   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures are in place to prevent illegal immigrants being used by terrorists to introduce dangerous pathogens into the UK.

(102301)

202   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the detection technologies available to each of the emergency services for use in incidents where terrorist threat surveillance may be appropriate.

(102303)

203   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the pathogens which could be used in a terrorist attack against which there is vaccine available.

(102302)

204
N   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the performance of Premier Custodial Group Limited in its provision of private prisons.

(101433)

205
N   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of facilities for prisoners at Ashfield prison; and if he will make a statement.

(101432)

206
N   Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the (a) quality and (b) standards of performance of (i) private sector and (ii) public sector prisons.

(101434)

207   Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford & Southend East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reach a decision on the asylum application of Mr Hektor Sinani, Ref S1034257/3; and where the papers relating to Mr Sinani's application are located.

(102250)

208   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prosecutions there have been under the Landmine Act 1998; and how many have been successful.

(102245)

209   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners in UK prisons have been diagnosed with a mental illness; and what support is given to them.

(102231)

210   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many burglaries were reported to the police in the (a) Greater London area and (b) England in the last year that figures are available; and how many of those have been resolved.

(102233)

211   Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to protect the general public from biological and chemical threats, with particular reference to smallpox.

(102345)

212   Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on progress made with the Home Office's National Recruitment Standards Project, with special reference to recruitment and retention of people with diabetes in the Police Service; and when the recommendations for the proposed new medical standards will be available for consultation.

(102410)

213   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much the Department spent on advertising in Scotland in each year since 1999 on (a) television, (b) newspapers, (c) radio, (d) magazines, (e) billboards and (f) sporting events.

(102330)

214   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much aid the British Government has disbursed (a) in each of the last two years and (b) so far this year to (i) Uganda, (ii) Rwanda and (iii) the Democratic Republic of Congo.

(102347)

215   Mr Greg Pope (Hyndburn): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations she will make to the Government of Uzbekistan on its human rights record when she chairs the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development meeting in Tashkent.

(102191)

216
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make a statement on the likely impact on developing countries of trade liberation, with particular reference to the control of water supplies.

(101873)

217
N   Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with other EU governments about (a) the management of water and (b) the control of water supplies in developing countries; and if she will make a statement.

(101872)

218   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development regarding human rights in Uzbekistan.

(102247)

219   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much development aid was paid to the South American continent in (a) 1998, (b) 2000 and (c) 2002; and which country was the main receiver of this aid in each of those years.

(102235)

220   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will list the three largest development projects on the South American continent supported by her Department.

(102234)

221   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much development aid was paid by her Department to schemes aimed at empowering women in (a) 1998, (b) 2000 and (c) 2002; and if she will list the projects concerned.

(102236)

222   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much the Department spent on advertising in Scotland in each year since 1999 on (a) television, (b) newspapers, (c) radio, (d) magazines, (e) billboards and (e) sporting events.

(102391)

223   Stephen Hesford (Wirral West): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if she will make a statement on the Lord Chancellor's Department's policy on reducing domestic violence.

(102182)

224   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when he will announce plans for the co-location of the Crown Court and magistrates court in Salisbury.

(102183)

225   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what assessment she has made of her Department's compliance with the recommendations established in Article 21 of the Hague Convention when advising parents who have had their children abducted to make an application for access; how those applications are handled; and what support is provided by her Department to ensure that the applications are successful.

(102240)

226   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what steps are taken by her Department to help parents with abducted children to gain access to their children held abroad.

(102239)

227   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if she will consult parents who have had their children abducted on ways to improve the services provided by her Department in such cases.

(102238)

228   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what steps have recently been taken by her Department to provide and improve statistics of cases of child abduction.

(102237)

229   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the waiting list for neurosurgery is at the Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast.

(102314)

230   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average waiting time for assessment and treatment of blue card emergency patients was in Northern Ireland in the last year for which figures are available.

(102311)

231   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which political parties in Northern Ireland have been shown the contents of the paper discussed at talks in Northern Ireland on Monday 3rd March and Tuesday 4th March; and if he will publish the paper.

(102313)

232   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many nurses have been recruited in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997.

(102308)

233   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many nurses have been recruited to work in neurosurgery in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997.

(102305)

234   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many meetings the Secretary of State has had with each of the political parties represented in the Northern Ireland Assembly since his appointment.

(102307)

235   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people from Northern Ireland have been referred for treatment in hospital in (a) the Irish Republic, (b) Scotland, (c) England and (d) Wales in each year since 1997.

(102306)

236
N   Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether (a) organs, (b) blocks and (c) slides (i) are and (ii) have been retained at (A) Moyle Hospital, Larne, (B) Omagh Hospital, (C) Foster Green Hospital, Belfast, (D) Ulster Hospital, Dundonald, (E) Antrim Hospital, (F) Erne Hospital, Enniskillen, (G) Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry, (H) Coleraine Hospital, (I) Ards Hospital, Newtownards, (J) Wavenay Hospital, Ballymena, (K) Mid Ulster Hospital and (L) Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast.

(101939)

237
N   Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the heart of Mr Mark Chambers, Autopsy No 50'753, has been incinerated; why Mr Chambers' heart was retained when the cause of death had been ascertained at the post mortem; and if he will supply the honourable Member for Strangford with a copy of the Royal Mortuary Log Book for Mr Chambers.

(101937)

238
N   Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many post mortems had been performed at the Royal Victoria Hospital between the setting up of the numbered post mortem system and 31st December 2002, broken down by (a) coroners and (b) hospital post mortems.

(101936)

239
N   Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the Royal Victoria Hospital is retaining body parts from recent autopsies.

(101940)

240
N   Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether (a) parents and (b) relatives of deceased persons are entitled to refuse a hospital post mortem.

(101938)

241
N   Mr Colin Challen (Morley & Rothwell): To ask the Prime Minister, if it is the policy of the Government that the second United Nations resolution on the Iraq crisis will invoke Article 42 of the United Nations Charter.

(101931)

242
N   Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East): To ask the Prime Minister, for what reasons he would not hold the Northern Ireland Assembly elections on 29th May.

(101943)

243   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much the Department spent on advertising in Scotland in each year since 1999 on (a) television, (b) newspapers, (c) radio, (d) magazines, (e) billboards and (f) sporting events.

(102332)

244   Mr John Burnett (Torridge & West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what guidance she gives on the disposal of motor car batteries; and if she will make a statement.

(102399)

245
N   Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she has made of the impact on United Kingdom GDP of implementation of the Draft Directive on the re-use and commercial exploitation of public sector documents.

(101087)

246
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she intends to produce a regulatory impact assessment for the Fireworks Bill.

(102133)

247   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much of the South West GDP the arms trade accounted for in 2002.

(102346)

248   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the arms trade was worth to United Kingdom public companies in terms of exports in 2002.

(102344)

249   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many people the UK arms trade employs (a) in the UK and (b) in the South-West.

(102341)

250   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much the Department spent on advertising in Scotland in each year since 1999 on (a) television, (b) newspapers, (c) radio, (d) magazines, (e) billboards and (f) sporting events.

(102334)

251   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the impact of the closure of Rail Mail on vehicle movements in London.

(102420)

252   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with LUL about the restoration of services on the (a) Waterloo and City Line and (b) Central Line.

(102396)

253   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, who would conduct (a) an inquiry into a rail accident and (b) a criminal investigation into a criminal act on the (i) Folkestone, Dymchurch and Hythe Railway, (ii) Bluebell Railway, (iii) Didcot Railway, (iv) Heritage Railway and (v) Rail Mail under the provisions of the Rail and Transport Safety Bill.

(102393)

254   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when safety liaison meetings between ASLEF, management and other partners took place in each of the last five years; and what the normal frequency of such meetings should be.

(102395)

255   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) train, (b) track and (c) signalling maintenance staff have left the employment of LUL in each year since 1997; and what the total number of each was in each year since 1997.

(102394)

256   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Metronet contract will be signed; and when the Mayor of London will take over responsibility for the London Underground.

(102392)

257   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will place in the Library a copy of (a) the inspection regime protocols covering the inspection of motor retaining bolts and brackets on the Waterloo and City Line and the Central Line and (b) protocols covering the withdrawal of Underground trains on safety grounds for each Underground line.

(102397)

258
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his Answer of 5th March, ref 100668, which of the first ports identified are classified as non-fishery.

(102128)

259
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his Answer of 5th March, ref 100668, when a decision will be taken as to whether the ports fall within the classification as public corporations; and what the cause of UK present uncertainty is.

(102129)

260
N   Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will place in the Library the latest annual account of (a) non-fishery trust ports, and (b) fishery trust ports.

(102130)

261   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the reports on climate change published by (a) the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and (b) the UK Climate Impacts Programme on the transport sector.

(102197)

262   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what rules govern the placing of (a) speeches and (b) notes for speeches by ministers of his Department (i) on his Department's website and (ii) in the Library.

(102193)

263   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his Answer of 24th February, Official Report, column 290W, on Ministerial Speeches, if he will place a copy of the notes from which he spoke in the Library.

(102340)

264   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his Answer of 21st January, Official Report, column 205W, on freight facilities grant, what the expected expenditure on Freight Facilities Grants by (a) the Strategic Rail Authority in England, (b) the Scottish Executive in Scotland and (c) the Welsh Assembly in Wales is in each year from 2001-02 to 2004-05.

(102338)

265   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what studies his Department has carried out into the effect of climate change on railway infrastructure.

(102195)

266   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made by his Department in the last year of the security arrangements at railway stations; and which have been assessed, listed by station operator.

(102198)

267   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the likely impact of future climate change upon the transport sector.

(102194)

268   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to put in place measures to counter the risk from terrorist attack to transport infrastructure other than airports.

(102192)

269   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will place copies of reports published from research funded by his Department on the effects of climate change on (a) railways, (b) roads, (c) aviation and (d) other transport in the Library.

(102196)

270
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether Traffic Master detectors on motorways and trunk roads are equipped with lenses capable of reading vehicle registration numbers; and if he will make a statement.

(101382)

271   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research he has conducted into the extent to which environmental factors, with particular reference to (a) litter on tracks and (b) graffiti in stations, influence perceptions of safety and customer satisfaction among users of the railways.

(102229)

272   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff have been employed by the Office of the Rail Regulator in each year since 1997.

(102226)

273   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what measures he plans to take to improve perceptions of safety among users of railway transport.

(102228)

274   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of data collection concerning perceptions of passenger safety on the railways.

(102227)

275   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of changes in the number of injury-accidents occuring after introduction of driving on the hard shoulder.

(102220)

276   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance he has (a) sought and (b) received from the Health and Safety Executive on the proposal to permit the use of motorway hard shoulders as a running lane.

(102219)

277   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to gauge the opinion of motorists on the proposal to remove the hard shoulder on many motorways.

(102221)

278   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the (a) construction and (b) maintenance costs associated with the introduction of driving on hard shoulders.

(102218)

279   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to permit use of hard shoulders as a running lane; and if he will make a statement.

(102213)

280   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the safety implications of using the hard shoulder as a running lane.

(102214)

281   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what meetings he has had with motoring organisations to discuss the safety implications of the proposal to remove the hard shoulder on many motorways; and what responses he had (a) in favour and (b) opposed.

(102224)

282   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance he has (a) sought and (b) received from the Fire Service on the proposal to permit the use of motorway hard shoulders as a running lane.

(102223)

283   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the costs to public funds as a result of a change in the number of accidents caused by driving on the hard shoulder, with particular regard to (a) insurance, (b) medical costs, (c) care of dependants and (d) time off work.

(102225)

284   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what meetings he has had with (a) the Transport and General Workers Union and (b) other trade unions, to discuss the safety implications of driving on hard shoulders for those who work at the roadside.

(102222)

285   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his policy is on accepting road safety research conducted overseas as being valid for the United Kingdom; and whether this policy is applied in other parts of his Department.

(102217)

286   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will place in the Library copies of research he has assessed in relation to his policy regarding use of hard shoulders as a running lane.

(102216)

287   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will commit the Department to retaining the existing hard shoulder network for the purpose for which it was intended.

(102215)

288   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will set out the ranking of assessed rates of return for the development options listed in section 14.4 of the SERAS Stage two Appraisal Findings report.

(102300)

289   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his Answer of 5th March 2003, Official Report, column 795W, on airport development, what rate of return was assessed in section 14.4 of the SERAS Stage two Appraisal Findings report for each of the Cliffe options; and how far the assessed rates of return for the Cliffe options fell below the target rate of return, measured as a percentage of the target rate.

(102299)

290   Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the performance of Silverlink train services from Hatch End and Headstone Lane stations into Euston (a) before 1997 and (b) since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(102285)

291   Mr Gareth Thomas (Harrow West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the performance of the Chiltern Line services from Sudbury Hill and Northolt Park into central London since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(102286)

292   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Department spent on advertising in Scotland in each year since 1999 on (a) television, (b) newspapers, (c) radio, (d) magazines, (e) billboards and (f) sporting events.

(102333)

293
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of people aged 50 and over were not in employment in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002 in (i) Coventry and (ii) the UK.

(101189)

294
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what consultation took place prior to the proposals to close some of the department's offices in rural areas.

(101238)

295
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his latest estimate is of how many pensioner households there are in (a) the UK and (b) Scotland.

(102034)

296   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 3rd February from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms Donna Neokli.

(102189)

297   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 3rd February from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Akbar Ali.

(102184)

298   Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many parents with care entitled to child support received (a) no child support and (b) less than they should be receiving in the last year for which figures are available; and what the total of unpaid child support arrears was.

(102287)

299   Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he has taken since the publication of Update 1 'Calculation and payment of cash equivalent transfer values'" by the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority to (a) ensure that pension scheme members' rights under the (i) Pension Schemes Act 1993 and (ii) Pensions Act 1995 are protected, (b) monitor the numbers and circumstances of scheme members whose position may be adversely affected by the OPRA guidance and (c) ensure that the consultation being carried out in respect of the draft Occupational Pension Schemes (Transfer Values) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 is not prejudiced by OPRA's interim guidance pending the proposed introduction of the Regulations; and if he will make a statement.

(102472)

300   Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects the Occupational Pension Schemes (Transfer Values) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 to be laid before Parliament; and what steps he has taken to ensure that the interim regime adopted under Update 1—Calculation and payment of cash equivalent transfer values, issued by the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority, is as brief as possible.

(102444)

301   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support in finding employment is given by his Department to unemployed people suffering from mental illness.

(102232)

302   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Department spent on advertising in Scotland in each year since 1999 on (a) television, (b) newspapers, (c) radio, (d) magazines, (e) billboards and (f) sporting events.

(102336)

303   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the net cost to the public purse was of expenditure on railways in each year from 1973.

[Transferred] (102479)

304   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the estimates which he has made of the external costs associated with private motoring, with particular reference to the environmental costs.

[Transferred] (102477)

305   Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what implications for human health avian influenza has.

[Transferred] (102366)

306   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the British Government made the representations to the US administration to which the President of the Council referred in his oral Answer to the honourable Member for Blaenau Gwent on 6th February, Official Report, column 454.

[Transferred] (102484)

307   Mr David Heyes (Ashton under Lyne): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what annual rate of replacement of iron mains was achieved by Transco for the year 2001-02; what annual rate of replacement is predicted by Transco for 2002-03; and what assessment he has made of whether Transco is on course to achieve the annual rate of replacement needed to meet the target required by the HSE's gas mains replacement programme.

[Transferred] (102243)

308   Mr David Heyes (Ashton under Lyne): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether Transco completed the replacement of all medium pressure ductile iron mains within 30 metres of buildings by 31st December 2002 as required by the HSE's Improvement Notice issued in September 2000.

[Transferred] (102241)

309   Mr David Heyes (Ashton under Lyne): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will amend the Gas Safety (Management) Regulations (GSMR) 1996 to include (a) mandatory competence of employees of gas conveyors and their sub-contractors in line with the provisions of paragraphs 3 and 4, Part B, Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 for operatives working downstream of the emergency control, (b) a duty of publication of the safety case required of gas conveyors and emergency network co-ordinators by paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of the GSMR and (c) maintenance of the 12 hour limit for the prevention of gas leaks in paragraphs 7(4) and 7(5) of the GSMR.

[Transferred] (102244)

310   Mr David Heyes (Ashton under Lyne): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what effect HSE's October 2002 warning of the need for replacement of all non-Transco owned MPDI networks within 30 metres of buildings has had on the development of (a) a complete picture of all such networks, irrespective of ownership and (b) a programme of work for their replacement that is agreed with their owners.

[Transferred] (102242)

311   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many traffic wardens were employed in each year since 1997.

[Transferred] (102254)

312   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the quality of services available to the parent carers of children with physical and learning difficulties; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (102282)

313   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support is available to the parent carers of children with physical and learning difficulties; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (102281)

314   Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of parent carers of children with physical and learning difficulties; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (102283)