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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Thursday 4 December 2003
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Thursday 4 December 2003
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Thursday 4 December 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 Thursday 4 December of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Thursday 4 December see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office 1
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by his Department since 1997 was; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by his Department through sales of its works of art has been since 1997. | | (142364) | 2
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when his Department will publish the updated Regulatory Reform Action Plan. | | (142470) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 3
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much his Department has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by his Department since 1997 was; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by his Department through sales of its works of art has been since 1997. | | (142370) | 4
N | Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much additional revenue would be raised from the residents of each of the district councils in Surrey for every penny increase in the basic rate of income tax. | | (142034) | 5
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what definition of computer is used by the Inland Revenue for the purposes of the changes to tax relief on employer-loaned computers introduced in the March 1999 budget. | | (142248) | 6
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the yield in each year since 1997 was of (a) tax penalties and (b) interest on overdue tax accruing to (i) the Inland Revenue and (ii) Customs and Excise; and what percentage of total tax revenue this represented. | | (142249) | 7
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the current interest rates (a) charged on overdue tax and (b) paid on money owed to taxpayers are; and how these figures have changed since the latest rise in base rates by the Bank of England. | | (142250) | 8
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many public sector pensioners are paid index-linked pensions; what the annual payouts to them were in each year since 1997; and what the payouts would have been if the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices index had been applied. | | (142289) | 9
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many public sector employees are covered by index-linked pay; what their total pay has been for each year since 1997; and what it would have been if the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices had been applied. | | (142290) | 10
| Mr Tim Collins (Westmorland & Lonsdale):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will publish the results of the 2001 census at parish level; and if he will make a statement. | | (142330) | 11
N | Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what action he is taking to ensure the maintenance of banking facilities in sole bank communities and those areas with limited access to bank branches. | | (141651) | 12
N | Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received regarding the implementation of the revised Banking Code in relation to guidelines on notice periods for branch closures. | | (141652) | 13
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department uses a database of individual small businesses for consultation purposes. | | (142479) | 14
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of regulations introduced by the Department have been subject to a consultation period of less than 12 weeks since the introduction of the Code of Practice on Consultations. | | (142486) | 15
| Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the tax cases involving United Kingdom companies which have been (a) decided and (b) entered for decision in the European Court of Justice in the last five years; and if he will estimate the net revenue effect in each case. | | (142184) | 16
| Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will set out the terms of reference of the Gershon public sector efficiency review; and whether that review is able to consider the value for money of different (a) project management methods and (b) financing mechanisms. | | (142227) | 17
| Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will place in the Library his guidance on regional flexibilities in pay. | | (142328) | 18
| Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the stock of public sector jobs was in each region and nation in 1997; what the net change in such jobs in each region and nation has been in each year since 1997; and what the stock of such jobs was in each region for the most recent period for which figures are available. | | (142329) | 19
| Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the proportion of income represented by net payments of council tax after benefits in each income quintile from 1996-97. | | (142419) | 20
| Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps Her Majesty's Customs takes to check imported postal packets; and how many cases of (a) imports of banned items and (b) potential tax evasion were detected in the last three financial years. | | (142422) | 21
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) social security contributions and (b) taxes on income were as a percentage of household income in each year since 1999. | | (142219) | 22
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will raise with his counterparts in the Council of Ministers the feasibility of a change to the rules preventing reduced rates of VAT for repair and maintenance of places of worship; and if he will make a statement. | | (142202) | 23
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans there are to bring forward a public service agreement target to reduce the amount of waste generated in the UK; and what discussions he has had with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on this subject in advance of the forthcoming Spending Round. | | (142255) | 24
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many letters, phone calls and direct contacts he has received from (a) honourable members and (b) members of the public on the action to be taken in the case of overpayment of tax credits. | | (142256) | 25
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the timescale is for the repayment of tax credit overpayments. | | (142252) | 26
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what methods of repayment of tax credit overpayment are available. | | (142253) | 27
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) Tyne & Wear, (d) the North East and (e) the UK have received tax credit overpayments. | | (142254) | 28
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to revise the criteria for the size of children's clothes subject to VAT. | | (142181) | 29
| Mr Eric Martlew (Carlisle):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his estimate is of the average cost of answering (a) a written and (b) an oral parliamentary question. | | (142316) | 30
| Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many Government construction projects with a net present value of £250 million or more are utilising (a) Private Finance Initiative methods and (b) conventional methods of procurement. | | (142321) | 31
| Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, in how many Private Finance Initiative contracts the value of the cost estimates increased after the time at which the relevant department had established the identity of the contractor; what the increase in value was in each case; and what the percentage increase was in each case. | | (142322) | 32
| Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the value of (a) the construction element and (b) the percentage added for risk when calculating the public sector comparator for each Private Finance Initiative contract which is being undertaken. | | (142323) | 33
| Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the (a) value and (b) nature of each PFI construction contract being undertaken. | | (142324) | 34
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Government's policy is on (a) reducing and (b) providing an exemption from air passenger duty for (i) Merseyside and (ii) Objective 1 areas. | | (142180) | Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 35
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how much his Department or its predecessors has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by his Department since 1997 has been; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by his Department through sales of works of art has been since 1997. | | (142356) | 36
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what his plans are for the draft bill on mental incapacity; and what his policy is on the timing of that draft bill in relation to the revised Mental Health Bill. | | (142111) | 37
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will list the five (a) county and (b) magistrates courts in England which granted the greatest number of non-molestation orders in the last year for which figures are available. | | (142224) | 38
| Gareth Thomas (Clwyd West):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what steps the Legal Services Commission is taking to ensure adequate provision in Wales for legal advice in relation to matrimonial disputes. | | (142408) | 39
| Gareth Thomas (Clwyd West):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what budget has been provided in Wales by the Legal Services Commission in respect of (a) legal advice and (b) legal representation in relation to matrimonial disputes in (i) 2002-03 and (ii) 2003-04. | | (142409) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 40
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much her Department has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by her Department since 1997 has been; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by her Department through sales of its works of art has been since 1997. | | (142353) | 41
N | Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much has been spent in each of the last 10 years monitoring and investigating households believed to be avoiding television licence payment. | | (141736) | 42
N | Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the operating cost was of the TV Licensing Authority in each of the last 10 years; and what estimates have been made of costs in future years. | | (141737) | 43
N | Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people have been successfully prosecuted in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK for failure to own television licences in each of the last 10 years. | | (141738) | 44
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the cost of a television licence was in each financial year since 1996-97. | | (142271) | 45
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she has received about the possible sale by Flying Scotsman plc of the Flying Scotsman locomotive. | | (142314) | 46
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will (a) declare the Flying Scotsman as an historic item of national importance and (b) take steps to prevent the sale abroad of the Flying Scotsman. | | (142315) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 47
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on the supply to Israel of (a) weapons and (b) machine parts that can be used to enhance that country's (i) nuclear and (ii) biological weapons capability. | | (142335) | 48
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by his Department since 1997 has been; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by his Department through sales of works of art has been since 1997. | | (142358) | 49
N | Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many soldiers from Scottish battalions have been stationed in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years; and what estimate his Department has made of the number of soldiers required in future years. | | (141656) | 50
N | Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British soldiers have been stationed in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years; and what estimate his Department has made of the number of soldiers required in future years. | | (141657) | 51
| Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the (a) costs and (b) offsetting receipts of government-to-government defence export programmes are included in the administration and sales promotion expenses of the Defence Export Services Organisation staff in the central Top Level Budget. | | (142416) | 52
N | Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civilian milk tankers have been converted to military refuelling tankers; and how many of them have been deployed to Iraq. | | (141923) | 53
N | Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) cost and (b) life expectancy of a (i) converted milk tanker and (ii) custom built oil tanker is; and if he will make a statement. | | (141924) | 54
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the findings of the End to End Review will affect staffing levels within the armed forces; whether there will be forced redundancies; and if he will make a statement. | | (142176) | 55
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy to include wind turbines in the site development plans for Portsdown West and Porton Down; and if he will make a statement. | | (142198) | 56
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel were serving in the (a) Army, (b) Royal Air Force and (c) Royal Navy at the beginning of each of the last three years; what the predicted numbers are for each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement. | | (142199) | 57
N | Mr Michael Jack (Fylde):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on technology transfer agreements which have been concluded between BAE systems and the US Administration on the Joint Strike Fighter Project. | | (141922) | 58
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will support an extension of the Non-Proliferation Treaty to include all weapons which present any significant radiological risk. | | (142317) | 59
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his US counterparts regarding the 2005 Non-Proliferation Treaty review. | | (142318) | 60
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, under what circumstances it would be necessary to replace Trident; and what implications this would have for the renewal of Article III of the Mutual Defence Agreement. | | (142319) | 61
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the UNEP depleted uranium environmental survey will be completed; and if he will place a copy in the Library. | | (142320) | 62
| Mr Peter Kilfoyle (Liverpool, Walton):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the US Department of Defense on the technical issues to do with the UK sites encountered in developing missile defence. | | (142112) | 63
| Mr Peter Kilfoyle (Liverpool, Walton):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what liaison he has had since 3rd November with the Serious Fraud Office on the allegations made by Mr Edward Cunningham relating to the Al Yamamah Programme. | | (142113) | 64
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the result was of the investigation held into the death of Private David Shipley by the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch; on what date a board of inquiry was convened; and what its principal recommendations were. | | (142114) | 65
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many boards of inquiry into deaths of military personnel have been established in each year since 1990. | | (142115) | 66
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to ensure that the recommendations made by a board of inquiry become general knowledge and are acted upon throughout HM Armed Services. | | (142116) | 67
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in what form the reports, findings and recommendations of boards of inquiry are made available for military and legal researchers; and for how many years these reports are stored. | | (142117) | 68
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the result was of the investigation into the circumstances of the death in 1997 of Private Ross Collins of Nanstallon near Bodmin in Cornwall; at what time the police were called; what steps were taken to secure evidence at the scene of death; what the conclusions were of their inquiry; what the nature was of the post mortem examination; by whom it was carried out; what the findings were; at what time the relatives of the deceased were informed; what the conclusion was of the Coroner's Inquest; when a board of inquiry was established; when it reported; and what measures were taken as a result of its findings. | | (142118) | 69
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assistance and expertise is being given by the UK to foreign governments and agencies in counter-insurgency techniques. | | (142278) | 70
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assistance and expertise is being sought by the UK from foreign governments and agencies in counter-insurgency techniques. | | (142279) | 71
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps are being taken to ensure that non-British naval ships docked within United Kingdom waters are not (a) posing environmental problems and (b) a target for potential terrorist activities. | | (142281) | 72
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the chain of command within the UK/Netherlands amphibious capability will be adapted if this develops into a joint NATO and European amphibious capability. | | (142283) | 73
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what costs he estimates will be incurred by the proposed development of a joint NATO and European amphibious capability. | | (142284) | 74
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what action he has taken, and what plans he has, to derive money from land owned by his Department within the UK. | | (142285) | 75
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total expenditure on the maintenance of land owned by his Department within the UK was in 2002-03. | | (142286) | 76
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total area of land owned by his Department within the UK is. | | (142287) | 77
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to sell land within the UK owned by his Department. | | (142288) | 78
N | Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements have been made for military personnel in Iraq to celebrate Christmas. | | (141948) | 79
N | Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements his Department has made to transport Christmas gifts donated by dependants, charities and individuals to military personnel serving in Iraq. | | (141949) | 80
N | Mr Keith Simpson (Mid Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK supermarkets are being offered Ministry of Defence transport for their Christmas gifts for military personnel serving in Iraq. | | (141950) | 81
| Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what dates in July 2002 the Permanent Secretary held meetings with the Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs of the United States State Department. | | (142410) | 82
| Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what dates the Permanent Secretary discussed allegations concerning Robert Lee International and BAE Systems with the chairman of BAE Systems. | | (142411) | 83
| Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether BAE Systems sought the advice of the (a) Ministry of Defence and (b) the Defence Export Services Organisation on whether commissions for Shaik Hamad bin Jassin bin Jaber al-Thari were legitimate in connection with a defence equipment package for Qatar signed in 1996. | | (142412) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 84
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what guidance is given to the Housing Corporation regarding the use of timber in house construction to ensure that all timber used comes from legal and sustainable sources; and if he will make a statement. | | (142230) | 85
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much his Department has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by his Department since 1997 has been; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by his Department through sales of works of art has been since 1997. | | (142357) | 86
| Miss Anne Begg (Aberdeen South):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to increase the number of appropriate homes for people with physical disabilities. | | (142190) | 87
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether his Department uses a database of individual small businesses for consultation purposes. | | (142478) | 88
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what proportion of regulations introduced by the Department have been subject to a consultation period of less than 12 weeks since the introduction of the Code of Practice on Consultations. | | (142482) | 89
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what representations he has recently received on the funding settlement for (a) North Yorkshire County Council and (b) district councils in North Yorkshire. | | (142037) | 90
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what his policy is on resolving shortfalls in income between the level of grant allocated to local authorities and the actual cost of the provision of services. | | (142038) | 91
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will amend the financial model used by the Boundary Committee in assessing the costs of reorganising local government in the three northern regions to include (a) transitional, (b) opportunity and (c) ongoing costs of change. | | (142222) | 92
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he expects the Electoral Commission to decide on the level of grant to award to designated organisations representing both sides in the regional assembly referendums. | | (142223) | 93
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make it his policy to collect centrally the costs of any reorganisation of local government; and if he will make a statement. | | (142225) | 94
| Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether it is standard practice for civil servants from his Department who are seconded to other organisations to write a report to record their experiences and achievements during their secondment on their return from the secondment. | | (142389) | 95
N | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what factors are taken into account when he takes a decision in a quasi-judicial capacity; and how these differ from the factors he takes into account in decisions taken normally. | | (141925) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 96
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much his Department has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by his Department since 1997 has been; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by his Department through sales of works of art has been since 1997. | | (142361) | 97
N | Chris Bryant (Rhondda):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) Welsh students are studying at English universities and (b) English students are studying at Welsh universities. | | (141762) | 98
| Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the reasons are for the increase in interest rates on student loans from 1.3 per cent. to 3.1 per cent.; and what the criteria are for calculating the interest rates applied to student loans. | | (142291) | 99
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether his Department uses a database of individual small businesses for consultation purposes. | | (142477) | 100
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what proportion of regulations introduced by the Department have been subject to a consultation period of less than 12 weeks since the introduction of the Code of Practice on Consultations. | | (142487) | 101
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will publish the protocol for the reorganisation of post-16 education with specific reference to the responsibilities held by (a) local education authorities and (b) local learning and skills commissions. | | (142309) | 102
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what discussions he has had with (a) Gloucestershire Local Education Authority and (b) Gloucestershire Learning and Skills Commission on the review of post-16 education. | | (142310) | 103
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what guidelines there are on the minimum acceptable size for a school sixth form; and whether these guidelines were communicated to (a) local education authorities, (b) learning and skills commissions and (c) OFSTED. | | (142311) | 104
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what guidance is given to (a) local education authorities and (b) learning and skills commissions on the operation of school sixth forms in rural areas. | | (142312) | 105
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what powers local learning and skills commissions have to overturn recommendations from local education authorities with regard to reorganisation of school sixth forms. | | (142313) | 106
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the total cost is to his Department of the (a) creation and (b) promotion of foundation degree courses. | | (142372) | 107
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on how the Green Paper on children at risk will be taken forward; and what major issues attracted most comment during the consultation. | | (142413) | 108
N | Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what guidance has been issued to schools on identifying drug use amongst pupils. | | (141926) | 109
N | Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the extent to which schools have used devolved capital allocations to meet shortfalls on their revenue budgets. | | (141927) | 110
N | Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what guidance has been issued to schools on special measures about their admissions policies; and what discretion they have been given on the admission of children who have been excluded from other schools. | | (141951) | 111
N | Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what initiatives the Department has introduced to improve (a) leadership and (b) management skills in schools; and what assessment he has made of their effectiveness. | | (141952) | 112
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the (a) role and (b) powers of the proposed Children's Commissioner will be. | | (142151) | 113
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what representations he has received on funding for schools in (a) North Yorkshire and (b) the City of York; and if he will make a statement. | | (142046) | 114
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what his policy is on how to bridge the funding shortfall for schools in North Yorkshire. | | (142047) | 115
N | Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford & Southend East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many referenda on the future of grammar schools have taken place in the last 12 months; and what the outcome was in each case. | | (141320) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 116
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to continue with funding of the Wood for Good campaign beyond the end of 2003; and if she will make a statement. | | (142228) | 117
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance has been given to local authorities in receipt of departmental funding for coastal and inland flood protection projects on the use of timber from legal and sustainable sources; and if she will make a statement. | | (142229) | 118
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what analysis has been made of the risk of the introduction of species of wildlife or plants from the James River estuary to the Tees estuary as a result of the arrival in Hartlepool of the US ships intended for decommissioning. | | (142332) | 119
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures were taken to reduce the risk to the Tees estuary from the importation of alien species in ballast water in the US ships intended for decommissioning by Able UK. | | (142333) | 120
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what inspection has taken place since their arrival to establish whether alien species are present in the ships which have arrived in Hartlepool for decommissioning by Able UK. | | (142334) | 121
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the processed output from mechanical biological treatment works counts towards local authority recycling targets. | | (142339) | 122
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the steps she is taking to promote composting. | | (142343) | 123
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what controls apply to the use of chemical solvents as substitute fuels in cement kilns; and what monitoring takes place of emissions which might reasonably be expected to derive from such use. | | (142345) | 124
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what substances are prohibited from qualifying as substitute fuels under the Environment Agency's Substitute Fuels Protocol; what changes are planned to the list of qualifying substances; and if she will make a statement | | (142346) | 125
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she takes to ensure that materials agreed as suitable for fuel under the Environment Agency's Substitute Fuel Protocol in practice result in no net detriment to the environment; what formula is applied to consider relative gains against relative losses in environmental impact; and if she will make a statement. | | (142347) | 126
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what analysis is carried out to determine the impact on emissions from cement kilns of (a) particulate matter and (b) complex chemical compounds from the switch from fossil based fuels to substitute fuels, with particular reference to hazardous waste. | | (142348) | 127
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much her Department has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by her Department since 1997 was; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by her Department through sales of its works of art has been since 1997. | | (142367) | 128
N | Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West & Penistone):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many submissions her Department has received in response to the consultation on the Large Combustion Plant Directive; and how many (a) favoured the national plan approach and (b) supported the emission limit value approach. | | (141321) | 129
N | Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West & Penistone):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the basis was of her decision to recommend to the European Commission on 27th November a national plan rather than an emissions limit value approach on the Large Combustion Plant Directive. | | (141322) | 130
N | Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West & Penistone):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will establish an inquiry into (a) the effects of the emission limit value approach on UK jobs in (i) the coalmining industry, (ii) the electricity generating industry and (iii) the mining machinery manufacturing sector and (b) the environmental benefit of each approach; and if she will publish the findings before making a final decision on the preferred option. | | (141323) | 131
N | Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West & Penistone):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which of the two options under the Large Combustion Plant Directive other European countries have opted for; what discussions she has had with the Department of Trade and Industry on the option that fits most constructively with their energy policy; and what inquiries she has undertaken to determine the effects of implementing a national plan approach on UK energy jobs during the period in which further analysis on the two approaches is completed. | | (141324) | 132
N | Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West & Penistone):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the sensitivities associated with each option under the Large Combustion Plant Directive referred to in the press statement her Department issued on 27th November are; and if she will make a statement. | | (141325) | 133
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department uses a database of individual small businesses for consultation purposes. | | (142480) | 134
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of regulations introduced by the Department have been subject to a consultation period of less than 12 weeks since the introduction of the Code of Practice on Consultations. | | (142490) | 135
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the average household water bill was in (a) England and (b) each English region in each financial year since 1996-97. | | (142272) | 136
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Regional Waste Plan for the South West is expected to be published; and what proposals it will make with regard to the designation of sub-regional zones. | | (142274) | 137
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many incinerators for disposal of household waste have been granted planning permission in each of the last five years; and when each will be brought into operation. | | (142306) | 138
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the status of a local authority waste plan if its policies are in contravention of a regional waste plan. | | (142307) | 139
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the options for the lifting of the Over Thirty Month scheme with regard to (a) biodiversity, (b) prime meat market prices, (c) the viability of the beef market, (d) the viability of British meat and meat products and (e) British meat exports and (f) Government finances. | | (142275) | 140
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what incentive she provides for energy companies to set up combined heat and power initiatives; and what assessment she has made of the benefits for consumers. | | (142039) | 141
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the new structures for (a) flood defences and (b) flood protection are; and what assessment she has made of efficiency savings in terms of (i) costs and (ii) manpower resulting from the introduction of new structures. | | (142040) | 142
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what follow-up action has been taken since the Sustainable Development summit in Johannesburg; and if she will make a statement. | | (142041) | 143
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact on wildlife of wind turbines. | | (142042) | 144
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will set up a review of the performance of the Central Office for Information in the GM public debate to investigate whether there has been mismanagement or incompetence. | | (142245) | 145
| Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for the GM Nation debate of constraints on funding. | | (142246) | 146
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what effect delays in obtaining TB culture tests results have had on the reactive cull trial. | | (142336) | 147
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what concerns Professor Bourne has raised with her on the effect of delays in obtaining culture test results for bovine samples on management of the randomised badger culling trials. | | (142337) | 148
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of the level of funding to laboratories for the examination of bovine samples for M. bovis on the timescale for the testing of samples. | | (142338) | 149
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many bovine animals were compulsorily purchased and slaughtered as a result of TB infection between 1994 and 1998. | | (142456) | 150
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total cost was of compensation paid to farmers in respect of compulsory purchase of bovine animals slaughtered as a result of TB infection (a) between 1994 and 1998 and (b) since 1998. | | (142457) | 151
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many bovine animals have been compulsorily purchased and slaughtered as a result of TB infection since 1998. | | (142458) | 152
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total cost has been of the reactive cull component of the Government's randomised badger culling trials. | | (142459) | 153
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information she has collated on whether significant damage is caused by badgers to ground nesting birds. | | (142460) | 154
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the welfare implications are for badgers infected with TB; at what stage in the disease they suffer; and how long that suffering can last. | | (142461) | 155
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to remove the protected status from badgers. | | (142462) | 156
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many times in each of the reactive areas of the randomised badger culling trials badger clearances were carried out. | | (142463) | 157
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on (a) the adequacy of the resources allocated to the reactive cull component of the Government's randomised badger culling trials and (b) the adequacy of the number of personnel allocated, with particular reference to clerical personnel with sufficient skills, training and experience. | | (142464) | 158
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how long a reactive culling area must be maintained for statistically valid data to be obtained from the trial in that area. | | (142465) | 159
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many reactive culling areas were designated during the randomised badger culling trials; and what the dates were on which the trials commenced in each area. | | (142466) | 160
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many badgers have been killed as part of the randomised badger culling trials; how many were tested for TB infection; and how many were culture positive for TB. | | (142467) | 161
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many TB reactor cattle were reported to her Department and its predecessors, (a) in each year from 1990 to 2002 and (b) from 1st January to 31st October; how many were subject to culture testing; and how many proved TB positive on culture. | | (142468) | 162
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the incidence of TB in (a) badgers and (b) cattle in England during (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005. | | (142469) | 163
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria are used to assess whether a reactive badger culling programme is effective. | | (142472) | 164
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she has received asking her to ban the slaughter of animals without pre-stunning; and if she will make a statement. | | (141953) | 165
N | Paddy Tipping (Sherwood):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on how she intends to influence the recommendations of the Farm Animals Welfare Council's Report on the Welfare of Farmed Animals At Slaughter or Killing. | | (142012) | 166
N | Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects the database of government-funded projects examining ill health and organophosphates prepared by the Central Science Laboratory in York to be publicly available; and if she will make a statement on research progress relating to organophosphates. | | (141211) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 167
N | Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department received requests from (a) the US Administration, (b) the Turkish Government and (c) staff working in the British Consulate in Istanbul for British staff to move buildings in light of an increased risk from terrorism in the period between April and November. | | (140867) | 168
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much his Department has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by his Department since 1997 was; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by his Department through sales of its works of art has been since 1997. | | (142368) | 169
| Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of discussions over the last month between the European Union and Israel concerning the labelling of goods exported to the EU which originate from settlements established in territories occupied by Israel; and what progress has been made in providing for such products to be accurately marked with their point of origin. | | (142247) | 170
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that reference is made in the European Constitution to territorial cohesion. | | (142404) | 171
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the government of Sri Lanka on the subject of religious tolerance for Christians. | | (142257) | 172
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to discuss the revised Baker Plan for the Western Sahara with the US Secretary of State following his return from his visit to Morocco. | | (142258) | 173
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the peace talks in the Sudan, with specific reference to the situation in Darfur. | | (142308) | 174
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reasons Mr Jafar Dhia Jafar has been refused permission to attend a meeting of the Royal Society in London; and if he will make a statement. | | (142171) | 175
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) the Pentagon Inspector General and (b) other US authorities on investigations into the awarding of contracts for the provision of mobile telecommunications services in Iraq, with particular reference to the activities of Mr David Leech and Mr Jim Davis. | | (142208) | 176
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what Government policy is on the dispute between the Moroccan Government and the non-governmental group Polisario. | | (142277) | 177
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps are being taken to aid former Soviet states in the decommissioning of nuclear weapons, devices and delivery systems. | | (142280) | 178
| Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what role the UK Government is playing in the six-party talks about the future of North Korea. | | (142204) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 179
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by his Department since 1997 was; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by his Department through sales of its works of art has been since 1997. | | (142366) | 180
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the financial situation of the East Sussex County Healthcare Trust. | | (142393) | 181
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost of implementing the EU working time directive for each (a) NHS hospital trust and (b) primary care trust in England. | | (142394) | 182
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his estimate is of the earnings of (a) a locum doctor and (b) a doctor with a permanent position within an NHS trust in the last year for which figures are available. | | (142395) | 183
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent by (a) East Sussex County Healthcare and (b) primary care trusts in England on (i) locum doctors and (ii) agency nursing in each of the last five years; and what these sums were as a percentage of total NHS staff costs. | | (142396) | 184
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on plans to expand the (a) training, (b) qualifications and (c) skills of ambulance staff. | | (142397) | 185
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the planned expansion to the training given to ambulance staff will take place in-house; and if he will make a statement. | | (142398) | 186
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many assaults have been recorded on ambulance staff in each of the last five years for which figures are available. | | (142399) | 187
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have been convicted of assaulting ambulance staff in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what action is being taken to tackle violent crime against paramedics and other ambulance staff. | | (142400) | 188
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which procedure is used to determine whether ambulances should be sent with a police escort when answering an emergency call. | | (142401) | 189
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on changes in the (a) workload and (b) expertise of ambulance (i) paramedics and (ii) technicians. | | (142402) | 190
| Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what pay rises are planned for ambulance staff in the next 12 months. | | (142403) | 191
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to reduce the number of epilepsy sufferers estimated to be misdiagnosed or inappropriately treated following referral to an epilepsy clinic. | | (141877) | 192
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment has been made of the reasons why the UK has lower survival rates for breast cancer than other EU countries. | | (141878) | 193
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the change has been in non-urgent referral waiting times for breast cancer following the introduction of the two-week target for urgent referrals. | | (141879) | 194
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what effect the two week urgent referral target for breast cancer patients has had on (a) other and (b) overall waiting times. | | (141880) | 195
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect the emphasis on the two-week target for urgent referrals for breast cancer patients has had on the number of patients that would have previously been put on this list being put on the non-urgent referral list. | | (141881) | 196
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the change in the number of (a) adults and (b) children registered with a dentist in the last three years. | | (142061) | 197
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that general practitioner prescribing computer systems do not prevent pharmacists dispensing generic brands of the same drug with a different formulation; and if he will make a statement. | | (142062) | 198
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on meeting charges for university variable top-up fees for student (a) nurses and (b) doctors; and if he will make a statement | | (142063) | 199
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) purpose and (b) cost is of the high security infectious diseases unit; and if he will make a statement. | | (142239) | 200
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the reasons were for the transfer from the capital Departmental Expenditure Limit to the resource DEL of £318 million, as mentioned in the Winter Supplementary Estimates; and if he will make a statement. | | (142240) | 201
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the Cabinet Office website referred to in the Winter Supplementary Estimates; if he will publish the URL; and if he will make a statement. | | (142241) | 202
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has met (a) milestones one to four for primary care management of heart failure and (b) milestones one to three for hospitals admitting patients for the management of heart failure in the national service framework for coronary heart disease. | | (142242) | 203
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department has spent on developing computer games in each year since 1997, broken down by game. | | (142243) | 204
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how funding for specialist public health work will be provided to NHS trust laboratories in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07 and (c) 2007-08. | | (142244) | 205
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department uses a database of individual small businesses for consultation purposes. | | (142481) | 206
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of regulations introduced by the Department have been subject to a consultation period of less than 12 weeks since the introduction of the Code of Practice on Consultations. | | (142489) | 207
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with primary care trusts on night-time cover following the introduction of the new contract for general practitioners. | | (142259) | 208
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimates he has made of the number of general practitioners who will opt out of night-time cover following the introduction of the new contract; and what contingency plans he has in place to tackle any reduction in cover. | | (142260) | 209
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress is being made in developing a national policy on the use of genetic information by insurance companies after 2006. | | (142268) | 210
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps (a) have been taken and (b) will be taken in 2004 to develop a regulatory framework for the use of genetic information by insurance companies after 2006. | | (142269) | 211
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what stakeholders and interested groups (a) have been involved and (b) will be involved in 2004 in developing a national policy on the use of genetic information by insurance companies. | | (142270) | 212
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many midwives (a) took up and (b) resigned from posts in the NHS, in (i) England and (ii) each region in each year since 1997, broken down by strategic and area health authority. | | (142049) | 213
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the weekly amount paid towards (a) residential homes and (b) nursing homes was in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority. | | (142050) | 214
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of midwife vacancies have remained vacant for more than three months in (a) England and (b) each region, in each year since 1997. | | (142051) | 215
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, who is responsible for monitoring which hospitals have introduced self-administration schemes for medicines for older people. | | (142052) | 216
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the take-up rates for influenza vaccine were at (a) 1st November and (b) 1st December, broken down by health authority. | | (142053) | 217
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the group looking at workplace issues will report; what the membership of the group is; what its terms of reference are; and if he will make a statement. | | (142173) | 218
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will reply to the letter from the honourable Member for Portsmouth South of 9th September on the importation of dietary supplements. | | (142197) | 219
N | Mr Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent by the National Health Service taking blood pressure and other health checks into the workplace to provide healthcare for hard to reach groups of men in the last year for which figures are available. | | (141653) | 220
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to introduce a chlamydia screening programme for men. | | (142065) | 221
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for how long he estimates insulin manufacturers will continue to supply animal insulin for those who rely upon it. | | (142149) | 222
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to change arrangements for anonymity of sperm donors. | | (142152) | 223
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to give a right to children produced as a result of donor insemination to know the identity of their parents. | | (142153) | 224
| Mrs Marion Roe (Broxbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has for a public consultation to address the issue of genetics and insurance in preparation for the end of the current moratorium. | | (142206) | 225
| Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the recent trials of liquid-based cytology; and what the timescale is for introducing this method of cervical screening across the whole NHS. | | (142205) | 226
| Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what dates Ministers in his Department have held meetings with members and officials of the United States Administration since 1st January 2002; where each meeting was held; which Ministers were involved in each meeting; which United States Administration department attended each meeting; and which members and officials from the United States Administration attended each of these meetings. | | (142391) | 227
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent action he has taken to maintain safeguards for patients taking medicines emanating from short line wholesalers. | | (142200) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 228
| Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts concerning the mutual recognition of identity cards. | | (142154) | 229
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much his Department has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by his Department since 1997 has been; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by his Department through sales of its works of art has been since 1997. | | (142352) | 230
| Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will write to the honourable Member for Mole Valley with a substantive answer to his question, reference 138047. | | (142036) | 231
N | Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers were (a) removed and (b) made a voluntary departure to the 10 candidate states for membership of the European Union (a) in each of the last three years and (b) in the first half of 2003. | | (141552) | 232
N | Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with which countries the (a) UK and (b) EU has agreements concerning the re-documentation of illegal immigrants found in the UK. | | (141553) | 233
N | Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for indefinite leave to remain were submitted in 2002 by those who had previously been granted exceptional leave to remain; and how many were (a) granted and (b) refused, broken down by nationality. | | (141554) | 234
| Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what analysis his Department has undertaken into the variation of sentencing penalties for female offenders imposed by (a) crown courts and (b) magistrates' courts. | | (142292) | 235
| Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research his Department has undertaken into the variation by region of sentencing penalties for female offenders . | | (142293) | 236
| Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness in tackling anti-social behaviour by the designation by local community safety partnerships of alcohol-free zones in public places. | | (142406) | 237
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what penalty payments Capita have made since 31st January under the terms of their Criminal Records Bureau contract. | | (142043) | 238
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what additional payments have been made to Capita in respect of amendments and modifications to the Criminal Records Bureau computer system in each financial year since the project began. | | (142059) | 239
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the unit cost of a Criminal Records Bureau (a) standard and (b) enhanced disclosure is for each application route. | | (142060) | 240
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department uses a database of individual small businesses for consultation purposes. | | (142476) | 241
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of regulations introduced by the Department have been subject to a consultation period of less than 12 weeks since the introduction of the Code of Practice on Consultations. | | (142488) | 242
| Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will estimate the number of people to whom clause 15 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Bill might apply. | | (142226) | 243
| Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children have been taken into care as a result of paragraph 1 of schedule 3 to the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002; and whether the Home Department has ever referred the possible placing of a child into care to any local authority social services authority. | | (142325) | 244
| Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many migrant workers there are in the UK (a) from the EU and (b) from outside the EU; and what percentage he estimates are legal migrant workers. | | (142417) | 245
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the relationship between drug crime, organised and international crime and terrorism; and what the implications are for Government policy and strategy. | | (142203) | 246
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many fixed penalty notices were issued to motorists caught at each location of a fixed speed camera within a Safety Camera Partnership in (a) the year prior to installation and (b) the year subsequent to installation. | | (142235) | 247
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many hand-held speed-detecting radar guns are in operation in the UK, broken down by (a) police force and (b) Safety Camera Partnership. | | (142236) | 248
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many speed cameras have been vandalised in each year from 1998 to 2002. | | (142238) | 249
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons the Criminal Records Bureau has further increased its fees. | | (142261) | 250
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with the National Council for Voluntary Organisations on the implications of fee increases by the Criminal Records Bureau on voluntary, community and charitable organisations. | | (142262) | 251
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has for widening access to compensation for victims of crime. | | (142172) | 252
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals on the national DNA database have not been convicted of a criminal offence; and what criteria are used to determine who should be on the database. | | (142174) | 253
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average number of hours per week prisoners spent in education in the last 12 months was; and what the target figure is. | | (142175) | 254
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funds are available for installation of CCTV cameras in villages. | | (142170) | 255
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government will ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Migrant Workers and their Families. | | (142294) | 256
| Mrs Jacqui Lait (Beckenham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many appeals from immigrants based on their being either a victim of crime or fear of being a victim of crime in their own country where the effective rule of law is uncertain are outstanding; and how many there were in the last 12 months. | | (142185) | 257
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued in (a) the Vale of York and (b) North Yorkshire in each of the last three years. | | (142048) | 258
| Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many initial decision makers for asylum applications were in post on 1st October in each of the last six years. | | (142155) | 259
| Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the initial salary payable to initial decision makers in asylum applications is; and how long the period of training is. | | (142156) | 260
| Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to increase and improve the salaries and training of initial decision makers in asylum cases. | | (142157) | 261
| Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many employers have been (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted in relation to an offence under section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 in each of the last six years for which figures are available; and what penalties were imposed. | | (142158) | 262
| Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what duties there are upon those released from Oakington Reception Centre in each of the last two years to report to the police or other authorities; and how many such persons have breached such duties. | | (142159) | 263
| Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many UK immigration officers are in post working at (a) French ports, (b) Belgian ports and (c) other European ports on matters concerning immigration control. | | (142160) | 264
| Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many potential illegal entrants to this country have been discovered at French ports in the last 12 months; and what steps have been taken against them. | | (142161) | 265
| Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many illegal entrants have been discovered at (a) Dover and (b) other UK ports in the last 12 months; and what percentage have been removed forthwith. | | (142162) | 266
| Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of UK ports have more than 10 full-time UK immigration officials in post. | | (142163) | 267
| Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many heat detector machines are installed at (a) Dover, (b) Folkestone, (c) Portsmouth, (d) Cheriton and (e) other UK ports. | | (142164) | 268
| Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions in the last 12 months heat detector machines at (a) Calais, (b) Coquelles and (c) Dover have broken down or malfunctioned. | | (142165) | 269
| Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many heat detector machines are installed at (a) Calais and (b) Coquelles; and what the corresponding figures were in October 2002. | | (142166) | 270
| Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of (a) lorries and (b) other vehicles passing through Dover from France were not checked in Dover for purposes of seeking to discover illegal immigrants in the last 12 months. | | (142167) | 271
| Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of (a) lorries and (b) other vehicles passing through Calais and Coquelles en route to the UK were not checked for purposes of seeking to discover illegal immigrants over the last 12 months. | | (142168) | 272
| Mr Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representation he has received on the establishment of Experience Corps from Volunteers in Action; and if he will make a statement. | | (142296) | 273
| Dr Desmond Turner (Brighton, Kemptown):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish the terms of reference of the Home Office Review of the Forensic Science Service. | | (142191) | 274
| Dr Desmond Turner (Brighton, Kemptown):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish the timetable for the implementation of the recommendations of the Home Office Review of the Forensic Science Service. | | (142192) | 275
| Dr Desmond Turner (Brighton, Kemptown):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will provide a breakdown of the capital investment needs of the Forensic Science Service identified in the Home Office review of the service. | | (142193) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 276
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether he has carried out an analysis of the extent to which his Department's support for fossil fuel investment is consistent with (a) the UK's obligations under the Kyoto Protocol and (b) the Government's goal to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 60 per cent. from 1990 levels by 2050. | | (142349) | 277
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the total value of support from his Department is to overseas projects for (a) the extraction and transport of fossil fuels and (b) the development of renewable energy. | | (142350) | 278
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what his policy is towards the provision of loans and loan guarantees by multilateral development banks to fossil fuel projects overseas; and whether he has reviewed that policy in relation to concerns about climate change. | | (142351) | 279
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much his Department has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by his Department since 1997 was; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by his Department through sales of its works of art has been since 1997. | | (142369) | 280
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what contracts his Department has entered into in the last 12 months with (a) Avient Air and (b) other companies in which Mr Andrew Smith has an interest; what services have been provided to his Department under these contracts in (i) Sierra Leone and (ii) other countries; what the value of these contracts is; when these contracts were entered into; and if he will make a statement. | | (142188) | 281
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what working arrangements there have been between Mr Andrew Smith and his Department in Sierra Leone in the last 12 months. | | (142189) | 282
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions he has had with overseas home affairs ministers about the illegal importation of meat products into the UK. | | (142150) | 283
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what research he has undertaken into the distribution of non-effective anti-malarials to African countries; and what plans he has to discuss this with the (a) Global Fund and (b) World Health Organisation. | | (142182) | 284
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps are being taken as part of the UK's initiative to improve primary education in (a) Rwanda and (b) Malawi. | | (142282) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 285
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much his Department has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by his Department since 1997 has been; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by his Department through sales of works of art has been since 1997. | | (142355) | 286
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many and what percentage of plastic baton rounds ordered by the outgoing Northern Ireland Police Authority in November 2001 have (a) been delivered and (b) passed their active shelf life. | | (142186) | 287
| Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many jobs were lost in the textile industry in Northern Ireland in the last three years. | | (142251) | Questions to the Prime Minister 288
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Prime Minister, how much his Office has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by his Office since 1997 was; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by his Office through sales of its works of art has been since 1997. | | (142365) | 289
N | Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland & Melton):To ask the Prime Minister, what estimate has been made of the cost of civil service time allocated to the Big Conversation consultation. | | (141882) | 290
N | Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland & Melton):To ask the Prime Minister, what his Department's estimate is of the proportion of the total cost of the Big Conversation consultation that will be borne by the Government. | | (141883) | 291
N | Mr Alan Duncan (Rutland & Melton):To ask the Prime Minister, how many civil servants have been seconded to work on the Big Conversation consultation. | | (141884) | 292
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Prime Minister, what plans he has to meet the Dalai Lama when he visits the United Kingdom in May 2004. | | (142064) | 293
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Prime Minister, how many honours have been returned since January 1997. | | (142220) | 294
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Prime Minister, how many people refused the offer of an honour in the latest year for which figures are available, broken down by type of honour. | | (142221) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland 295
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much his Department has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by his Department since 1997 was; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by his Department through sales of its works of art has been since 1997. | | (142362) | 296
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the First Minister on progress of negotiations towards the December Fisheries Council. | | (142045) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 297
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will specify the criteria set by Government which proposers of off-shore windfarms need to satisfy to secure approval for development. | | (142344) | 298
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much her Department has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by her Department since 1997 has been; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by her Department through sales of its works of art has been since 1997. | | (142354) | 299
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which companies manufacturing cars in the United Kingdom have received (a) offers and (b) indicative offers of regional selective assistance since 1st May 1997. | | (142119) | 300
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what financial contributions have been made by her Department to the Foresight Vehicle LINK programme. | | (142120) | 301
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much funding MG Rover has received in total from the Foresight Vehicle LINK programme. | | (142121) | 302
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the operation of the Foresight Vehicle LINK programme. | | (142122) | 303
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much funding has been given by her Department to the Rover Task Force in each year since it was created. | | (142123) | 304
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the operation of the Rover Task Force. | | (142124) | 305
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the deficit or surplus has been for the UK's trade in motor cars in each of the past six years; and if she will make a statement. | | (142125) | 306
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, by how much the United Kingdom motor industry's gross value added has changed since 1997; and if she will make a statement. | | (142126) | 307
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations her Department has received from the motor industry regarding possible membership of the euro. | | (142127) | 308
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on efficiency in the UK motor industry in terms of vehicles per employee per year; and what plans her Department has to improve this. | | (142128) | 309
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the future of United Kingdom Hallmarking in the context of discussions on the draft Directive on Articles of Precious Metals following the European Council of 27th November. | | (142129) | 310
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to change the targets for the purchase of renewable energy by UK companies. | | (142130) | 311
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps she is taking to harmonise international laws on the sending of unsolicited e-mails. | | (142131) | 312
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had with representatives of the US Department of Energy regarding the BNFL contract to build a nuclear processing plant in Idaho; and if she will make a statement. | | (142132) | 313
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the total costs of BNFL's business operations in the United States were in each of the last five years. | | (142133) | 314
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the total revenue generated by BNFL as a result of business activities in the United States was in each of the last five years. | | (142134) | 315
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many business contracts BNFL has agreed in the United States in each of the last five years. | | (142135) | 316
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much revenue has been lost by the Royal Mail Group Ltd as a result of industrial action in each of the last five years. | | (142136) | 317
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many items of mail (a) missed their delivery targets and (b) missed their delivery targets as a result of industrial action in each of the last five years. | | (142137) | 318
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she has made of the cost to UK businesses in each of the next five years of the measures to be implemented by the forthcoming Companies (Audit, Investigations and Community Enterprise) Bill. | | (142138) | 319
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when the European Commission will report on the UK Government's financial assistance to British Energy. | | (142139) | 320
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much the pilot scheme developed by the Energy Services Working Group to scrap switching rules for energy supply is estimated to cost in each of the next five years. | | (142143) | 321
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she has made of the effect on energy efficiency of the pilot scheme developed by the Energy Services Working Group to scrap switching rules for energy supply in each of the next five years. | | (142144) | 322
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action her Department is taking to combat the illegal trade in anti-retroviral drugs. | | (142145) | 323
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she has made of the value of anti-retroviral drugs traded illegally in each of the last five years. | | (142146) | 324
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what proportion of companies have met their targets for the purchase of renewable energy in the last 12 months. | | (142147) | 325
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she has made of the cost to UK companies of meeting current targets for the purchase of renewable energy. | | (142148) | 326
N | Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West & Penistone):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will lodge a complaint with the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors about double charging by solicitors for handling coalmining health claims. | | (140938) | 327
N | Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West & Penistone):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will obtain an opinion from the Solicitor General on the legality of the practice of some solicitors double charging for handling coalmining health claims. | | (140939) | 328
N | Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West & Penistone):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will issue advertisements informing former miners and their families that solicitors handling coalmining health claims receive payment from her Department in accordance with a fee structure agreed by solicitors representing both sides. | | (140940) | 329
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will place in the Library copies of the small business action plans submitted to her Department by each of the Government departments as part of their Regulatory Reform Action plans. | | (142471) | 330
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether her Department has used the small firms database supplied by the Small Business Service for use with the Small Firms' Impact Test since its introduction. | | (142473) | 331
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what proportion of regulations introduced by the Department have been subject to a consultation period of less than 12 weeks since the introduction of the Code of Practice on Consultations. | | (142483) | 332
| Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many licences were (a) requested and (b) granted for man portable air defence systems in each year since 1996 for (i) government and (ii) non-government end users, distinguishing in each case between (A) licences for end users in NATO and EU countries and (B) licences for end users outside NATO and the EU. | | (142327) | 333
| Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what guidelines she gives under the Posting of Workers Directive; whether collective agreements in construction will be enforced; and if she will make a statement. | | (142418) | 334
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the average household gas bill was in (a) England and (b) each English region in each financial year since 1996-97. | | (142273) | 335
| Jeff Ennis (Barnsley East & Mexborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many full and final settlements have been made to former miners suffering from (a) chronic bronchitis emphysema and (b) vibration white finger which total less than £2,143. | | (142194) | 336
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the impact of EU trade rules on developing countries. | | (142169) | 337
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to introduce software patents; and if she will make a statement. | | (141954) | 338
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what research her Department is undertaking to establish the potential impact of offshore wind farms on common scoters; and if she will make a statement. | | (141955) | 339
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action her Department is taking to ensure that common scoters are protected from adverse impacts of proposed offshore wind farm developments; and if she will make a statement. | | (141956) | 340
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to hold a public inquiry into Cirrus Energy's proposed offshore wind farm development at Shell Flat, Liverpool Bay; and if she will make a statement. | | (141957) | 341
| Mr Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures she proposes to take to enable combined heat and power production to rise to the level needed to meet the Government target for 10Gwe by 2010. | | (142295) | 342
| Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what progress has been made in the US-UK Energy Dialogue to enhance co-ordination and co-operation on energy issues between Britain and the United States of America; on what dates since 1st January she has held meetings with the United States Commerce Secretary at which the US-UK Energy Dialogue was discussed; and where each of these meetings was held. | | (142390) | 343
N | Paddy Tipping (Sherwood):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much has been paid in fees to (a) solicitors and (b) handling agents in respect of compensation for (i) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (ii) vibration white finger. | | (142013) | 344
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the implications of the introduction of compulsory identity cards for her Department. | | (142415) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 345
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in respect of the recommendations relating to rail in the South Coast Multi-Modal Study, how many (a) are being implemented, (b) have been ruled out by the Strategic Rail Authority, (c) have been ruled out by train operating companies and (d) have not yet been subject to decision. | | (142340) | 346
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in respect of the recommendations relating to roads in the South Coast Multi-Modal Study, how many (a) are being implemented, (b) have been ruled out and (c) have not yet been subject to decision. | | (142341) | 347
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total cost was of the South Coast Multi-Modal Study. | | (142342) | 348
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by his Department since 1997 has been; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by his Department through sales of works of art has been since 1997. | | (142360) | 349
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his Answer of 1st December, Official Report, column 7W, on shipping, which flags are flown by the ships that use the tonnage tax scheme but do not fly the red ensign; and what requirements these ships are required to meet to qualify for this tax scheme. | | (142405) | 350
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department uses a database of individual small businesses for consultation purposes. | | (142475) | 351
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of regulations introduced by the Department have been subject to a consultation period of less than 12 weeks since the introduction of the Code of Practice on Consultations. | | (142484) | 352
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to monitor reliability and punctuality on train performance into Paddington Station, with specific reference to the performance of First Great Western, in the last 12 months for which figures are available. | | (142234) | 353
| Mr Damian Green (Ashford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people were (a) killed and (b) seriously injured in road accidents in each year since 1997. | | (142232) | 354
| Mr Damian Green (Ashford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his Answer of December 1st, Official Report, column 7W, on speed cameras, how many people were (a) killed and (b) seriously injured at the camera sites within the pilot areas. | | (142233) | 355
N | Mr Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether external agencies have been contracted to analyse the responses to the consultation into the Future Development of Air Transport in the UK; and if he will provide details of his Department's processes for analysing the responses. | | (141654) | 356
| Mr Andrew Hunter (Basingstoke):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to amend section 20 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 and the Use of Invalid Carriages on Highways Regulations 1988 to allow a mechanically propelled invalid tricycle which is capable in other circumstances of travelling at more than eight miles per hour to be used on public footways at a speed of less than eight miles per hour. | | (142201) | 357
N | John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, under what legislation private operators of (a) local authority car parks and (b) privately owned car parks may pursue (i) civil action and (ii) criminal action for unpaid fines levied on late and non-payers of car park charges; and when guidance on these matters was last issued by the Department. | | (141876) | 358
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications of the introduction of compulsory identity cards for his Department. | | (142414) | 359
| Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many fixed speed cameras there were in Essex in each of the last 10 years; how much revenue was raised from them in each year; and how many speeding convictions resulted from them in each year. | | (142044) | 360
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the Government's policy is on ring-fencing landing slots at major London airports for the exclusive use for (a) Liverpool John Lennon Airport services and (b) other regional services; and what plans he has to review this policy. | | (142179) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales 361
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much his Department has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by his Department since 1997 was; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by his Department through sales of its works of art has been since 1997. | | (142363) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 362
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has spent on the acquisition of works of art in each year since 1997, broken down by amounts spent on (a) paintings and (b) sculpture; what the single most expensive piece of art purchased by his Department since 1997 has been; how much it cost; and what the total revenue raised by his Department through sales of works of art has been since 1997. | | (142359) | 363
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department uses a database of individual small businesses for consultation purposes. | | (142474) | 364
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of regulations introduced by the Department have been subject to a consultation period of less than 12 weeks since the introduction of the Code of Practice on Consultations. | | (142485) | 365
| Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place the terms of reference of the external benchmarking exercise carried out on the disposal of Jobcentre Plus premises in the Library. | | (142183) | 366
| Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the number of full-time students in households where (a) income support and (b) disability benefits are paid; and in how many cases in each year since 1997-98 the attribution of the value of loans, grants and bursaries has occurred. | | (142326) | 367
| Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what changes he proposes to make to the social security rules compelling full-time students in households reliant on benefits to take out or be deducted the full value of grants, loans and bursaries, in the light of the Government's proposals for higher education funding. | | (142331) | 368
| Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the number of benefit payment order books in use in each category of benefit at (a) 1st April 2002, (b) 1st April 2003 and (c) the most recent available date. | | (142420) | 369
| Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of payments in each category of benefit were paid by order book in each region of the UK for the most recent available period. | | (142421) | 370
| Annabelle Ewing (Perth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to improve the operation of procedures for claiming (a) incapacity benefit and (b) disability living allowance. | | (142276) | 371
N | Mr Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much it cost to present the United Kingdom's case when the right of widowers' benefits was considered in all courts above the level of appeal tribunal in each year since 1997. | | (141655) | 372
| Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what research his Department has collated about the impact of council tax on older peoples' incomes. | | (142231) | 373
N | David Winnick (Walsall North):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will arrange for a reply from the chief executive of the Disability Rights Commission to the letter dated 28th October from the honourable Member for Walsall North arising from representations from the local community health council; and if he will ask the chief executive to provide an explanation for the reasons for (a) the delay and (b) the absence of an acknowledgement letter. | | (141874) | 374
N | David Winnick (Walsall North):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will ensure the Disability Rights Commission replies promptly to correspondence and telephone calls which require a response. | | (141875) | 375
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the Government's policy is in relation to the protection of pension rights on employer insolvency under Article 8 of the EU Insolvency Directive of 1980. | | (142373) | 376
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on how the Government has complied with Article 8 of the EU Insolvency Directive of 1980. | | (142374) | 377
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the Government's estimate is of the number of final salary pension funds that (a) have been wound up and (b) are being wound up since the introduction of the Pensions Act 1995; and how many of those employers were (i) solvent and (ii) insolvent at the time of winding-up. | | (142375) | 378
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate the Government has made of the total value of pensions lost since 1997 as a consequence of final salary pension schemes that (a) have been wound up and (b) are being wound up by (i) solvent and (ii) insolvent employers. | | (142376) | 379
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list by (a) region and (b) constituency final salary pension schemes which (i) have been wound up and (ii) are being wound up by (A) a solvent and (B) an insolvent employer in each year since 1997. | | (142377) | 380
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the Government's policy is on establishing a compensation fund for payments backdated to 1997 to pension scheme members who would be entitled to final salary pensions where the scheme (a) has been wound up and (b) is being wound up where there are insufficient assets fully to meet the scheme pension liabilities. | | (142378) | 381
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate the Government has made of the cost of paying compensation backdated to 1997 for pension scheme members who would be entitled to final salary pensions where the scheme is (a) wound up and (b) being wound up and where there were insufficient assets to fully meet the scheme pension liabilities. | | (142379) | 382
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government has taken since May 1997 to ensure that members of final salary pension schemes were made aware of risks to their accrued pension rights upon employer insolvency and scheme wind-up. | | (142380) | 383
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans the Government has to review the policy of unlimited pension contribution holidays in final salary pension schemes. | | (142381) | 384
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proposals the Government has to make the proposed Pension Protection Fund retrospective from the introduction of the Pensions Act 1995. | | (142382) | 385
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the Government's policy is on the guarantee of members' future pension benefits of exisiting final salary pension schemes in the period before the introduction of the proposed Pension Protection Fund. | | (142383) | 386
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the Government's policy is on advising existing pension scheme members of risks to their pension rights as a consequence of employer insolvency. | | (142384) | 387
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the Government's policy is on protecting the accrued pension rights inherent in the value of money transferred into employer defined benefit occupational pension schemes from other schemes, to prevent loss of these sums as a consequence of employer insolvency. | | (142385) | 388
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans the Government has to reduce the time taken to wind up final salary pension schemes. | | (142386) | 389
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what comparative studies the Government has carried out to establish how the cost of providing annuities to employer final salary schemes in wind-up can be of best value to scheme members. | | (142387) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 390
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate the Government has made of the market for index-linked annuities in relation to the supply of index-linked gilts. | | [Transferred] (142388) | 391
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Government's policy is on the expansion of the number of companies from which trustees of employer final salary schemes in wind-up can purchase bulk annuities. | | [Transferred] (142392) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 392
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what volume of cider was produced in the UK in each of the last five years. | | [Transferred] (142140) | 393
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total profit made by UK cider producers was in each of the last five years. | | [Transferred] (142141) | 394
| Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what evaluation she has made of the European Commission proposal for a Council Directive (Euratom) on the management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste (COM(2003)32). | | [Transferred] (142371) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 395
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, at what level the Government will be represented at the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights-convened regional seminar of experts for Western States, Implementing the Durban Programme of Action, from 10th to 12th December. | | [Transferred] (142187) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 396
| Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the local authorities which have banned the consumption of alcohol in designated public places where the premises concerned are not licensed. | | [Transferred] (142407) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 397
| Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the total direct cost to UK businesses of the London congestion charge since its introduction. | | [Transferred] (142142) | 398
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what revenue has been received from all safety camera partnerships in each year since the first partnership was set up, net of the funds awarded to those partnerships in each of those years. | | [Transferred] (142207) | 399
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many fixed speed cameras are operating outside Safety Camera Partnerships; and where they are located. | | [Transferred] (142237) | 400
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many fixed speed cameras were in operation in the United Kingdom in each year from 1998 to 2003. | | [Transferred] (142263) | 401
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funds were awarded to each local Safety Camera Partnership in each year since they were set up. | | [Transferred] (142264) | 402
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people were (a) killed, (b) seriously injured and (c) slightly injured in the location of each fixed speed camera within a Safety Camera Partnership in (i) the year prior to its installation and (ii) each subsequent year. | | [Transferred] (142265) | 403
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the posted speed is of each fixed speed camera within a Safety Camera Partnership. | | [Transferred] (142266) | 404
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average speed of vehicles was at each fixed speed camera within each Safety Camera Partnership in the year (a) prior to installation and (b) subsequent to installation. | | [Transferred] (142267) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 405
| Mr Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to bring calculations of claimants' notional rates of interest on savings into line with current average building society and bank deposit account interest rates. | | [Transferred] (142297) |
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