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 14 July 2003

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Monday 14 July 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 14th JULY

1
N   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make a statement on the basis for his assessment that it was prejudicial to the safety of the state to allow the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration to investigate whether Cabinet ministers have ever had any conflict between their private interests and their public duties.

(125679)

2   Linda Perham (Ilford North): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he will publish an updated list of ministerial responsibilities.

(126074)

3   Vera Baird (Redcar): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what extra amount Redcar and Cleveland would have received in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003 under the Treasury's preferred model for local authority retention of business rates.

(125927)

4   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the fines levied against financial services companies in each year since the creation of the Financial Services Authority by (a) company, (b) amount and (c) reason for fine; and if he will make a statement on the use of the money raised from these fines.

(125831)

5   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his plans for disposing of the Government's golden shares.

(125832)

6   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the average (a) household debt per annum and (b) household monthly income in each year since 1997.

(125834)

7   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the categories of information and statistics sought by the Office of National Statistics for business and individuals by way of requirements for information.

(126072)

8   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 have been upheld by the Financial Ombudsman Service in (A) 2001, (B) 2002 and (C) 2003; what the total of fines levied for each category was by year; what average length of time it took to investigate each complaint; and what the longest period was a complaint has remained open.

(126076)

9   Mr Martin Caton (Gower): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is taking to increase the transparency of (a) World Bank and (b) IMF decisions about countries coming off track with the heavily indebted poor countries initiative.

(125815)

10   Mr Colin Challen (Morley & Rothwell): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer of 9th July, Official Report, column 867W, in which companies the Government holds special shares; what the value is of those special shares; and which departments are responsible for them.

(125849)

11
N   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many former recipients of the working families tax credit have been transferred to the (a) working tax credit and (b) child tax credit; how many new applications for (i) child tax credit and (ii) working tax credit (A) have been received and (B) are in payment.

(125631)

12
N   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) system failures, (b) faults and (c) downtime incidents there were on (i) the EDS supplied computer systems and (ii) the Accenture supplied computer systems in his Department and its agencies in each month since 1st April 2002.

(125632)

13   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer to the honourable Member for North East Hertfordshire of 9th July, Official Report, column 871W, what the April outturn is against the Department for Work and Pensions' target that 85 per cent. of customers should have their benefit paid into their bank accounts by 2005.

(125988)

14   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his further plans for tax treatment of pension funds.

(125891)

15
N   Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what research he has commissioned on professional indemnity insurance cover; and if he will make a statement.

(125713)

16   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her Answer of 12th May, Official Report, column 31W, on the Millennium Commission, which of the major projects have received money from local authorities; how much was spent on each of the projects; when the money was spent by the local authorities on those projects; and if she will make a statement.

(125989)

17   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make a statement on the latest awards granted by the Community Fund to projects in the London Borough of Havering.

(125999)

18   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what efforts are being made to ensure that all the timber being used in the construction of the new stadium at Wembley comes from legal and sustainable sources; and if she will make a statement.

(126025)

19   Mr Martin Caton (Gower): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on progress in investigating allegations made by women in Kenya that they were raped by British soldiers.

(125945)

20   Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people (a) captured and (b) still interned by British forces in Iraq are classified as enemy combatants; if he will list the other categories of people held by British forces and the number of persons in each category; whether any people captured were moved outside the country, and for what reasons; and what rights any person held in a category other than enemy combatant has.

(125897)

21   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to answer question ref 115098, tabled by the honourable Member for Portsmouth South on 21st May.

(125980)

22   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of each of the friendly fire incidents involving British personnel in Iraq; what changes are planned to reduce future occurences; and if he will make a statement.

(125982)

23   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the results of the investigations into the cause of Marine Maddison's death in Iraq on 30th March; and if he will make a statement.

(125986)

24
N   Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he will reply to the Questions from the honourable Member for Fareham ref 117883 and 117884, tabled for answer on 5th June and ref 118799, 118800, 118801 and 118802 tabled on 9th June.

(125773)

25   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many representations have been made to his Department by veterans of the Suez campaign regarding eligibility for a Suez Medal Clasp.

(125941)

26   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the state of British war graves in South Africa; and if he will increase the MoD's contribution to the upkeep of the graves.

(125942)

27   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions his Department has had with (a) the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and (b) the Adjutant General's Office concerning funding for the upkeep of British Boer war graves in South Africa.

(125943)

28   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with the South African government regarding funding for the maintenance of British war graves in South Africa.

(125944)

29   Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, further to his Answers of 20th May, Official Report, column 673W, and of 23rd June, Official Report, column 539W, on the Boer War, whether the contributions made by the Government to the South African Heritage Resources Agency have been suspended.

(126060)

30
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements have been made in respect of partners and orphans of service men and women killed in action in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

(125642)

31   Mr Seamus Mallon (Newry & Armagh): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people serve in the Royal Irish Regiment.

(125905)

32   Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what procedure is in place to assist those service personnel who are paying both contributions in lieu of council tax and full council tax on a private residence, and require representations making to their local authority for a council tax reduction.

(126058)

33
N   Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many grants have been made in respect of the housing gap funding scheme; what their total value is; to whom they have been made, and in respect of what total area of land; and what proportion of the land was previously undeveloped.

(125346)

34
N   Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when the (a) business and commercial property gap funding scheme, (b) housing gap funding scheme, (c) heritage approval scheme and (d) land remediation scheme were finalised; when he expects guidance to prospective applicants to be published in respect of each of the above schemes.

(125347)

35
N   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when the Cabinet Committee Misc22's report on the funding of the Thames Gateway project will be published.

(125350)

36
N   David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much funding each Thames Gateway project will receive as part of the funding announced in the Communities Plan.

(125351)

37
N   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he expects to announce regulations to replace the current Fire Service (a) appointment and promotion regulations and (b) discipline regulations; and if he will make a statement.

(125430)

38
N   Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many affordable homes have been built; and how much has been spent in each constituency in each year since 1997.

(125565)

39   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what recent meetings he has had with (a) the police and (b) ministerial colleagues on the cost to local authorities of dealing with illegal travellers; what plans he has to assist local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

(125974)

40   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much money each English local authority has spent in each of the last five years for which figures are available on (a) the results of flytipping and (b) the cost of the (i) administration involved in dealing with travellers and (ii) clearing up after they have moved on; and if he will make a statement.

(125983)

41   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will place copies of the public responses to Tenancy Money: probity and protection in the Library.

(126041)

42   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his written Ministerial statement of 16th June, Official Report, column 3WS, which paragraph in Tenancy Money: probity and protection indicated that there is not a robust case for legislating to compel the protection of tenancy monies in third party schemes.

(126042)

43   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the number of disputed cases that would ultimately require adjudication under a national tenancy deposit scheme.

(126043)

44   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his written Ministerial statement of 16th June, Official Report, column 3WS, what estimated percentage of disputed cases going to adjudication he used to calculate that the annual adjudication costs of a national tenancy deposit scheme would be £19 million.

(126044)

45   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will estimate the annual adjudication costs of the custodial option for a national tenancy deposit scheme if only 2.5 per cent. of disputed cases require adjudication.

(126045)

46   Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his written Ministerial statement of 16th June, Official Report, column 3WS, what assessment he made of the option using the interest generated on tenancy deposits held on a single custodial deposit scheme to cover the costs of independent adjudication where disputes occur.

(126046)

47
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether in valuing dwellings for council tax purposes, it is his policy that district valuers should take into account changing values over time of house prices within a given locality; and if he will make a statement on the construction of time services and deflators for such purposes.

(125645)

48   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the arrangements for regional co-ordination of the UK position in international climate change negotiations.

(125893)

49
N   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many houses in Shrewsbury and Atcham are second homes for (a) local and (b) out of area residents.

(125627)

50   Mr Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the (a) projected total spend and (b) total allocation of the European Regional Development Fund is for financial year 2003-04, broken down by region.

(125846)

51   Angela Watkinson (Upminster): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what changes to career prospects in the fire service, in terms of (a) opportunities, (b) training and (c) promotion he estimates will arise from the changes proposed in the Fire and Rescue Service White Paper.

(125902)

52   Brian White (North East Milton Keynes): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what progress has been made in the review of the business rating system as it applies to communications infrastructure.

(126021)

53
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton & Honiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what representations he has received from governing bodies about the role of governors in the Time for Standards initiative.

(125426)

54
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton & Honiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what role school governors will play in (a) the new Implementation Review Unit and (b) the Monitoring Group; and if he will make a statement.

(125427)

55
N   Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park & Kensington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when he will reply to the Question from the honourable Member for Regent's Park and Kensington North ref 120625 tabled on 17th June.

(125633)

56
N   Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when he will publish the results of the 2003 Asset Management Plan Survey.

(125348)

57
N   Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the estimated cost is of making school buildings in England and Wales compliant with (a) fire safety and (b) health and safety regulations.

(125349)

58
N   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many and what proportion of 18 year olds applied for entry to higher education in each year since 1996 in (a) the UK, (b) each English government office region and (c) each education authority in the North East government office region.

(125630)

59   Mrs Janet Dean (Burton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much of the latest departmental underspend was accounted for by the Sure Start programme.

(125991)

60   Mrs Janet Dean (Burton): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many Sure Start schemes were completed in each year since 1999; what the annual spending on Sure Start programmes has been in each year since 1998; what plans he has for the expansion of the Sure Start programme; and if he will make a statement.

(125992)

61
N   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 7th July, Official Report, column 633W, on teacher redundancies, what the reasons were for the delay in answering the question; at what level information on redundances is collected centrally; if he will place that information in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

(125772)

62   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much the national Learning and Skills Council (a) has spent and (b) plans to spend on public affairs consultancy and advice on (i) promoting learning and (ii) promoting the Learning and Skills Council; and if he will make a statement.

(125914)

63   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which further education colleges will be able to claim compensation for losses due to the withdrawal of individual learning accounts; and if he will make a statement.

(125915)

64   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many executive directors of the Learning and Skills Council have been dismissed; if he will list the reasons in each case; and if he will make a statement.

(125916)

65   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many overseas teachers have been working in English schools in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(125917)

66   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many overseas teachers working in English schools have not had (a) qualified teacher status in England and (b) the equivalent of qualified teacher status in their home country in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(125918)

67   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many overseas teachers working in English schools have been classified as instructors in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(125919)

68   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many overseas teachers working in English schools have been classified as occasional teachers in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(125920)

69   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the impact of the draft Mental Health Bill on the services his Department provides for people with mental health needs.

(126003)

70
N   Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when he expects to announce plans for future funding of schools education.

(125110)

71
N   Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what redundancies of (a) teaching and (b) non-teaching staff have resulted from the funding of schools in this financial year.

(125151)

72   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will provide the honourable Member for Colchester with copies of the correspondence between himself and the Chair of Governors of King's Ford Junior School, Colchester (a) prior and (b) subsequent to his visit to Colchester.

(125890)

73   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much funding was allocated to (a) Essex Local Education Authority and (b) other local education authorities for turbulence factors in respect of schools with a large number of children of military personnel in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(125894)

74   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what his policy is on providing additional funds for the turbulence factors at schools with a large number of children of military personnel.

(125895)

75   Bob Russell (Colchester): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to provide financial assistance for schools with a large number of children of military personnel.

(125896)

76   Bob Spink (Castle Point): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make it his policy to fund the persons completing the pilot Masters degree in school governance at Greenwich University.

(125847)

77   Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students failed to complete their courses in further education in England in each of the past five years.

(125922)

78
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 7th July, Official Report, column 622W, on excluded pupils, if he will publish the responses of local education authorities to his Department's letter of October 2002.

(125770)

79
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 7th July, Official Report, column 632W, on the 2003 staffing survey, whether his Department is using the (a) 1996 and (b) 2002 staffing survey data in the formulation of the 2004-05 initial teacher training targets.

(125771)

80   Sue Doughty (Guildford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the local authority support nerve centre and funding teams initiated to help local authorities deliver sustainable waste management will provide regular reports on their activities and progress.

(125940)

81   Sue Doughty (Guildford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the appointment process for the local authority support nerve centre and funding teams initiated to help local authorities deliver sustainable waste management; and what the (a) names and (b) relevant experience are of those who have been appointed.

(125953)

82   Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effect of the consultation on private sewers on owners in Wales.

(126027)

83   Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she has received from (a) the Welsh Assembly, (b) Welsh local authorities and (c) other Welsh organisations on the consultation on private sewers.

(126028)

84   Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to address the maintenance problems faced by the owners of existing private sewers.

(126029)

85   Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to amend section 104 of the Water Industry Act 1991 to make it compulsory for sewerage undertakers to adopt existing private sewers.

(126030)

86   Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to assist owners of private sewers with maintenance costs before the implementation of new legislation.

(126031)

87   Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the time-scale is for changes to the legislation on existing private sewers.

(126032)

88   Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to ensure that the owners of private sewers do not bear sole responsibility for paying for the maintenance of such sewers.

(126033)

89
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost was of the British delegation's participation in the agriculture meetings in Paxos.

(125643)

90
N   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much (a) household and (b) commercial waste was recycled in Shrewsbury and Atcham in each year since 1997, broken down by materials.

(125626)

91   Mr John Randall (Uxbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many licences have been issued in respect of controlling Canada geese in each of the last five years.

(126016)

92   Mr John Randall (Uxbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many licences in respect of controlling Canada geese have been issued to the British Airport Authority in the last five years.

(126017)

93   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent meetings she has held with the British Horse Society on equine welfare.

(125998)

94   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the UK Government will press for new legislation to ban the import of illegally sourced timber as part of the EU action plan to tackle the illegal timber trade; and if she will make a statement.

(126009)

95   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when and where the EU action plan on illegal logging will be discussed by the Council of Ministers.

(126010)

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 establish a central point of expertise on timber to help implement Government timber procurement policy; and if she will make a statement.

(126011)

97   Mr Michael Weir (Angus): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department receives notification of proposals for transferring ships which (a) might contain toxic materials and (b) have been used for the transfer of toxic materials from outside the UK to yards within the UK to be broken up; and what recent reports she has received on such proposals.

(125802)

98   Mr Michael Weir (Angus): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Governments of (a) the Republic of Ireland, (b) Iceland and (c) the Faroes regarding proposals to bring ships formally used for transfer of toxic substances uncrewed to the United Kingdom to be broken up.

(125804)

99   Mr Michael Weir (Angus): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what arrangements have been put in place for the disposal of toxic waste produced during the break up of ships brought from the United States to the UK to be broken up; and whether such waste products will be returned to the United States.

(125805)

100   Brian White (North East Milton Keynes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what statutory responsibility will be placed on local authorities to implement the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive.

(126019)

101   Mr David Atkinson (Bournemouth East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Government of Turkmenistan concerning raids made by the authorities on Baptist church services.

(125836)

102   Vera Baird (Redcar): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will ask (a) Standard Chartered Bank and (b) Cordiant Communications to withdraw from Burma.

(125924)

103   Vera Baird (Redcar): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the value of imports of clothing from Burma was in the past two financial years.

(125925)

104   Vera Baird (Redcar): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the value of imports of gems and precious stones from Burma was in the past two financial years; and which companies imported these gems and precious stones.

(125926)

105   Vera Baird (Redcar): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what further measures have recently been discussed by the EU in response to the recent crackdown in Burma.

(125928)

106   Vera Baird (Redcar): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will place a proposal for an EU-wide ban on new investment in Burma on the agenda at the EU Foreign Ministers meeting on 21st July.

(125929)

107   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the inclusion of the EURATOM treaty in the draft EU constitution.

(125829)

108
N   Mr Nick Hawkins (Surrey Heath): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the US Administration for the UK to benefit from the US Visa Waiver Scheme.

(125625)

109   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the implications for the representation of British interests at the UN of the appointment of a single EU representative to the United Nations Security Council.

(126000)

110   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the implications for the representation of British interests overseas of the appointment of an overall EU foreign minister.

(126001)

111   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many police officers there are per head of population in Montserrat.

(126067)

112   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he was first informed of the attempts by Iraq to procure uranium from an African source; when this source was identified as being Niger; what documents he has examined that provide evidence of this procurement effort by Iraq; what efforts have been made to validate the information; and when the information and supporting documentation was made available to (a) the International Atomic Energy Agency and (b) UNMOVIC.

(126059)

113
N   Mr George Stevenson (Stoke-on-Trent South): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he will reply to the Question from the honourable Member for Stoke-on-Trent South tabled on 18th June.

(125640)

114   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the staffing of UK Visas is; and what it was in July 2001.

(125994)

115   Mr Michael Weir (Angus): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Government of Burma on the situation in Karen; and if he will make a statement.

(125806)

116
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton & Honiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the waiting times for hearing aids in each of the primary care trusts in Devon.

(125428)

117
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to strengthen the rights and protection of residents in elderly persons' care homes from eviction.

(125634)

118
N   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the impact on life expectancy of residents of (a) care home closure and (b) eviction from a care home.

(125635)

119   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the key stages were in the commissioning of the independent complaints and advocacy service due to commence on 1st September; and what the (a) planned and (b) actual date for completion of each stage was.

(125807)

120   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 9th July, Official Report, column 861W, how the feedback from the ICAS pilots was (a) collected and evaluated and (b) used to inform the ICAS system commissioned by the Department.

(125818)

121   Mr Martin Caton (Gower): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action he is taking to reduce the length of time before women with endometriosis are diagnosed.

(125814)

122
N   Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the net ingredient cost of GP prescribed (a) tranquilisers and (b) anti-depressants was (i) in total cash terms and (ii) per head of population in each primary care trust in England in 2002; and what the (A) total cost and (B) average per head cost was for England in 2002.

(125629)

123
N   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations the UK has made to the European Medicines Evaluation Agency's review of anti-depressant drugs.

(125636)

124
N   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the UK's representatives to the European Medicines Evaluation Agency's review of anti-depressants have taken to represent the views of pharmaceutical companies.

(125637)

125
N   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on representatives of drug companies sitting on public bodies which determine and review the safety of drugs for prescription to the public.

(125638)

126
N   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on the UK members of the European Medicines Evaluation Agency; and whether he was consulted on their appointment.

(125639)

127   Dr Liam Fox (Woodspring): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost was of the NHS recruitment seminars held in May and June in (a) Austria, (b) Germany and (c) Italy; and how many applications have been received as a consequence of these seminars.

(125951)

128
N   Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost is of the Acute Hospital Portfolio survey by the Audit Commission; and if he will make a statement.

(125563)

129
N   Sandra Gidley (Romsey): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place a copy of the Compare CD rom by the Audit Commission, detailing performance of primary care trusts under the Acute Hospital Portfolio in the Library.

(125564)

130   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to assess the (a) capital and (b) revenue requirements of hospitals within Portsmouth; and if he will make a statement.

(125975)

131   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what decisions have been taken within the last 12 months to make extra (a) capital and (b) revenue money available to hospitals within Portsmouth; if he will list the (i) projects and (ii) sums of money involved and (iii) start dates; and if he will make a statement.

(125976)

132   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to help ensure that Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, is able to achieve the status of three-star foundation level within the next four years; and if he will make a statement.

(125977)

133   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many families with (a) severely disabled children and (b) severely learning disabled children have received family support in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority; and if he will make a statement.

(125978)

134
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to make fluoridation of the water supply compulsory.

(125641)

135
N   Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will review the effect of standard 31.7, within the National Minimum Standards of Care, on the ability of volunteers to assist with lifting the elderly.

(125644)

136   Laura Moffatt (Crawley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the classes of clinical device which are most closely linked with bacteraemia.

(126002)

137   Laura Moffatt (Crawley): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of catheter associated urinary tract infection in each of the last three years.

(126005)

138   Mr John Randall (Uxbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what income the NHS has received from payments from overseas patients that are not eligible for free treatment for each of the years since 1997.

(126012)

139   Mr John Randall (Uxbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements are in place within NHS hospitals to monitor whether patients from overseas are eligible for free treatment on the NHS.

(126013)

140   Mr John Randall (Uxbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with which countries the UK has reciprocal arrangements for free medical treatment.

(126014)

141   Mr John Randall (Uxbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of overseas patients who have received free medical treatment for which they have not been eligible in each of the last five years.

(126015)

142   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioners there are per head of population in England.

(126069)

143   Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what capital resources will be made available to ensure that the reprovisioning of Aston Hall Hospital proceeds.

(126061)

144   Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received concerning rent convergence when applied to specialist housing for those with learning disabilities.

(126062)

145   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting times have been in each of the last six years for cardiology appointments; and if he will make a statement.

(126006)

146   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on routine follow-up tests for people who have suffered heart attacks and suspected heart attacks; and if he will make a statement.

(126007)

147   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduce waiting times for cardiology appointments; and if he will make a statement.

(126008)

148   Ann Winterton (Congleton): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on his policy on the conclusions of the 1994 House of Lords Select Committee on Medical Ethics on the legalisation of assisted suicide and euthanasia.

(126040)

149
N   Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what arrangements have been made to pass data from the Police National Computer to non-Home Department police forces which do not have direct access; and what procedures exist to ensure data protection requirements are complied with in such circumstances.

(124945)

150
N   Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which non-Home Department police forces have direct access to the Police National Computer.

(124946)

151   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many juvenile offenders are detained in Coventry; and how many were detained in Coventry on 30th June in each of the last five years.

(126047)

152   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many class A drug supply offenders there are for every 10,000 residents in (a) the UK, (b) the West Midlands and (c) Coventry.

(126048)

153   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were convicted of class A drug supply offences for every 10,000 residents in 2002 in (a) the UK, (b) the West Midlands and (c) Coventry.

(126049)

154   Sue Doughty (Guildford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 31st March, Official Report, column 577W, on domestic violence, how much of the funding that will be made available over the next three years to support work to develop mainstream responses to domestic violence will be provided to Surrey; and when the funds will be available.

(126056)

155
N   Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress has been made on tackling domestic violence.

(125069)

156   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make it his policy to give local authorities the power to seize the assets of travellers who camp illegally in order to recoup the cost of clearing sites on their departure; what guidance he gives to local authorities; what plans he has (a) to alter this advice and (b) to propose amendments to the law; and if he will make a statement.

(125984)

157   Mr Michael Jack (Fylde): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on his strategy to minimise the number of prisoners who abscond from open prisons.

(125809)

158   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 8th July, Official Report, column 724W, on juvenile prisoners, what plans he has to move all 17 year old females out of Prison Service custody.

(125889)

159   Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the level of crime in rural areas in the 12 months up to (a) 31st March 1999, (b) 31st March 2001 and (c) 31st March 2003.

(125892)

160   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions on royal security at Buckingham Palace he has held with Palace authorities.

(125987)

161   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to increase security for members of the Royal family on public occasions.

(125997)

162   Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, to which prisons residents of the South West Bedfordshire constituency have been sent by the courts in the last year.

(125819)

163
N   Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many local authorities have initiated prosecutions under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991; how many have resulted in convictions; and how many dogs responsible for attacks were not ordered to be destroyed.

(125648)

164
N   Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the criteria were upon which sites selected for consideration as possible locations for accommodation centres for immigrants seeking political asylum were rejected.

(124082)

165
N   Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the criteria were upon which the Daedalus site at Lee-on-the-Solent was selected for consideration as a location for a possible accommodation centre for young male immigrants seeking political asylum.

(124083)

166
N   Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the expected costs of creating accommodation centres for immigrants seeking political asylum, distinguishing between (a) capital costs of construction and (b) annual total running costs.

(124084)

167
N   Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the impact on local facilities at Lee-on-the-Solent resulting from the possible introduction of young male immigrants at an accommodation centre.

(124085)

168
N   Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what basis the Department made the statement that the introduction of an accommodation centre for immigrants in a locality would have no impact on house prices.

(124086)

169   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the inquiry into the timber used on the construction site at 2 Marsham Street has been completed; and if he will place a copy of the report from that inquiry in the Library.

(126070)

170   Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North): To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what timbers are being used in the Houses of Parliament ticket office that is currently being constructed; which countries these were sourced from; and what evidence has been received to confirm that all the timber being used is from legal and sustainable sources.

(126026)

171   Mr Martin Caton (Gower): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how the Department will help ensure that the UK's beyond heavily indebted poor countries additional debt relief will be used to tackle poverty in indebted countries.

(125816)

172   Mr Martin Caton (Gower): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans the Department has to facilitate the development of mutually beneficial partnerships between donors and non- governmental organisations working to assist people in developing nations.

(125817)

173   Joyce Quin (Gateshead East & Washington West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions the Department has had with the Government of Jamaica about the programme to eradicate screwworm in that country; and whether the Department has made a financial contribution to the programme.

(126079)

174   Syd Rapson (Portsmouth North): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what impact integrated frameworks have had on (a) sustainable development and (b) poverty reduction in the developing countries in which they have been promoted.

(125898)

175   Syd Rapson (Portsmouth North): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps will be taken at the next World Trade Organisation meeting on promoting the freedom of developing countries to choose the path of trade liberalisation best suited to its particular circumstances for achieving sustainable development and poverty reduction.

(125899)

176   Syd Rapson (Portsmouth North): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps are being taken to implement the recommendations of the Commission on Intellectual Property Rights, on protecting (a) the material in (i) gene banks and (ii) farmers' fields from being directly patented and (b) the rights of farmers to follow traditional practices of reusing, exchanging and informally selling seeds in developing countries.

(125901)

177   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on disaster relief to Montserrat.

(125993)

178   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on the provision of housing in Montserrat.

(125996)

179   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many doctors there are per head of population in Montserrat.

(126064)

180   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the average waiting time for hospital treatment is in Montserrat.

(126065)

181   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the average class size is in Montserrat, broken down by age group.

(126066)

182   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many people there are on a hospital waiting list in Montserrat.

(126068)

183   Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will introduce a system of funding for primary schools in Northern Ireland which is on the same basis as the arrangements in England.

(125848)

184   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many new homes for social renting have been completed in North Belfast in each of the last five years and what their locations are.

(125837)

185   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average length of time taken was to carry out home adaptations after a recommendation by an occupational therapist in the last year for which figures are available.

(125838)

186   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people have been issued with senior citizen smart passes for free travel on public transport, broken down by post code area.

(125839)

187   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many home helps are employed within each health and social services board area.

(125840)

188   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on his policy for the disposal of refrigerators and freezers in Northern Ireland.

(125841)

189   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what research has been conducted in Northern Ireland into the effects of emissions from telecommunication masts.

(125842)

190   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many applications for planning for telecommunication masts have been approved in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) North Belfast in each year since 1997.

(125843)

191   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much money has been provided to district councils in Northern Ireland for the development of sports and recreational facilities in each year since 1997.

(125844)

192   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the impact on Northern Ireland's agricultural industry of the outcome of the mid-term review of the Common Agricultural Policy.

(125845)

193   Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he plans to make the necessary funding available to Ballyvester Primary School in North Down to facilitate the replacement of mobile classrooms; and if he will make a statement.

(125808)

194   Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to ban smoking in public places in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

(125946)

195   Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to extend the Child Rescue Alert scheme to Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

(125947)

196   Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, who has responsibility for the designation of conservation areas in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

(125948)

197   Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many responses he has received to the five-year tobacco action plan consultation document; and if he will make a statement on the responses received.

(126075)

198   Lady Hermon (North Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to accelerate the introduction of the tobacco strategy for Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

(126078)

199   Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what efforts are being made to reduce the waiting lists for assessments by occupational therapists in respect of disabled housing adaptations in (a) the Down Lisburn Trust, (b) the Banbridge Craigavon Trust and (c) the Newry and Mourne Trust; and if he will make a statement.

(126051)

200   Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the waiting time for an assessment by an occupational therapist in respect of disabled housing adaptations is; and if he will make a statement.

(126052)

201   Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people are waiting for assessments by occupational therapists in respect of disabled housing adaptations in each of the Health and Social Services trusts in Northern Ireland.

(126053)

202   Mr Seamus Mallon (Newry & Armagh): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make an assessment of compliance by each health trust with the directive on assessment of equality implications and market testing of 19th June 2001.

(125904)

203   Mr Seamus Mallon (Newry & Armagh): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the directive to health trusts regarding assessment of equality implications and market testing of 19th June 2001 remains in force.

(125906)

204   Mr Seamus Mallon (Newry & Armagh): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what alterations and revocations there have been of the directive to health trusts of 19th June 2001, regarding assessment of equality implications and market testing, since 14th October 2002.

(125907)

205   Mr Seamus Mallon (Newry & Armagh): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether it is the policy of the Department of Education to keep its (a) canteen workers and (b) cleaners within the employment of education and library boards.

(125908)

206   Mr Seamus Mallon (Newry & Armagh): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people are on the Board of the Strategic Investment Body; and how many are women.

(125909)

207   Mr Seamus Mallon (Newry & Armagh): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many pilot schemes the Department of (a) Health, Social Services and Public Safety, (b) Social Development, (c) Enterprise, Trade and Investment, (d) Environment, (e) Culture, Arts and Leisure, (f) Agriculture and Rural Development, (g) Employment and Learning, (h) Finance and Personnel, (i) Regional Development and (j) Education have for the recruitment of the unemployed, pursuant to recommendations of the procurement review.

(125910)

208   Mr Seamus Mallon (Newry & Armagh): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will involve the Equality Commission in the review of the operation of section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 2000 envisaged by paragraph 10 of Annex 3 to the Joint Declaration.

(125921)

209   Mr Seamus Mallon (Newry & Armagh): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many pilot schemes for the recruitment of the unemployed he estimates the Department of (a) Health, Social Services and Public Safety, (b) Social Development, (c) Enterprise, Trade and Investment, (d) Environment, (e) Culture, Arts and Leisure, (f) Agriculture and Rural Development, (g) Employment and Learning Needs, (h) Finance and Personnel, (i) Regional Development and (j) Education need to implement to meet relevant recommendations of the procurement review.

(12911)

210
N   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues in the last six months regarding the future of the Department for International Development as an independent department; and if he will make a statement.

(125352)

211   Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the effect of the proposed new EU constitution upon the representative role of Her Majesty The Queen.

(125990)

212
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when he last met the Scottish Health Minister to discuss compensation for hepatitis C sufferers in Scotland.

(125646)

213   Keith Vaz (Leicester East): To ask the Solicitor General, if she will make a statement on her practice in appointing trial counsel in Attorney General reference cases.

(125995)

214   Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many employees are estimated by her Department to lack adequate internal dispute resolution procedures; what proportion of these are small and medium sized enterprises; how many are expected to lack adequate procedures when the new rules come into force in 2004; and if she will make a statement.

(125822)

215   Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations she has had from small and medium sized enterprises concerning requirements expected to come into force in 2004 to compel staff wishing to pursue a complaint to go through internal dispute resolution procedures before going to a tribunal.

(125823)

216
N   Mr John Burnett (Torridge & West Devon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assistance is available from (a) the Government and (b) its agencies for shipyards in (i) England and (ii) Scotland competing for orders to construct ships.

(125562)

217   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many complaints have been received alleging unfair contract terms under the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 in each year since 1997; how many of these complaints have been open for more than two years; and how many successful prosecutions there have been in each year since 1997.

(125825)

218   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many undertakings she has received from businesses to desist from unfair trading; how many subsequent breaches of these undertakings there have been; and how many have been prosecuted for breach of undertaking.

(125826)

219   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many stop now orders have been issued since June 2000; and if she will make a statement.

(125827)

220   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will set out the procedures in place for monitoring undertakings given by businesses to desist from unfair trading.

(125828)

221   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the financial impact on the UK insurance and reinsurance industries of the United States Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act of 2002; and if she will make a statement.

(125830)

222   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many licensed insolvency practitioners are employed by the Insolvency Service.

(125833)

223   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 25th June, Official Report, column 798W, on the Export Credit Guarantees Department, if she will list, for each country, the amounts (a) which relate to military and defence products, contracts or services and (b) which do not.

(125930)

224   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 7th July, Official Report, column 569W, on company directors, how many adverse reports in each year were referred by her Department for court action; how many directors were reported on more than one occasion; and how many of these directors were disqualified, and for what period.

(125931)

225   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 24th June, Official Report, column 677-8W, on A400M, if she will place in the Library the letter of intent to Rolls Royce dated 4th May 2003.

(126039)

226   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 24th June, Official Report, column 678W, on A400M, whether she has agreed the size of the grant to be provided to Rolls-Royce; and under which scheme the support will be delivered.

(126055)

227   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the deregulation measures enacted since 1997.

(126071)

228   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what reports she has received from the administrators concerning the conduct of the directors of Independent Insurance Company; and what action she intends to take concerning the company's collapse.

(126073)

229   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the publications produced by her Department in each year since 1997 which have made reference to executive remuneration.

(126077)

230
N   Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the expenditure on information technology by the Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary has been in each of the last five years.

(124943)

231
N   Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will place a copy of the latest information technology strategy document for the Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary in the Library.

(124944)

232
N   Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what response she will make to the representations from the Trade Justice Movement on trade with poorer countries; and what plans she has to raise these issues at the next meeting of the World Trade Organisation.

(125680)

233   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has held with (a) executives of Royal Mail and (b) other ministerial colleagues over the decision by Royal Mail to forego the use of rail transport for the carrige of mail; what assessment she has made of the decision; and if she will make a statement.

(125985)

234
N   Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what security considerations underpinned the decision to withhold from publication the full safety analysis conducted by BNFL of its building B30 at Sellafield.

(124836)

235   Joyce Quin (Gateshead East & Washington West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which urban post offices in the North East of England (a) have closed in each of the last three years and (b) are being proposed for closure.

(126063)

236   Syd Rapson (Portsmouth North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what her policy is on working towards international regulations on the practices of companies operating in developing countries in areas where voluntary codes of practice have proved ineffective.

(125900)

237   Syd Rapson (Portsmouth North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps she will take to ensure that at the next World Trade Organisation meeting the issues to which developing countries give priority are resolved before consideration is given to the new issues, objected to by developing countries at Doha.

(125903)

238
N   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will take steps to replace the supermarket Code of Practice with a statutory requirement for suppliers to offer the same contractual terms to all grocery retailers.

(125681)

239
N   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures her Department will take to revise the Supermarket Code of Practice.

(125682)

240
N   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment her Department has made of the effects of below-cost selling by supermarkets.

(125683)

241
N   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment her Department has made of the impact on the UK grocery retail sector of introducing measures to (a) prohibit below-cost selling by supermarkets and (b) to ensure transparency in contracts between supermarkets and supplies.

(125684)

242
N   Mr Jonathan Sayeed (Mid Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures her Department will take (a) to ensure transparency in commercial dealings between supermarkets and their suppliers and (b) to prohibit below-cost selling by supermarkets.

(125685)

243   Brian White (North East Milton Keynes): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she intends to publish the recent report by Analysis on the UK's progress on the take-up of broadband across the G7 countries.

(126020)

244   Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made by the Department of the economic cost of removing the ban on night flights at Heathrow airport, in terms of the effect on property values on the flight path; what conclusions have been drawn; and if he will make a statement.

(125820)

245   Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate the Department has made of the economic cost each year of continuing the ban on night flights at Heathrow imposed in 2001 in terms of its impact on the airline industry.

(125821)

246   Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will conduct a review into the economic impact of Heathrow Airport on property prices for residential houses on the flight path; and if he will make a statement.

(125824)

247   Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether armed marshals are being deployed on British aircraft; and what information is being given to the captain of the aircraft.

(126054)

248
N   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) investigations and (b) inquiries he will conduct into the incident at Charlton, Worcestershire on Monday 7th July involving a mini-bus and First Great Western train; and if he will make a statement.

(125052)

249   Mr John Randall (Uxbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessments of the risk of bird strikes at London Heathrow airport his Department has made in the last five years.

(126018)

250   Mr John Randall (Uxbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many incidents of bird strike have been reported at (a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick and (c) Stansted in the last five years.

(126023)

251   Mr John Randall (Uxbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what measures his Department undertakes to assess the potential risk of birdstrike at UK airports.

(126024)

252
N   Mr Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many incidents there have been in each of the last five years of objects falling from commercial airlines over the UK; and how many falling objects have caused (a) personal injury and (b) damage to buildings in each year.

(125341)

253
N   Mr Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the countries which have (a) agreed, (b) failed to agree and (c) not responded to his predecessor's statement of 10th June 1998 on multilateral agreements on 3rd and 4th freedoms at regional airports.

(125342)

254
N   Mr Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many local bus passengers there were in each year since 1998-99 in (a) London, (b) English metropolitan areas, (c) English shire counties and (d) England.

(125343)

255
N   Mr Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the effect of providing lighting on the whole of the motorway system on the number of recorded accidents.

(125344)

256
N   Mr Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the public subsidy is for 2003-04 to local bus services for (a) London, (b) English metropolitan areas, (c) English shire counties and (d) England, separately identifying the (i) concessionary fare subsidy and (ii) fuel duty rebate.

(125345)

257   Brian White (North East Milton Keynes): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to release a consultation paper on streetworks legislation.

(126022)

258   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Minister for Women, what plans she has for increasing the recruitment of women into the armed forces; and what discussions she has held with ministerial colleagues on the issue.

(125979)

259
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton & Honiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received from disability organisations concerning the Cumulative Rule for withdrawal of disability benefits for people in hospital.

(125425)

260
N   Mrs Angela Browning (Tiverton & Honiton): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to bring (a) disability living allowance, (b) attendance allowance and (c) carers allowance into line with income replacement benefits for people who stay in hospital.

(125429)

261
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether Scotland is classified as a nation or a region for the purposes of the National Model for the Operational Intelligence Units.

(124947)

262
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are employed in the East of Scotland Operational Intelligence Unit.

(124948)

263
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many jobs will be lost as a result of the closure of the East of Scotland Operational Intelligence Unit.

(124949)

264
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are employed in the Glasgow Operational Intelligence Unit.

(124950)

265
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whom he consulted prior to the announcement of the closure of the East of Scotland Operational Intelligence Unit.

(124951)

266
N   Annabelle Ewing (Perth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he last met the Scottish Health Minister to discuss compensation for the hepetitis C sufferers in Scotland.

(125647)

267   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioner households there are in each region of Great Britain.

(125949)

268   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the use of the policy simulation model by his Department; and if he will place its specifications in the Library.

(125950)

269   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many fixed period sanctions have been applied in the income-related jobseeker's allowance in each year since the sanctions were first applied, broken down by whether claimants have without good cause (a) failed to carry out a reasonable jobseekers directive, (b) failed to apply for a compulsory training scheme or employment programme where this has been notified to them, (c) given up a place on, or failed to attend, a compulsory training scheme or employment programme, (d) neglected a reasonable opportunity of a place on a training scheme or employment programme and (e) lost a place on a compulsory training scheme or employment programme because of misconduct; if he will break down these figures according to whether (i) two and (ii) four weeks' sanction was applied; and if he will make a statement.

(125912)

270   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants sanctions have been taken since the introduction of the jobseekers allowance broken down by whether (a) they lost their job through misconduct, (b) left their job voluntarily without just cause, (c) failed to apply for or to accept a job notified by the Employment Service without just cause, (d) neglected a reasonable opportunity of a job without good cause and (e) suffered sanctions for other reasons, and by whether the claimants were (i) men and (ii) women, and the age of the claimants, noting for each category the average length during which the sanction applied; and if he will make a statement.

(125913)

271   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people did not receive combined benefits payments owing to the breakdown of the link between Pension Service computer systems; when the link broke down; how long the link was broken; how much in benefit payments was not paid in this period owing to the problem; why the Department did not realise the breakdown had taken place until contacted by a benefit recipient; and if he will make a statement.

(125932)

272   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency cases have been referred for consideration for consolatory payments in the last year, broken down by month; how many payments have been accepted and made in the last year, broken down by month; what has been the overall cost of such payments; and if he will make a statement.

(125933)

273   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 26th June, Official Report, column 962W, on the New Deal, on what basis the calculation of cost per job for New Deal programmes was made; and if he will make a statement.

(125934)

274   Paul Holmes (Chesterfield): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many compulsory interviews have taken place in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) benefit and (b) welfare to work scheme; and what the total cost of interviews was in each year since 1997, broken down by (i) benefit and (ii) welfare to work scheme; and if he will make a statement.

(125935)

275   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the impact of the draft Mental Health Bill on the services his Department provides for people with mental health needs.

(126004)

276
N   Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners in Shrewsbury and Atcham have been (a) sent details of the new pension credit scheme and (b) informed of the phasing out of pension books.

(125628)

277   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department of Constitutional Affairs, what recent representations he has received on extending legal rights to unmarried couples.

(125952)

278   Mr Clive Soley (Ealing, Acton & Shepherd's Bush): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department of Constitutional Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the powers of the courts to enforce paternal access to children following relationship breakdown; and if he will make a statement.

(125801)

279
N   Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will estimate the number of asylum seekers living below poverty levels.

[Question Unstarred] (125054)

280   Sue Doughty (Guildford): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will estimate the proportion of drivers who avoid paying car tax.

[Transferred] (126057)

281   Mr Michael Weir (Angus): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what environmental safeguards have been put in place to protect the marine environment from damage due to incidents involving uncrewed ships being transported from the United States to the UK to be broken up; what notification he has received of proposals to bring ships to the UK for this purpose; and what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive on this issue.

[Transferred] (125803)

282   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what efforts are being made (a) by his Department and (b) by his Department in conjunction with other departments to protect schools from arson attacks.

[Transferred] (126050)

283   Sue Doughty (Guildford): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what action the Government is taking to reduce the number of people who are illegally avoiding paying car tax.

[Transferred] (125954)

284   Mr Seamus Mallon (Newry & Armagh): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether (a) Mark Wright and (b) James Fisher are serving with the Irish Guards regiment in Iraq.

[Transferred] (125923)

285   Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will set out the steps taken once an application for a Post Office Card Account has been received.

[Transferred] (125835)