Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2002 - 03
Publications on the internet
The Order Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Wednesday 16 July 2003

Here you can browse the Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 16 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.

WEDNESDAY 16th JULY

1   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many written ministerial statements have been made by the Office since 29th October 2002.

(126612)

2   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the EU directives implemented by the Department since 8th June 2001.

(126591)

3   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many written ministerial statements have been made by the Department since 29th October 2002.

(126607)

4   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the UK's gross receipts from the EU Budget were in 2002.

(126496)

5   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Treasury's Chief Economic Adviser plays an executive role in the Inland Revenue's dealings with (a) individuals and (b) businesses.

(126471)

6   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set up a review of the corporate governance guidelines of (a) HM Customs and Excise and (b) the Inland Revenue, with particular reference to the composition of their boards.

(126485)

7   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) special advisers, (b) press officers, (c) civil servants, (d) advisers to civil servants and (e) permanent staff were working for his Department in each year since 1996.

(126486)

8   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the responsibilities of the Treasury's Chief Economic Adviser.

(126507)

9   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Inland Revenue submitted the Supplementary Memorandum published in the 29th Report of the Committee of Public Accounts, Session 2002-03, HC 332; how the adjustments in transfer pricing cases in the three years to 31st March 2002 referred to in the memorandum arose in each year; and how many adjustments arose from (a) LBO and (b) International Division-led cases in each year.

(126364)

10   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the criteria were by which the Commissioners of Inland Revenue individually qualified for performance pay in each year since 1999-2000; and what performance pay they (a) might have been paid and (b) were paid in each year.

(126365)

11   Lembit Opik (Montgomeryshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department has had with the (a) Home Office, (b) Secretary of State for Wales and (c) Welsh Assembly regarding removal of permanent front-line anti-smuggling customs officers from (i) Chester, (ii) Swansea and (iii) Pembroke ports; and if he will make a statement.

(126320)

12
N   Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what responsibilities his Department undertakes in connection with British Overseas Territories.

(123992)

13   Mr Peter Pike (Burnley): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received asking him to reduce VAT on home improvements; and if he will make a statement.

(126247)

14   Mr Peter Pike (Burnley): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with (a) other government departments, (b) housing bodies and (c) other interested bodies on VAT on home improvements for poor housing; and if he will make a statement.

(126248)

15   Mr Peter Pike (Burnley): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on improving poor housing stock and tackling problems of empty homes through financial grants; and if he will make a statement.

(126249)

16   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of Inland Revenue postal enquiries received a complete response within 15 working days in each of the last 12 months.

(126380)

17   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of telephone calls to local Inland Revenue offices were answered at the switchboard within 20 seconds in each of the last 12 months.

(126381)

18   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of telephone calls to Inland Revenue contact centres which were not classed as engaged or abandoned were answered within 20 seconds in each of the last 12 months.

(126382)

19   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of attempted telephone calls to Inland Revenue contact centres reached an engaged tone in each of the last 12 months.

(126383)

20   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of telephone calls to Inland Revenue contact centres were abandoned in each of the last 12 months.

(126384)

21   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of callers to Inland Revenue enquiry centres without an appointment were attended to within 15 minutes in each of the last 12 months.

(126385)

22   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer over what period of time and at what intervals backdated child tax credit awards will be paid; and if he will make a statement.

(126386)

23   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many requests for (a) compensation, (b) back costs and (c) compensation for worry and distress due to mishandling of child and working tax credit applications have been received in each of the last six months; of that number how many have been paid; and how much the average award was.

(126389)

24   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale of 3rd July, Official Report, column 377W, on tax credits, how many written appeals against tax credit decisions for (a) disagreements about award notices and (b) reporting changes in circumstances have been received in each of the last six months; and of those, how many were found to be in favour of the appellant.

(126545)

25   Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much her Department has allocated for the promotion of tourism in the UK in 2003-04.

(126516)

26   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list the EU directives implemented by the Department since 8th June 2001.

(126599)

27   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many written ministerial statements have been made by the Department since 29th October 2002.

(126619)

28   Mr Chris Bryant (Rhondda): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the total salary budget is of OFCOM.

(126316)

29   Mr Chris Bryant (Rhondda): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many members of staff at OFCOM earn more than £100,000 per annum.

(126317)

30   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people have television licences in Northern Ireland.

(126500)

31   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many prosecutions there were in 2002 for failure to hold a television licence in Northern Ireland.

(126501)

32   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many (a) special advisers, (b) press officers, (c) civil servants, (d) advisers to civil servants and (e) permanent staff were working for her Department in each year since 1996.

(126480)

33   Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much was spent by her Department and agencies for which her Department is responsible in each of the last five years to promote (a) Northumberland and (b) the North East as a tourist destination.

(126450)

34   Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what percentage of schoolchildren in the Northumberland local education authority area receive a minimum of two hours physical exercise and school sport per week.

(126452)

35   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the EU directives implemented by the Department since 8th June 2001.

(126601)

36   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many written ministerial statements have been made by the Department since 29th October 2002.

(126621)

37
N   Mr Menzies Campbell (North East Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the detainees held at (a) Guantanamo, (b) Bagram Airbase and (c) Diego Garcia were orginally captured by British forces; and if he will make a statement.

(125798)

38
N   Mr Menzies Campbell (North East Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the Iraqi prisoners of war captured by British forces have been (a) designated unlawful combatants and (b) transferred to other facilities outside Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

(125799)

39   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) economic and (b) environmental impact studies were carried out into the effects of the closure of RAF Lyneham; and if he will publish them.

(126363)

40   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his United States counterpart in respect of the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

(126309)

41   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps were taken to secure (a) the Oil Ministry, (b) other ministries and (c) other official buildings in Iraq from looters and arsonists during the invasion and immediate post invasion period in Iraq.

(126322)

42   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the EU directives implemented by the Department since 8th June 2001.

(126594)

43   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many written ministerial statements have been made by the Department since 29th October 2002.

(126613)

44   Mr Roger Berry (Kingswood): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans his Department has to review the working of the disabled facilities grant test of resources in relation to adaptations for disabled children; and if he will make a statement.

(126303)

45   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much the average standard spending assessment was per head of population in (a) England, (b) the South West, (c) Dorset and (d) Poole in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(126442)

46
N   Mr David Chaytor (Bury North): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what measures he is planning to improve the energy efficiency standards of new build to achieve the 10 MtC emissions reduction per annum by 2010 as indicated in the Energy White Paper.

(124639)

47   Jim Dowd (Lewisham West): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 10th July, Official Report, column 998W, on mobile telephone masts, what action he plans to ensure greater adherence by network operators to the code of best practice on mobile phone network development.

(126556)

48   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many (a) special advisers, (b) press officers, (c) civil servants, (d) advisers to civil servants and (e) permanent staff were working for his Department in each year since 1996.

(126479)

49   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to revise Circular 6/98, with particular reference to (a) the definition of affordable housing and (b) the site size thresholds which trigger affordable housing planning gains from developers; and when he plans to issue the revised good practice to local authorities on planning obligations.

(126337)

50   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what steps he will take to enforce Regional Planning Guidance targets for affordable housing provision in the South West.

(126338)

51   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what steps he will take to assist key workers in the South West to meet their housing needs at a reasonable price.

(126339)

52   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, for what reasons local authorities in the South West region were not included on the Government's list of councils which can temporarily suspend the right to buy.

(126340)

53   Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether the bar chart on page 2 of the Annual Report and Accounts 2002-03 of the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre gives a fair representation of the evolution of the centre's surplus on ordinary activities.

(126234)

54   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to reform fire service pensions in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

(126413)

55   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, which projects in Chorley have been assisted by the Government Office for the North West in the past three years; and what assistance was provided in each case.

(126456)

56   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much has been (a) claimed by and (b) paid to (i) North East Lincolnshire, (ii) North Lincolnshire, (iii) Hull and (iv) the East Riding in major repairs allowances for council housing in the last 12 months.

(126418)

57   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much was allowed to north east Lincolnshire for housing in the SSA for each year from 1995; and how much was spent on it by the local authority.

(126419)

58   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the total cost of bringing all council housing in north east Lincolnshire up to decent housing standards by 2010.

(126420)

59   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many local authorities have implemented large scale voluntary housing transfers (LSVTs) since 1997; how many have been rejected by tenants; how many have put up proposals for large scale voluntary transfers; and how many have not yet registered their interest.

(126421)

60   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many applications for large scale voluntary transfers of council housing have been accepted by his Department; and what arrangements at what cost have been made in each case for write-off or reduction of overcharging housing debt.

(126422)

61   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what proposals he has for issuing to each tenant balloted in large scale voluntary housing transfers a statement of the benefits they will receive from a yes vote and the extra spending it will bring for repairs and improvements.

(126423)

62   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what sanctions are imposed on housing associations which do not fulfill promises made to tenants in large scale voluntary transfers of council housing; what redress is available to tenants in the event of such transfers; and how many complaints have been made to his Department about such purchases in the last five years.

(126425)

63   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much was paid to each local authority per council house which has opted for large scale voluntary transfer of its council stock in each of the last two years.

(126558)

64   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much he estimates will be provided in (a) this and (b) the next financial year (i) to write off overhanging housing debt for local authorities who privatise their housing stock and (ii) for council house repairs and renovations in those authorities in the same years.

(126559)

65   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with North East Lincolnshire Council about the adequacy of the provision he has made for repairs and renovations of council housing; what recommendations he has made to them about the benefits of a large scale voluntary transfer, broken down by housing association; and what proposals he has for visiting North East Lincolnshire to commend the large scale voluntary transfer to council tenants.

(126560)

66   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether consultants and tenants' friends employed on large scale voluntary transfer proposals for council housing are (a) approved, (b) nominated and (c) paid for by his Department; what steps he takes to ensure their impartiality; and whether any have recommended that the large scale voluntary transfer should not proceed.

(126561)

67   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether publicity polling and consultancy fees for voluntary transfers of council housing stock can be financed out of the local housing revenue account.

(126565)

68   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the costs of publicity polling, publishing information, consultancy fees and preparation and polling processes for large scale voluntary transfer of council housing pools over the last 12 months; and how much of this has been paid for by (a) local authorities and (b) central government.

(126568)

69   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what proposals he has for allowing councils to borrow on the security of (a) council housing stock, (b) rent income from council housing and (c) service charges on council housing; and whether he intends that such borrowing would have to be approved by (i) his Department and (ii) HM Treasury.

(126585)

70   Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the average voter turnout in the May 2003 local government elections was (a) where only traditional voting methods were used and (b) where postal ballots were piloted.

(126451)

71   Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many dwellings in the UK have been subject of compulsury purchase orders in each of the last five years.

(126453)

72   Mr Peter Pike (Burnley): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with (a) other Government departments, (b) housing bodies and (c) other interested bodies on reducing VAT on home improvements for poor housing; and if he will make a statement.

(126244)

73   Mr Peter Pike (Burnley): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what representations he has received on (a) improving poor housing stock and (b) tackling problems of empty homes through financial grants; and if he will make a statement.

(126245)

74   Mr Peter Pike (Burnley): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what research he has commissioned to examine whether financial assistance would help to tackle poor housing stock and empty homes in the Pathfinder housing renewal areas; and if he will make a statement.

(126246)

75   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many hoax calls were made to the Fire Service in England and Wales in each year since 1997.

(126321)

76   Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on his plans for taking forward the National Skills Strategy.

(126487)

77   Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what progress he has made with regard to article 95 of the Tomlinson Inquiry.

(126491)

78   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list the EU directives implemented by the Department since 8th June 2001.

(126590)

79   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many written ministerial statements have been made by the Department since 29th October 2002.

(126608)

80   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average class size in secondary schools was in (a) Dorset and (b) Poole in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement.

(126440)

81   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what redress a student has who suffers hardship as a result of maladministration by the Student Loan Company; and if he will investigate the case of Mr Lloyd Hughes, a constituent.

(126368)

82   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) special advisers, (b) press officers, (c) civil servants, (d) advisers to civil servants and (e) permanent staff were working for his Department in each year since 1996.

(126482)

83
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what discussions his Department has had with the Home Office about the (a) possible introduction of an entitlement card scheme, (b) the use to which such a card would be put on the matters for which he is responsible and (c) the costs and funding of the scheme; and if he will make a statement.

(126219)

84
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 3rd July, Official Report, column 439-40W, what the value is of student loans where repayments have been made early in each year since the scheme began; and what the amount is as a percentage of the total amount repaid.

(126081)

85
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 3rd July, Official Report, column 439-40W, what the total value is of student loans where repayment has been deferred in each year since the scheme began.

(126082)

86
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 3rd July, Official Report, column 439-40W, what the total value is of loans where inability to repay has been cancelled in each year since the scheme began.

(126083)

87
N   Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether, under the Education (Specified Work and Registration) (England) Regulations 2003, people without a formal teacher qualification can be responsible for the direction and supervision of student teachers in schools.

(126085)

88   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the EU directives implemented by the Department since 8th June 2001.

(126589)

89   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many written ministerial statements have been made by the Department since 29th October 2002.

(126606)

90   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what comparative studies of the health impact of bottled and tap water the Drinking Water Inspectorate have conducted recently.

(126551)

91   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the safe limits are used by the Drinking Water Inspectorate for (a) minerals and (b) other trace elements found in bottled waters.

(126624)

92   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of companies producing tap water are tested by the Drinking Water Inspectorate; what the frequency of testing is; how many companies producing tap water have failed these tests in each of the last six years; and what the safe limits are used by the Drinking Water Inspectorate for (a) minerals and (b) other trace elements found in tap water.

(126625)

93   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of brands of bottled water are tested by the Drinking Water Inspectorate; what the frequency of testing is; and how many brands have failed these tests in each of the last six years.

(126628)

94   Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much beef has been imported in each of the last three years from Australia.

(126235)

95   Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many cattle passports there are in the United Kingdom.

(126236)

96   Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what tonnage of fertiliser was used in agriculture in the United Kingdom during 2002.

(126237)

97   Tom Cox (Tooting): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what tonnage of poultry meat was imported in the last 12 months.

(126238)

98   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has for renewable energy schemes that will benefit the West Midlands.

(126311)

99   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what efforts are made to encourage schools to involve their pupils in the sustainable development of the community through (a) local agenda 21 and (b) other schemes.

(126312)

100   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) special advisers, (b) press officers, (c) civil servants, (d) advisers to civil servants and (e) permanent staff were working for her Department in each year since 1996.

(126481)

101
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of the recently agreed package of CAP reforms on (a) tenant farmers in England, (b) tenant farmers in the rest of the UK, (c) landlords of tenant farms, (d) family farms which do not employ non-family workers and (e) farmers as a whole.

(126224)

102
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made, following the outcome of the Thomsen judgment, of cases where landlords refuse to give permission to their tenant farmers who seek to sell their non-producing milk quota; and what action her Department can take in such cases.

(126225)

103
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) rules and (b) restrictions will apply to (i) tenant farmers and (ii) non-tenant farmers who seek to transfer to another holding their own single payment entitlements created under the recently agreed package of CAP reforms.

(126226)

104
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what action her Department will take to ensure the implementation of the Thomsen ruling on non-producing milk quota holders in respect of (a) existing tenant farmers who are non-producing milk quota holders, (b) non-tenant farmers who are non-producing milk quota holders and (c) tenant farmers who are non-producing milk quota holders but who cannot sell because they are in dispute with their landlord over the apportionment of its value; and if she will make a statement on the effect of the ruling on each of the groups listed.

(126227)

105
N   Andrew George (St Ives): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to (a) permit and (b) enable the implementation of the opportunity to buy and sell single payment entitlements as established under the recently agreed CAP reform package in respect of (i) tenant farmers, (ii) landlords of tenant farms, (iii) owner occupied farms and (iv) all farms.

(126228)

106   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many cattle were slaughtered owing to bovine TB in each of the last 10 years; how many were subsequently found to be negative; and what the cost was to the Government of compensating farmers for the slaughter of cattle subsequently found to be negative in each year.

(126335)

107   Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had on the efficacy of skin tests for bovine TB; and what assessment she has made of the benefits of blood tests for bovine TB.

(126336)

108   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the Department's role in the monitoring of releases of radioactivity.

(126359)

109   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made in meeting the outcomes of the Earth Summit in Johannesburg.

(126360)

110   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions her Department has had with the Department of Trade and Industry on reforming the Export Credit Guarantee Scheme.

(126361)

111   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the amount of water which leaked from water company pipes in each year since 1997; what measures she is taking to reduce the number of leaks; and if she will make a statement.

(126362)

112   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the current state is of her farm trials of genetically modified organisms; and when she intends to report on these.

(126415)

113   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the treaty signed at Athens permitting application to the European membership of states there named, if he will place in the Library written statements and related charts and maps showing (a) the current sea areas of national and community waters and those that would become so in the event of accession of all relevant application states, (b) those areas lost to current national control and (c) the principal ports and coastal zones where fisheries are of economic or social importance.

(126424)

114   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the results of her field trials of genetically modified organisms will be published.

(126570)

115   Mr Peter Pike (Burnley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department will (a) issue a response and (b) launch a public consultation in response to the Department's Review of Non-Native Species published in March on its recommendations for dealing with invasive non-native species; and if she will make a statement.

(126250)

116   Mr Peter Pike (Burnley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to consult local, county and regional government and other non-statutory landowners on the recommendations of her Department's Review of Non-Native Species and the Government response to its recommendations for dealing with invasive non-native species, with particular reference to (a) their responsibility for habitats where invasive non-native weeds are growing and (b) their responsibilities in controlling these weeds; what discussions she had had with these bodies on the subject; and if she will make a statement.

(126251)

117   Mr Peter Pike (Burnley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department is having on providing financial assistance to local government and non-statutory bodies with responsibilities for habitats where invasive non-native weeds are present to assist them in tackling and eradicating these weeds; and if she will make a statement.

(126252)

118   Mr Peter Pike (Burnley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, under what circumstances a local authority may become involved with a control project to deal with invasive non-native plants; how a local authority may apply to be involved in such a project; what criteria she sets for such control projects; and if she will make a statement.

(126253)

119   Mr Peter Pike (Burnley): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she has received from local, county and regional government, and non-statutory landowners regarding the (a) costs and (b) difficulties in controlling invasive non-native weeds on land under their custody; and if she will make a statement.

(126254)

120   Joyce Quin (Gateshead East & Washington West): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how often she met her counterparts in the devolved administrations in the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement.

(126520)

121
N   Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made since the end of the conflict in Iraq in the search for weapons of mass destruction; and what quantities of weapons of mass destruction have been found.

(126084)

122   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Chinese authorities concerning (a) the repatriation of North Korean refugees in China, (b) the refusal by the Chinese Government to allow the UNHCR access to the North Koreans who have fled into China and (c) China's obligations under the 1951 UN Convention on the Treatment of Refugees.

(126395)

123   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent negotiations have taken place between his officials and Chinese representatives regarding the preservation of Hong Kong's special status; and if he will make a statement on the role of the UK in Hong Kong.

(126396)

124   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the Chinese Government's use of Article 23 legislation and the practice of Falun Gong in Hong Kong; what reports he has received on the extent of consultation by the Chinese Government with the people of Hong Kong on the use of Article 23; and what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the use of Article 23 in relation to the practice of Falun Gong and safeguards given to the people of Hong Kong when the territory was returned to China.

(126508)

125   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has received regarding North Korean nuclear weapons programmes; and if he will make a statement on Government policy on nuclear weapons programmes in North Korea.

(126579)

126   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the EU directives implemented by the Department since 8th June 2001.

(126596)

127   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many written ministerial statements have been made by the Department since 29th October 2002.

(126617)

128
N   Mr Menzies Campbell (North East Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 8th July, ref. 122612, on the welfare of British citizens in Guantanamo Bay, what the individual health concerns of the detainees are that the Government has raised with the US authorities; what the average delays in mail are; how much exercise the detainees are allowed; and if he will make a statement.

(125800)

129
N   Mr Menzies Campbell (North East Fife): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has made representations to the Government of Zimbabwe about the recent arrest of Elias Mudzuri; what further action his Department intends to take; and if he will make a statement.

(126121)

130   Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what international system of monitoring in which the United Kingdom participates relates to material which may be used for nuclear weapons; and if he will make a statement.

(126581)

131   Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 19th November 2002, Official Report, column 35W, whether the Russian Government have asked for the Defence of the Soviet Arctic Region Medal to be officially recognised since 19th November 2002.

(126566)

132   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many (a) special advisers, (b) press officers, (c) civil servants, (d) advisers to civil servants and (e) permanent staff were working for his Department in each year since 1996.

(126484)

133   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the BAe systems contracts the Foreign Office are helping with.

(126457)

134   Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on Hong Kong.

(126469)

135   Glenda Jackson (Hampstead & Highgate): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has forwarded to the International Atomic Energy Agency the intelligence from an unnamed third country, regarding Iraq's supposed attempt to buy uranium from Niger.

(126313)

136   Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 3rd July, Official Report, column 456W, on Iraq, if he will make a statement on the UK Government's obligations under Article 10 of Security Council Resolution 1441 to pass to the International Atomic Energy Agency the information upon which it bases its assessement that Saddam Hussein's regime attempted to obtain uranium from Africa.

(126582)

137
N   Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he will make available to Clare Anyango and her sponsor Michael Meadows, the explanatory statement of the reasons for the rejection of her application to the High Commission in Nairobi for a visa to study in the United Kingdom made on 17th June 2002.

(125939)

138   Mr David Marshall (Glasgow, Shettleston): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which of his Department's Ministers have visited Pacific islands since October 2000; and which islands these were.[R]

(126513)

139   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the United Kingdom representatives in Iraq have taken to ensure leaders of the former Ba'ath Party in Iraq are not given senior administrative or political positions.

(126307)

140   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what matters in respect of (a) Israel's possession of nuclear weapons, (b) Israel's policy on signing the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty and (c) the imprisonment of Mordecai Vanunu he raised with (i) Prime Minister Sharon and (ii) members of his delegation during his visit to London in July.

(126308)

141   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action was taken in response to information that Iraq had been trying to obtain uranium from an African source; when he was first informed that Mr Joseph Wilson had been sent to Niger to investigate whether Iraq was seeking uranium yellowcake from Niger; when he asked for the Wilson Report from the US Central Intelligence Agency; what discussions on the allegations he has had with officials of the United States Government since February 2002; and if he will make a statement on the source of United Kingdom intelligence on Iraqi interests in uranium from Niger.

(126443)

142   Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford & Southend East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made in seeking the release of Mr Peter Bleach from prison in India; and if he will make a statement.

(126233)

143   Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on delayed discharges.

(126489)

144   Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will hold an inquiry into the use of single use instruments for tonsillectomies.

(126490)

145   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received regarding the importation of chicken and other poultry products from China.

(126544)

146   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the EU directives implemented by the Department since 8th June 2001.

(126598)

147   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many written ministerial statements have been made by the Department since 29th October 2002.

(126618)

148   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the studies conducted by him into the health benefits of walking in the last six years.

(126547)

149   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dental practices in each primary care trust are accepting new patients for treatment on the NHS who are (a) elderly, (b) children, (c) unemployed and (d) disabled.

(126323)

150   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 10th July, Official Report, column 1002W, on the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Healthcare, what the non staff costs are in (a) 2003-04 and (b) 2004-05; and what the value of contract for supporting patients forum is for each primary care trust.

(126324)

151   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 10th July to the honourable Member for Cheadle, Official Report, column 1001W, on breast cancer, what the baseline is against which his Department is measuring its progress on age discrimination; and what measurable changes have been achieved to date.

(126341)

152   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 10th July, Official Report, column 1041-2W, on Patient Advice and Liaison Service, what the methodology was for the recent mapping exercise.

(126342)

153   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 4th July, Official Report, column 541W, on neurological registrars, how many senior house officers specialising in neurology there were in each region in each year.

(126343)

154   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 10th July, Official Report, columns 1041-2W, on the Patient Advice and Liaison Service, if he will place in the Library the information collected by the recent mapping exercise.

(126344)

155   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 4th July to the honourable Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham, Official Report, column 529-30W, on childhood obesity, how many prescription items of orlistat were dispensed in the community in England in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many children received the drug in each of those years.

(126345)

156   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many stomach stapling operations there were in each region in each of the last five years; and how many of these were carried out on children.

(126346)

157   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many finished consultant episodes relating to obesity there were in each region in each year since 1997.

(126347)

158   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many elderly people were hospitalised as a result of cold in each (a) primary care trust and (b) acute trust in each year since 1997.

(126348)

159   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) whole time equivalent posts and (b) vacancies for (i) consultants, (ii) specialist registrars, (iii) senior house officers, (iv) nurses and (v) professions allied to medicines, specialising in pain relief there were in each year since 1997.

(126349)

160   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) accident and emergency attendances and (b) GP attendances there were relating to pain in each region in each year since 1997.

(126350)

161   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the cost to the NHS of treating pain in England in the last 12 months.

(126351)

162   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the prevalence of chronic pain in England in each year since 1997.

(126353)

163   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of the population under 18 suffered from (a) chronic pain, (b) recurrent pain and (c) pain which has lasted more than a month in each year since 1997.

(126354)

164   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) finished consultant episodes and (b) hospital admissions there were relating to pain in each region in each year since 1997.

(126438)

165   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made towards the target of 100 per cent. of general hospitals to have a specialist stroke unit by April 2004.

(126525)

166   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients were treated for strokes (a) in each NHS trust and (b) in each strategic health authority in each year since 1997.

(126526)

167   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what proportion of stroke patients were under 18 in each year since 1997.

(126527)

168   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of stroke patients were treated in a specialist unit in each strategic health authority, in each year since 1997.

(126528)

169   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many stroke physicians there are in hospital trusts; and if he will make a statement.

(126529)

170   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much and what proportion of public scientific research investment in the last five years went on research into (a) heart disease, (b) cancer and (c) stroke and stroke-related problems.

(126530)

171   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made towards the Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation, target for reducing strokes in those under 75 years.

(126531)

172   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) occupational therapists, (b) speech and lauguage therapists and (c) physiotherapists (i) began and (ii) finished training in each year since 1997.

(126532)

173   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of strokes to the NHS in each of the last five years.

(126533)

174   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many stroke patients did not receive a swallowing assessment within 24 hours of admission to hospital within the last year; and if he will make a statement.

(126534)

175   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) average and (b) maximum waiting times for stroke assessment after arrival at hospital were in each region in each year since 1997.

(126535)

176   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what monitoring arrangements are in place to ensure that (a) primary care trusts and (b) NHS trusts have reviewed arrangements to identify those at greatest risk of stroke.

(126536)

177   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what monitoring arrangements are in place to ensure that (a) primary care trusts and (b) NHS trusts have agreed local priorities to improve the rates of identification and effective intervention in stroke.

(126537)

178   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what monitoring is in place to ensure that NHS trusts have reviewed hospital services for stroke using the clinical audit methodology developed by the Royal College of Physicians.

(126538)

179   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what monitoring is in place to ensure that NHS trusts have agreed local priorities for action required to establish an integrated stroke service which is regularly audited with a continuing cycle of improvement.

(126539)

180   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether every hospital which cares for older people with stroke has established clinical audit systems to ensure delivery of the Royal College of Physicians clinical guidelines for stroke care.

(126540)

181   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made to ensure that by April 2004 every general practice, using protocols agreed with local specialist services, can identify and treat patients identified as being at risk of a stroke because of high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation or other risk factors.

(126541)

182   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what percentage of general hospitals have had a specialist stroke unit in each year since 1997.

(126542)

183
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what studies he has received of the consequences for health of banning smoking in public places.

(126090)

184
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of links between high-dose zinc supplements and prostate cancer in men.

(126091)

185
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what evaluation has been carried out into the success of financial rewards for the identification of fraudulent prescriptions.

(126092)

186
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the estimated cost to the NHS of fraudulent prescriptions was in each of the last five years in (a) the UK, (b) the West Midlands and (c) Coventry.

(126093)

187
N   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with local authority social services departments regarding the funding of care homes.

(126094)

188
N   Mr Frank Dobson (Holborn & St Pancras): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what additional funds have been made available to each of the trusts applying for foundation status to contribute towards the cost of each of their applications.

(126221)

189
N   Mr Frank Dobson (Holborn & St Pancras): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library the official risk assessment for the foundation hospital policy and for each applicant trust.

(126222)

190
N   Mr Frank Dobson (Holborn & St Pancras): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library the independent financial assessment of each trust applying for foundation status.

(126223)

191   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) special advisers, (b) press officers, (c) civil servants, (d) advisers to civil servants and (e) permanent staff were working for his Department in each year since 1996.

(126472)

192   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the health and safety regime in NHS buildings; what plans he has to change the system; and if he will make a statement.

(126357)

193   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the traffic light league tables for hospital cleanliness; what plans he has to change the system; and if he will make a statement.

(126358)

194   Mr Dai Havard (Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions are taking place between his Department and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to create a new fast track process allowing interim guidance between class appraisals to be given for medical treatments that are licensed.

(126372)

195   Mr Dai Havard (Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he plans to make more resources available for the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to conduct more appraisals each year.

(126373)

196   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospitals do not have laundry facilities on site; and whether he intends to require all hospitals to have internal laundries.

(126416)

197   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proposals he has for requiring nurses and medical staff to keep their uniforms at work to be laundered after each use rather than travelling to work in uniform.

(126417)

198   Joyce Quin (Gateshead East & Washington West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how often he met his counterparts in the devolved administrations in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

(126518)

199   Vera Baird (Redcar): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many days in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) up to the last day of June 2003 (i) the Coroner, (ii) the Deputy Coroner and (iii) the Assistant Deputy Coroner for Cleveland sat on inquests; and what the regional average numbers of sitting days are for sitting coroners.

(126355)

200   Vera Baird (Redcar): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time has been between deaths and inquests in Cleveland; what assessment he has made of the reasons for delays; and what the average time was in the other coroners' areas in the North East in the last 12 months.

(126356)

201   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the EU directives implemented by the Department since 8th June 2001.

(126602)

202   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many written ministerial statements have been made by the Department since 29th October 2002.

(126622)

203   Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers there were per 100,000 population in Dorset constabulary in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement.

(126441)

204   Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many firearms and how much ammunition have been surrendered since January (a) in the West Midlands and (b) in England and Wales.

(126439)

205   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to review the membership of the Youth Justice Board.

(126569)

206   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he last met the Scottish Executive to discuss the introduction of identity cards.

(126571)

207   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applications have been made in Northern Ireland since 1st January.

(126572)

208   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applications were made at (a) Stranraer and Cairnryan ports, (b) Glasgow airport, (c) Edinburgh airport and (d) elsewhere in Scotland in each month since 1st January.

(126573)

209   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many junior attendance centres have not been inspected within the last three years.

(126574)

210   Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to introduce a national inspectorate of junior attendance centres.

(126675)

211   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) special advisers, (b) press officers, (c) civil servants, (d) advisers to civil servants and (e) permanent staff were working for his Department in each year since 1996.

(126483)

212   Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress has been made in the identification of Mario Clarke's killer.

(126366)

213   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to reform police pensions in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

(126414)

214   Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions depleted uranium has been stolen from (a) the plant in Thurrock and (b) from other sites elsewhere in the United Kingdom over the past five years; and if he will make a statement.

(126314)

215   Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the dangers to those who come into close proximity to depleted uranium stolen from a site in Thurrock during July; and if he will make a statement.

(126315)

216   Mr David Marshall (Glasgow, Shettleston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total value of assets and illegal gains confiscated from criminals is since the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 came into effect.

(126510)

217   Mr David Marshall (Glasgow, Shettleston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reply to the letters from the honourable Member for Glasgow Shettleston to the MPCS section of Immigration and Nationality Directorate Croydon of 23rd February, 7th April, 12th May and 12th June regarding Mr Abdullah Turgut.

(126511)

218   Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many representations have been received on entitlement cards from (a) individuals and (b) organisations.

(126449)

219
N   Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what responsibilities his Department undertakes in connection with British Overseas Territories.

(123991)

220   Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what grants are available from his Department to improve Leighton Buzzard police station, with particular reference to enabling (a) the restoration of a custody suite, (b) longer opening hours and (c) the provision of space for a greater officer establishment.

(126374)

221   Ms Gisela Stuart (Birmingham, Edgbaston): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the results of the pilot schemes for anti-social behaviour orders.

(126503)

222   Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire): To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether the House of Commons Commission plans to comply with UK Security Standard BS7799, relating to computer security, by the end of 2003.

(126584)

223   Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire): To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what (a) technical and (b) procedural security counter-measures are in place to protect PDVN users' data and e-mails from unauthorised internal or external interception whilst users are working (i) on the Parliamentary Estate and (ii) remotely.

(126586)

224   Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on (a) the content of basic humanitarian supplies destined for Iraq and (b) the progress of those supplies towards intended destinations in Iraq.

(126492)

225   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will list the EU directives implemented by the Department since 8th June 2001.

(126592)

226   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many written ministerial statements have been made by the Department since 29th October 2002.

(126609)

227   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government plans to take to encourage the flow of foreign direct investment to the poorest nations of the developing world; and what international mechanism the Government supports to facilitate this.

(126239)

228   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much was spent by the Department on health projects and programmes in Kenya in each year since 1997.

(126493)

229   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many officials from (a) his Department and (b) other Government departments are working in Kenya in connection with overseas aid programmes and projects.

(126494)

230   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many (a) special advisers, (b) press officers, (c) civil servants, (d) advisers to civil servants and (e) permanent staff were working for the Department in each year since 1996.

(126478)

231   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment the Department has made of the role of commodity stabilisation mechanisms in future trading relations between the European Union and developing countries.

(126259)

232   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether the Government supports the use of government revenues rather than exports to assess the sustainability of heavily indebted poor country debts.

(126260)

233   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether the Government supports the linking of levels of debt servicing by developing countries to the achievement of the millennium development goals.

(126261)

234   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment the Department has made of the humanitarian situation in Burundi.

(126397)

235   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funds the Department placed with the Burundi Multidonor Debt Trust Fund in (a) 2000, (b) 2001, (c) 2002 and (d) 2003; how much of the pledges have been released; and what percentage of released funds have gone to the Africa Union Force.

(126398)

236   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of the Department's humanitarian aid pledged to Burundi has been delivered; and what discussions the Department has had with the European Union concerning its delivery of its commitment.

(126399)

237   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions the Department had with parties to the conflict in Burundi with respect to international humanitarian law; and what plans he has to bring to justice those guilty of human rights abuses in Burundi.

(126400)

238   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what financial and technical assistance the Government is giving to the Burundi Government to help develop an effective system of justice; and who the leading donor is on these issues.

(126404)

239   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment the Department has made of sexual violence and targeted rape in Burundi in the last year; and what action his Department is taking.

(126405)

240   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which programmes the Department funds to help with the reintegration and care of children who have escaped abduction in Northern Uganda.

(126406)

241   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions the Department has had with the Government of Uganda in relation to disarmament and the collection of small firearms.

(126407)

242   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when the World Bank will release periodical external audit reports for the Chad/Cameroon pipeline project.

(126408)

243   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what monitoring and supervision the project construction phase for the Chad/Cameroon pipeline project has had.

(126409)

244   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when the World Bank will publish cost figures for the Chad/Cameroon Pipeline Project.

(126410)

245   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment the Department has made of the use of single hull obsolete tankers on the West African coast and their impact on the surrounding environment.

(126411)

246   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list the EU directives implemented by the Department since 8th June 2001.

(126593)

247   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many written ministerial statements have been made by the Department since 29th October 2002.

(126610)

248   Mr Roger Berry (Kingswood): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the recommendations of the Review Group set up in Northern Ireland to look into the test of resources for the Disabled Facilities Grant in relation to disabled children are; and if he will make a statement.

(126302)

249   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what his policy is on the establishment of an Older People's Rights Commissioner for Northern Ireland.

(126497)

250   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many teaching vacancies there are in North Belfast in (a) the primary and (b) the secondary sector.

(126498)

251   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many teachers have left the teaching profession in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997; and how many have been recruited.

(126499)

252   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what funding was provided for the promotion of the (a) Irish language and (b) Ulster-Scots language in each year since 1998.

(126502)

253   Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many prescriptions were issued in Northern Ireland in the year 2002-03; what the total cost of such prescriptions was; and what percentage of such prescriptions was paid for by the Government.

(126504)

254   Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will amend the relevant legislation in order to permit the purchasing of fishing permits for Strangford Lough as part of the ADSEA project.

(126255)

255   Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) dog attacks have been reported and (b) complaints have been received by the Department of Environment regarding dogs in and around the grounds of Kirkistown Castle in the last 12 months; whether the land, lane leading to, and the grounds in which Kirkistown Castle lies are the property of the Department of Environment; and what action has been taken to prevent dogs from adjoining properties roaming in and around the grounds of the Castle.

(126256)

256
N   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many smoking rooms the Northern Ireland Civil Service maintains; how frequently staff are permitted to attend to smoke; for what length of time; at what cost; and if he will make a statement.

(126161)

257
N   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many Stormont estate car parking spaces there are; how many such spaces have been built since 1995; how much parkland he plans to use for car parking spaces; and what his policy is on the growth of car parking provision on the estate.

(126162)

258
N   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will take steps to ensure that the Connswater (a) river and (b) riverbanks are made free of litter and dumped materials.

(126217)

259
N   The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list for the six largest public sector pension schemes in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years (a) total employees' contributions, (b) total employers' contributions, (c) expenditure on pensions and benefits and (d) the annual difference between the scheme's overall income and expenditure.

(126218)

260   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the President of the Council, how many written ministerial statements have been made by his Office since 29th October 2002.

(126603)

261   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask the President of the Council, how many (a) special advisers, (b) press officers, (c) civil servants, (d) advisers to civil servants and (e) permanent staff were working for the Leader of the House in each year since 1996.

(126470)

262
N   Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East): To ask the Prime Minister, to what level of clearance Mr Alastair Campbell has been vetted for access to Joint Intelligence Committee material.

(126089)

263   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his written Answer of 16th June, Official Report, column 63W, on the EU White Paper, what discussions he expects to occur prior to the next meeting of the European Council; who is expected to preside over its proceedings; and whether Her Majesty's Government will present a provisionally agreed European Constitution for ratification by Parliament.

(126546)

264   Joyce Quin (Gateshead East & Washington West): To ask the Prime Minister, what recent meetings he has held jointly with the First Minister of the Scottish Parliament and the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales; and if he will make a statement.

(126521)

265   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make it his policy to provide the number of occasions the Cabinet Defence and Overseas Policy Committee met between 9th September 2002 and 18th March 2003.

(126304)

266   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Prime Minister, whether he raised the continued imprisonment of Mordecai Vanunu during his meeting with his Israeli counterpart during his visit to London in July.

(126305)

267   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Prime Minister, what matters in respect of Israeli possession of nuclear weapons he raised with his Israeli counterpart during his visit this month.

(126306)

268   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will set out the sources of information to which he has made reference in compiling his response to the letter from the honorable Member for Blaenau Gwent on the Iraq dossiers and the alleged procurement of uranium by Iraq from Niger, of 26th June; and if he will list documents to which reference has been made by his press office since 26th June to answer media enquiries and rebut media stories on the same issues.

(126310)

269   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Prime Minister, when Lord Levy has met Bill Burns, the Assistant Secretary of State in the United States State Department, while acting as his envoy; and where each of these meetings took place.

(126447)

270   Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell): To ask the Prime Minister, whether he was consulted over the decision by the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor and the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to issue a notice on 23rd June under section 11(3) of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration regarding a complaint under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information relating to ministerial conflicts of interests.

(126448)

271   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many written ministerial statements have been made by the Scotland Office since 29th October 2002.

(126615)

272   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many (a) special advisers, (b) press officers, (c) civil servants, (d) advisers to civil servants and (e) permanent staff were working for the Scotland Office in each year since 1996.

(126474)

273   Mr David Marshall (Glasgow, Shettleston): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the total value of assets and illegal gains confiscated from criminals is in Scotland since the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 came into effect.

(126509)

274   Mr David Marshall (Glasgow, Shettleston): To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what plans he has to amend the Scotland Act 1998 in respect of representation by elected members; and if he will make a statement.

(126512)

275   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Solicitor General, how many written ministerial statements have been made by the Law Officers' Departments since 29th October 2002.

(126604)

276   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Solicitor General, what information the Attorney General has (a) requested and (b) received from (i) the United States Secretary for Defense and (ii) the US Attorney General in respect of the legal rights and legal representation to be afforded to detainees held at camp Xray in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba by the United States Administration.

(126318)

277   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the value of British-owned manufacturing was in China in 2002.

(126435)

278   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what tariffs or other import and export levies are enforced (a) by Britain on Chinese goods and (b) by China on British goods.

(126436)

279   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the volume of trade between the UK and (a) China and (b) Japan was in 2002, broken down by (i) imports and (ii) exports; and what percentage of total UK trade volumes trade with (A) China and (B) Japan accounted for in 2002.

(126543)

280   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations she has received regarding accession by China to the World Trade Organization; and if she will make a statement.

(126576)

281   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations she has received regarding the scale of the British financial services industry in China; and if she will make a statement.

(126577)

282   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent representations she has received regarding British trade with China.

(126580)

283   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the EU directives implemented by the Department since 8th June 2001.

(126588)

284   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many written ministerial statements have been made by the Department since 29th October 2002.

(126605)

285   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to take steps in the next round of WTO negotiations to protect sugar producers in developing countries from competition from subsidized sugar production in the EU.

(126370)

286   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to take steps in the next round of WTO negotiations to prevent subsidized EU products being dumped on developing countries.

(126371)

287   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to take steps in the next round of WTO negotiations to improve access to patented drugs in the developing countries.

(126375)

288   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many (a) special advisers, (b) press officers, (c) civil servants, (d) advisers to civil servants and (e) permanent staff were working for her Department in each year since 1996.

(126475)

289   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the likely impact of economic partnership agreements signed between the European Union and Southern African countries on the economies of African Caribbean and Pacific states.

(126258)

290   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she expects to publish the results of the recent consultation on the licensing regime under the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

(126264)

291
N   Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what responsibilities her Department undertakes in connection with British Overseas Territories.

(123990)

292   Joyce Quin (Gateshead East & Washington West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent assessment she has made of the impact of Government research and development spending on English regions.

(126552)

293   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what briefing was provided by her Department's Press Office to the media in advance of her announcement on 14th July on the expansion of offshore wind capacity.

(126319)

294   Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what facility attachments and safeguards provisions apply to the B30 spent fuel and waste store at Sellafield; when Euratom safeguards inspectors last visited the B30 plant; what discussions her Department has had with the (a) Euratom Safeguards Directorate and (b) European Commission authorities on B30; and if she will make a statement on the application of safeguards at B30.

(126522)

295   Mr David Amess (Southend West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent meetings he has had with airline companies to discuss the performance of the National Air Traffic Service.

(126488)

296   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which statutory bodies will be involved in evaluating the potential environmental impacts of (a) route improvements to the A21 between Kippings Cross and Robertsbridge and (b) the building of the A259 Bexhill-Hastings link road.

(126426)

297   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received (a) in favour and (b) against the building of the A259 Bexhill-Hastings link road.

(126427)

298   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received concerning the (a) projected cost and (b) timeframe of building an A259 Bexhill-Hastings link road.

(126428)

299   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representations he has received concerning the A21 from (a) Kippings Cross to Lamberhurst and (b) Flimwell to Robertsbridge.

(126429)

300   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the projected cost of each recommendation contained in the South Coast Multi Modal Study is; and what funding has been allocated to taking forward each recommendation.

(126430)

301   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which recommendations contained in the South Coast Multi Modal Study (a) have been approved, (b) have not been approved and (c) are still awaiting a final decision.

(126431)

302   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the expected start date is for road improvements on the A21 from (a) Kippings Cross to Lamberhurst and (b) Flimwell to Robertsbridge.

(126432)

303   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on progress made by (a) East Sussex County Council and (b) statutory environmental bodies in developing the A259 Bexhill-Hastings link road scheme, with particular reference to environmental considerations.

(126433)

304   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions the Department has held with (a) East Sussex County Council and (b) statutory environmental bodies on environmental considerations in developing the A259 Bexhill-Hastings link road scheme.

(126434)

305   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list new road construction schemes in East Sussex which have been allocated for design, build, finance and operate funding; and what the estimated cost of construction is at current prices.

(126444)

306   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the annual expenditure of his Department on public local inquiries in East Sussex was in each of the last 10 years; on what dates each inquiry was held; and what the cost was in each year.

(126445)

307   Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what improvements are planned for the A259 over the next three years.

(126446)

308   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the EU directives implemented by the Department since 8th June 2001.

(126597)

309   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many written ministerial statements have been made by the Department since 29th October 2002.

(126616)

310   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his Answer of 14th July, Official Report, column 27W; if he will place in the Library the assessment his Department has made of the environmental impact of increasing motorway speed limits to 80 miles per hour.

(126495)

311   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made against the targets set in the 1997 walking strategy.

(126548)

312   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent research he has conducted into the average annual distance walked by a UK (a) adult and (b) child in each of the last six years.

(126549)

313   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the walking-related spending in the 10 year transport plan for each year of the plan; and what walking-related spending was allocated in the last six years of local transport plans.

(126550)

314   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much London Underground Ltd spent on (a) advertising and (b) public relations in each of the last six years.

(126554)

315   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many prosecutions of London Underground Ltd there were in each of the last six years for breaches of health and safety regulations.

(126555)

316   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, at what frequency each London Underground station was cleaned on 14th July.

(126557)

317   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how often trains were cleaned on each London Underground line on average in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many trains ran on each line in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

(126578)

318   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many London Underground (a) staff and (b) contractors were employed to clean (i) stations and (ii) trains on 14th July.

(126626)

319   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many London Underground train carriages were available for use on each underground line on 14th July.

(126627)

320   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on how many miles of track London Underground was operating passenger services on 14th July broken down by line.

(126629)

321   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average temperature during the summer period was on each of the London Underground lines in 2002.

(126630)

322   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many London Underground stations were covered by CCTV systems on 14th July.

(126631)

323   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much litter was collected on each underground line in the last 12 months.

(126632)

324   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the maximum temperature reached was on each of the London Underground lines in the last 12 months.

(126633)

325   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) lowest and (b) highest salary was for London Underground (i) station staff, (ii) drivers and (iii) board members on 14th July .

(126641)

326   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many London Underground stations were fully accessible to people with disabilities on 14th July.

(126642)

327   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) lowest and (b) highest (i) single and (ii) return fares were on the London Underground on 14th July.

(126643)

328   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) lowest priced and (b) highest priced (i) monthly and (ii) annual season ticket was on the London Underground on 14th July.

(126644)

329   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) earliest and (b) latest train running times were on each London Underground line on 14th July.

(126645)

330   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average waiting time at London Underground ticket offices was in the four weeks before 14th July.

(126646)

331   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many acts of aggression against staff there were on each London Underground line in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

(126647)

332   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much revenue was raised through London Underground fares in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

(126648)

333   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many London Underground employees there were on 14th July, broken down by (a) train drivers, (b) station staff, (c) HQ staff and (d) other categories of staff.

(126649)

334   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) train cancellations and (b) delays of more than 10 minutes to London Underground train services there were on each line in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

(126650)

335   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the level of fare evasion was on the London Underground in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many people were prosecuted for fare evasion on each line during that period.

(126651)

336   Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average number of passengers carried at peak times on each London Underground line was during the last 12 months for which figures are available.

(126652)

337   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what tolls are payable when using the Severn Bridges on emergency calls by (a) the Severn Area Rescue Association, (b) HM Coastguards vehicles, (c) Police vehicles, (d) ambulances and (e) Fire Service vehicles.

(126393)

338   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) special advisers, (b) press officers, (c) civil servants, (d) advisers to civil servants and (e) permanent staff were working for the Department in each year since 1996.

(126476)

339
N   Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what contractual arrangements exist for the clearing of ragwort from highway land along the A36 (T) and the A303 (T) in the Salisbury constituency; and what the cost was in (a) the last financial year and (b) this financial year to date.

(125651)

340   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of speed humps on the (a) environment, (b) suspension systems of motor vehicles and (c) response times of emergency vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

(126514)

341   Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidelines he has issued to local authorities in respect of the size, height and positioning of speed humps on roads; and whether he plans changes thereto.

(126515)

342   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) timetable and (b) scope are of the Government's review of the Road Safety Strategy; and who will be conducting the review.

(126257)

343   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the Department's involvement in the Managing Speeds of Traffic on European Roads project.

(126263)

344   Martin Linton (Battersea): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on progress on the East London Line Extensions.

(126437)

345
N   Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what responsibilities his Department undertakes in connection with British Overseas Territories.

(123993)

346   Joyce Quin (Gateshead East & Washington West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in the devolved adminstrations about concessionary travel schemes.

(126517)

347   Joyce Quin (Gateshead East & Washington West): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how often he met his counterparts in the devolved administrations in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

(126519)

348   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the implications of postponing the widening of the M42 on Government proposals for a second runway at Birmingham Airport.

(126401)

349   Mr John Taylor (Solihull): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many air passengers used (a) UK airports and (b) Birmingham International Airport in (i) August and (ii) September in each year from 2000 to 2002.

(126454)

350   Mr John Taylor (Solihull): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimates he has made of the numbers of passengers using (a) UK airports and (b) Birmingham International Airport in (i) August and (ii) September in each year from 2003 to 2030.

(126455)

351   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many written ministerial statements have been made by the Wales Office since 29th October 2002.

(126611)

352   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many (a) special advisers, (b) press officers, (c) civil servants, (d) advisers to civil servants and (e) permanent staff were working for the Wales Office in each year since 1996.

(126473)

353   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Minister for Women, if she will make a statement on the national women's conference in Iraq on 9th July.

(126394)

354   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list the EU directives implemented by the Department since 8th June 2001.

(126600)

355   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many written ministerial statements have been made by the Department since 29th October 2002.

(126620)

356   Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what policies and procedures are being modified and what actions are being taken within his Department following the Government's decision to recognise British Sign Language as an official language.

(126240)

357   Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to award a severely disabled person attendance allowance for the six-month qualifying period once it has been established that the conditions of entitlement have been met.

(126369)

358   Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) special advisers, (b) press officers, (c) civil servants, (d) advisers to civil servants and (e) permanent staff were working for the Department in each year since 1996.

(126477)

359   Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether it is his policy that written answers from ministers in his Department should be deposited in the Library on the day of answering before the rising of the House; and if he will make a statement.

(126367)

360   Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the Government's plans to reform the Social Fund.

(126262)

361   Mr David Marshall (Glasgow, Shettleston): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on progress towards reform of the housing benefit system.

(126587)

362   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the cost of postage for (a) writing to all those aged 60 and over to tell them about their possible entitlement to pension credit and (b) the return of the pension credit application form by freepost.

(126387)

363   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what payment options are available to people filling in the pension credit application form who tick the box in part 13B stating that they do not agree to having their money paid direct into any type of account.

(126388)

364   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 8th July, Official Report, column 764-765W, on stakeholder schemes, how many companies the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority has fined for non-compliance with the workplace access requirements for stakeholder pensions schemes; and what the average value was of those fines.

(126390)

365   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 23rd June, Official Report, column 630W on pensions, what plans he has to update the figures quoted by the honourable Member of Makerfield on 26th November 2002, Official Report, column 210W.

(126391)

366   Steve Webb (Northavon): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 25th June 2003, Official Report, column 837W, on benefits, how many consolatory payments were made to customers for gross inconvenience or severe distress as a result of official errors; and what the (a) total and (b) average award was in each of the last 10 years.

(126392)

367   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people aged over 65 are receiving (a) carer's allowance and (b) the carer's premium in income support; and how many people aged over 65 have claimed (i) carer's allowance and (ii) the carer's premium in income support since April 2003.

(126562)

368   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many hits the Targeting Fraud website has received; how many cases of suspected fraud have been reported to the website; how many of these suspected cases have been investigated; how many of them have led to a successful prosecution; and how many of them have led to a custodial sentence.

(126563)

369   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much extra grant per year would need to be paid from central government to local authorities if take-up of all income-related benefits was to be 100 per cent., assuming that current take-up rates are at the mid-point in the range of estimates provided by the Government.

(126564)

370   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what research has been commissioned on the financial impact on absent fathers of the interaction between child support maintenance assessments and the new tax credits, with particular reference to (a) absent fathers who have new partners and (b) fathers who are registered as absent but who look after their children for three nights per week.

(126567)

371   Mr David Willetts (Havant): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer to the honourable Member for Northavon, of 10th July, Official Report, columns 979W-80W, what proportion of pensioners are estimated to be affected by each of the significant changes that must be reported to the Pension Service by a Pension Credit recipient; and what proportion of pensioners are affected by one or more of them each year.

(126623)

372   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department of Constitutional Affairs, if he will list the EU directives implemented by the Department and its predecessors since 8th June 2001.

(126595)

373   Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department of Constitutional Affairs, how many written ministerial statements have been made by the Department and its predecessors since 29th October 2002.

(126614)

374   Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department of Constitutional Affairs, what assessment he has made of the intervention of the Law Society in its role as regulator of (a) sole practitioner solicitors and (b) legal firms.

(126241)

375   Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department of Constitutional Affairs, what plans he has to change the regulatory system used in relation to solicitors in the UK.

(126242)

376   Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department of Constitutional Affairs, what assessment he has made of the case for making the regulatory system used in relation to solicitors in the UK a fully independent body.

(126243)

377
N   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department of Constitutional Affairs, what plans he has to extend eligibility for civil injuries compensation to the bereaved partner in an unmarried co-habiting relationship following the death of their partner.

(125969)

378
N   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department of Constitutional Affairs, what plans he has to extend legal rights to unmarried couples.

(125970)

379
N   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department of Constitutional Affairs, what action he is taking to extend eligibility for civil injuries compensation to the children of parents in an unmarried co-habiting relationship following the death of one of their parents.

(125971)

380
N   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department of Constitutional Affairs, what action he is taking to give property and pension rights to couples who choose not to marry.

(125972)

381
N   Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department of Constitutional Affairs, what plans he has to extend property, benefit and pension rights to the bereaved partner in an unmarried co-habiting relationship following the death of their partner.

(125973)

382
N   Dr Evan Harris (Oxford West & Abingdon): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department of Constitutional Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the Home Office about the (a) possible introduction of an entitlement card scheme, (b) the use to which such a card would be put on the matters for which he is responsible and (c) the costs and funding of the scheme; and if he will make a statement.

(126220)

383   Joyce Quin (Gateshead East & Washington West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on trends in Government spending on research and development.

[Transferred] (126553)

384   Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which Government Department will be financially responsible for the cost of the Progressive Governance Conference held between 11th and 14th July; and how much the event cost.

[Transferred] (126412)

385   Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of working days lost because of chronic pain in England in each year since 1997.

[Transferred] (126352)

386   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Burundi transitional government regarding establishing a Burundian Protection Force to replace the South African troops.

[Transferred] (126402)

387   Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions the Department has had with the Governments of (a) Senegal, (b) Nigeria and (c) Ghana, on the troops pledged to Burundi.

[Transferred] (126403)

388   Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects (a) to complete and (b) to publish the Strategy Unit's report on the fishing industry.

[Transferred] (126583)