Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2002 - 03
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Thursday 22 May 2003

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Thursday 22 May 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.

THURSDAY 22nd MAY

1   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115855)

2   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115877)

3   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what role Government offices will play in the new campaign to increase internet usage; and if he will make a statement.

(115542)

4   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make a statement on the (a) cost, (b) scope and (c) partnerships created for the latest initiative to increase internet use in the UK.

(115541)

5   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment has been made of Government department websites for (a) access by disabled users, (b) content and reliability and (c) value for money.

(115543)

6   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants were seconded to private sector industry in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03.

(115604)

7   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people were seconded to the civil service from private industry in the last year for which figures are available.

(115605)

8   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many employees have been seconded from Capita to the Cabinet Office since 1997; for how long they worked in the Office; and what positions they held.

(115625)

9   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answers of 15th May to the honourable Member for Edinburgh West, Official Report, column 384W, and of 8th May to the honourable Member for Twickenham, Official Report, column 719W, on the Tax Credit helpline, what additional resources were allocated to the handling of callers to the helpline; and what assessment he has made of the impact which the additional resources have had on the helpline service.

(115703)

10   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115853)

11   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115873)

12
N   Mr Stephen Byers (North Tyneside): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the amount of tax foregone as a consequence of the tax policy towards non-domiciled residents in each of the last five years.

(115112)

13   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have had payments delayed due to the delays experienced by applicants using the Tax Credit helpline; and if he will make a statement.

(115911)

14
N   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the Government's golden shares and their value at current equity market prices.

(114635)

15   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 16th May, Official Report, column 494W, on vacant Government buildings, if he will list the vacant Government-owned buildings as held by the Office of Government Commerce.

(115702)

16   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) telephone lines and (b) telephonists there are for the Tax Credit helpline; and if he will make a statement.

(115910)

17   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how the amount of stamp duty will be calculated in the sale of long leasehold residential property.[R]

(115913)

18   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much additional duty he estimates will be raised from the proposal to change stamp duty on leases in each of the next five years; how many additional property transactions he estimates will come within the provision in each of the next five years; and what estimate he has made of (a) the compliance cost and (b) the number of additional staff required to implement the measures in each of the next five years.

(115847)

19   Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make regulations under clause 50 of the Finance Bill to ensure that enhanced stamp duty is not paid on account of VAT increasing the consideration amount.[R]

(115920)

20
N   Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list by project the consultancies (a) his Department, (b) its non-departmental public bodies, (c) HM Customs and Excise and (d) Inland Revenue have used on e-government projects since 1st January 2001.

(115230)

21   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of businesses that have ceased the resale of paraffin and paraffin products since 6th April.

(115823)

22   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses applied to register for the resale of paraffin (a) before 14th February, (b) between 14th February and 5th April and (c) after 5th April.

(115822)

23   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance has been given to officers on settlement of arrears in payment of working tax credits.

(115804)

24   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive on the effects on its social justice agenda of delays in making tax credit assessments.

(115809)

25   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what additional staff resources he has made available to deal with resolving outstanding tax credit queries.

(115808)

26   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individual appeals against working tax credit assessments are outstanding.

(115805)

27   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many emergency interim payments have been issued in respect of tax credit assessment errors in each week since 6th April.

(115807)

28   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of delays in settling outstanding tax credit queries arising from the changes to the tax credit system on 6th April.

(115806)

29   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will issue a re-assessment of price-elasticity in the market for Scotch whisky, following introduction of the new Treasury model for spirits taxation.

(115824)

30   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses are registered to sell paraffin.

(115821)

31   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many telephone calls have been received on the hotline for honourable Members to resolve constituents' tax credit queries in each week since 1st January.

(115803)

32   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer whether VAT is levied on (a) the rental of garages and lock-ups by homeowners and (b) council tenants whose house includes a garage or lock-up.

(115820)

33   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer who the head of the Contributions Agency was in 1998; how many meetings the head of the Contributions Agency had with Ministers in the Department of Social Security in 1998; whether minutes were kept of such meetings; whether written reports were prepared in 1998 by the Agency on the operations of the Agency; and to which Minister of the Department of Social Security the head of the Contributions Agency reported in 1998.

(115914)

34
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer, of 14th May, Official Report, columns 261-2W, on food imports, (a) whether the personnel for the new mobile anti-smuggling teams will be drawn from existing Customs personnel, (b) which regions the new anti-smuggling teams will operate in, (c) which regions the detector dogs will operate in, (d) what provisions are in place for replacing ill detector dogs and (e) when the publicity campaign at ports and airports in the UK and overseas will be unveiled.

(114950)

35
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer, of 14th May, Official Report, columns 261-2W, on food imports, how much will be spent in 2003-04 on (a) mobile anti-smuggling teams, (b) the detector dog programme, (c) intelligence activity and (d) publicity campaigns at ports and airports in the UK and overseas.

(114949)

36   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the Chairman of the Countryside Agency to discuss rural proofing.

(115583)

37
N   Mr Michael Howard (Folkestone & Hythe): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General at the National Audit Office on the Treasury's role in instigating the Cambridge MIT Institute project, established between the Cambridge University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

(115454)

38   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications have been (a) received, (b) processed and (c) completed for the (i) working tax credit and (ii) child tax credit, or equivalents, in each of the last three years from people resident in (A) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constitutency, (B) each Government office region and (C) in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

(115544)

39   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in the Bridgwater constituency have experienced delays in receiving tax credits.

(115613)

40   Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the US administration on the restoration of the US dollar as Iraq's oil currency.

(115897)

41   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the introduction of the EU's Savings Tax Directive on the competitiveness of Britain's Overseas Territories.

(115664)

42   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees have been seconded from Capita to Her Majesty's Treasury since 1997; for how long they worked in the Department; and what positions they held.

(115626)

43   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer to the honourable Member for Swansea West of 16th December, Official Report, column 531W, if she will list the items to be moved as part of the spending allocated to Clarence House for removing, storing and reinstating contents.

(115835)

44   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with whom the contents of Clarence House are insured; how much this costs per annum; and whether the cost is met by the civil list.

(115837)

45   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the sums allocated to professional fees in respect of refurbishment and redecoration of Clarence House have been placed following a process of competitive tendering.

(115840)

46   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the annual sum provided to the grant-in-aid has been in each year from 1979 to date.

(115781)

47   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, who authorised the refurbishment and redecoration works at Clarence House, and on what date.

(115836)

48   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps are in place to ensure that the taxpayer receives good value for money from the sum allocated to the grant-in-aid.

(115796)

49   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list the inhabitants of Clarence House in each year from 1997 to date.

(115838)

50   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer to the honourable Member for Swansea West of 16th December, Official Report, column 531W, if she will list the redecoration and refurbishment work at Clarence House, including amounts paid for materials and labour.

(115834)

51   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, who decides the annual allocation of funds provided through the grant-in-aid.

(115779)

52   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps are in place to ensure monies allocated to grant-in-aid are spent in an environmentally responsible manner.

(115782)

53   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what financial contribution (a) Her Majesty the Queen and (b) HRH the Prince of Wales is making to the redecoration and refurbishment of Clarence House.

(115778)

54   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what has been the total rental income received from inhabitants of Clarence House from 1997 to date.

(115839)

55   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, who owns Clarence House.

(115780)

56   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115885)

57   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115865)

58
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her oral Answer of 19th May, what action the Coalition is staking to protect the ziggurat-stepped pyramid at Ur; and if she will make a statement.

(115106)

59   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she last met the Chairman of the Countryside Agency to discuss rural proofing.

(115577)

60   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has held with (a) the Civil Service Sports Council and (b) Civil Service Sports Council Properties Ltd on the disposal of playing fields.

(115660)

61
N   Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her Answer, of 7th May, Official Report, columns 729-30W, on film certificates, what the estimated tax cost of relief provided under section 48 of the Finance (No. 2) Act 1997 was in each year since 1997 for (a) theatrical films, (b) all (c) television fiction and documentaries; (d) televison other, (e) certified copy and counts in no category and (f) co-productions.

(114946)

62   Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make a statement on her Department's policy towards the funding of chamber orchestras.

(115517)

63
N   Nick Harvey (North Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the budget was and how much was spent on pesticides by the Royal Parks Agency in each year since 1997.

(115077)

64   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much public money has been given in each of the last five years for which figures are available to support local temporary radio stations operating under a short term licence; and how much of that funding was channelled through the Countryside Agency.

(115592)

65   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what Government assistance is available to the BBC to cover the whole of the Bridgwater constituency by local radio.

(115614)

66   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will grant the BBC an FM frequency in Somerset.

(115615)

67
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make a statement on funding for Sport England.

(115313)

68   John Thurso (Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment VisitBritain has made of the impact of holding the Olympic Games in London on (a) visitor numbers in London, (b) visitor displacement from London and (c) visitor numbers in Scotland; and if she will make a statement.

(115519)

69   Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make it her policy to cancel the review of accommodation grading if consumer research does not support it.

(115653)

70   Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the success of the current harmonised scheme for accommodation grading.

(115644)

71   Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what financial provision has been made to support the costs of further harmonisation of accommodation grading schemes, with particular reference to (a) property reinspections and (b) production and distribution of new signage.

(115649)

72   Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will place in the Library copies of the consumer research she has assessed in relation to her revised policy on accommodation grading systems.

(115651)

73   Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what weight she gave to the views of (a) domestic tourists and (b) international visitors when formulating her policy on accommodation grading schemes.

(115646)

74   Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, who will chair the review of accommodation grading; and if she will make a statement.

(115645)

75   Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of (a) the impact on business and (b) the cost to public funds of further changes to the accommodation grading system.

(115648)

76   Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what input other bodies will have into research conducted into consumer attitudes to accommodation grading schemes.

(115652)

77   Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the terms of reference are for the review of accommodation grading schemes; when the review commenced; who has been invited to participate; and what timetable will be followed.

(115647)

78   Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to research consumer attitudes to accommodation grading schemes in the UK; and what amount, broken down by project, is budgeted for such research.

(115650)

79   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115867)

80   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115887)

81
N   Mr Colin Breed (South East Cornwall): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost to the UK for Eurofighter will be in 2003-04; what percentage of the defence budget this represents; and if he will make a statement.

(115108)

82
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many visits of UK personnel to the US under the auspices of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement occurred in 2002.

(114684)

83   Mrs Ann Cryer (Keighley): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the defence policy of the UK is in relation to the maintenance of minimum nuclear deterrent against aggressors.

(115752)

84   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many test-firing targets are stored at Drummore Harbour.

(115817)

85   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the plans to change the ownership of Drummore Harbour.

(115816)

86   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many redundancy notices have been issued to staff at West Freugh.

(115831)

87   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost of training (a) an RAF officer, (b) an RN officer, (c) an Army officer and (d) an officer in the Royal Marines was in 2001-02; if he will break down the total cost into component parts; what estimate he has made of training costs in each case in 2002-03; and if he will make a statement.

(115659)

88   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many procedures have been carried out on animals at Porton Down since 1997; and what breeds of animals were involved.

(115585)

89   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what factors underlay the decision to sell HMS Sheffield to Chile; and what other bids were received for HMS Sheffield.

(115661)

90
N   Mr David Hinchliffe (Wakefield): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason officer cadets at Sandhurst Military Academy have been refused permission to play rugby league; and if he will make a statement.

(115284)

91
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which US officials were invited to attend the EU Defence Ministers' meeting in Brussels on 19th May.

(115459)

92
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he will announce plans for a march past or other event of the UK Armed Forces to mark the role of the UK Armed Forces in the recent conflict in Iraq.

(115448)

93
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Defence Ministers' Meeting in Brussels on 19th May.

(115460)

94
N   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has been made of the conditions under which the UK Government would approve a military operation under the European Security and Defence Policy without (a) the express approval of all NATO allies and (b) NATO support and involvement.

(115461)

95   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what requests were made during the recent conflict in Iraq by 34 Field Hospital for (a) paediatric modules and (b) pralidoxime for use against chemical poisoning; when the requests were made; what the response was to the requests; and if he will make a statement.

(115551)

96   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the appraisal of kit performance in the Gulf War will be published.

(115594)

97   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the accuracy was of bombs dropped in the Gulf War.

(115595)

98   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assistance is given to local areas to raise (a) the level of and (b) finance available to cadet forces.

(115616)

99   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Chinook fleet was last upgraded.

(115610)

100   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what continuing works will be carried out on the SA80 following the end of the conflict in Iraq.

(115599)

101   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, where and in what form files of (a) personnel, (b) medical and (c) disciplinary records of members of Her Majesty's armed forces are stored after their death; how long these files are retained; and what access is available for interested parties.

(115790)

102   Patrick Mercer (Newark): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what change there has been in the pay scales of (a) reservists and (b) regular service personnel since 1997.

(115530)

103   Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when NHS staff deployed as reservists in Iraq will return to this country.

(115679)

104   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115856)

105   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115878)

106
N   Mr Stephen Byers (North Tyneside): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what percentage of the adult population were home owners in (a) 1973, (b) 1983, (c) 1993 and (d) 2000.

(115111)

107
N   Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list by project the consultancies (a) his Department and (b) its non-departmental public bodies have used on e-government projects since 1st January 2001.

(115231)

108
N   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, within what period of time he intends that decisions on planning applications for proposed regeneration of derelict sites should be made where the decision has been removed from the local authority; and what plans he has to expedite decisions on such applications.

(115294)

109
N   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he expects a decision to be taken on the planning application on the proposed development of St Oswalds Park in Gloucester.

(115293)

110
N   Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 19th March, Official Report, column 795W, on regional governance, if he will provide a total cost figure for the soundings exercise on the level of interest in holding referendums about establishing elected regional assemblies, updated to the end of the response period on 16th May.

(115117)

111
N   Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will publish the results of the soundings exercise on the level of interest in each English region in holding a referendum about establishing an elected regional assembly at 16th May; and how many of the responses received in each region were in favour of holding a referendum.

(115110)

112
N   Mr Charles Hendry (Wealden): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much was raised in council tax in East Sussex in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03; and how much is expected to be raised in 2003-04.

(115473)

113
N   Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether, pursuant to his Answer of 16th May, Official Report, column 492W, on housing, he will respond to the Cambridgeshire County Council's proposed modifications to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan; and whether he will object to the inclusion of any further consideration of development of land west of Trumpington Road in Cambridge on grounds of (a) the contribution which that land makes to the Cambridgeshire Green Belt and (b) the effect upon the environment of the Grantchester Meadows.

(115309)

114   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the total cost of consultants used by his Department was in financial year 2002-03.

(115607)

115
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the local authorities in the South East Region which have been allowed to suspend the Right to Buy; and what criteria he used in permitting suspension in each case.

(115314)

116   Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many pollution permit controls were approved for (a) incineration, (b) composting, (c) landfill and (d) material recovery facilities in the years 1999 to 2002 in the (i) Yorkshire and Humber, (ii) South East, (iii) South West, (iv) North East, (v) North West, (vi) East of England, (vii) East Midlands, (viii) West Midlands and (ix) London regions.

(115769)

117   Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the total area of land for which planning permission for waste management purposes was granted in the years 1999 to 2003 was; and if he will make a statement.

(115776)

118   Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the capacity of (a) incineration, (b) composting and (c) recycling plants for the years 1999 to 2002; what the estimated capacity will be for the years 2003 to 2005; and if he will make a statement.

(115774)

119   Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the (a) incinerations, (b) composting plants and (c) material recovery plants that received planning approval in the years 1999 to 2002; and what their capacities were.

(115766)

120   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what percentage of undisputed invoices were paid in 30 days by (a) the Audit Commission and (b) the average local authority in England in the last year for which figures are available.

(115492)

121   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many (a) early retirements and (b) ill-health retirements there were as a percentage of the total workforce in (i) the Audit Commission and (ii) the average local authority in England in the last year for which figures are available.

(115496)

122   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what percentage of buildings owned by (a) the Audit Commission and (b) local authorities in England are suitable for and accessible by disabled people.

(115505)

123   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many working days were lost to sickness in (a) the Audit Commission and (b) the average local authority in England in the last year for which figures are available.

(115494)

124   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many mobile phones or pagers owned by the Audit Commission have been lost by its staff since 1997.

(115501)

125   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what percentage of waste was recycled and how many kilogrammes of waste were generated per staff member by (a) the Audit Commission and (b) the average local authority in England in each year since 1997.

(115504)

126   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether the Audit Commission has reached the level of the Commission for Racial Equality Standard for Racial Equality; and what percentage of local authorities in England have reached this level.

(115490)

127   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what percentage of senior management posts are filled by women in (a) the Audit Commission and (b) the average local authority in England.

(115493)

128   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what percentage of (a) the Audit Commission staff, (b) local authority staff in England and (c) the economically active population in England (i) are from ethnic minorities and (ii) people with disabilities.

(115488)

129   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many subscriptions to (a) digital terrestrial, (b) digital satellite and (c) digital cable television are held by the Audit Commission; and what the (i) cost and (ii) purpose is of each subscription.

(115502)

130   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much it cost to develop the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Best Value Performance Indicators website.

(115489)

131   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many voluntary leavers there were as a percentage of staff in (a) the Audit Commission and (b) the average local authority in England in the last year for which figures are available.

(115495)

132   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many times Audit Commission staff have travelled abroad at public expense since 1997; what countries they visited; and what the total cost of each visit was.

(115503)

133   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many complaints his Department has received in the last year relating to (a) the Audit Commission and (b) the average local authority in England.

(115491)

134   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115852)

135   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115872)

136
N   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to extend the number of deprived wards eligible to receive sure start financial support.

(115109)

137
N   Mr Stephen Byers (North Tyneside): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the percentage was of those completing statutory school with no recognised qualifications in (a) 1973, (b) 1980, (c) 1985, (d) 1990, (e) 1995, (f) 2000 and (g) for the latest year for which information is available.

(115113)

138   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to assess the compatibility of the statement of principles of the Office of Fair Access with the European Convention on Human Rights, with special reference to the right to education.

(115687)

139   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what guidance he has given to universities on measuring potential for the purpose of adhering to the statement of principles issued by the Office of Fair Access.

(115685)

140   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the milestones for assessing progress in widening participation referred to on page 19 of Widening Participation in Higher Education are which he intends to set out in guidance to the Office of Fair Access for it to apply to individual universities; and whether admissions from (a) type of schools and (b) family social class are to play a part in such milestones.

(115686)

141
N   Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list by project the consultancies (a) his Department and (b) its non-departmental public bodies have used on e-government projects since 1st January 2001.

(115229)

142   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of (a) Year 7, (b) Year 8, (c) Year 9, (d) Year 10 and (e) Year 11 lessons seen by Ofsted in each year from 1995 to 2001 were recorded as set.

(115573)

143   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of Key Stage One classes inspected in 2001-02 contained 30 pupils or over.

(115574)

144   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of new entrants to the National Professional Qualification for Headship leadership qualifications are (a) from ethnic minorities, (b) have disabilities and (c) are women; and what the percentages are in the workforce as a whole.

(115590)

145   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list the subjects which have missed targets for teacher training recruitment, with the extent of undershoot in each case; and if he will make a statement on (a) the consequences for schools and colleges and (b) his strategy for improving the situation.

(115589)

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

(115588)

147   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of its higher education proposals on the UK economy.

(115591)

148   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average funding per pupil for local education authorities in England and Wales was in each of the last two years; and what the funding per pupil for the East Riding of Yorkshire was in each year.

(115912)

149   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much was allocated to each London education authority through the Music Standards Fund in (a) 1992, (b) 1997 and (c) 2002; and if he will make a statement.

(115534)

150   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of 16 to 18 year olds in the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency have gone on to (a) further and (b) higher education in each of the last five years; what percentage these figures represent of the total number of 16 to 18 year olds in the area; and what the average is in England for such persons.

(115536)

151   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement about the (a) money allocated under and (b) students benefiting from the Music Standards Fund and the Music and Dance Scheme in (i) the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency, (ii) Teesside and (iii) the Government Office North East region.

(115535)

152   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, by how much average teacher salaries in Worcestershire have increased since 1999; and if he will reconsider the application of the area cost adjustment to the county's education settlement.

(115475)

153
N   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of the ceiling on funding for South Gloucestershire Council on education funding in South Gloucestershire.

(115003)

154   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many employees have been seconded from Capita to his Department since 1997; for how long they worked in the Department; and what positions they held.

(115629)

155   Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many school playing fields have been sold in the last 10 years.

(115777)

156   Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of when the container of Lindane lost on 13th March 1989 in the sinking of MV Perintis will corrode; and what impact it will have on fish.

(115894)

157   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115870)

158   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115851)

159
N   Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 14th May, Official Report, column 265W, on civil servants, what the criteria are for recognition within the Special Bonus Scheme; what the performance indicators are that are assessed when considering staff for one-off bonuses; and whether the reduction of financial payments to farmers is a performance indicator for the purposes of the scheme.

(114993)

160   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what property of the genetic modification of seed enables genetically-modified crops to give a higher yield than conventional crops; and if she will make a statement.

(115908)

161   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the need to increase the Thames flood defence measures as part of the planning for the Thames Gateway project; and if she will make a statement.

(115797)

162
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what timetable has been established by her Department for the publication of an implementation plan setting out how the DEFRA strategy for domestic energy efficiency improvements, as outlined in the Energy White Paper, will be delivered; and if she will make a statement.

(114682)

163
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the procedures to be put in place for the forthcoming consultation on genetically modified organisms.

(115288)

164
N   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the criteria to which the UK will have to adhere under the EU directive for commercial applications for licences for the planting of genetically modified organisms.

(115289)

165   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the cost to farmers of non-availability of strychnine hydrochloride; what representations she has received from the farming industry on its availability; what research she has commissioned on alternative poisons for farming pest control; and if she will make a statement on future supplies of strychnine hydrochloride.

(115801)

166   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the operating cost was of the Pesticides Safety Directorate, in each of the last five years.

(115802)

167
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what financial cost her Department has estimated of the impact of the Animal By-Products Regulation on small (a) abattoirs, (b) slaughterhouses and (c) butchers.

(114947)

168   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer, of 14th May, Official Report, column 264W, on the Animal By-products Regulation, (a) what steps her Department has taken to minimize the impact of the Animal By-Products Regulation on small (a) abattoirs, (b) slaughterhouses and (c) butchers; and how the schemes are being deployed within the England Rural Development Programme.

(114948)

169   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she last met the Chairman of the Countryside Agency to discuss rural proofing.

(115578)

170   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has for promoting alternative methods of testing other than using animals.

(115584)

171   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people applied for the post of Wessex Flood Defence Committee Chairman.

(115600)

172   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who the chairman of the Parrett catchment project is.

(115611)

173   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) employment and (b) membership of political parties was declared by the new chairman of the Wessex Flood Defence Committee.

(115601)

174   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what safeguards there are to prevent conflicts of interest by Flood Defence Committee chairmen.

(115598)

175   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Chairman of the Wessex Flood Defence Committee will take up his post.

(115602)

176   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the job description is of the chairman of the Wessex Flood Defence Committee; and how many hours per week he is contracted for.

(115597)

177   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) total remuneration and (b) benefits will be received by the Chairman of the Wessex Flood Control Committee.

(115596)

178
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, from what date the policy of not publishing the results of welfare checks conducted by the State Veterinary Surgery applied.

(115315)

179
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of the CAP mid-term review on the growing of crops for alternative fuel production.

(115311)

180
N   Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of Suckler Cow Premium Scheme payments had been made by the Rural Payments Agency for 2001-02 claims.

(115312)

181   Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the local authorities which have levied charges for licences to place skips on the highway; what changes have been made; and if she will make a statement.

(115775)

182   Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost was for external consultants to assist the Environment Agency with the production and guidance relating to waste management in the years 1998 to 2002; and what proportion this expenditure represented of the Environment Agency's total budget for waste management.

(115772)

183   Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many cement kilns are operating in the United Kingdom; and what their capacities are.

(115770)

184   Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many tonnes of waste were used in cement kilns in the years 1998 to 2002; and if she will make a statement.

(115771)

185   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on the payment of compensation to organic farms, recognised by the Soil Association, which are contaminated by neighbouring GM farms.

(115476)

186
N   John Austin (Erith & Thamesmead): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received concerning an award by Interpol to the Commissioner of Police for Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.

(114988)

187   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Government of Eritrea regarding the release of political prisoners held since September 2001; and if he will make a statement.

(115738)

188   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of Rwanda following its decision to endorse the banning of the opposition Mouvement Democratique Republicain party.

(115736)

189   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115882)

190   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115862)

191
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Cameroon on (a) the death of Dr Martin Luma and (b) the arrests of the Revd Francis Nchamn, Bissong Stanley, Issaacs Ibe and Esoka Aaron; and if he will make a statement.

(115116)

192   Mrs Ann Cryer (Keighley): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to support the early return by the United Nations Weapons Inspectors to Iraq.

(115741)

193   Mrs Ann Cryer (Keighley): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what measures the Government has taken to implement the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty 2000.

(115742)

194
N   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he is having with the Israeli Government regarding the decision not to allow (a) foreign diplomats and (b) visiting politicians to meet Israeli officials if they also intend to meet Yasser Arafat.

(115287)

195   Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many British personnel are searching for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq; and how many sites they have visited.

(115497)

196   Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the likely production level of cultivation of opium poppies in Afghanistan in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004; and what percentage that represents of levels in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001.

(115498)

197   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 19th to 20th May; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

(115529)

198
N   Mr John Horam (Orpington): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which United Kingdom commitments arising from the World Summit on Sustainable Development (a) have been incorporated into the Department's existing delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements and (b) will be incorporated in its delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements in advance of the 2004 Spending Review.

(113938)

199
N   Glenda Jackson (Hampstead & Highgate): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what amendments he plans to table to the draft UN resolution on reconstruction in Iraq to enable UN expertise in post-conflict institution building to be exercised in rebuilding Iraq.

(115458)

200
N   Glenda Jackson (Hampstead & Highgate): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that the Occupying Powers in Iraq report to the United Nations Security Council their provisions for the promotion and protection of human rights for Iraqi civilians.

(115457)

201
N   Glenda Jackson (Hampstead & Highgate): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he will take to assist the United Nations Security Council in playing an effective role in the promotion and protection of human rights in post-conflict Iraq.

(115456)

202
N   Glenda Jackson (Hampstead & Highgate): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to secure the establishment by the United Nations Security Council of an impartial Commission to examine and analyse information regarding (a) war crimes, (b) crimes against humanity and (c) genocide committed in Iraq.

(115455)

203   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 16th May, Official Report, column 497W, how many ICRC outlets there in (a) Baghdad and (b) Iraq for people to send safe and well messages; and whether the UK Government is assisting the ICRC in the provision and advertisement of its message service.

(115701)

204   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many members of the Indonesian armed forces have been trained by the United Kingdom since 1997; and at what cost.

(115786)

205   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the government of Indonesia concerning the use of Hawk fighter jets in Aceh.

(115784)

206
N   Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, (a) how many staff are employed, (b) how many staff are employed in the visa section and (c) how many staff in each visa section are non-British nationals in Her Majesty's embassies, High Commissions and posts in (a) Zimbabwe, (b) Somalia, (c) Afghanistan, (d) Iran, (e) Turkey, (f) Congo, (g) Sri Lanka, (h) Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, (i) Pakistan, (j) India, (k) Albania, (l) Algeria, (m) Angola, (n) Bolivia, (o) Brazil, (p) Bulgaria, (q) China, (r) Colombia, (s) Croatia, (t) Egypt, (u) Ghana, (v) Nigeria, (w) Jamaica, (x) Kenya, (y) Morocco, (z) Romania, (aa) Sweden and (bb) Czech Republic.

(115226)

207   Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the US administration on the restoration of the US dollar as Iraq's oil currency.

(115895)

208   Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what restrictions have been placed by the occupying powers in Iraq on exiles wishing to return to their country.

(115892)

209   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the EU on British Overseas Territories.

(115663)

210   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Turkish Government on retaining the territorial integrity of Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

(115683)

211   Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many scientists and other personnel linked to Saddam Hussein's regime have been identified by the Coalition as key figures in the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq; how many of these have been interviewed; and how many have refused to be interviewed.

(115512)

212   Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the sites in Iraq categorised by the British Government as key in the search for weapons of mass destruction; which of these sites have been searched by Coalition forces; what percentage of the total number of sites this represents; and if he will publish any significant evidence that has been discovered.

(115516)

213   Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what evidence his Department has collated on whether Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction on 18th March.

(115513)

214   Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what instructions were given by the Coalition to British troops in Iraq regarding the need to secure those sites identified by the Coalition as key in the search for weapons of mass destruction.

(115514)

215   Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many personnel have been deployed by (a) the UK and (b) Coalition partners since 9th April to secure sites identified by the Coalition as vital to the hunt for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

(115515)

216   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the cost was of the design, production, printing and distribution to each school in the United Kingdom of the poster, Did You Know the EU is Expanding.

(115669)

217   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what response he has made to the request by the Director-General of the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency on 19th May that IAEA inspectors be allowed back into Iraq.

(115672)

218   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many Ministers have visited Morocco since May 1997; and if he will make a statement on UK-Morocco relations.

(115665)

219   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 14th May, Official Report, column 287W, on Iraq, what the evidential basis was for his statement that organised groups had access to the Baghdad museum and had planned the looting well in advance of military attacks.

(115757)

220   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Government of Bangladesh regarding the situation of the Biharis in that country.

(115621)

221   Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in using US-sourced, virally inactivated fresh frozen plasma for transfusion patients.

(115756)

222   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115883)

223   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115863)

224   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which primary care trusts have been the subject of non-routine review carried out by a strategic health authority since they were established.

(115907)

225   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how he will implement the proposals in the NHS document, Developing Services for carers and families of people with mental illness; and what funding he will make available for this.

(115905)

226   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made in implementing the requirement for general practitioners to identify carers on their patient lists and inform them of services available to carers.

(115906)

227
N   Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many operations have been carried out in France under the NHS overseas treatment scheme; what the medical outcomes were; what proportion of operations resulted in medical complaints; and what the cost was of each category of operation.

(114683)

228   Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect on the efficiency of domiciliary oxygen of the prescription of conserving drugs.

(115755)

229   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 8th May, Official Report, column 867W, on continuing care funding, from how many strategic health authorities further clarification has been requested; and what the reasons are for not publishing the information received from SHAs about their continuing care policies.

(115569)

230   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 8th May, Official Report, column 867W, on continuing care funding, what the procedure is for estimating the numbers of people who may have been wrongly denied continuing care; which organisations were consulted when drawing up the procedure; and if he will place a copy of the procedure in the Library.

(115568)

231   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on (a) the Care Direct pilots and (b) the future of this scheme.

(115524)

232   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nurses there were per head of population in (a) each region and (b) England in each year since 1997.

(115552)

233   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the safety of the drug Seroxat.

(115789)

234
N   Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the average change in income arising from the proposed GP contract for GP practices which do not qualify for the proposed minimum practice income guarantee; and if he will make a statement.

(115232)

235   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he last met the Chairman of the Countryside Agency to discuss rural proofing.

(115579)

236   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 12th May, Official Report, column 107W, on NHS Direct, when the National Patients Database will be established; and if he will make a statement on patient confidentiality in relation to this Database.

(115511)

237   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 14th May, Official Report, column 321W, on severe acute respiratory syndrome, whether the World Health Organisation has advised against screening international travellers arriving in the UK from areas where local transmission of SARS is occurring by (a) a declaration and (b) a temperature check.

(115521)

238   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 14th May, Official Report, column 320W, on public health, what the expected timetable is for the proposed review of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984.

(115522)

239   Stephen Hesford (Wirral West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many primary care trusts have within their area talking treatments available for those with mental health problems on prescription from general practitioners.

(115909)

240
N   Mr John Horam (Orpington): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which United Kingdom commitments arising from the World Summit on Sustainable Development (a) have been incorporated into the Department's existing delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements and (b) will be incorporated in its delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements in advance of the 2004 Spending Review.

(113942)

241   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place a copy of the job description of the director of communications of Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority in the Library.

(115640)

242   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was claimed in expenses by the director of communications at Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority in the last financial year.

(115632)

243   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements are in place for reviewing the performance of the director of communications of the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority.

(115633)

244   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what professional qualifications are held by the director of communications of Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority.

(115638)

245   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people applied for the post of director of communications at Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority; and how many were interviewed.

(115639)

246   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the annual salary is of the director of communications at Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority.

(115636)

247   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff at the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority work on (a) communications strategy and (b) press relations.

(115635)

248   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent by the Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority on communications and publicity in the last financial year.

(115634)

249   Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what training courses the director of communications at Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority has attended since his appointment.

(115637)

250   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether there is a teenage cancer unit which serves young people in (a) the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency, (b) Teesside and (c) the Government Office North East region; and if he will make a statement on national treatments and units for teenager cancer sufferers.

(115550)

251
N   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what financial assistance has been given to primary care trusts in the last year to support mental health services in treating drug users with mental health problems.

(114231)

252   Mr Eric Martlew (Carlisle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on the regular use of aspirin to tackle heart disease; and if he will make a statement.

(115732)

253   Mr Bill Olner (Nuneaton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received from the funeral industry about the possibility of infection from the handling of infected bodies where proper notification has not been given to the relevant funeral director; and what action he plans to take.

(115477)

254   Mr Bill Olner (Nuneaton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his estimate is of the number of infected bodies removed by the funeral industry from NHS hospitals and other premises in each of the last five years.

(115479)

255   Mr Bill Olner (Nuneaton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the differences between the regulations and arrangements for the notification of infected bodies in various parts of the UK; and if he will make a statement.

(115478)

256   Diana Organ (Forest of Dean): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been allocated to cancer services in the 2003-06 Local Delivery Plan for the Avon, Gloucester and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority Area.

(115844)

257   Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will announce the results of the review of domiciliary oxygen services initiated in March 2000.

(115643)

258   Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what conclusions he has reached concerning provision of ambulatory oxygen for domiciliary use.

(115642)

259   Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of whether scope exists to improve the efficiency of domiciliary oxygen through the prescription of conserving devices.

(115641)

260   Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to permit pharmacists to supply prescriptions in quantities of 28 pills when 30 have been prescribed.

(115691)

261   Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of the disposal of broken patient packs by pharmacists in each of the last three years.

(115694)

262   Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential of bar-coding medicine packs for transfer to prescription forms.

(115695)

263   Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost was to the NHS in 1990 values of the Prescription Pricing Authority in each year from 1990-91 to 2002-03.

(115693)

264   Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was paid to the Prescription Pricing Authority for each prescription dispensed in each year since 1990-91, in 1990 values.

(115692)

265   Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will introduce random selection as a method of choosing people to sit on the boards of foundation hospitals.

(115681)

266
N   John Austin (Erith & Thamesmead): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) discussions have taken place with Interpol and (b) representations he has received concerning an award by Interpol to the Commissioner of Police for Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.

(114989)

267   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115888)

268   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115868)

269
N   Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued in Cardiff since their introduction; and if he will make a statement.

(115235)

270
N   Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders were issued per head of population in each of the police force areas in England and Wales since their introduction; and if he will make a statement.

(115234)

271   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Office of Children's Rights Commissioner for London.

(115523)

272   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 15th May, Official Report, column 436W, on the Passport Agency, if he will make it his policy for all passports posted by the Passport Agency back to the customer to be posted by recorded delivery.

(115528)

273   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when Barbara Payton will receive clearance to act as a counter signatory for the Sutton Volunteer Bureau under the provisions of the Police Act 1997.

(115833)

274
N   Mr Stephen Byers (North Tyneside): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of young offenders have no recognised qualifications.

(115114)

275   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the responsibilities are of the Management of Detained Casework Unit within the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in Leeds; what its objectives are for the coming 12 months; and whether it processes the cases of all those detained by the Immigration Service.

(115509)

276   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which port, enforcement office, casework directorate, or similar unit within the Immigration and Nationality Directorate is responsible for authorising the discharge, when appropriate, of persons subject to immigration control from (a) Her Majesty's Prison, Liverpool and (b) prisons in general; and what the (i) telephone and (ii) fax numbers are that legal representatives of those detained should use in order to contact the units concerned.

(115510)

277   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when his Department last discussed immigration officer resources available at Stranraer and Cairnryan ports with staff from (a) the Scottish Executive and (b) Dumfries and Galloway police.

(115830)

278   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions staff from Glasgow Immigration Office have attended Stranraer and Cairnryan ports to process asylum applications made there.

(115827)

279   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, to which locations individuals making asylum applications at Stranraer and Cairnryan ports have been removed, and in what numbers, in each year since 1st January 2000.

(115829)

280   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many young offenders in England and Wales, subject to supervision orders, are in residential institutions in Scotland.

(115825)

281   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will reallocate resources to create a permanent immigration office in Wigtownshire to cover Stranraer and Cairnryan ports.

(115828)

282   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps have been taken to review contracts with private landlords providing accommodation and services for asylum seekers following the report on the Landmark company in Liverpool.

(115572)

283   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he last met the Chairman of the Countryside Agency to discuss rural proofing.

(115580)

284   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 15th May, Official Report, column 430W, on Ali Serir, on what basis Mr Ali Serir's application was refused.

(115704)

285
N   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reply to the question tabled by the honourable Member for East Yorkshire for answer on 14th January, ref 89433.

(115447)

286   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what programmes are available to (a) assess and (b) treat the drug and alcohol addictions of (i) staff and (ii) inmates at each classification of prison and offenders institution in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

(115545)

287   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) anti-social behaviour orders and (b) curfew orders have been made in (i) the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency (ii) the Government Office North East region and (iii) England since the commencement of the scheme; how many have been breached in each area; and if he will make a statement.

(115546)

288   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what financial assistance is available from his Department for initiatives to divert young people from anti-social behaviour; and if he will make a statement about how such schemes have affected the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency.

(115547)

289   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many community support officers are (a) operating and (b) centrally funded in each (i) Government office region and (ii) police force area; and how the number of centrally-funded officers was determined.

(115548)

290   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidelines have been drawn up to regulate speed cameras used by partnership vehicles to Avon and Somerset.

(115617)

291
N   Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the forms of visa available to persons who wish to come to the UK; and how many, broken down by category, have been granted in each of the last four years.

(115227)

292
N   Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many persons have been granted (a) indefinite leave to remain and (b) exceptional leave to remain in each of the last four years for which figures are available.

(115228)

293
N   Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will set out the steps that he has taken (a) to detect illegal entry at British ports and (b) to deter illegal entrants at French and Belgian ports in the last three years.

(115316)

294
N   Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he has taken to renegotiate the bilateral agreement with France concerning illegal immigrants which lapsed in 1997.

(115310)

295   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what dates meetings took place between the West Midlands Police and the Crown Prosecution Service investigating the allegations against Detective Chief Superintendent Ellie Baker.

(115696)

296   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the reasons for the time taken to investigate the allegations against Detective Chief Superintendent Ellie Baker of the West Midlands Constabulary; and how much it cost to investigate the allegations against her.

(115697)

297
N   Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons the specifications for police detention cells differ from those for magistrates' courts detention cells; and what proposals he has to enable dual use where new combined courts and police stations are constructed.

(115240)

298   Bridget Prentice (Lewisham East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many detoxifications of prisoners took place in health care centres in each of the last five years.

(15749)

299   Bridget Prentice (Lewisham East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average length of time for a detoxification of a drug abuser in prison has been in the last five years; and what the (a) longest and (b) shortest times have been.

(115750)

300   Bridget Prentice (Lewisham East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what co-ordinated prison services address the needs of prisoners with dual diagnoses.

(115743)

301   Bridget Prentice (Lewisham East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information he has collated on the numbers of prisoners with dual diagnoses.

(115744)

302   Bridget Prentice (Lewisham East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of those in rehabilitation and treatment completed the programmes in each of the last five years.

(115747)

303   Bridget Prentice (Lewisham East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many detoxified prisoners received follow-up, and of what kind, in each of the last five years.

(115748)

304   Bridget Prentice (Lewisham East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many CARATS initial assessments led to the full process of counselling, assessment, referral, advice and through care in each year for which figures are available.

(115746)

305   Bridget Prentice (Lewisham East): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners have had access to treatment and support services on release in the last 12 months; and with what delay on average.

(115745)

306
N   Mr Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the proposed new offence of corporate manslaughter will apply to (a) crown properties and (b) Government departments.

(115283)

307   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many employees have been seconded from Capita to the Department since 1997; for how long they worked in the Department; and what positions they held.

(115627)

308   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what response he will make to the United Nations Development Programme appeal of 19th May following the destruction caused by cyclone Manou in eastern Madagascar.

(115737)

309   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on recent levels of malaria in the Somali region of Ethiopia.

(115740)

310   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on the levels of food security in Southern Somalia following the flooding of the Juba and Shabelle river basins.

(115735)

311   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what action he is taking to assist people who have suffered from the flooding in southern Ethiopia.

(115739)

312   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in the Birdre resettlement site in Ethiopia; and what action his Department is taking to improve the (a) accommodation facilities, (b) food relief and (c) access to water within the camp.

(115734)

313   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115854)

314   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115874)

315   Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to his Answer of 19th May, Official Report, column 523W, on water supplies (Palestine), if he will make a statement on the responses received from the Israeli Government to (a) UK and (b) EU representations on the impact of Israeli military action on Palestinian infrastructure and water supplies; and what indication the Israeli Government has given of a change in its policy.

(115567)

316   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much it cost to pulp the original edition of the 2003 departmental report; and for what reason the decision was taken.

(115671)

317
N   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo with particular reference to Ituri.

(115451)

318
N   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on the possibility of deploying a rapid reaction force to the area of Ituri, Democratic Repubic of Congo, and the possibility of humanitarian aid entering that area.

(115453)

319
N   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo and (b) the UN concerning the humanitarian situation in the DRC with particular reference to Ituri.

(115452)

320
N   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many departmental staff are employed in Iraq; and what their role in Iraq is.

(115450)

321
N   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussion he has had with the Ministry of Health in Kuwait concerning the treatment of Ali Ismaael Abbas and other Iraqi children in the Ibn Sina Hospital in Kuwait.

(115449)

322   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which non-governmental organisations have recently left Afghanistan citing security as their reason for evacuation.

(115620)

323   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions she has had with the Government of Botswana regarding the Bushmen of the Kalahari desert; and if she will make a statement.

(115618)

324   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many employees have been seconded from Capita to her Department since 1997; for how long they worked in the Department; and what positions they held.

(115628)

325   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115879)

326   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115860)

327   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many cases in (a) private and (b) public law remained unallocated on (i) 31st December 2002 and (ii) 30th March 2003; and what the average time taken to complete reports was in both categories.

(115655)

328   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many training initiatives are planned by CAFCASS over the next 12 months; and what effect these initiatives will have on (a) waiting lists and (b) time taken to complete reports.

(115657)

329   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans CAFCASS has to establish protocols on information sharing with the Department of Health, the Department for Education and Skills, the National Probation Service and the Police.

(115654)

330   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many consultants have been recruited by CAFCASS over the last 12 months; and what their function was.

(115656)

331   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans CAFCASS has to employ additional managers at (a) regional and (b) head office level; and what their function will be.

(115658)

332   Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what assessment he has made of the effect of current fee levels on the quality of publicly funded family law work.

(115682)

333   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115875)

334   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115857)

335
N   David Burnside (South Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many verbal and physical assaults took place on (a) nurses and (b) other staff working in general hospitals in Northern Ireland in (i) 2000, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2002.

(115282)

336
N   David Burnside (South Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many verbal and physical assaults took place on (a) nurses and (b) other staff working in areas of mental health and learning disabilities in Northern Ireland in (i) 2000, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2002.

(115281)

337   Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much public funding was allocated to (a) soccer, (b) Gaelic games, (c) rugby and (d) cricket in Northern Ireland in the last five years.

(115700)

338   Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people have applied for the tax credits benefit in Northern Ireland; and what the average waiting time between application and receipt of benefit has been.

(115699)

339   Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much public funding has been allocated for capital expenditure projects to each school in voluntary grammar and grant maintained sectors within the past five years.

(115698)

340   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what share of profits in the Victoria Square redevelopment will be paid to the Department of Social Development.

(115500)

341   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the President of the Council, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115881)

342   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the President of the Council, how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115861)

343
N   Mr William Cash (Stone): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will list the occasions since 1973 on which the advice of the Attorney-General to ministers was (a) published in full, (b) published in summary form and (c) reported orally to either House of Parliament.

(115474)

344
N   Mr William Cash (Stone): To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer to the Right honourable Member for Chingford and Woodford Green of 14th May, Official Report, column 306, what the basis is of his statement that the European Convention is necessary to make accession work.

(115285)

345
N   Mr William Cash (Stone): To ask the Prime Minister, what authority was given in the Laeken declaration to draft a constitutional treaty for Europe.

(115286)

346
N   Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library a copy of his reply to the letter from ICOMOS of 15th April.

(115078)

347   Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with the US administration on the restoration of the US dollar as Iraq's oil currency.

(115896)

348   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Prime Minister, what matters were discussed, and what papers were considered, at his meeting with Mr Giscard d'Estaing on 19th May.

(115668)

349   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115859)

350   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115880)

351   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many employees in Scotland are (a) entitled to and (b) in receipt of working tax credit.

(115815)

352   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many functions have been held in Dover House in each of the last six years.

(115812)

353   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions her Department has had with (a) P & O and (b) Stena Line on the employment implications of a merger on the North Channel crossing from Loch Ryan ports to Northern Ireland.

(115811)

354   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many families in Scotland are (a) entitled to and (b) in receipt of child tax credit.

(115814)

355   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to her Written Answer of 15th May, Official Report, column 367W, what the reason was for the delay in responding substantively to the Written Question set down for answer on 20th March.

(115798)

356   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much the Scotland Office has spent on external speech writers for the Secretary of State in the last 12 months.

(115846)

357   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Solicitor General, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115869)

358   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Solicitor General, how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115849)

359   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115871)

360   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115850)

361   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 16th May, Official Report, column 460W, on British Business Assistance, in what format she holds the information; what she estimates the cost would be to provide the information in the formats as requested; and if she will make a statement.

(115783)

362
N   Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the support available for the electronics industry.

(115233)

363   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the stability of power supplies in Dumfries and Galloway.

(115818)

364   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the effect on the status of partnerships in Scotland of the Agricultural Holdings Act (Scotland) 2003.

(115813)

365   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions her Department has had with (a) P & O and (b) Stena Line on competition policy issues on the North Channel crossing from Loch Ryan ports to Northern Ireland.

(115810)

366   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she last met the regulator to discuss investment criteria in the electricity transmission sector.

(115819)

367   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what guidelines she sets for the administration of funds allocated to Post Office Ltd to maintain the rural post office network.

(115915)

368   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much money was given out under the Redundant Building Grant scheme by each regional development agency in each year; and when each of the regional development agencies ceased to process grants for the Redundant Building Grant scheme.

(115767)

369   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when each of the regional development agencies will begin to process applications for the Millennium Workspace Initiative grant; how much will be available under each regional development agency area; how long the grant will be available; and whether the Department will set the terms needed to receive the grant.

(115788)

370   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she last met the Chairman of the Countryside Agency to discuss rural proofing.

(115581)

371   Stephen Hesford (Wirral West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action she is taking to promote the interests of developing countries in the world trade round.

(115518)

372
N   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate has been made of the cost of adapting the Post Office's PIN key pads to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; what adjustments will be necessary to ensure that the system complies with the Act; when the adjustments will be completed; and if she will make a statement.

(115243)

373
N   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what advice was sought on the compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 of the Post Office PIN key pad system for collecting benefit payments; what meetings have taken place with groups that represent disabled people about the suitability of the equipment; what advice the Department will seek on the compliance with the Act of adapted equipment; and if she will make a statement.

(115244)

374
N   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what advice (a) her Department and (b) the Post Office has sought on the difficulties those suffering neurological conditions may have with collecting their benefits through the PIN key pad system; what measures will be taken to ensure that the PIN key pad system is accessible to those suffering neurological conditions; and if she will make a statement.

(115107)

375
N   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations she has received from groups that represent disabled people on the use of PIN key pads for people who occasionally ask someone else to collect their benefit; and if she will make a statement.

(115242)

376
N   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what intermediate measues will be taken to ensure that disabled people collecting benefit through Post Office PIN key pads receive their benefit while the key pads are being adapted to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; what compensation will be given to those whose payment is delayed by the PIN key pad adjustments; and if she will make a statement.

(115241)

377
N   Mr John Horam (Orpington): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which United Kingdom commitments arising from the World Summit on Sustainable Development (a) have been incorporated into the Department's existing delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements and (b) will be incorporated in its delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements in advance of the 2004 Spending Review.

(113940)

378   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many complaints have been received by the Information Commissioner's Office concerning unsolicited (a) e-mail, (b) text messages and (c) phone calls; what measures are being taken to deal with spam communications; and if she will make a statement.

(115537)

379   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the latest (a) discussions held and (b) agreements reached concerning the General Agreement on Trade in Services.

(115538)

380   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the proposed implementation of the EU Copyright Directive.

(115539)

381   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on her policy on developing cleaner and greener fuel sources; and what support is available from her Department to achieve that end.

(115540)

382   Mr David Laws (Yeovil): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what her latest estimate is of her Department's direct financial support for the construction industry in (a) 2003-04 and (b) 2004-05; and if she will make a statement.

(115593)

383   Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much was given in grants by the Department for research and development relating to (a) the environment and (b) waste in the years 1998 to 2002; and what the projected allocation is for (i) 2003-04 and (ii) 2005.

(115773)

384
N   Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many (a) complaints and (b) compensation claims were made concerning lost items of mail in each year since 1997.

(114523)

385
N   Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Postwatch in resolving Royal Mail customers' complaints.

(114524)

386   Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many medical examination appointments for vibration white finger special damages have been made in each of the next six months.

(115889)

387   Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many claimants there are for vibration white finger special damages in Wales, broken down by Parliamentary constituency; and what the timetable is for examining claimants in Wales.

(115890)

388
N   Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the (a) reported deficit in the pension fund of Royal Mail Group and (b) treatment of the pension credit in Consignia's last two annual accounts and the six monthly accounts for September 2002; and if she will estimate the total change in credit and deficit in those accounts.

(114582)

389   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what research into the future long term management of plutonium has been conducted by her Department; and what representations have been received in the past six months on plutonium disposition options.

(115667)

390   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to issue guidance on cooling down periods for warranties on electrical goods.

(115666)

391   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what response she made to the requests made in March by Ireland's Environment Minister for details of security measures applied at Sellafield.

(115670)

392
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate the Government has made of the costs of implementing the Atypical Workers Directive.

(115239)

393
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what study of the comparative effects across the EU of the Atypical Workers Directive the Government has made; and if she will make a statement.

(115238)

394
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the Government's policy towards the Atypical Workers Directive.

(115236)

395
N   Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate the Government has made of the number of jobs that would be affected if the Atypical Workers Directive were implemented.

(115237)

396   Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment has been made of the viability of establishing a wind farm on the Dogger Bank.

(115619)

397   Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues in the Northern Ireland Office regarding the implementation of the Explosives (Fireworks) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002.

(115662)

398   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115884)

399   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115864)

400   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his Answer of 12th May, Official Report, column 128W, on railways, how many train operating companies have (a) sought permission, (b) obtained permission and (c) been denied permission from (i) Network Rail and (ii) the Strategic Rail Authority to exceed the prescribed journey times in each of the last two years; and on which routes.

(115570)

401   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his Answer of 14th May, Official Report, column 245W, on driving licences, how many claims he received in each of the last five years for driving licences lost in the post having been sent by the DVLA.

(115499)

402   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff were employed in his and his predecessor department on functions relating to transport (a) full time and (b) part time, broken down by (i) units and (ii) divisions in each year since 1997.

(115709)

403   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department's procurement programme includes timber for use in departmental building projects; and if he will make a statement.

(115753)

404   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Travelsafe officers and equivalent operate on the railways, broken down by Train Operating Company.

(115716)

405   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made (a) of the environmental impact and (b) against sustainable development criteria of the bids made for (i) contracts and (ii) grants awarded by his Department; who makes such assessment; and whether these assessments are published.

(115731)

406   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what remit relating to sustainable development is (a) required of and (b) undertaken by his Department's (i) executive agencies, (ii) advisory non-departmental bodies, (iii) executive non-departmental bodies, (iv) tribunals, (v) public corporations and (vi) other bodies.

(115730)

407   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what measures the Department is taking to ensure that (a) commercial in-car route management systems and (b) the Highways Agency's variable message signs do not divert motorists onto unsuitable local roads.

(115728)

408   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what measures his Department has taken to introduce Integrated Policy Appraisal into policy making.

(115727)

409   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the (a) resource and (b) capital expenditure on rural transport in each year since 1998-99, broken down by (i) public and (ii) private expenditure.

(115722)

410   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made of the change in local authority transport priorities in relation to major capital projects since the introduction of the Single Capital Pot; and what conclusions have been reached.

(115721)

411   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what account has been taken of the protection of tranquility in the countryside in the consultation on the Future Development of Air Transport in the UK.

(115724)

412   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made of the impact of expenditure on rural transport since 1998-99; and if he will make a statement.

(115723)

413   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what legislation governs the (a) activities and (b) powers of Travelsafe officers operating on South West Trains; and if he will make a statement.

(115754)

414   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what record is kept of motoring offences overseas by holders of driving licences of the United Kingdom; and if he will place a copy of the most recent set of such statistics in the Library.

(115713)

415   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will estimate his departmental underspend in the financial year 2002-03, broken down by (a) resource and (b) capital expenditure and consumption of resource type; and where this underspend has been or will be allocated.

(115832)

416   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average (a) number and (b) distance per annum of trips as calculated by the National Travel Survey was by (i) car driver, (ii) car passenger, (iii) bus, (iv) walking and (v) other modes of transport broken down by (A) commuting, (B) business, (C) education, (D) escort education, (E) shopping and (F) other reasons, and by sex, and those (1) under 17 years old, (2) 17-29 year old, (3) 30-49 years old, (4) 50-59 years old and (5) over 60 years old, in (w) 1975-76, (x) 1985-86, (y) 1992-94 and (z) 1999-2001.

(115710)

417   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what record is kept of animal road kills.

(115787)

418   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the change in the annual number of (a) journeys and (b) kilometres travelled that will result from housing development in the four growth areas within the Sustainable Communities Plan.

(115725)

419   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the function of motorway hard shoulders as defined by (a) departmental guidance and (b) legislation.

(115705)

420   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons companies may be rejected by the Strategic Rail Authority from prequalification in the franchise replacement programme; and what (a) guidance and (b) legislation covers this process.

(115708)

421   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which companies have been rejected by the Strategic Rail Authority from prequalification in the current franchise replacement programme, and what reasons in each case were given by the Strategic Rail Authority under the terms of the Cabinet Office guidance for non-departmental public bodies.

(115707)

422   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his Written Ministerial Statement of 7th May, Official Report, columns 31-2 WS, on driving licences, what estimates he has made of the number of people who will be eligible to reclaim for (a) car licence applications and (b) lorry and bus licence applications.

(115848)

423   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consultation (a) has taken place and (b) is planned relating to hard shoulder running on motorways; and if he will make a statement.

(115799)

424   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons the motorway hard shoulder running trial will be extended to other motorways prior to the completion of the trial on the M42.

(115711)

425   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the Park and Ride schemes which have been given approval since 1st January 1997, in each case stating (a) whether it was (i) a new scheme and (ii) an extension to an existing one, (b) whether the site was located in Green Belt land and (c) how many additional parking spaces were included.

(115718)

426   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many compensation claims have been made for delays on the railways by passengers in each year since 1997 using (i) claim form RSP25805/24 and (ii) other claim forms; and what their total value was.

(115717)

427   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what monitoring the Department has undertaken to examine the impact of the Single Capital Pot on the allocation of funding for integrated transport measures.

(115720)

428   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the roads in the Targeted Programme of Improvements, in each case stating whether an Environmental Impact Assessment has been conducted in accordance with Directives 85/337/EEC and 97/11/EU prior to its inclusion in the programme.

(115719)

429   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research has been conducted and commissioned (a) by his Department and (b) by the Highways Agency on the effect of hard shoulders on the (i) numbers and (ii) severity of accidents; and what main conclusions were reached by these studies.

(115706)

430   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the departmental strategy for sustainable development was published; and if he will make a statement on the steps being taken to take forward the actions outlined.

(115729)

431   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps (a) have taken place and (b) are planned to reduce the incidences of motoring offences by holders of United Kingdom driving licences whilst overseas.

(115714)

432   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what health impact assessment has been undertaken of the options contained in the consultation on the Future Development of Air Transport in the UK.

(115726)

433   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will place in the Library a copy of the WS Atkins report for the Strategic Rail Authority on a North-South rail line.

(115715)

434   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he last met the Chairman of the Countryside Agency to discuss rural proofing.

(115582)

435   Jane Griffiths (Reading East): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the costs and benefits of (a) his Department's campaign to promote helmet-wearing for teenage cyclists and (b) other strategies and campaigns to promote cycle use.

(115841)

436   Jane Griffiths (Reading East): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the possibility of increased injury risk to cyclists wearing helmets as a result of diffuse axonal injury or subdural haematoma caused by rotational rather than linear impacts to the head.

(115842)

437   Jane Griffiths (Reading East): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the relative involvement rate, per kilometre cycled, of (a) helmeted and (b) unhelmeted cyclists in accidents which result in head injuries in the last three years.

(115843)

438   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on changes in staffing levels within the railway industry since 1992.

(115586)

439   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he estimates passengers will experience improvements in (a) reliability and (b) comfort under the PPP contracts for the London Underground.

(115587)

440   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will exempt pre-1973 motor vehicles from the new rules imposed on the sale and supply of number plates.[R]

(115690)

441   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will review the new arrangements in place relating to the supply of vehicle number plates; and if he will make a statement.

(115688)

442   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many representations he has received and from whom in respect of the new restrictions imposed this year on the sale and supply of vehicle number plates.

(115689)

443   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many local authorities have submitted plans for the introduction of local congestion charging regimes in each of the Government office regions; and if he will make a statement.

(115549)

444   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had on the future of Bridgwater station.

(115603)

445   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to upgrade main roads in West Somerset.

(115608)

446   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what Government assistance is available to a local private railway in West Somerset to help encourage people to use the service.

(115606)

447   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to assist councils to encourage the use of bicycles in rural areas.

(115609)

448   Mr Eric Martlew (Carlisle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what percentage of new cars have ABS brakes fitted; what assessment he has made of the effect of ABS brakes on the number of road accidents; and what his policy is on making the fitting of ABS brakes compulsory on all new cars.

(115733)

449   Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the levels of on-road use of red diesel by (a) farmers, (b) plant hirers, (c) builders, (d) agricultural contractors and (e) tractor dealers.

(115893)

450   Mr Paul Truswell (Pudsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received regarding the fitting of (a) bells and (b) other warning devices to all bicycles by (i) owners and (ii) manufacturers and suppliers; and if he will make a statement.

(115622)

451   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many employees have been seconded from Capita to the Department and its predecessors since 1997; how long they worked in the Department; and what positions they held.

(115623)

452   Tony Wright (Cannock Chase): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the agreement setting out the basis for the determination of toll levels on the BNRR/M6 Toll was (a) made and (b) approved.

(115680)

453   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115876)

454   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115858)

455   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the Answer of 9th April, Official Report, column 286W, on secondments, what the staffing costs were to (a) the Wales Office and (b) the National Assembly for Wales; and if he will make a statement.

(115916)

456   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when he last met the Chairman of the Countryside Agency to discuss rural proofing.

(115575)

457
N   Mr John Horam (Orpington): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, which United Kingdom commitments arising from the World Summit on Sustainable Development (a) have been incorporated into the Department's existing delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements and (b) will be incorporated in its delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements in advance of the 2004 Spending Review.

(113941)

458
N   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many requests for information were received by his Department in each month since 1999; and how many were responded to within the target period as outlined in his Department's annual report.

(115222)

459
N   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list (a) the location and (b) the purpose of each of his visits to North Wales since his appointment.

(115224)

460
N   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many press releases his Department has released in each month since 1999.

(115223)

461
N   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many letters (a) he and (b) the Under-Secretary of State for Wales have received each month since 1999.

(115225)

462   Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham): To ask the Minister for Women, what action she has taken to encourage ministerial colleagues to include women's organisations in their consultation process relating to the work of their departments.

(115845)

463   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff have been employed in the Ministerial Correspondence Unit of the Department in each of the last two years.

(115886)

464   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff in the Department have been on long-term sick leave in each of the last two years.

(115866)

465   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many carers over 65 years of age have (a) claimed and (b) received carers allowance since 28th October 2002.

(115902)

466   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the estimated level of fraud is for each benefit his Department pays.

(115901)

467   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that doctors carrying out independent medical assessments of mentally ill people applying for benefits have specialist psychiatric experience and qualifications.

(115903)

468   Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that support is available for people suffering from mental illness to enable them to fill in application forms for disability living allowance.

(115904)

469   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what consultations he (a) has had and (b) plans to have with independent housing advice agencies about their engagement in the new advice services for older people.

(115526)

470   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he will publish an implementation strategy for the Government's objective of providing a one-stop shop advice service to older people by 2006.

(115525)

471
N   Mr Stephen Byers (North Tyneside): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the percentage of the population who have (a) no savings, (b) savings below £1,000 and (c) savings below £5,000.

(115115)

472   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been made of the numbers of claimants who experienced a delay in claiming benefits in the last 12 months because the nature of their incapacity prevented them from claiming; and how long the average delay was.

(115520)

473
N   Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West & Penistone): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects to receive the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council review of the vibration white finger diagnosis criteria used by medical advisors; and if he will make a statement.

(114783)

474
N   Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West & Penistone): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will issue new instructions about the use of the cold water provocation test in diagnosing VWF following the decision of Mr Justice Pritchard of 2nd May; and whether those claimants given a negative decision on basis of the test result will be invited to make a fresh application for an award.

(114784)

475
N   Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West & Penistone): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to request the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council to review the examination criteria used by medical advisers to diagnose chronic obstuctive pulmonary disease; and if he will make a statement.

(114785)

476   Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow, Pollok): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what (a) financial and (b) other support is available to (i) an individual and (ii) a family where the sole earner receives the national minimum wage; and which benefits are available when the earner is working (A) part-time and (B) full-time.

(115571)

477
N   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to minimise delays in the payment of pension credit to pensioners when it is introduced; and what steps he will take to promote the availability of emergency pension credit payments for pensioners whose payments are delayed.

(115292)

478
N   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to introduce a free phone helpline for pensioners when the pension credit is introduced.

(115291)

479   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the threshold for payment of compensation for delays in processing retirement pensions was set at eight months.

(115507)

480   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in how many cases where there has been a delay in processing benefits that does not breach the indicator of delay compensation has compensation been paid in each year since 1997, broken down by benefit category.

(115508)

481   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the time threshold is for the payment of compensation in recognition of undue delay in processing (a) attendance allowance, (b) attendance allowance (special rules), (c) attendance allowance (renewals), (d) bereavement benefit, (e) child benefit, (f) disability living allowance, (g) disability living allowance (special rules), (h) incapacity benefit, (i) income support, (j) invalidity benefit, (k) jobseeker's allowance (contributory), (l) jobseeker's allowance (income based), (m) maternity allowance, (n) sickness benefit, (o) social fund community care grants and budgeting loans, (p) social fund (funeral) payments, (q) social fund (maternity) payments, (r) unemployment benefit, (s) widows benefit and (t) widows payment.

(115506)

482   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average period of delay was in cases where compensation was paid for delays in processing retirement pension in each year since 1997; and in how many cases the delay for which compensation was paid did not breach the indicator of delay.

(115487)

483   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he last met the Chairman of the Countryside Agency to discuss rural proofing.

(115576)

484
N   Mr John Horam (Orpington): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which United Kingdom commitments arising from the World Summit on Sustainable Development (a) have been incorporated into the Department's existing delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements and (b) will be incorporated in its delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements in advance of the 2004 Spending Review.

(113939)

485   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the operation of the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative in (a) the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency, (b) Teesside and (c) the Government Office North East region, including the (i) level of funding and (ii) number of child-care places created.

(115533)

486   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what internal estimates of working age employment rates in each ward of the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency informed the selection of wards for employment action team status.

(115532)

487   Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, where peripatetic employment action team advisors are present across the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency; how regularly they use these locations; and if he will estimate the number of users at each location.

(115531)

488   Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are employed by the job centre services in the Bridgwater constituency.

(115612)

489   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints about the standard of service offered by the Agency were handled by the Child Support Agency over the past three years; and what the average length of time taken to deal with each complaint was.

(115751)

490
N   John Thurso (Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what date he has set for (a) commencing and (b) completing the transfer of existing child support cases to the new scheme; and if he will make a statement.

(115290)

491   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many employees have been seconded from Capita to the Department and its predecessors since 1997; for how long they worked in the Department; and what positions they held.

(115625)

492
N   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the funding of schools in Shropshire.

[Question Unstarred] (114997)

493
N   David Taylor (North West Leicestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans the Government has to expand drugs education for children of primary school age.

[Question Unstarred] (114218)

494   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Biocides Directive.

[Transferred] (115800)

495   Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total value is of United Kingdom arms and weapons (a) contracts signed and (b) deliveries made to Indonesia since 1997.

[Transferred] (115785)

496   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 15th May, Official Report, column 436W, on the Passport Agency, for what reason the figure for the number of lost passports in 1998 is not available; what steps her Department is taking in conjunction with Royal Mail to ensure that passports are delivered safely to customers; and what assessment she has made of the reasons why passports are lost.

[Transferred] (115527)

497   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the liability of councils in England and Wales to reimburse the costs incurred by Scottish local authorities' social services departments in processing social services assessments on individuals from England and Wales who are placed in residential institutions in Scotland and referred to the Children's Reporter in Scotland.

[Transferred] (115826)

498   Mr Don Foster (Bath): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list for each animal species to which they apply the nature of the legal requirements upon the driver of a vehicle which kills one of the species; and if she will make a statement.

[Transferred] (115712)

499   Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on further measures the Government will take to prevent attacks on children by dangerous dogs.

[Transferred] (115891)

500   Laura Moffatt (Crawley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the impact of the recent European Court of Justice ruling on takeovers on the British Airports Authority.

[Transferred] (115684)