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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Wednesday 12 November 2003
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Wednesday 12 November 2003
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 12 November of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department. For other Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 12 November of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Wednesday 12 November see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 1
| John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to reform the workings of the International Monetary Fund in favour of lower income countries. | | (138389) | 2
| John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 6th November, Official Report, column 804W, on tax credits, when he expects the Family Resources Survey 2003-04 will be available; and if he will place take-up estimates of (i) child tax credit and (ii) working tax credit, broken down by (A) parliamentary constituency and (B) local authority area, in the Library when the Survey is available. | | (138393) | 3
| John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 6th November, Official Report, column 804W, on tax credits, whether it is possible to make estimates of take-up of (a) child tax credit and (b) working tax credit by (i) parliamentary constituency and (ii) local authority area using 2002-03 figures. | | (138394) | 4
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact of an increase in the use of property to generate pension incomes on (a) the British economy, (b) Government expenditure and (c) the housing market. | | (138616) | 5
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many CAT standard products have been (a) launched and (b) withdrawn in each year since the CAT mark was introduced. | | (138426) | 6
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the CAT Standard endorsed products, broken down by category of product. | | (138427) | 7
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many credit card companies have (a) applied for and (b) been granted the CAT Standard mark. | | (138428) | Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 8
N | Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, in how many petitions for debtors' bankruptcy in each year since 1997 the court fee was waived because the petitioner was receiving on benefits, broken down by nation and region. | | (137843) | 9
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if the Secretary of State will direct the House of Lords Appointments Commission to disqualify applicants for a people's peerage who are (a) knights, (b) dames and (c) other holders of a peerage. | | (138511) | 10
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many people were interviewed for the position of chair of the House of Lords Appointments Commission when it was first established. | | (138519) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 11
| John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many National Lottery ticket sales there were in the (a) EH30, (b) EH29, (c) EH28, (d) EH12, (e) EH4 and (f) EH11 postcode areas in each of the last 10 years; and how much was raised in each case. | | (138452) | 12
| Mr Harold Best (Leeds North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with (a) regional cultural consortia, (b) libraries and (c) museums on measures to promote social inclusion in relation to access to (i) the arts and (ii) sport. | | (138372) | 13
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether all those assisting with voluntary youth football teams require Criminal Record Bureau checks; and what representations she has received on this issue. | | (138239) | 14
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the impact proposed increases in the cost of alcohol licences will have on (a) community clubs and (b) sports associations. | | (138602) | 15
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her Answer of 14th October, Official Report, column 1534W, on the Capital Modernisation Fund, if she will provide a breakdown by governing body of the £20 million from the Capital Modernisation Fund.
| | (138614) | 16
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many grants have been made from the Community Fund to projects in the East Worthing and Shoreham constituency since its inception. | | (138423) | 17
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the value is of grants made by the Community Fund to projects in the East Worthing and Shoreham constituency since its inception; and what the average value is of such grants per parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom. | | (138424) | 18
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list the projects in the East Worthing and Shoreham constituency which have benefited from Community Fund grants. | | (138425) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 19
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations he has received from members of the Territorial Army regarding the length of their tours of duty in Iraq. | | (138439) | 20
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Territorial Army personnel are on active service; and how many are expected to be on active service over the Christmas period. | | (138440) | 21
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the role of the Territorial Army in Iraq. | | (138441) | 22
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the change in the number of annual Territorial Army training days will affect the pay of (a) privates and (b) majors in the TA. | | (138442) | 23
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effect of the change in the number of annual training days in the Territorial Army on (a) morale, (b) retention and (c) recruitment. | | (138443) | 24
| David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the release to service of the Mark 3 Chinook helicopters. | | (138386) | 25
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations have been made to him from (a) other governments and (b) foreign non-governmental organisations on the Defence Services Export International arms fair held in London. | | (138567) | 26
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has held with his counterpart in the US Administration about the stance taken by (a) the Senate and (b) the House of Representatives to the US Administration's proposals for an ITAR waiver for the UK. | | (138603) | 27
| Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 20th October, Official Report, columns 373-4W, on departmental staff, what function previously performed in the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff Commitments (P&P) area was transferred to the private sector; what the procedure was (a) leading up to the decision for the transferral to be undertaken and (b) from the time of the decision for the transfer to be undertaken to the handover to the private sector; what companies participated in the process; what commitments in relation to job maintenance in Scotland were (i) sought and (ii) given as part of the transfer; and if he will make a statement. | | (138569) | 28
| Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 20th October, Official Report, columns 373-4W, on departmental staff, what the total number of civilian personnel working at the Clyde dockyards was at the time of transfer of management to the private sector; what the procedure was (a) leading up to the decision for the transfer to be undertaken and (b) from the time of the decision for the transfer to be undertaken to the handover to the private sector; what companies participated in the process; what commitments in relation to job maintenance in Scotland were (i) sought and (ii) given as part of the transfer; and if he will make a statement. | | (138570) | 29
| Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the number of service personnel (a) stationed in Scotland, (b) serving with a Scottish regiment, (c) serving with a regiment whose home base is located in Scotland, (d) recruited in Scotland, (e) trained in Scotland, (f) retired in Scotland and (g) identifying their nationality as Scottish, for each of the Services in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. | | (138571) | 30
| Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) technology transfer contracts from his Department to Scottish companies and (b) technology transfer contracts per Scottish company, including the values, there were in each year since 1999; and if he will make a statement. | | (138572) | 31
| Angus Robertson (Moray): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much of the defence budget was spent in Scotland in the most recent year for which figures are available (a) in actual terms and (b) as a percentage of the total defence budget; and if he will make a statement. | | (138573) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 32
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that section 106 agreements between local authorities and housing associations do not provide a perverse financial incentive to develop one and two bedroom properties at the expense of three and four bedroom properties. | | (138588) | 33
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will amend total cost indicators in the grant system for housing associations so that it is more profitable for them to build homes with three and four bedrooms. | | (138589) | 34
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment his Department has made of how to increase the construction by housing associations of (a) two, (b) three and (c) four bedroom homes in an economically viable way whilst meeting his Department's targets to increase the density of new housing developments. | | (138590) | 35
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 17th September, Official Report, column 739W, on formula funding share, on what basis he will determine the 2005-06 formula funding share. | | (138600) | 36
N | Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary's statement of 29th October, Official Report, column 126WH, on what basis his Department estimates that 25,000 households are statutorily overcrowded. | | (137905) | 37
N | Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary's statement of 29th October, Official Report, column 126WH, if he will provide a regional breakdown of households which are statutorily overcrowded. | | (137906) | 38
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford): To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how central government to the London Borough of Havering in (a) 1997, (b) 1999, (c) 2001 and (d) 2002. | | (138465) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 39
| John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what action his Department has taken to promote fair trade accreditation at UK universities. | | (138388) | 40
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what options he has examined for assessing (a) the standard of university applicants and (b) their suitability for different types of university courses. | | (137676) | 41
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the use of psychometric testing in the university admissions procedure. | | (137677) | 42
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what research he has commissioned on government expenditure on higher education in EU member states. | | (137678) | 43
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the impact of variable tuition fees on (a) the number of young people deciding to pursue degree courses and (b) the long-term consequences on (i) skills and (ii) employability of the workforce. | | (137679) | 44
| David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what differences there are in the amounts that rural and urban areas received for gifted pupils; and what the reasons are for the differences. | | (138385) | 45
| Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what discussions he had with colleagues from other departments on variants of a graduate tax as alternatives to fund higher education. | | (138549) | 46
| Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his letter of 11th April, on student funding, for what reasons it was stated that a graduate tax arrangement could not run alongside the exisiting student loan repayment scheme. | | (138562) | 47
| Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what further consultation will take place with young people about the services and facilities they need following the publication of the Green Paper, Every Child Matters. | | (138377) | 48
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what representations he has received about the impact of data protection laws on his plans to introduce a database for child protection. | | (138422) | 49
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to a student of financing up-front payment of a £3,000 student tuition fee over the anticipated period of repayment. | | (138532) | 50
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what subject qualifications a teacher requires to teach (a) mathematics, (b) English and (c) science at (i) Key Stage I, (ii) Key Stage II, (iii) Key Stage III, (iv) Key Stage IV and (v) AS/A2 level. | | (138533) | 51
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much was spent on the fast track teacher recruitment scheme in each year since the scheme's inception, broken down by category of activity. | | (138534) | 52
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much his Department spent on measures to aid teacher recruitment in each year since 1997-98, broken down by programme. | | (138535) | 53
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many lessons in (a) mathematics, (b) science and (c) English were identified in the 2003 Curriculum and Staffing Survey as being taught by teachers without a subject-specific qualification in the subject being taught. | | (138536) | 54
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps he has taken to ensure that teachers without formal qualifications in (a) mathematics, (b) science and (c) English receive professional development to teach these subjects. | | (138537) | 55
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of the number of additional (a) mathematics, (b) science and (c) English teachers that would need to be recruited if all lessons at Key Stage III and Key Stage IV were to be taught by teachers with a formal qualification in the appropriate subject. | | (138538) | 56
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many newly qualified teachers who registered on the database of teacher records in each of the last three years for which figures are available had degrees in psychology. | | (138539) | 57
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what his definition of a universal service is in relation to Connexions. | | (138540) | 58
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what minimum number of hours of careers and education advice each young person aged 13 to 19 can expect to receive from the Connexions Service. | | (138541) | 59
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many personal advisers were employed by each Connexions Partnership in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003. | | (138542) | 60
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average caseload of Connexions personal advisers working with people aged 13 to 19 who are (a) in school, (b) in college and (c) not engaged in employment, education or training was in the last year for which figures are available. | | (138543) | 61
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many people aged 13 to 19 were in (a) school, (b) further education college and (c) neither school nor further education college in (i) 2001-02, (ii) 2002-03 and (iii) 2003-04. | | (138544) | 62
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what proportion of people aged 13 to 19 who were in (a) school, (b) further education college and (c) neither school nor further education college, received advice from Connexions in (i) 2001-02, (ii) 2002-03 and (iii) 2003-04. | | (138545) | 63
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many people aged 13 to 19 in (a) school and (b) further education college were identified as needing intensive support by Connexions in (i) 2001-02, (ii) 2002-03 and (iii) 2003-04. | | (138546) | 64
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many and what proportion of the total number of Connexions personal advisers possess an NVQ Level 4, or equivalent, in (a) careers, (b) youth work, (c) social work and (d) other relevant disciplines. | | (138547) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 65
| Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on the tattooing of dogs for identification purposes. | | (138574) | 66
| Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what controls exist over the (a) level and (b) toxicity of emissions from cement kilns used for co-incineration; what chemical analysis of the (i) product and (ii) dust generated is carried out; and how these controls compare in respect of maximum emission levels with standard incinerators. | | (138575) | 67
| Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what controls exist over the nature of fuels used in cement kilns where co-incineration takes place. | | (138576) | 68
| Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent analysis has been carried out by the Environment Agency to establish emission levels from the Rugby Cement Works, Rugby; what conclusions have been drawn in respect of the health implications for residents in the town; and if she will make a statement. | | (138577) | 69
| Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the impact on emission levels from the burning of tyres in cement kilns used for co-incineration, with particular reference to (a) nitrogen dioxide, (b) sulphur dioxide and (c) particulate matter; and if she will make a statement. | | (138578) | 70
| Norman Baker (Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the types of (a) fuels and (b) raw materials used since 1st January in the production of cement at Rugby Cement Works, Rugby. | | (138579) | 71
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which criteria have been established by the Marine Consents Unit for time periods for the issue of licences; and what percentage of closures have been achieved within the time period in each of the last five years. | | (138554) | 72
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the progress of the review being conducted into the Marine Consents Unit. | | (138555) | 73
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many licences have been issued by the Marine Consents Unit in each of the last five years; how many were refused; and what the average time taken was for (a) consultation and (b) approval of the licences. | | (138556) | 74
| Mrs Janet Dean (Burton): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the content of the Local Authority Unit report Not Entailing Excessive Costs (BATNEEC) for crematoria; and what representations she has received which disagree with the report's recommendations. | | (138563) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 75
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if (a) he and (b) an official from his Department will meet Christian groups in the UK to discuss rights for Christians in Pakistan. | | (138568) | 76
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 16th September, Official Report, column 681W, if he will (a) commission a report on the impact of traditional tribal demarcations on the effectiveness of UN arms embargoes; and if he will discuss the matter with NGOs. | | (138610) | 77
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 6th October, Official Report, column 1118W, on UN sanctions, what progress the Government has made in considering whether or not to re-initiate proposals for an independent sanctions monitoring mechanism.
| | (138611) | 78
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what further measures are planned to help combat opium production in Afghanistan. | | (138429) | 79
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent progress has been made in improving Afghanistan's drug law enforcement capacity. | | (138430) | 80
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent estimate he has made of the percentage of the UK's heroin supply coming from Afghanistan. | | (138431) | 81
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the size of the poppy harvest was in Afghanistan in each year since 2000. | | (138476) | 82
| Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he will reply to the letter to him dated 7th October from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs R. F. Nayeem. | | (138455) | 83
| Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he will reply to the letter to him dated 6th October from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs F. Begum. | | (138457) | 84
| Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he will reply to the letter to him dated 2nd October from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Tufail Choudhary. | | (138458) | 85
| Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has raised the issue of the closure of United Nations relief and recovery units in Zimbabwe with the UN; and if he will make a statement. | | (138406) | 86
| Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to urge the Commonwealth to expel Zimbabwe. | | (138407) | 87
| Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to press the United Nations (a) to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe and (b) to debate the issue of Zimbabwe. | | (138408) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 88
N | Mr Joe Benton (Bootle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the change in the number of emergency calls received by Merseyside Ambulance Control Centre was in each year since 1993; what the change in staffing levels at Merseyside Ambulance Control Centre was in each such year; and if he will make a statement. | | (137845) | 89
| Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) in-patients and (b) in-patient beds there are in psychiatric hospitals in England and Wales; how many individuals serving prison sentences have been diagnosed with severe mental health problems; and if he will make a statement. | | (138450) | 90
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 17th July, Official Report, column 631W, to the honourable Member for Oxford West and Abingdon, on patient surveys, if he will place a copy of the analysis commissioned by his Department in the Library. | | (138350) | 91
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) district nurses and (b) health visitors there were by (i) headcount and (ii) whole-time equivalent in (A) England and (B) each region in each of the last six years. | | (138351) | 92
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of whether the prevalence of physical illness amongst mental health service users is higher than amongst the general population. | | (138352) | 93
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many whole-time equivalent general practitioners, excluding GP retainers and registrars there were per 100,000 population in (a) England, (b) each region and (c) each strategic health authority in each of the last six years. | | (138353) | 94
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the total cost of the (a) GP Returner, (b) Golden Hello and (c) Delayed Retirement scheme since each was introduced. | | (138374) | 95
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) mean and (b) maximum waiting times for elective admissions for dental treatment were in (i) England and (ii) each region in each of the last six years. | | (138410) | 96
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the number of (a) GDS and (b) PDS dentists (i) in total and (ii) accepting new NHS patients in (A) England and (B) each region, in each of the last six years. | | (138411) | 97
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many calls to NHS Direct were about access to an NHS dentist in each year since NHS Direct was established throughout England. | | (138412) | 98
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the extent of unnecessary dental treatment arising from the dental fees system; and if he will make a statement. | | (138413) | 99
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the distance standards are for (a) emergency, (b) urgent and (c) routine dentistry for (i) each strategic health authority and (ii) each primary care trust; and what the average standards for England are. | | (138414) | 100
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the Government will ensure that the National Service Framework for Long Term Conditions is given sufficient priority by primary care trusts; and what the reasons were for the decision not to set milestones and targets. | | (138461) | 101
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the Government will reassess the priorities and planning framework for health and social services; and how future priorities and planning frameworks will take account of the needs of people with disabilities. | | (138462) | 102
| Paul Flynn (Newport West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to accelerate the process to allow the prescription of medicinal cannabis. | | (138354) | 103
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether it is his policy that the same value of minimum practice income guarantee should be offered to GPs if the number of patients on their rolls falls below the 2002-03 figures. | | (138586) | 104
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to ensure that the new GP funding formula will not result in less money than the previous formula being offered for general practitioners, with particular reference to GPs in Brent. | | (138587) | 105
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support his Department is giving to Data Link schemes to allow paramedics quick access to details about a person's medical history. | | (138591) | 106
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has conducted to assess the medical benefits of supporting Data Link schemes designed to give paramedics details about a person's medical history when attending medical emergencies in the home. | | (138592) | 107
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to ensure that the new GP contract does not act as a financial disincentive for GPs to take on new patients. | | (138601) | 108
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effects on the efficiency of health visitor services of health visitors serving (a) general practitioner surgeries and (b) geographical areas independent of GP surgeries. | | (138606) | 109
| Mr Andrew Hunter (Basingstoke): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will instruct Inventures to expedite their dealings with the Church Grange Satellite Surgery at Park Village, Basingstoke, in respect of a land transaction; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for delays in Inventures completing this business. | | (138484) | 110
| Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps have been taken by the Mersey Regional Ambulance Service to develop an education and training strategy as recommended by the Commission for Health Improvement; and if he will place a copy of the strategy in the Library. | | (138434) | 111
| Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what procedures have been put in place by the Mersey Regional Ambulance Service to ensure that information from patient report forms is (a) collated effectively and (b) used as part of the clinical audit process. | | (138435) | 112
| Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken by the Mersey Regional Ambulance Service to improve the patient transport service. | | (138436) | 113
| Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the salary is of the communications manager at the Mersey Regional Ambulance Service; and if he will place a copy of the job description for this post in the Library. | | (138437) | 114
| Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what procedures have been put in place by the Mersey Regional Ambulance Service to ensure that all staff are trained in infection control. | | (138438) | 115
| Helen Jones (Warrington North): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library a copy of the action plan agreed between the Mersey Regional Ambulance NHS Trust and the central commissioning group for its area. | | (138449) | 116
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the statement by the National Director of Mental Health on 31st July on the draft Mental Health Bill represents Government policy; whether he intends to make significant changes to the draft Bill before it is laid before Parliament; and what assessment he has made of responses received during the consultation on the draft Bill; and what the timetable is for publishing the responses. | | (138474) | 117
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been invested in the (a) planning and (b) establishment of Early Intervention Services; how much has been allocated to each primary care trust; how many Early Intervention Services have been establshed; and where they are. | | (138475) | 118
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many administrative staff have been employed by social care bodies (a) directly and (b) indirectly in each of the last six years. | | (138486) | 119
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on plans for the NHS Live 2004 event; what the budget for the event is; and who is responsible for organising the event. | | (138488) | 120
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many complaints have been received in each of the last two years about MMR vaccinations given to children without permission of their parents. | | (138489) | 121
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many digital hearing aids have been fitted on the NHS, broken down by trust area; and what percentage of the anticipated total demand this represents. | | (138490) | 122
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the waiting time is for digital hearing aids in the NHS, broken down by primary care trust area. | | (138491) | 123
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many mental health care beds in the independent sector have been occupied by NHS patients on average in the last five years, broken down by (a) number of patients and (b) bed days. | | (138492) | 124
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioners moved from full-time to part-time working in the last year for which figures are available. | | (138493) | 125
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures aimed at children with learning disabilities will be included in the National Service Framework for children. | | (138494) | 126
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures within Valuing People are aimed at children; and what plans he has to expand its remit. | | (138495) | 127
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what Kaiser Permanente facilities he visited on his recent trip to the US; whom he met; and what officials accompanied him. | | (138496) | 128
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what role he envisages for political parties in the elections to the governing boards of foundation hospital trusts. | | (138514) | 129
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether limits to candidates' expenditure are to be imposed in the elections to the governing boards of foundation hospital trusts. | | (138520) | 130
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will require chief executives of putative NHS foundation hospital trusts to publish details of their consultations with the public on the proposal for foundation hospitals together with an assessment of the results. | | (138521) | 131
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with putative NHS foundation trusts concerning the means whereby the token sum required for people to become members might be collected. | | (138557) | 132
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether doctors who have been struck off the medical register are eligible for election to the board of governors of a foundation trust. | | (138558) | 133
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the likely range of costs of (a) building and (b) maintaining the membership base of an NHS foundation trust. | | (138559) | 134
N | Mr Geoffrey Robinson (Coventry North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidelines are in place to ensure that disciplinary investigations within NHS trusts are independent. | | (137371) | 135
N | Mr Geoffrey Robinson (Coventry North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what scrutiny is undertaken to ensure that (a) disciplinary investigations within NHS trusts are independent and (b) investigatory panels make undisputed conclusions. | | (137372) | 136
N | Mr Geoffrey Robinson (Coventry North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that in contentious disciplinary cases evidence submitted to an investigation is not (a) altered and (b) summarised. | | (137373) | 137
N | Mr Geoffrey Robinson (Coventry North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether NHS trusts are able to pay unlimited amounts for replacement locums for suspended consultants. | | (137374) | 138
| Mr John Wilkinson (Ruislip - Northwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will amend the contractual procedures with equipment suppliers so as to bring forward the date when ambulatory oxygen administration systems can be made available to patients in the NHS. | | (138564) | 139
| Mr John Wilkinson (Ruislip - Northwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects that all patients in England and Wales who have a medical need for ambulatory oxygen administration systems will have them supplied under the NHS. | | (138565) | 140
| Mr John Wilkinson (Ruislip - Northwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, by what date ambulatory oxygen administration systems will be made available to NHS patients. | | (138566) | 141
| Mr John Wilkinson (Ruislip - Northwood): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the number of patients in England and Wales in need of ambulatory oxygen administration systems. | | (138585) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 142
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects there to be a community justice centre in every area. | | (138364) | 143
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how he intends to tackle the problem of binge drinking and associated anti-social behaviour. | | (138365) | 144
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on how powers of the police have been strengthened since 1997 to deal with anti-social behaviour. | | (138366) | 145
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what aspects of the Street Crime Initiative he intends to implement in all areas. | | (138367) | 146
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures are in place to hold local authorities to account for their role in the implementation of anti-social behaviour policies. | | (138368) | 147
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures are being introduced to reduce the suicide rate in prisons apart from the installation of safe cells. | | (138369) | 148
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on discussions with the Association of Chief Police Officers regarding the safeguards in investigations of past cases of abuse in children's homes. | | (138472) | 149
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the outcome of discussions with the Association of Chief Police Officers regarding mandatory audio and visual recording of police interviews with (a) complainants and (b) other significant witnesses in investigations of past cases of abuse in children's homes. | | (138473) | 150
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were arrested for drug offences in (a) Tyne and Wear, (b) the North East and (c) the UK in each year since 1997. | | (138433) | 151
| Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will meet the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton to discuss the letter to him dated 9th September, with regard to Mrs S. Ahmed. | | (138456) | 152
| Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will meet the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton to discuss the letter to him dated 18th September, with regard to Mr M. J. Sattler. | | (138459) | 153
| Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will meet the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton to discuss the letter to him dated 8th September, with regard to Mr Yacob Yonis. | | (138460) | 154
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff were employed by the Prison Service in England and Wales as (a) governor grade, (b) prison officers and (c) other staff on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many in each category were (i) black and (ii) Asian. | | (138396) | 155
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many new staff were employed by the Prison Service in England and Wales during 2002 as (a) governors, (b) prison officers and (c) other staff; and how many in each category were (i) black and (ii) Asian. | | (138397) | 156
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff were employed by the National Probation Service in England and Wales as (a) chief officers, (b) assistant chief officers, (c) senior probation officers, (d) probation officers, (e) Probation Service officers and (f) administrative and clerical grades on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many in each category were (i) black and (ii) Asian. | | (138398) | 157
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff were appointed during 2002 by the National Probation Service in England and Wales as (a) chief officers, (b) assistant chief officers, (c) senior probation officers, (d) probation officers, (e) Probation Service officers and (f) administrative, clerical and secretarial grades; and how many in each category were (i) black and (ii) Asian. | | (138399) | 158
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many racist incidents were reported to the police in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years. | | (138400) | 159
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were stopped and searched by each police force in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years; and how many of the people stopped were (a) black and (b) Asian. | | (138401) | 160
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people are on the National Probation Service case load by type of order; and how many in each category are (a) black and (b) Asian. | | (138402) | 161
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were in prison (a) on remand awaiting trial, (b) on remand awaiting sentence and (c) sentenced, on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many in each category were (i) black and (ii) Asian. | | (138403) | 162
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many sentenced prisoners in England and Wales are (a) white and (b) black, broken down by whether they were sentenced for (i) sexual offences, (ii) violence aganist another person, (iii) robbery, (iv) burglary, (v) drug offences, (vi) fraud, (vii) criminal damage and (viii) theft. | | (138404) | 163
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of (a) white and (b) black prisoners were recommended for parole at their first review during 2002. | | (138405) | 164
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 1st May, Official Report, column 527W, on the penal system, if he will make a statement on the conclusions and recommendations of the second phase of the review of correctional services led by Patrick Carter; and if he will place a copy in the Library. | | (138477) | 165
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total cost to his Department was of (a) the Good to be Secure website, (b) the Don't let them bag your booty publicity campaign, (c) the Danny Timpson's Kebabathon computer game and (d) the Bargain Boost computer games; and whether Mr David Dickinson received a fee for his involvement in the initiative. | | (138478) | 166
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to monitor the whereabouts of asylum seekers affected by section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002; and if he will make a statement. | | (138479) | 167
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he plans to introduce legislation to amend the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. | | (138480) | 168
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many offenders have been electronically tagged as part of their licence conditions under section 62 of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000; what evaluation has been conducted into the operation of these powers; and if he will make a statement. | | (138481) | 169
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers in England and Wales were in post on the latest date for which figures are available, broken down by rank; and how many in each rank were (a) black and (b) Asian. | | (138482) | 170
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many new police officers were appointed during 2002; and how many of those newly appointed were (a) black and (b) Asian. | | (138483) | 171
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people left (a) the police service in England and Wales, (b) the prison service in England and Wales and (c) the probation service in England and Wales during 2001-02 and 2002-03; and how many of those who left were (i) black and (ii) Asian in each case. | | (138497) | 172
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance is issued to police forces in relation to negotiating contributions from the organisers of (a) football matches and (b) other public events towards the costs of policing those events. | | (138498) | 173
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many offences recorded by the police resulted in no further action being taken in each year since 1997. | | (138499) | 174
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many consultants are employed by each agency for which his Department is responsible. | | (138500) | 175
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many projects his Department has contracted out to external consultancies in each year since 1997; and at what cost. | | (138501) | 176
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many places on drug rehabilitation programmes are available in each prison in (a) London and (b) England and Wales. | | (138502) | 177
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the mimimum safe ratio for prison officers to prisoners is in each category of prison. | | (138503) | 178
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unfilled positions there were in the Prison Service in each month since May; and by what percentage each prison affected is understaffed. | | (138504) | 179
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many arrests were made by (a) police and (b) immigration officers for offences under the Immigration Act 1971 in each year since 1997. | | (138505) | 180
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for authorisations under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 received in the last three years have been (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful. | | (138506) | 181
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for authorisations under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 have been received from (a) Avon and Somerset, (b) Merseyside, (c) West Midlands, (d) South Wales and (e) Northumbria police forces. | | (138507) | 182
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many minor crimes were reported through (a) the www.online.police.uk website and (b) individual police force websites in the last year for which figures are available; and how many reports have resulted in (i) an offence being recorded and (ii) further substantive action. | | (138508) | 183
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much was spent on purchasing and upgrading IT equipment in each of his Department's executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003. | | (138526) | 184
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what dates he estimates that the Airwave communications system will be fully operational in each police force area. | | (138527) | 185
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been spent to date on the Airwave communications system, broken down by police force area. | | (138528) | 186
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for Ribble Valley, Official Report, 30th October, column 321W, what the projected administrative expenditure on passports is in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05 and (c) 2005-06. | | (138529) | 187
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 28th October, on curfew orders, Official Report, column 178W, when he will be able to provide the equivalent figures for 2002. | | (138530) | 188
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for North Southwark and Bermondsey, Official Report, 20th October, column 416W, on probation services, what steps he is taking to avoid an overspend in the probation budget. | | (138531) | 189
| Mr Alex Salmond (Banff & Buchan): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Government will change its policy of deporting persons from the UK who come from countries which will accede to EU membership in May 2004; and what the reasons are for refusing leave to remain to people from accession countries. | | (138466) | 190
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will take steps to make football clubs responsible for a greater proportion of the costs of policing football matches. | | (138548) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 191
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what financial assistance the United Kingdom provides to governments in developing countries to reduce their weapons stocks; and what financial support is given to prevent the sale of military surpluses. | | (138607) | 192
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to his Answer of 1st September, to the honourable Member for Edinburgh West, Official Report, column 809W, if he will make a statement on the work of the task force set up to remove radioactive material removed from the civil nuclear facility at al-Tuwaitha in Iraq. | | (138617) | 193
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps coalition forces in Iraq are taking to set up a humanitarian traffic lane on the Iraqi side of the Iraqi-Jordanian border. | | (138619) | 194
| Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what financial aid the Occupied Palestinian Territories received from his Department in each of the last five years; and what provision his Department has made for aid to the Occupied Palestinan Territories in each of the next four years. | | (138375) | 195
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what contributions have been made by his Department to develop medicines for resistant strains of malaria to (a) Medicines for Malaria Venture and (b) other bodies; and what further funding plans he has. | | (138415) | 196
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the contribution of the Medicines for Malaria Venture in developing medicines for resistant strains of malaria in Africa. | | (138416) | 197
| Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when he last examined the methods used by aid agencies funded by his Department to draw up lists of aid recipients in Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement. | | (138409) | 198
| Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby): To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to his Answer of 5th November, Official Report, column 653W, on Zimbabwe, if he will make it his policy to urge the United Nations to monitor delivery of food aid in Zimbabwe to its final recipients. | | (138550) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 199
| Kate Hoey (Vauxhall): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much the Irish Sports Council is contributing to the costs of the All Ireland Sports Development Conference on 20th and 21st November; and what the total cost to the Sports Council of Northern Ireland of the Conference is. | | (138463) | 200
N | Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge): To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he will publish the findings from the consultation paper, Physical Punishment in the Home: Thinking About the Issues, Looking at the Evidence, issued in September 2001. | | (138205) | Questions to the Prime Minister 201
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Prime Minister, how many applications from aspiring people's peers have been received in each month since the last group of successful applications was announced. | | (138509) | 202
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Prime Minister, how much time was spent in each of the last 12 months by (a) the chair and (b) other members of the House of Lords Appointments Commission on its work. | | (138510) | 203
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will require people's peers to publish (a) in the annual report and (b) on the website of the House of Lords Appointments Commission their assessments of their contribution to the work of the second chamber over the preceding year. | | (138513) | 204
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will issue guidance to the House of Lords Appointments Commission to permit it to select a proportion of applicants for a people's peerage by lot. | | (138516) | 205
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Prime Minister, if he will require the House of Lords Appointments Commission to seek an undertaking from successful applicants for a people's peerage to participate fully in the work of the second chamber. | | (138517) | 206
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Prime Minister, how many roadshows the House of Lords Appointments Commission (a) has embarked on since its creation and (b) plans to undertake. | | (138518) | 207
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Prime Minister, what his reasons were for re-appointing Lord Stevenson as chair of the House of Lords Appointments Commission; and whether an open competition was held for the post. | | (138522) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 208
| John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action her Department is taking to promote fair trade accreditation at UK universities. | | (138387) | 209
| John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many manufacturing jobs have been (a) created and (b) lost in Scotland in the last 12 months. | | (138391) | 210
N | Malcolm Bruce (Gordon): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the contracts for consultancy and other work carried out by Bechtel for agencies responsible to her Department in each year since 1997, stating in each case (a) the nature of the work, (b) the value of the contract and (c) the duration of the contract; and if she will make a statement. | | (138063) | 211
N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many urban post offices have been (a) proposed and (b) approved for closure since the inception of the network reinvention scheme in (i) West Chelmsford parliamentary constituency and (ii) mid-Essex. | | (137154) | 212
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment her Department has made of the survey on raising standards commissioned by the Quality Mark Scheme in July; and if she will use the survey to inform her review of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. | | (138593) | 213
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if her Department will initiate discussions with Leeds University Business School about research it has recently conducted on debt collectors. | | (138594) | 214
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to standardise the cooling off period for consumer credit contracts and agreements. | | (138595) | 215
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what powers there are to impose penalties on people perpetrating phishing frauds in internet banking; and what the penalties are. | | (138596) | 216
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, for what reasons the change to the Gas Act Order made by a letter by Ofgem on 1st April 1999 was not entered onto the public register until 8th January 2003. | | (138597) | 217
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will take steps to prevent companies from using the same home visiting personnel both to sell loans and collect debts. | | (138598) | 218
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will examine the use of (a) mutual and (b) multilateral legal assistance treaties by the United States of America in enforcing end-user control. | | (138599) | 219
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will press mobile phone companies to standardise practice in notifying customers of unusually high mobile phone usage patterns. | | (138604) | 220
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what research her Department has conducted on the number of mobile phone customers who receive bills for mobile phone charges incurred by thieves before the customers knew that their phone had been stolen. | | (138605) | 221
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations she has received from consumer bodies about mobile phone fraud arising when SIM cards are stolen after consumers have ceased using a SIM card but not cancelled the contract for that SIM. | | (138608) | 222
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will issue guidance to mobile phone companies urging them to cancel mobile phone SIM cards when customers cancel contracts. | | (138609) | 223
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 6th October, Official Report, column 1069W, for what reason her Department has not provided support to Interpol's international weapons and explosives tracking system.
| | (138613) | 224
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will require mobile phone operators to present charging structures in a standardised format, similar to the credit card industry's Honesty Box scheme. | | (138615) | 225
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what powers she has to enforce the conditions contained in end-user control certificates; and what action she can take in case of breach of those conditions. | | (138618) | 226
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what support her Department offers to British cigarette manufacturers seeking to develop markets in the developing world. | | (138620) | 227
| Laura Moffatt (Crawley): To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she will respond to the consultation by the Civil Airports Authority on financial protection for travellers and package holidaymakers. | | (138454) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 228
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will press the DVLA to include a contact telephone number on their envelopes.
| | (138612) | 229
N | Mr Robert Key (Salisbury): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will request a report on the accident on 6th November at Broken Cross Bridge near Salisbury; and if he will make a statement. | | (137767) | 230
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the budget of the Driving Standards Agency is in 2003-04. | | (138417) | 231
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average waiting time for booking a driving test, broken down by area, was in the last 12 months for which figures are available. | | (138418) | 232
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many daily (a) telephone calls and (b) website hits were received on average by the Driving Standards Agency from people trying to book a driving test, in the last 12 months for which figures are available. | | (138419) | 233
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people have (a) taken and (b) passed a driving test in each of the last six years. | | (138420) | 234
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many driving test examiners have been employed in each of the last six years, expressed as (a) head count and (b) full-time equivalents. | | (138421) | 235
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the performance against target was for (a) reliability, (b) punctuality and (c) safety of rail services between Shrewsbury and (i) Wolverhampton, (ii) Hereford, (iii) Chester and (iv) Aberystwyth in the last year for which figures are available. | | (138348) | 236
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many passengers used bus services in (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire in each year since 1997. | | (138349) | 237
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the rates of congestion were on the M54 between Shrewsbury and Telford in each year since 1997. | | (138355) | 238
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps have been taken since 11th September 2001 to improve security at (a) ports and (b) rail freight terminals. | | (138356) | 239
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to minimise the security risk from terrorists using haulage vehicles to attack targets. | | (138357) | 240
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of how many roadwork cones are (a) accidentally destroyed and (b) stolen in each of the last three years for which figures are available. | | (138359) | 241
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many pedestrians were injured in accidental falls into holes dug as a result of roadworks in each of the last five years. | | (138360) | 242
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was spent on clearing railway lines of litter in each of the last five years. | | (138361) | 243
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many trees have been (a) planted and (b) felled on rail embankments in each year since 1997. | | (138362) | 244
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what security checks are carried out on (a) individuals and (b) organisations seeking permits to transport hazardous materials. | | (138363) | 245
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost of the Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor Scheme has been in each year since the scheme was established; and how many advisors have been trained in each year. | | (138370) | 246
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the rates of congestion were on the A5 road between Shrewsbury and Wrexham in each year since 1997. | | (138371) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 247
| John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the annual cost to his Department of (a) income support fraud and (b) jobseeker's allowance fraud in the last three years. | | (138390) | 248
| John Barrett (Edinburgh West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) the City of Edinburgh local authority area, (b) Edinburgh West, (c) Edinburgh Central, (d) Edinburgh North and Leith, (e) Edinburgh South, (f) Edinburgh Pentlands, (g) Edinburgh East and Musselburgh will be eligible for winter fuel payments in 2003-04; and how many of these will receive the payment automatically. | | (138453) | 249
| Mr Harold Best (Leeds North West): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to protect the assets in the pension funds of former nationalised industries. | | (138373) | 250
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 5th November, Official Report, column 673W, on the New Deal, how many New Deal personal advisers there were in each year since 1997. | | (138392) | 251
| Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to give disabled people the same legislative protection from discrimination as those facing sex and race discrimination. | | (138376) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 252
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much heroin, and of what value, has been seized in (a) Tyne and Wear, (b) the North East and (c) the UK in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (138432) | Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 253
| Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many compensation orders were awarded at (a) magistrates' courts and (b) Crown courts in each year since 2000; what the rate of default was in (i) each year and (ii) each court; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (138451) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 254
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the timetable is for the introduction of computer systems to (a) monitor the activities of child protection agencies and (b) cross-reference knowledge held by other agencies through social services departments. | | [Transferred] (138485) | 255
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham): To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list the social services departments which have introduced a computer system (a) to monitor the activities of child-protection agencies and (b) to cross-reference knowledge held by other agencies as recommended by the Laming Report. | | [Transferred] (138487) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 256
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on regulating impact assessments which have been carried out into the work of the Marine Consents Unit. | | [Transferred] (138551) | 257
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the regulatory impacts of the proposed spatial planning body within the Marine Consents Unit. | | [Transferred] (138552) | 258
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the regulatory impact of the UK regime for administering the Habitats Directive. | | [Transferred] (138553) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 259
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many fixed penalty notices were issued in relation to speeding offences captured by (a) mobile speed cameras and (b) fixed speed cameras in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (138358) | Questions to the Prime Minister 260
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Prime Minister, if the Secretary of State will make it his policy to require the House of Lords Appointments Commission to give applicants for a people's peerage reasons for their rejection. | | [Transferred] (138512) | 261
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Prime Minister, if the Secretary of State will require the House of Lords Appointments Commission to publish in its Annual Report statistics relating to the participation of people's peers in votes, questions and debates. | | [Transferred] (138515) | 262
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Prime Minister, how many applications for a people's peerage received since 1st January were rejected in the first sift; and what proportion of the total this represents. | | [Transferred] (138523) | 263
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Prime Minister, how many civil servants are involved in the preliminary sift of applications for a people's peerage; at what grade; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (138524) | 264
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle): To ask the Prime Minister, what role recruitment consultants PWC play in the selection of people's peers. | | [Transferred] (138525) |
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