Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2002 - 03
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 16 June 2003

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Monday 16 June 2003, of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

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

MONDAY 16th JUNE

1
N   David Winnick (Walsall North): To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee, what progress the Committee has made with examining the question of the time limit for collecting honourable Members' post for delivery the following day.

(119542)

2   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in the Office in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119811)

3   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 10th June, Official Report, column 746W, on Child/Working Tax Credit, whether the statistics on awards in August will be broken down by (a) local authority and (b) parliamentary constituency.

(119731)

4   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in his Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119816)

5   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate has been made of the number of independent financial advisers whose independent status will be lost as a result of depolarisation.

(119843)

6   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many independent financial advisers are operating in the United Kingdom; and how many independent financial advisers had confirmed that they had obtained professional indemnity cover, as at 30th May.

(119844)

7   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will develop a system of generic financial advice for those on lower incomes.

(119845)

8   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment has been made of the number of independent financial advisers who have been refused professional indemnity cover.

(119846)

9   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints of mis-selling of (a) endowment policies and (b) other financial products by (i) tied agencies and (ii) independent financial advisers were made to the Financial Services Authority in (A) 2001, (B) 2002 and (C) 2003.

(119847)

10   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish his assessment of the proposals submitted by BAe Systems for the provision of Hawk training aircraft to the Royal Air Force; what matters he raised in representations to the Secretary of State for Defence concerning the BAe Systems proposals; and if he will make a statement.

(119853)

11
N   Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Crown Estate has spent on (a) public relations and (b) corporate hospitality in each year since 1985.

(118617)

12
N   Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many media officers have been employed by the Crown Estate in each year since 1985.

(118618)

13
N   Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the cost of producing the Crown Estate's annual report for each year since 1985.

(118619)

14
N   Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many small businesses have received assistance from the Inland Revenue's Business Support Teams in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

(119447)

15   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 6th May from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Julie Walker; and if he will reprove the Tax Credit office for failing to fulfil its commitment to reply within 15 working days.

(119859)

16   Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 1st May from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Teresa Cole; and if he will reprove the Tax Credit office for failing to fulfil its commitment to reply within 15 working days.

(119860)

17   Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what further steps have been taken since the Government's response to the Committee of Public Accounts' 38th Report of Session 2001-02, to encourage competition for the supply of information technology systems when the Inland Revenue's contracts with Accenture and Electronic Data Systems come up for renewal in 2004.

(119671)

18   Lembit Opik (Montgomeryshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reduce the rate of VAT levied on motorcycle (a) protective clothing, (b) replacement helmet visors, (c) safety equipment and (d) security equipment; and if he will make a statement.

(119717)

19
N   Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with (a) Diageo and (b) the Thalidomide Trust about the funding of the Trust; and if he will make a statement.

(119663)

20   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total value is in (a) real terms and (b) cash terms of the total amount paid in national insurance top-up payments in each year since 1992-93.

(119915)

21   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people paid national insurance top-up payments in each year since 1992-03.

(119916)

22   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many children were born in 2002-03; and how many women had their first child in that year.

(119919)

23   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the average claim for the child tax credit and (b) the working tax credit is expected to be worth in the current financial year.

(119920)

24   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much VAT the Treasury has received from the construction of the Scottish Parliament; and how much VAT the Treasury is expected to receive in total based on the latest estimates for the Scottish Parliament building.

(119889)

25   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much VAT the Treasury received from the construction of Portcullis House.

(119891)

26   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money central Government originally allocated for the planning, construction and equipping of a new Scottish Parliament building; and whether these funds were allocated via the block grant.

(119892)

27   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money central Government has provided in total for the planning, construction and equipping of a new Scottish Parliament building; and whether these funds were sent via the block grant.

(119893)

28   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in her Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119812)

29   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans there are to ensure that the costs to local authorities arising from the administration, inspection and enforcement of licences, as proposed in the Licensing Bill, are met (a) from the fees payable and (b) by direct central government funding.

(119863)

30   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether events covered by a temporary event notice, as set out in the Licensing Bill, will be covered by fire and safety legislation.

(119867)

31   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what measures will be put in place to ensure that licences issued under the terms of the Licensing Bill by one local authority will be recognised as valid by other local authorities.

(119868)

32   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what measures will be put in place to ensure that the enforcement of the terms of licences issued under proposals in the Licensing Bill will not increase the burden on police officers.

(119869)

33
N   Mr John Greenway (Ryedale): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list the (a) budget allocated for playing fields, (b) amount spent on playing fields and (c) new playing fields created by the New Opportunities Fund Green Spaces and Sustainable Communities Initiative in (i) 2000-01, (ii) 2001-02, (iii) 2002-03 and (iv) 2003-04.

(110576)

34
N   Mr John Greenway (Ryedale): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations her Department has received from Sport England about a reallocation of lottery funds from the New Opportunities Fund to sports lottery funds.

(119574)

35
N   Mr John Greenway (Ryedale): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list the (a) budget allocated, (b) amount spent and (c) projects funded by the (i) Space for Sport and the Arts project and (ii) New Opportunities Fund's PE and Sport Programme in (A) 2000-01, (B) 2001-02, (C) 2002-03 and (D) 2003-04.

(119577)

36
N   Mr John Greenway (Ryedale): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the impact of the change in local authority expenditure on sport and physical recreation from 1998 to 2002.

(119578)

37
N   Mr John Greenway (Ryedale): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the Department's Exchequer Budget for sport and related projects was in (a) 2001-02 and (b) 2002-03; how much underspend there was in the Exchequer Budget; and how much funding was carried over under end-year flexibility arrangements.

(19575)

38   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she has received from groups and individuals seeking to bring the former HMS Vengeance back to the UK as a naval heritage museum; what plans she has to assist this venture; and if she will make a statement.

(119682)

39   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in his Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119813)

40   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date NATO was given right of first refusal over the European Security and Defence Policy mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

(119854)

41   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions have taken place between (a) the UK Government and (b) the EU with the US Administration concerning the proposed ESDP deployment to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

(119855)

42   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the proposed ESDP operation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will be flagged under the EU flag; whether armed forces personnel will wear EU insignia on their uniforms; and if he will make a statement.

(119856)

43   Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will set out the (a) military criteria and (b) benchmarks for success for the ESDP operation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

(119857)

44   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library (a) background papers, interim reports and the final report from the 1997 and 1999 Ministry of Defence reviews of the terms and conditions of service for Gurkhas, on pay and pensions, and (b) the Gurkha Pay and Pensions Manual.

(119684)

45   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what differences there are between the death-in-service gratuities payable under the Armed Forces Pension Scheme and those payable in similar circumstances to members of the Brigade of Gurkhas; and if he will make a statement.

(119685)

46   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements he has made for security and management matters at the Colchester Garrison resulting from the disposal for civilian occupation of dwellings previously occupied by Service families; and if he will make a statement.

(119771)

47   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 9th June, Official Report, column 649W, on Colchester Garrison, if he will offer the empty service family houses at Colchester Garrison to Colchester Borough Council.

(119901)

48   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 9th June, Official Report, column 649W, on Colchester Garrison, how many of the four-bedroomed services family houses are to be disposed of; how many other dwellings are to be disposed of; when this will occur; and what the arrangements are for the disposal.

(119902)

49
N   Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the extent is of the Defence Estate in West Sussex.

(119660)

50
N   Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which overseas countries had places at the (a) Combined Services Staff College, (b) Royal College of Defence Studies and (c) Higher Command and Staff Course in each of the last five years.

(119661)

51
N   Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his latest estimate is of the cost of the war in Iraq.

(119005)

52   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in his Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119830)

53
N   Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the work being carried out by his Department to rationalise fire safety legislation; and if he will make a statement.

(119446)

54   Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what targets his Department has for improving energy efficiency; and how he intends to achieve them.

(119948)

55   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will discuss with the Ministry of Defence the disposal of empty Service family houses at Colchester Garrison; and if he will make arrangements for them to be transferred to a registered social housing landlord.

(119770)

56   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the number of firefighters who will be made redundant in each fire authority in England under the new arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

(119677)

57   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the effect on fire service 999 emergency response times in Harrogate and Knaresborough of the new risk management plans.

(119678)

58   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to trial integrated risk management plans before they are introduced throughout England; and in which fire authorities the trials will take place.

(119679)

59   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library (a) the Burchill proposed costing for each fire authority in England and (b) the fire authority costing for the proposals put forward by the fire authorities.

(119680)

60   Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what guidance he has issued to examining boards on the account which should be taken of the effects of hayfever on the performance of children taking public examinations.

(119865)

61   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when he plans to publish a draft Higher Education Bill for consultation.

(119788)

62   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the number and outcome of regional consultation workshops held in connection with the White Paper on the Future of Higher Education (Cm 5735); and what further consultation exercises are planned.

(119789)

63   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will estimate outstanding student loan liabilities (a) currently and (b) in each of the next five calendar years, on the assumption of (i) current participation and policies and (ii) expansion of numbers at 1 per cent. per annum and introduction of top-up fees at (A) 50 per cent. and (B) 100 per cent. of potential total income.

(119790)

64   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what consultation he has held with (a) the Year Out Group and (b) other organisations furthering gap year arrangements for students; and what action he will take to mitigate potential turbulence in numbers arising from the introduction of approved top-up fees from 2006-07.

(119791)

65   Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether he intends to provide that any approved top-up fees chargeable under the proposals in the Future of Higher Education (Cm 5735) should be fully covered by additional student loans.

(119792)

66   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in his Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119829)

67   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which local authorities (a) have and (b) do not have reciprocal arrangements with other local authorities to pay for (i) nursery and (ii) childcare facilities.

(119694)

68   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on his decision to end support for teacher induction under Standards Funds.

(119931)

69   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Department for Work and Pensions on help for people suffering from mental health problems at the interface between education and work.

(119932)

70   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 10th June, Official Report, column 784W, on specialist status schools, if he will make a statement on the variation in the average capped GCSE/GNVQ point scores among pupils attending (a) languages colleges, (b) sports colleges, (c) arts colleges and (d) technology colleges.

(119793)

71   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 10th June, Official Report, column 784W, on specialist status schools, if he will make a statement on the statistical significance of an added value measure of (a) +1 percentage point for specialist sports colleges and (b) -1.5 percentage points compared with all non-selective, non specialist schools and non-selective sports colleges.

(119794)

72   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 3rd June, Official Report, column 203W, on Excellence Schools, if he will place in the Library a copy of the full research published by the Department of Innovative Grouping Practices on flexible forms of pupil grouping.

(119871)

73   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 11th June, Official Report, column 885W, on education initiatives, if he will list those non-selective specialist schools that are not defined as mainstream.

(119886)

74   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 10th June, Official Report, column 785W, on synthetic appliances, if he will list the international research over the last 30 years on which the teaching of phonics in the National Literary Strategy is based; how many schools have adopted the Jolly Phonics programme; and when he will publish the report on the seminar of 17th March.

(119912)

75   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will publish the results of his Department's survey of local education authorities entitled Teacher Employment, conducted in May.

(119909)

76   Mr Damian Green (Ashford): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 19th May, Official Report, column 550W, on A levels, whether he has set a date for publishing the Memorandum of Understanding.

(119911)

77
N   Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will issue guidance on suitable dress for teachers.

(119662)

78
N   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list each site for which his Department has considered a city academy, indicating for each (a) the LEA, (b) the names of private sector partners, (c) what dates have been agreed for an opening date, (d) the expected number of pupils, and their age range, (e) the contribution to capital costs from the public purse and (f) the estimated revenue funding per project.

(119580)

79
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone & The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many places for veterinary science were offered by UK universities in each of the last five years; and how many applications there were for university places in veterinary science in each of those years.

(119227)

80   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will place in the Library the results of the survey his Department conducted in 2002 into the arrangements each local education authority has in place to provide full-time education to excluded pupils.

(119686)

81
N   Mr John Battle (Leeds West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11th June, ref 116327, for what reason the Environment Agency in Leeds wrote to residents on 10th June informing them that the modification to the licence applied for had been withdrawn.

(119579)

82
N   Mr John Battle (Leeds West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what licence modification in respect of the landfill site operated by Harry Sanders Ltd at Ingram Works in Leeds is now under consideration; and how many applications for licence modifications have been received from that applicant in the last month.

(119583)

83
N   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact on developing country producers of EU enlargement, with particular reference to the payment of production-related subsidies to accession country farmers under the Common Agricultural Policy.

(119007)

84   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in her Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119828)

85
N   Sue Doughty (Guildford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will investigate (a) the time taken by the Environment Agency to approve remedial strategies for the clean-up of brownfield sites and (b) the effect of delays upon the use of brownfield sites in preference to greenbelt land; and if she will make a statement.

(119109)

86
N   Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which (a) organisations and (b) individuals were invited by her to debate the future of GM crops in the South West on Saturday 7th June in Taunton; and how they were chosen.

(119653)

87   Mr Jimmy Hood (Clydesdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the outcome was of the Environment Council on 13th June; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting records; and if she will make a statement.

(119887)

88   Mr Jimmy Hood (Clydesdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the outcome was of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 11th to 13th June; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement.

(119888)

89   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made in implementing the recommendations contained in the Performance and Innovation Unit's report Resource Productivity: Making More with Less, published in November 2001.

(119701)

90
N   David Maclean (Penrith & The Border): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what compensation or other payments were made by her Department on behalf of the Crown to (a) Chinese businesses and (b) the Chinese community in the North East following the accusations that Chinese restaurants were responsible for foot and mouth.

(119226)

91   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made in the development of renewable energy technologies, including CHP on brownfield sites.

(119881)

92
N   Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what financial support she has given to the South East in each of the last five years; and what she plans to give in the next two years.

(119658)

93   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the landfill sites that have expressed an interest in receiving (a) hazardous and (b) non-hazardous waste in the last two years; and if she will make a statement.

(119696)

94   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of landfill sites receiving hazardous waste that will be in operation when the Landfill Directive comes into operation.

(119697)

95   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list landfill sites in England.

(119698)

96   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to stop the export of recyclable materials from the UK to other countries for treatment; and if she will make a statement.

(119699)

97   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the number of local authorities that are meeting their targets for recycling; and if she will make a statement.

(119700)

98
N   Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone & The Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of veterinary surgeons who will be required over each of the next five years.

(119228)

99   Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he was consulted in advance of the decision by the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Affairs to allow Iraqis to keep firearms; and what proposals he has to reduce the availability of firearms and ammunition in Iraq.

(119795)

100   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in his Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119827)

101   Mr Martin Caton (Gower): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received from the US Government on when the UK citizens held at Guantanamo Bay will be (a) charged and (b) released.

(119768)

102   Mr Martin Caton (Gower): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the US Government about expediting the process of determining what is to happen to the UK citizens held at Guantanamo Bay.

(119769)

103   Mr Martin Caton (Gower): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the US Administration on access by British officials to UK citizens detained at Guantanamo Bay.

(119903)

104   Mr Martin Caton (Gower): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received from British officials who have visited Guantanamo Bay about the health and welfare of the UK citizens detained there by the US.

(119904)

105
N   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what evidence has been discovered of mass killings and torture in Iraq under Saddam Hussein's regime; and if he will make a statement.

(119006)

106   Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the present situation in Mauritania.

(119763)

107   Phil Sawford (Kettering): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the implementation of the UN General Assembly resolution 57/232 to deploy human rights monitors in Iraq.

(119714)

108   Phil Sawford (Kettering): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether it is his policy to support the establishment by the UN of a commission of experts to monitor human rights in Iraq.

(119715)

109   Phil Sawford (Kettering): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action he is taking to protect human rights in Iraq.

(119716)

110
N   Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford & Southend East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the costs to be borne by Her Majesty's Government for the settlement of the case conducted by Lord Ashcroft; whether an apology has been issued; who has the responsibility for the errors which have been accepted by Her Majesty's Government; and if he will make a statement.

(119175)

111
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what provision he has made for the annual cost to public funds of the National Care Standards Commission's inspection of independent boarding schools.

(119655)

112   Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research he has commissioned on (a) the causes of hayfever and (b) the possible links between hayfever and asthma.

(119864)

113   Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent on treating hayfever sufferers in each of the last five years.

(119866)

114   Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the incidence of measles has been in each primary care trust in London in each of the last five years.

(119870)

115
N   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent research he has carried out to establish the extent to which the incidence of hayfever can be ascribed to environmental causes.

(119540)

116
N   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of hayfever sufferers in each year since 1997, broken down by county; and if he will make a statement on current trends.

(119541)

117   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the money for sterilisation facilities announced in January 2001 was spent.

(119718)

118   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people (a) are in domiciliary care and (b) have to pay for their domiciliary care.

(119719)

119   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in his Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119826)

120   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how his Department monitors compliance by PCTs with the requirement that funds are made available for the implementation of NICE guidance not later than three months after issue; and if he will make a statement.

(119669)

121   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what further plans he has to address the local variations in prescribing atypical antipsychotic drugs for the treatment of people with schizophrenia; and if he will make a statement.

(119670)

122   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures are being taken to increase the number of primary care trusts who are implementing the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidance on HTA.

(119674)

123   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of people who do not have access to the most modern drugs to treat schizophrenia as set out in the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidance of June 2002.

(119675)

124   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) medical staff, (b) nursing and midwifery staff and (c) health care assistants have reported back injuries related to their work in the NHS in each of the last six years.

(119687)

125   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on the contribution of staffing levels to the risk of staff or patient injury relating to manual handling of patients in the NHS.

(119688)

126   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place a copy of the NHS Manual Handling Regulations in the Library.

(119689)

127   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on compliance within the NHS with the NHS Manual Handling Regulations.

(119690)

128   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to set up an aneurysm screening programme that avoids the need for those with abdominal aortic aneurysm to wait for action that may result from consideration by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.

(119774)

129   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to require the disclosure of company drug trial results.

(119775)

130   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to expedite the review of (a) Seroxat and (b) other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

(119777)

131   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to improve the warnings given to (a) prescribers and (b) the public about the (i) side-effects and (ii) withdrawal effects of (A) Seroxat and (B) other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

(119778)

132   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to improve the effectiveness of the Yellow Card scheme for reporting adverse side-effects of drugs.

(119779)

133   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will withdraw Seroxat from use for new prescribing pending a review of its and other SSRI anti-depressants' safety.

(119780)

134   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on after-care support, with particular reference to (a) housing, (b) education and (c) employment for those treated for alcohol dependency.

(119905)

135   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures are in place to provide a multi-agency approach to treatment for those with alcohol dependency who also have mental health and other drug problems.

(119906)

136   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the drinks industry on the labelling of alcoholic drinks (a) to indicate alcohol units and (b) with health warnings.

(119908)

137   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that those with alcohol dependency who are receiving treatment (a) receive medical intervention and (b) have the causes of their dependency addressed.

(119944)

138   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether it is his policy that the maximum target waiting time for those with alcohol dependency should be no longer than three weeks from time of referral to receipt for treatment.

(119945)

139   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he will take to ensure that accessible and suitable treatment services for alcohol dependency are provided to everyone who needs them.

(119946)

140   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether it is his policy to designate the tackling of alcohol dependency as having the same priority as addressing drug abuse.

(119947)

141
N   Sir Patrick Cormack (South Staffordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place a copy of the unedited version of the Griffiths Report in the Library.

(119061)

142   Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the rejection of the proposed new consultants contract; and what action his Department plans to take as a result of this.

(119673)

143   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to increase access to occupational health for those suffering from mental health problems.

(119930)

144   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on progress being made towards the establishment of a National Service Framework on the control of pain.

(119942)

145   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of people each year who suffer from the symptoms of pain as part of their (a) illness and (b) injury.

(119943)

146   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what conditions he will include in the contracts for management boards of diagnostic and treatment centres relating to the quality of care for patients.

(119676)

147   Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action he is taking in response to the recommendations of the National Screening Committee regarding eye screening for children in schools.

(119702)

148   Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people with (a) age-related macular degeneration and (b) glaucoma were on the Register of Blind and Partially Sighted People in (i) 1980, (ii) 1990 and (iii) 2000.

(119703)

149   Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people with (a) age-related macular degeneration and (b) glaucoma were newly registered as blind or partially sighted in (i) 1980, (ii) 1990 and (iii) 2000.

(119704)

150   Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the spending on preventative eye health education was (a) in total, (b) on school age children and (c) on people over the age of 50 in (i) 1980, (ii) 1990 and (iii) 2000; and what expenditure has been allocated for financial year 2003-04.

(119705)

151   Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 10th June, Official Report, column 831W, on the Communicable Disease Report, what the previous circulation of paper copies of the report was.

(119910)

152   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what difficulties in (a) recruitment and (b) staff retention were recorded in each NHS trust in England in the latest year for which statistics are available, broken down by (i) speciality, (ii) area of work and (iii) the skills and qualifications required.

(119772)

153   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) planned and (b) actual staffing levels were in each NHS trust in the last year, in terms of (i) whole-time equivalent budgeted hours and (ii) budgeted expenditure.

(119773)

154   Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he last discussed his policy objectives for food supplements with counterparts in other European Union member states; with whom such discussions were held; what progress was made; and if he will make a statement.

(119831)

155   Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will re-examine those areas in which the findings of the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals are inconsistent with those of other internationally respected bodies.

(119832)

156   Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason (a) boron, (b) silicon and (c) sulphur have been omitted from the list of permitted nutrients for use in food supplements after July 2005 under the provisions of the Food Supplements (England) Regulations; and what steps he is taking to have them added to the list.

(119833)

157   Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received from Biocare in relation to the provisions of the (a) Food Supplements Directive and the (b) Food Supplements (England) Regulations; and what response he has made to those representations.

(119834)

158   Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assesment he has made of the impact on (a) consumer choice and (b) the United Kingdom food supplements industry of the possible setting by the European Union of maximum permitted levels of nutrients in food supplements at levels substantially lower than those permitted in the United Kingdom.

(119880)

159
N   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many neonatal intensive care cots there were in each neonatal intensive care unit at 31st March 1999.

(119657)

160
N   Patrick Mercer (Newark): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans there are to change services available in each of the four hospitals comprising Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust.

(119221)

161
N   Patrick Mercer (Newark): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funds were made available to (a) Newark Hospital, (b) Ashfield Community Hospital, (c) Mansfield Community Hospital and (d) the Kings Mill Centre for Health Care Services in (i) 2001, (ii) 2002 and (iii) 2003.

(119222)

162
N   Patrick Mercer (Newark): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what changes there have been in the services offered by Newark Hospital over the last three years.

(119223)

163
N   Patrick Mercer (Newark): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans there are to create a paediatric facility at Newark Hospital.

(119224)

164
N   Patrick Mercer (Newark): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans there are to change acute services offered in Newark Hospital in the immediate future.

(119225)

165   Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been budgeted for pilot studies to demonstrate ways of implementing the European Working Time Directive in NHS hospitals.

(119781)

166
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the medical advantages of the provision of insulin pump therapy for type I diabetics.

(119376)

167
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to make insulin pumps and infusion kits free of charge for diabetics who require them for medical reasons.

(119377)

168
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to implement the guidance provided by NICE on insulin pump therapy.

(119378)

169
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which health authorities provide insulin pump therapy at no cost.

(119379)

170
N   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimates he has made of (a) the numbers of type I diabetics who require insulin pump therapy and (b) the costs of providing this service free of charge.

(119380)

171   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take powers to ban smoking in areas next to children's playgrounds.

(119883)

172   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many ophthalmic surgeons were practising in the UK in each of the last 11 years; and if he will make a statement.

(119708)

173   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures he is taking to increase the number of ophthalmic surgeons within the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

(119709)

174
N   Mr A.J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when a substantive reply will be sent to the Right honourable Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed regarding his letter to the Minister of State of 4th September 2002 relating to an allegation of illegal immigration, ref 18268/2; and what the reasons are for the delay in dealing with the matter.

(118809)

175   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in his Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119825)

176
N   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many clauses were (a) fully, (b) partially and (c) not debated during the Committe Stage of the Criminal Justice Bill.

(119582)

177   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criminal records checks are carried out in respect of new personnel in each of the probation areas in England and Wales; and if these checks changed after the creation of the Criminal Records Bureau in April 2002.

(119782)

178   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list (a) the time period and (b) the area covered for all authorisations for stop and search granted under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 since 1st January.

(119936)

179   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the first date since 1st January was on which he received a section 44 authorisation from Gloucestershire Constabulary in relation to RAF Fairford.

(119937)

180   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when since 1st January he has confirmed section 44 authorisations submitted by Gloucestershire Constabulary.

(119938)

181   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what reasons were given by Gloucestershire Constabulary for each section 44 authorisation.

(119939)

182   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the costs of policing operations at RAF Fairford between 1st March and 30th April were.

(119940)

183   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were arrested in connection with protests at RAF Fairford between 1st March and 30th April; and how many of those arrested were subsequently charged with criminal offences.

(119941)

184   Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what reports he has received about the funding of international radical Islamic groups through United Kingdom banks by (a) the International Islamic Relief Organisation, (b) al-Haramain and (c) the World Assembly of Muslim Youth.

(119672)

185   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many members of black and ethnic minority communities in each local authority area have (a) been served with an ASBO and (b) been found in breach of an ASBO; and if he will make a statement.

(119681)

186
N   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 19th May, Official Report, column 645W, on Mr Nadhmi Auchi, how many representations were received; who made the representations; and what the basis was of each representation.

(118615)

187
N   Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many outstanding extradition requests have been made to the United Kingdom by each member of the European Union and EU accession states; and when the original extradition request was made in each case.

(118911)

188   John Mann (Bassetlaw): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the relevance of the recommendations of the second Brain committee report to UK drugs policy.

(119667)

189
N   Julie Morgan (Cardiff North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to set up a national Women's Justice Board.

(119444)

190   Jonathan Shaw (Chatham & Aylesford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his policy of random drug testing of prisoners includes testing at weekends.

(119762)

191
N   Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the regulations and statutory instruments introduced in each of the last three years in the categories (a) crime and policing, (b) drugs, (c) community and race relations, (d) criminal justice system and victims of crime, (e) prisons and probation services, (f) terrorism and (g) other responsibilities of his Department, indicating those which have a sunset clause.

(119581)

192   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the total cost was of Portcullis House.

(119890)

193
N   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to alleviate the effect of the downturn in international commodities markets on (a) developing country producers and (b) the environment, with particular regard to (i) coffee, (ii) cocoa and (iii) cotton.

(119008)

194   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in the Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119824)

195
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement regarding the GATS negotiations; and what assessment he has made of the benefits of full trade liberalisation as a means to achieving development goals.

(118912)

196
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment the Department has made of the impact of service liberalisation.

(118913)

197
N   Norman Lamb (North Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimates he has received from (a) UNMAS and (b) other sources on the number of (i) airborne and (ii) ground launched cluster munitions used, and on the number of unexploded bomblets located at sites where cluster munitions were used in Iraq.

(118616)

198   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in the Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119823)

199   Patsy Calton (Cheadle): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will broaden the remit of inquests so that coroners can take into account the influence of prescribed drugs in suicide.

(119776)

200   Mr William Cash (Stone): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, whether the 2004 European Parliamentary elections will continue to be counted at a constituency level, before being aggregated regionally; and if she will make a statement.

(119766)

201   Mr William Cash (Stone): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans the Government has to amend existing election regulations relating to the 2004 European Parliamentary elections; and if she will make a statement.

(119767)

202   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how the set up costs for CAFCASS were spent.

(119783)

203   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what he expects to be the cost of establishing a case record index for CAFCASS; and what consultation he plans to undertake with users before implementation.

(119784)

204   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many electric systems are required for the holding of a single item of data in the absence of an integrated IT system for CAFCASS.

(119785)

205   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if she will list by budget heading the savings from an integrated IT system for CAFCASS as anticipated in the document Key Decisions and Working Assumptions for the Children and Family Court Advisory Service.

(119786)

206   Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, when she expects CAFCASS to introduce to service an integrated IT system; and what estimate she has made of its cost.

(119787)

207   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in his Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119822)

208   Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many glass-fronted room heaters have been replaced by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in each of the past 10 years; what health and safety procedures are in place to ensure that second-hand room heaters pose no risk to those tenants having them installed; and how often these procedures are updated.

(119713)

209   Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) home accident injuries and (b) home accident deaths there were in Northern Ireland in 2002.

(119764)

210   Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what percentage of pensioners in Northern Ireland has opened new Post Office card accounts since their introduction; and if he will make a statement.

(119765)

211   Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which banks operating in Northern Ireland have agreed to offer their customers automated cash access to their bank accounts at post offices.

(119796)

212   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many asylum seekers are living in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Belfast South.

(119668)

213   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the President of the Council, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in the Privy Council Office in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119821)

214   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Prime Minister, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in his Office in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119820)

215
N   Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Prime Minister, how many residents of Thurrock have been awarded (a) OBEs and (b) CBEs in the past five years; and if he will make a statement.

(118910)

216   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 11th June, Official Report, column 869W, on the Suez Medal, whether the General Service Medal will be awarded posthumously to those who (a) were killed in action or died from wound and (b) who have died in the years since 1954.

(119873)

217   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 11th June, Official Report, column 869W, on the Suez Medal, when he expects the General Service Medal will be presented; what the arrangements are for applications to be made for the medal; and what arrangements have been made for a presentation ceremony.

(119874)

218
N   David Winnick (Walsall North): To ask the Prime Minister, if the Government will publish an account of the crimes against humanity carried out by the last regime in Iraq.

(119474)

219   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Prime Minister, which members of the Government were responsible for choosing the site of the Scottish Parliament when this matter was considered prior to the transfer of responsibilities to the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body.

(119884)

220   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement about central Government's involvement in planning the Scottish Parliament building prior to the transfer of responsibility to the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body.

(119885)

221   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in her Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119819)

222   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions she has had with the Scottish Executive about the Scottish Parliament building.

(119894)

223   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how the estimate for the Scottish Parliament building which was used in the Scottish Parliament White Paper was reached.

(119895)

224   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when the estimate of £50 million for the Scottish Parliament building was announced by her predecessor; and what the process was by which this estimate was reached.

(119896)

225   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if she will list contracts that (a) had been completed and (b) had been signed relating to the (i) planning, (ii) construction and (iii) equipping of the Scottish Parliament building prior to the transfer of responsibilities to the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body.

(119897)

226   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, which (a) departments and (b) consultancies were used to evaluate costs of potential sites for the Scottish Parliament building when this matter was considered prior to the transfer of responsibilities to the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body.

(119898)

227   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what sites were proposed by the then Secretary of the Scotland Office as possibilities for the Scottish Parliament site; and what the estimates were for each site when this matter was considered prior to the transfer of responsibilities to the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body.

(119899)

228   Pete Wishart (North Tayside): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if she will publish minutes of Scotland Office meetings relating to the new Scottish Parliament building prior to the transfer of responsibilities to the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body.

(119900)

229
N   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Solicitor General, how much the case against Mrs Trupti Patel cost public funds.

(119656)

230   Mr George Osborne (Tatton): To ask the Solicitor General, pursuant to her Answer of 8th April, Official Report, column 154W, whether she is now in a position to make a statement on the implications for the Crown Prosecution Service of the case of Mrs Sally Clark.

(119872)

231   Mr George Osborne (Tatton): To ask the Solicitor General, what plans she has to change the way in which the criminal justice system deals with mothers accused of murdering their children; and if she will make a statement.

(119933)

232   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Solicitor General, what main points the Attorney General made at the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea tribunal on the dispute with the Republic of Ireland over the Sellafield Mox plant, international movements of radioactive materials, and the protection of the marine environments of the Irish Sea; and if she will place in the Library copies of United Kingdom submissions to the tribunal.

(119879)

233
N   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much public money has been invested by BNFL in the US Nuclear Energy Institute in each year from 1997 to date.

(119537)

234
N   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which BNFL director sits on the board of Westinghouse Government Services; and what steps she takes to ensure his activities are consistent with Government policy.

(119538)

235
N   Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what her policy is on the involvement of BNFL in nuclear weapons programmes.

(119539)

236   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in her Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119818)

237   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the total outstanding debt owed to the ECGD is, broken down by country.

(119835)

238   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the payments made by the ECGD on contracts with a value in excess of £500,000 in each year since 1997, broken down by country.

(119836)

239   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many Post Office card accounts have been opened.

(119837)

240   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 3rd June 2003, Official Report, column 322W, on closed consultations, if she will list the closed consultations that are awaiting a response; on what date each consultation closed; and on what date she expects to respond in each case.

(119839)

241   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent discussions she has held with (a) HSBC, (b) the Royal Bank of Scotland, (c) Halifax Bank of Scotland and (d) Abbey National concerning the provision of banking services in the Post Office; and if she will make a statement.

(119840)

242   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will introduce legislation to cap the liability of auditors; and if she will make a statement.

(119842)

243   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what procedures there are for the payment of compensation to victims of malpractice by estate agents.

(119849)

244   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many complaints have been made to the Director General of Fair Trading concerning the conduct of estate agents in each year since 1997; how many such complaints have been investigated by the Director General of Fair Trading in each year since 1997; how many estate agents have been banned as unfit to practise by the Director General of Fair Trading since 1997; and if she will publish the list of banned estate agents.

(119850)

245   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether her Department has undertaken a review of the provisions of the Estate Agents Act 1979 since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

(119851)

246   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the reinsurance contracts underwritten by ECGD including in each case (a) the reinsured party, (b) the underlying insured party and risk covered, (c) the cover provided and (d) the amounts paid in respect of these contracts, for each year since 1997.

(119852)

247
N   Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list sector specific guidance produced by her Department for small and medium sized enterprises since February 2002; and if she will make a statement.

(119448)

248
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the openness of the GATS negotiations; and what she estimates the benefits were of (a) open and (b) closed discussions during this process.

(118914)

249   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures she has taken to promote the re-use of ink cartridges used in laser and inkjet printers.

(119907)

250
N   Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on progress in the implementation of broadband in (a) Mid Sussex and (b) West Sussex.

(119659)

251   Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to develop biomass renewable projects.

(119882)

252
N   Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford & Southend East): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the percentage of trade with the EEC was in 1973; and what percentage of UK total trade was in 2002 with those states who were members of the EEC in 1973.

(119173)

253
N   Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the cost of constructing (a) a road link to the M23 from Redhill Aerodrome and (b) a rail link from Redhill Aerodrome to Gatwick station; and what discussions he has had with Redhill Aerodrome Ventures as to who would meet the cost of these projects were approval to be given for the present proposals to expand Redhill Aerodrome.

(119654)

254   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many instances there were of vehicle excise duty evasion in Scotland, broken down by local authority, in each year since 1997.

(119706)

255   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average length of time is for the publication of reports by the Air Accident Investigation Branch following the air accident under investigation.

(119707)

256   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many reports have been published by the Air Accident Investigation Branch (a) within 12 months of and (b) more than 12 months after the accident under investigation in each year since 1996.

(119710)

257   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff were employed in the Air Accident Investigation Branch in each year since 1996.

(119711)

258   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many personnel, broken down by grade, are employed in the Air Accident Investigation Branch.

(119875)

259   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will estimate the cost of vehicle excise duty evasion in Scotland, broken down by local authority, in each year since 1997.

(119876)

260   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Government has made of the (a) availability and (b) accessibility of designated rest areas on motorways; and how many rest areas there are on each motorway.

(119858)

261   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in his Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119817)

262   Lembit Opik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what action his Department has taken to ensure that local authorities introduce secure parking for motorcycles following his Department's publication of a motorcycle parking traffic advisory leaflet in 2002; and if he will make a statement.

(119924)

263   Lembit Opik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Driving Standards Agency introduces the new requirements under the Second EC Driving Licence Directive as an add on to the existing UK arrangements for motorcycle tests; and if he will make a statement.

(119925)

264   Lembit Opik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans the Government has to introduce a speed hierarchy for rural roads; and if he will make a statement.

(119926)

265   Lembit Opik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department's policy is on exempting motorcycles, scooters and mopeds from further congestion charging schemes; and if he will make a statement.

(119927)

266   Lembit Opik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to promote the use of powered two-wheelers in reducing congestion; if he plans to introduce legislation to mandate exemptions for powered two-wheelers from future congestion charges and road pricing schemes; and if he will make a statement.

(119928)

267   Lembit Opik (Montgomeryshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to encourage the development and use of practical alternatives to permanent tints of less than 50 per cent. light transmittance in motorcycle visors for daytime use only; and if he will make a statement.

(119929)

268   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in his Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119815)

269
N   Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with (a) First Secretary of the National Assembly, (b) the National Farmers Union of Wales, (c) the Farmers Union of Wales and (d) the Country Land and Business Association on the impact on the Welsh rural economy of the decreasing number of agricultural holdings in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

(119336)

270   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the estimated cost of (a) council tax benefit fraud and (b) housing benefit fraud in Scotland was in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority.

(119712)

271   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 10th June, Official Report, columns 786-7W, on housing benefit, if he will list the Scottish local authorities for which the figures were estimated.

(119729)

272   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Croydon South of 9th June, Official Report, columns 702-3W, on housing benefit fraud, if he will list the local authorities in Scotland which have signed up for the Verification Framework.

(119730)

273   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the cost of housing benefit fraud in Scotland, broken down by local authority, in each year since 1997.

(119877)

274   John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many instances there were of council tax benefit fraud in Scotland, broken down by local authority, in each year since 1997.

(119878)

275   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in his Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

(119814)

276   Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many prosecutions for breaches of Health and Safety legislation in Bedfordshire took place in (a) 2002 and (b) each of the preceding three years.

(119691)

277   Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list the funding for the Health and Safety Executive in (a) 2003-04 and (b) each of the last three years.

(119692)

278   Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many work-related (a) deaths and (b) serious injuries occurred in North East Bedfordshire in (i) 2001-02, (ii) 2000-01 and (iii) 1999-2000.

(119693)

279   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with (a) HSBC, (b) the Royal Bank of Scotland, (c) the Halifax Bank of Scotland and (d) Abbey National concerning the provision of banking services in the Post Office; and if he will make a statement.

(119841)

280   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, following the introduction of direct payment for benefits, what measures he has introduced to prevent plastic card fraud.

(119848)

281
N   Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost was of the review of Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance; and if he will make a statement.

(119445)

282   Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have (a) been funded, (b) been trained and (c) started work having been trained by the Ambition construction programme since it was launched in 2001.

(119949)

283   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what help is available under the benefits system for those who are recovering from mental health problems and who wish to enter work; and if he will make a statement.

(119934)

284   Mr David Drew (Stroud): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what evaluation is being undertaken of pilots on access to employment for people recovering from mental health problems; and if he will make a statement.

(119935)

285   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has for relocating part of his Department to GunWharf Quays, Portsmouth; how many staff are involved; from where they are being relocated; what the timescale is; and if he will make a statement.

(119683)

286
N   Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford & Southend East): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, where within Essex he is establishing Pathway Centres to assist persons with health problems and disabilities to find work; what the purpose was of the centres; and what assessment he has made of their likely benefits.

(119174)

287   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) work-related deaths and (b) serious work-related injuries there were in Stoke-on-Trent North in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

(119695)

288   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of (a) incapacity benefit and (b) severe disablement allowance who moved into work in 2001-02 registered for the 52 week linking rule; and how many of them reclaimed benefit under the terms of the rule in the following 52 weeks.

(119913)

289   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the incentive effect of the 52 week linking rule for incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance claimants.

(119914)

290   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have (a) applied for pension credit and (b) registered an interest in applying for the pension credit.

(119918)

291   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many letters have been sent to pensioners encouraging them to apply for the pension credit; and how many of these letters have received replies.

(119921)

292   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter that is being sent to pensioners to encourage them to apply for the pension credit.

(119922)

293   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the rules on buying-back past years of full national insurance contributions for married women who have paid the reduced rate.

(119923)

294
N   Mr Simon Thomas (Ceredigion): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consultation he has had with the secretaries of the National Assembly for Wales regarding the UK-wide identity card.

[Question Unstarred] (119023)

295   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date he expects the Penrose report into Equitable Life to be published; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (119838)

296   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the employment rate is of (a) men aged between 50 and 65 and (b) women aged between 50 and 60 broken down by each year of age.

[Transferred] (119917)