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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Wednesday 17 December 2003
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Wednesday 17 December 2003
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 17 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 Wednesday 17 December of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Wednesday 17 December see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 1
| John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many children are expected to benefit from child trust funds in Scotland in each of the next five years, broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) parliamentary constituency. | | (144822) | 2
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the waste management sector-related payments, subsidies and grants provided by the Government to (a) local authorities and (b) non-governmental organisations in each of the last five years. | | (144911) | 3
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the duty regime for liquefied petroleum gas for motor vehicles following his pre-Budget statement. | | (144880) | 4
N | Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the contribution of Barnett formula consequences as explained in Appendix C to the Statement of Funding Policy to the allocations for (a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) the Northern Ireland Assembly were in each year from 2001-02 to 2003-04 reconciling the provided figures to the entries in Table 2.6 of PESA 2003-04 (Cm 5901) for each of the devolved administrations. | | (144377) | 5
N | Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the levels of expenditure in (a) Northern Ireland, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales that is both within the assigned budget and within the scope of the Barnett formula for each year from 1998-99 to 2005-06, in the form provided in the analysis of 2002-03 provision in Annex C of the Third edition of Funding the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly: A Statement of Funding Policy. | | (144378) | 6
N | Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Government's estimates were for (a) identifiable public expenditure and (b) aggregate public expenditure in each year from 1996-97 to 2001-02 expressed as (i) totals and (ii) percentages of gross domestic product, in (A) Scotland, (B) Wales, (C) Northern Ireland, (D) England and (E) the Government Office Regions of England. | | (144379) | 7
N | Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Government's estimates were for aggregate revenues in each year from 1996-97 to 2001-02 expressed as (a) totals and (b) percentages of gross domestic product, attributable to (i) Scotland, (ii) Wales, (iii) Northern Ireland, (iv) England and (v) the Government Office Regions of England. | | (144380) | 8
N | Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Government's estimates were for net fiscal balance in each year from 1996-97 to 2001-02 expressed as (a) amounts and (b) percentages of gross domestic product, in (i) Scotland, (ii) Wales, (iii) Northern Ireland and (iv) each of the Government Office Regions of England. | | (144381) | 9
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many senior civil servants in his Department are disabled, expressed in (a) numbers and (b) as a percentage of whole-time equivalents. | | (144984) | 10
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason he proposes to end gift aid tax relief on admission charges to charity venues. | | (144987) | 11
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with heritage and conservation charities about the ending of gift aid tax relief on admission charges. | | (144988) | 12
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his estimate is of the cost to charities of the ending of gift aid tax relief on admission charges. | | (144989) | 13
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list those charities which will be affected by the ending of gift aid tax relief on admission charges. | | (144990) | 14
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much money has been rebated to charities as a result of gift aid tax relief on admission charges since its inception. | | (144991) | Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 15
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 10th December, Official Report, column 457W, on the Census (1911), what powers the Lord Chancellor has under the Public Records Act 1958 to release details from the 1911 census before 2011; and what conditions concerning confidentiality were agreed to by those who participated in this census. | | (144889) | 16
| Denzil Davies (Llanelli):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 8th December, Official Report, columns 350-1W, on the Electoral Commission, how potential applicants for the position of Chair or member of the Electoral Commission were informed that an open competition would be held; and how many applicants indicated that they wished to be considered for the position of Chair. | | (144895) | 17
| Denzil Davies (Llanelli):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 8th December, Official Report, columns 350-1W, on the Electoral Commission, if he will list the members of the selection panel which decided who should become Chair of the Electoral Commission. | | (144896) | 18
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will make a statement on progress in expanding the role of the public defender service. | | (144881) | 19
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will make a statement on the implications for private practice in criminal work of the consolidation of the number of solicitors' firms to be supported under the legal aid franchise. | | (144882) | 20
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what account is being taken in the Draft Mental Incapacity Bill of measures to improve support for people with learning disabilities requiring help to reach decisions affecting their future health needs. | | (144958) | 21
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many senior civil servants in his Department are disabled, expressed in (a) numbers and (b) as a percentage of whole-time equivalents. | | (144975) | 22
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that British data protection requirements apply to customer information used by call centres outside this country operated by (a) UK banks and (b) other UK financial institutions. | | (144890) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 23
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many households are unable to receive analogue television reception in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland. | | (144897) | 24
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many senior civil servants in her Department are disabled, expressed in (a) numbers and (b) as a percentage of whole-time equivalents. | | (144983) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 25
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what quantities of chemical weapons are stored in the UK; whether Agent Orange has ever been (a) stored in the UK and (b) used by UK forces; and if he will make a statement. | | (145028) | 26
N | Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the future of the Staffordshire Regiment following the publication of the Defence White Paper on 11th December. | | (144392) | 27
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on (a) recruitment in the Queen's Lancashire Regiment and (b) the future of the Regiment.
| | (144796) | 28
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what measures are being taken to increase the numbers joining the armed forces; and what measures he is taking to increase recruitment into the armed forces from Commonwealth countries. | | (144797) | 29
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment were deployed in Iraq. | | (144798) | 30
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on plans to merge regiments in the army. | | (144799) | 31
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the present shortfall is in army personnel. | | (144800) | 32
N | Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the menu is for soldiers serving in Iraq on Christmas Day; and if he will make a statement. | | (144469) | 33
N | Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Christmas trees his Department has (a) shipped to Iraq and (b) procured in Iraq for the purpose of celebrations among personnel; and if he will make a statement. | | (144470) | 34
N | Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what provision has been made for personnel to send gifts back to the United Kingdom; what weight limits and costs are involved; and if he will make a statement. | | (144471) | 35
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many senior civil servants in his Department are disabled, expressed in (a) numbers and (b) as a percentage of whole-time equivalents. | | (144981) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 36
| Jim Dobbin (Heywood & Middleton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how he estimates the Inland Revenue's ruling of 24th October, if upheld, will affect tenants occupying premises of (a) Herefordshire Housing Ltd, (b) Haverbury Housing Partnership and (c) Hertfordshire Homes Ltd. | | (144815) | 37
| Jim Dobbin (Heywood & Middleton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how the Government will support Maidstone and Bromsgrove in its bid to achieve the 2010 Decent Homes Standard if the Inland Revenue's ruling of 24th October is upheld and Maidstone's proposed transfer of houses to the Maidstone Housing Trust does not take place. | | (144816) | 38
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 8th December, Official Report, column 343W, if he will make a statement on the outcome of discussions within Government and with industry on the implications of the implementation of the Landfill Directive for regeneration of brownfield sites, including (a) potential obstacles identified and (b) agreed action. | | (144959) | 39
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what discussions he has held with the Minister without Portfolio regarding that Minister's visit to the tri-Service Emergency Centre in Gloucester earlier in 2003. | | (144927) | 40
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what effect he estimates the Inland Revenue's ruling of 24th October will have on Crewe's ability to achieve the 2010 Decent Homes Standard. | | (144801) | 41
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how he estimates the Inland Revenue's ruling of 24th October, if upheld, will affect Wulvern Housing Limited. | | (144802) | 42
| Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe & Nantwich):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how he estimates the Inland Revenue's ruling of 24th October will affect housing in Crewe. | | (144803) | 43
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many senior civil servants in his Department are disabled, expressed in (a) numbers and (b) as a percentage of whole-time equivalents. | | (144985) | 44
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, why information on the 2004-05 Local Government Finance Settlement was released after local authorities had agreed their budgets; and how he expects councils to take account of the settlement. | | (145008) | 45
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how he expects local councils in North Yorkshire to make up the shortfall they are facing following the 2004-05 Local Government Finance Settlement; and if he will make a statement. | | (145009) | 46
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what additional resources he is giving local authorities to meet the responsibilities he recently gave them. | | (145010) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 47
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on progress on the extension of broadband connection to (a) primary and (b) secondary schools. | | (144935) | 48
| Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what representations have been made to him on shortages of food technologists in schools; and if he will make a statement. | | (144819) | 49
| Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many food technologists are undergoing training at places of further and higher education. | | (144821) | 50
N | Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the required admissions policies of academies; and which academies do not comply with the requirements. | | (142740) | 51
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, in what circumstances further
education staff members can be (a) removed from post and (b) redeployed because they do not hold specific qualifications. | | (144793) | 52
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which further education staff have to hold a qualification in mathematics as a prerequisite for holding their positions. | | (144794) | 53
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what changes there have been to the regulatory framework for further education in the past five years that require staff to meet specific qualification levels to entitle them to continue to hold their positions. | | (144795) | 54
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list for each local education authority the financial support for education that remains to be transferred under the changes to local government funding announced last year; and when he expects this process to be completed. | | (144905) | 55
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Chief Inspector of Schools about measuring effective leadership and management in schools; and what actions were taken as a consequence. | | (144906) | 56
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Chief Inspector of Schools about measures to improve the performance of schools, where that performance is assessed as being adequate. | | (144907) | 57
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Chief Inspector of Schools on (a) the consistency of reports on particular schools and their staff and (b) the grading of schools. | | (144909) | 58
| Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Chief Inspector of Schools concerning the number of (a) schools, (b) teachers and (c) lessons rated satisfactory; and what the consequences of these discussions were. | | (144910) | 59
| Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the availability of speech and language therapists for those with special educational needs in Essex. | | (144774) | 60
| Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what recent estimate his Department has made of the waiting time for children with special educational needs to access speech and language therapy; and through which organisations this service is provided. | | (144775) | 61
| Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what variations there have been to the Children's Fund allocations for 2003 to 2006 notified in writing to local fund managers in January. | | (144925) | 62
| Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the final allocations for the Children's Fund were for 2002-03. | | (144926) | 63
| Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when he will make an announcement on Children's Fund allocation for 2004-05. | | (144931) | 64
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the Pathfinder project, Transforming the School Workforce, and its benefits for people in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland. | | (144745) | 65
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what action is being taken to promote and support youth and schools councils in the North East; and how many (a) exist and (b) receive departmental support. | | (144767) | 66
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on his joint working with the Home Office's Children and Young People's Unit and the development and delivery of shared initiatives with particular reference to the Participation Fund; and how such funds have affected Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland. | | (144768) | 67
| Martin Linton (Battersea):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children have had contact with Sure Start in Battersea since its inception. | | (144773) | 68
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, for what reason there are no plans to publish Sir Clive Booth's report on CAFCASS. | | (144972) | 69
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which member of the CAFCASS Board has refused to resign. | | (144973) | 70
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which quangos come under the remit of the Children's Minister; and how they are accountable. | | (145025) | 71
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what arrangements are in place for children in the UK to be included on (a) national and (b) local registers. | | (145026) | 72
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how he proposes to recruit inspectors for departments concerned with child protection; and who will pay for them. | | (145027) | 73
| Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many assaults there were against teachers by pupils in schools in the Eastern region; and what measures he is taking to prevent such attacks. | | (144862) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 74
| Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects the Dee Cockle Regulation Order to be implemented. | | (144780) | 75
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government will set a ceiling on trading prices for landfill allowances. | | (144912) | 76
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the change in heavy vehicle traffic with hazardous loads following the implementation of the Hazardous Waste Requirements of the Landfill Directive in July 2004. | | (144913) | 77
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the impact of the Hazardous Waste Requirements of the Landfill Directive on residue disposal options for the metal recycling sector. | | (144914) | 78
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the top 20 producers of hazardous waste by mass; and what the extent is of their in-house disposal facilities. | | (144915) | 79
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the actions taken to meet the hazardous waste requirements of the Landfill Directive by (a) her Department and (b) those departments which previously held responsibility. | | (144916) | 80
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what action the Government is taking to ensure that small businesses do not dispose of hazardous waste in the domestic waste stream following implementation of the Hazardous Waste Requirements of the Landfill Directive. | | (144917) | 81
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of hazardous waste was non-reactive in the last year for which figures are available. | | (144918) | 82
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what mass of hazardous waste was produced in the UK for each of the last five years, broken down by category of hazardous waste. | | (144919) | 83
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the hazardous waste landfill sites identified by the Environment Agency that will remain as hazardous waste landfills following reclassification in July 2004; if she will identify for each site the types of hazardous waste that the site can dispose of; and whether each site is for private use. | | (144920) | 84
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many badgers were culled in each reactive area as part of the Independent Science Group study into bovine TB. | | (144928) | 85
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on progress towards the setting up of the livestock disposal scheme indicating what level of interest there has been in participating; and what particular measures are being considered to include the pig and poultry industry. | | (144929) | 86
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on what business form the Livestock Disposal Agency will take; and what relationship exists between the Government and the National Farmers' Union. | | (144930) | 87
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many senior civil servants in her Department are disabled, expressed in (a) numbers and (b) as a percentage of whole-time equivalents. | | (144977) | 88
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she is making on improving the Warm Front scheme to combat fuel poverty. | | (145001) | 89
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 9th December, Official Report, column 378W, on flood protection, what the relationship of flood defence committees to internal drainage boards is. | | (145038) | 90
| Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much her Department spent on advertising in each year since its creation. | | (144885) | 91
| Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much her Department spent on marketing in each year since its creation. | | (144887) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 92
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he is holding with the Colombian Government on human rights and freedom for trade union activities. | | (144921) | 93
| Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information has been given to the British embassies in each of the Member and Candidate States of the European Union about the practical implications for the UK health food sector of the provisions of the Food Supplements Directive; what action each embassy has been instructed to undertake to support the achievement of UK policy objectives in relation to the setting of maximum permitted levels for nutrients in food supplements; and if he will make a statement. | | (144873) | 94
N | Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if it is his policy that the reform of the forest sector in Liberia should be a precondition to the lifting of UN sanctions on timber from Liberia. | | (143495) | 95
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many senior civil servants in his Department are disabled, expressed in (a) numbers and (b) as a percentage of whole-time equivalents. | | (144979) | 96
N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on (a) the retention of independence by the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC), (b) the ability of the EUMC to initiate (i) thematic, (ii) national and (iii) racial specific inquiries and (c) the ability of the EUMC to sponsor education and research on racism in (A) the European Union and (B) applicant states; and what action he is taking in each case. | | (143423) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 97
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what provisions in the National Service Framework for long-term conditions will address the needs of long-term epilepsy sufferers. | | (144703) | 98
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress he has made in addressing the concerns raised in the National Sentinel Clinical Audit of Epilepsy-related Death, published in May 2002. | | (144704) | 99
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to change the level of funding available for services for long-term epilepsy sufferers at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. | | (144705) | 100
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what (a) inpatient, (b) outpatient and (c) long-term provision is available for epilepsy sufferers in Birmingham. | | (144706) | 101
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will set out for (a) England and (b) each strategic health authority the KT23 statistics for each year since 1996. | | (144757) | 102
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost of amputations due to diabetes was in each year since 1996 in (a) England and (b) each strategic health authority; how many people in each case have had amputations due to diabetes in each year since 1996; and what assessment his Department has made of the proportion of amputations due to diabetes that could have been prevented. | | (144776) | 103
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library a copy of the results of the Public Health Skills Audit referred to in the Department's memorandum of evidence to the Health Committee inquiry into public health. | | (144781) | 104
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the cost of agency spending on staff other than doctors and nurses in the NHS in (a) England and (b) each strategic health authority for each year since 1997, broken down by category of staff. | | (144782) | 105
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether each (a) region, (b) strategic health authority and (c) primary care trust has a director of public health posts and whether the post is filled in each case. | | (144783) | 106
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the public health content of strategic health authority local development plans; and if he will make a statement. | | (144784) | 107
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the (a) budget allocations and (b) actual spending of the Health Development Agency in each year since 2000. | | (144785) | 108
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the (a) budget allocation and (b) actual spending of Health Promotion England for each year since 2000. | | (144786) | 109
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list for each (a) strategic health authority and (b) primary care trust the number of school nurses in each year since 1996. | | (144787) | 110
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list for each (a) strategic health authority and (b) primary care trust the three month vacancy figures for school nurses in each year since 1996. | | (144788) | 111
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list for each (a) strategic health authority and (b) primary care trust the number of consultants in communicable diseases in each year since 1996. | | (144789) | 112
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list for each (a) strategic health authority and (b) primary care trust the three month vacancy figures for consultants in communicable diseases in each year since 1996. | | (144790) | 113
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the arrangements are for ensuring that in every part of England an annual report on the health of the population is produced by a director of public health. | | (144791) | 114
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements have been made to collect and analyse the annual reports of directors of public health; and what guidance he has given to ensure comparability between reports. | | (144792) | 115
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the budget for each patients' forum, broken down by (a) staff and (b) non-staffing costs. | | (144809) | 116
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many members each patients' forum had at 1st December, broken down by (a) sex and (b) ethnicity. | | (144810) | 117
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many expressions of interest in membership have been received for each of the first wave of foundation applicant trusts. | | (144811) | 118
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the cost of the website www.mindnseek.net; and if he will make a statement. | | (144936) | 119
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library a copy of the evaluation of the Read the Signs anti-stigma programme. | | (144937) | 120
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the percentage increase in emergency calls to ambulance trusts (a) over the last year and (b) over the last six years for (i) England and (ii) each ambulance trust. | | (144938) | 121
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what protocols written by his Department govern incentives received by (a) general practitioners and (b) other prescribing staff to prescribe certain prescriptions; how compliance with these protocols is monitored; and if he will make a statement. | | (144939) | 122
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations his Department has received about the treatment of practice staff by general practitioners; what the complaints procedure is in the event of staff concerns; and if he will make a statement. | | (144940) | 123
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what procedures are used to collect central statistics to monitor progress towards the 48 hour general practitioner access target; and if he will publish the latest statistics available.
| | (144941) | 124
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people (a) the Department would like to see vaccinated and (b) have so far been vaccinated against smallpox as part of the Government's plans; and if he will make a statement.
| | (144942) | 125
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much land his Department is proposing that the Government should buy for key worker houses.
| | (144943) | 126
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much NHS land his Department is planning to sell at the latest date for which figures are available.
| | (144944) | 127
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much money is owed within the NHS; by whom; and to whom it is owed.
| | (144945) | 128
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what contracts his Department has awarded to KBR; what the value of the contracts is; and if he will estimate the total fees to date.
| | (144946) | 129
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what contracts have been awarded under the NHS National Programme for information technology.
| | (144947) | 130
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 8th December, Official Report, column 320W, on Valuing People, if he will list the other centrally funded projects which were funded through the £3.3 million.
| | (144948) | 131
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has commissioned for an evaluation of diagnostic and treatment centres.
| | (144949) | 132
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the vacancy rates for perinatal pathologists in (a) England and (b) each region in each year since 1997.
| | (144950) | 133
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place copies of foundation trust applications in the Library. | | (144951) | 134
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 10th December, Official Report, columns 502-3W, on departmental staff, if he will list the job titles of each member of staff in the Health and Social Care Delivery Group. | | (144952) | 135
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 10th December, Official Report, columns 502-3W, on departmental staff, if he will list the job titles of each member of staff in the Health and Social Care Standards and Quality Business Group. | | (144953) | 136
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 10th December, Official Report, columns 502-3W, on departmental staff, if he will list the job titles of each member of staff in the Strategy and Business Development Group. | | (144954) | 137
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 10th December, Official Report, columns 502-3W, on departmental staff, what the activities are of each business group. | | (144955) | 138
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which applicants for foundation hospital trust status have indicated to him that they are considering pulling out of the application process; and what reasons they have cited.
| | (145012) | 139
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the rationale was for reducing the number of posts in his Department by 1,400; and from which policy areas the posts will be taken. | | (145024) | 140
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the impact of expenditure in the last five years on mental health services for children and adolescents. | | (145056) | 141
| Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people are waiting for the fitting of hearing aids in each primary care trust, having already had an assessment; and what the average time between assessment and fitting has been in the last 12 months. | | (144999) | 142
| Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what service standards he has set for NHS audiology services, with particular reference to the length of time for which patients for audiology services wait; and what action the Government is taking to improve performance against standards. | | (145034) | 143
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assistance his Department has given to social services departments to prepare for the commencement of fines for bed blocking. | | (144384) | 144
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the Government provided towards the cost of care home places per person in (a) England, (b) the West Midlands and (c) Coventry in the last year for which figures are available. | | (144385) | 145
| Jane Griffiths (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department gives to the National Blood Service on the questions which may be asked of potential blood donors; and if he will make a statement. | | (144861) | 146
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the consultation responses his Department has received with regard to the draft Continuing Care (National Health Service Responsibilities) Directions 2003. | | (144956) | 147
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will publish the Continuing Care (National Health Service Responsibilities) Directions 2003. | | (144957) | 148
| Mr Kevin Hughes (Doncaster North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures his Department has put in place to counter the shortages of (a) transplant consultants and (b) critical care nurses in the NHS outlined in the Transplant Framework for England, Saving Lives, Valuing Donors. | | (144891) | 149
| Mr Kevin Hughes (Doncaster North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what system will be put in place to monitor and evaluate the measurements of progress outlined in the Transplant Framework for England, Saving Lives, Valuing Donors; and what action he will take in the event of primary care trusts failing to make progress. | | (144892) | 150
| Mr Kevin Hughes (Doncaster North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what role he envisages charities and voluntary organisations will play in the implementation of the Transplant Framework for England, Saving Lives, Valuing Donors. | | (144893) | 151
| Mr Kevin Hughes (Doncaster North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how he intends primary care trusts to use the guidance set out in the Transplant Framework for England, Saving Lives, Valuing Donors, to tackle organ donation among ethnic minorities. | | (144894) | 152
| Mr Kevin Hughes (Doncaster North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department will be providing additional funding for the implementation of the recommendations outlined in the Transplant Framework for England, Saving Lives, Valuing Donors. | | (144932) | 153
| Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what further practical assistance will be given to industry by (a) his Department and (b) the Food Standards Agency in relation to the remaining ingredients that will not benefit from the more flexible interpretation of the requirements for dossier production under the provisions of the Food Supplements Directive agreed on 14th October; and if he will make a statement. | | (144869) | 154
| Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Minister for Public Health has set a date for his proposed meeting with Commissioner Byrne to discuss the interpretation of Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive. | | (144870) | 155
| Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the dates when he expects that Ministers from his Department will meet their counterparts in each of the Member and Candidate States of the European Union to discuss the interpretation of Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive; which officials will accompany Ministers at each of those meetings; what main points he expects will be made; and if he will make a statement. | | (144871) | 156
| Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many North Durham patients chose to have operations carried out at Bishop Auckland hospital in the last 12 months. | | (144863) | 157
| Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients who are under the care of consultants in County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust have been treated in the private sector, and at what cost, in the last 12 months. | | (144864) | 158
| Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients have been admitted to Bishop Auckland Hospital as a result of beds being unavailable at the University Hospital, Durham. | | (144865) | 159
| Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the non-executive members of the County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust; and in which parliamentary constituency each lives. | | (144866) | 160
| Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the costs were of establishing the County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust; and how much of these costs was associated with establishing management structures. | | (144867) | 161
| Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Darzi Review recommendations on health care in County Durham. | | (144868) | 162
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what groups he has assessed as being most at risk from and prone to mental illness resulting in them being a danger (a) to themselves and (b) to others. | | (144758) | 163
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many ex-offenders have in each of the last five years been (a) identified with and (b) treated for a mental illness sufficiently severe for them to have been regarded as a danger to themselves or others, broken down by region. | | (144759) | 164
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the national suicide prevention strategy. | | (144760) | 165
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in each region, in each of the last five years, broken down by age, ethnicity and sex have been identified as a danger to (a) themselves and (b) others as a result of mental illness. | | (144761) | 166
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many young people leaving care have been (a) identified with and (b) treated for mental illness sufficiently severe for them to have been regarded as a danger to themselves or others, broken down by region. | | (144762) | 167
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what resources were made available (a) centrally and (b) by health authority for the treatment both on a residential and outpatient basis of people thought to be a danger to (i) themselves and (ii) others as a result of mental illness in each of the last five years. | | (144763) | 168
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many residential treatment facilities are open, broken down by region, for people identified with a serious mental illness; and how many facilities were in operation in each of the last five years. | | (144764) | 169
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice has been issued to healthcare professionals when identifying and treating patients thought to be a danger to (a) themselves and (b) others as a result of mental illness; and how many attacks were made on healthcare professionals in the last 12 months, broken down by region. | | (144765) | 170
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many beds were available in each type of facility, broken down by region, for the containment and treatment of individuals thought to be a danger to (a) themselves or (b) others as a result of mental illness in each of the last five years. | | (144766) | 171
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on (a) the findings of the national survey of ethnic minority psychiatric illness rates in the community and (b) the action he will take as a result. | | (144812) | 172
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made in proactive screening programmes as a result of departmental awareness-raising schemes; what screening programmes are operating in each health authority area; and what action is being taken to increase screening in areas that are underspending in this area. | | (144813) | 173
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether Professor Sir Roy Meadow (a) holds a post in and (b) receives a retainer from his Department. | | (144995) | 174
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the progress of proposals to fund a joint unit at Gatwick Airport between immigration officials and members of West Sussex Social Services Child Protection Division. | | (144997) | 175
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many asylum seekers have arrived at Gatwick Airport in each of the last three years claiming to be minors and without identity documents. | | (144998) | 176
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what price is paid for each dose of radioactive, positron tracers used by each PET scanner centre. | | (145003) | 177
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the benefits of PET scans. | | (145004) | 178
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the most common uses of PET scans. | | (145005) | 179
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been spent by the West Sussex Social Care NHS trust on funding nurses to travel to Australia; and what the purpose of their visits was. | | (145006) | 180
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his latest estimate is of the value of properties to be sold as part of the Inventures/NHS Estates surplus property sale; and when he will make a statement about progress of the sale. | | (145007) | 181
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the number of PET scanners per head of the population in (a) England and (b) other EU countries.
| | (145013) | 182
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost of each PET scan to the NHS was in each of the five centres operating PET scanners in the last 12 months.
| | (145014) | 183
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff are (a) trained to operate PET scanners and (b) work in PET scanner departments in the NHS.
| | (145015) | 184
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many interpreters for deaf people are available in each hospital trust.
| | (145016) | 185
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements are in place to communicate with deaf mothers in labour in hospital maternity departments.
| | (145017) | 186
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many interpreters for deaf people are employed by the NHS.
| | (145018) | 187
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to expand the provision of PET scanners over the next five years.
| | (145019) | 188
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many PET scans were carried out in each of the last five years funded (a) privately and (b) by the NHS.
| | (145020) | 189
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many members of staff have left NHS Estates (Inventures) in each of the last three years.
| | (145021) | 190
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many school nurses are employed in each primary care trust.
| | (145022) | 191
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients of mental health hospitals have been found in possession of illegal drugs whilst resident in the last year; and if he will make a statement.
| | (145023) | 192
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons five of the posts for regional microbiologists formerly filled by group directors of the Public Health Laboratory Service are vacant. | | (145039) | 193
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many specialist consultants in infectious diseases there are in the UK. | | (145040) | 194
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre of the Health Protection Agency has in place a mechanism for collecting the number of deaths associated with (a) bloodstream infections and (b) MRSA. | | (145041) | 195
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the reasons for wide variations in MRSA bacteraemia statistics between hospital trusts; and whether the variations are linked to the size of the sample numbers used. | | (145043) | 196
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospital trusts have antibiotic pharmacists in post; and what the cost is in each case. | | (145044) | 197
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of NHS beds are single room beds, broken down by hospital trust. | | (145045) | 198
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which hospitals have dedicated purpose-built isolation and infection control wards. | | (145046) | 199
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what target he has set for reducing death and disablement from hospital acquired infections. | | (145047) | 200
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the normal life expectancy in the NHS is of (a) MRI, (b) CAT and (c) PET scanners.
| | (145055) | 201
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures he is taking to prevent the sale of illegal drugs to patients of mental health hospitals.
| | (145057) | 202
| Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what requirements were included in the contract awarded to SEAP for the provision of an independent complaints advisory service for Berkshire.
| | (144827) | 203
| Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements he has put in place to provide support and advice to patients with a complaint against the NHS in Berkshire pending establishment of an independent complaints advisory service.
| | (144828) | 204
| Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects an independent complaints advisory service to be established for Berkshire.
| | (144829) | 205
| Mr Andrew Mitchell (Sutton Coldfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what right existing publishers will have to republish listings of jobs advertised via the electronic recruitment project; and how listings will be made available to publishers.
| | (144824) | 206
| Mr Andrew Mitchell (Sutton Coldfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Department will retain the intellectual property rights for the services developed by third parties for the NHS electronic recruitment project.
| | (144825) | 207
| Mr Andrew Mitchell (Sutton Coldfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the percentage of NHS trusts required to use the electronic recruitment service to achieve the desired cost savings.
| | (144826) | 208
| Mr Andrew Mitchell (Sutton Coldfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to charge NHS users for the services provided by the planned electronic recruitment project; and whether NHS trusts' top line recruitment budgets will be altered to fund the electronic recruitment project. | | (144904) | 209
| Ms Meg Munn (Sheffield, Heeley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the outcome of the consultation exercise on clinical exceptions to the four hour emergency care target. | | (144888) | 210
N | Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the bodies that have made representations on the impact of top-up fees on NHS professionals. | | (144393) | 211
N | Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether foundation hospitals will be permitted to pay the (a) tuition and (b) top-up fees of recruits. | | (144394) | 212
| Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether courses attracting payment of tuition fees by the NHS will attract payment of top-up fees. | | (145029) | 213
N | Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library a copy of the full dossier submitted in relation to the Bt11 sweetcorn application. | | (144699) | 214
N | Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the requirements for a post approval safety monitoring plan specified in the new food and feed regulations for GM foods will be applied to Bt11 sweetcorn. | | (144700) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 215
| Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his Answer of 10th December, Official Report, column 497W, on the Nottinghamshire Criminal Justice Board, whether the action plans of local criminal justice boards are being sent to local honourable Members for comment. | | (145048) | 216
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action he is taking to overcome administrative problems over visas required by children at school in the UK who are resident abroad to travel home for holidays. | | (144933) | 217
| Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the staffing levels were at the Immigration and Customs posts at the Eurostar Terminal in Ashford on Friday 28th November between 18.00 and 00.00. | | (144902) | 218
| Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Immigration and Customs posts at the Eurostar Rail Terminal in Ashford are staffed at all times; and if he will make a statement. | | (144903) | 219
| Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applications there were from the Democratic Republic of Congo in each of the last six years; and what number and percentage of applications were accepted. | | (144741) | 220
| Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many failed asylum seekers were returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo in each of the last six years; and if he will make a statement. | | (144742) | 221
N | Dr Jack Cunningham (Copeland):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons the application by Mr Liton Miah for a work permit under the business and commercial arrangements on Form WP1 (REF ISCO/BO 69511) was refused on the grounds that he was of too high a level of skill; for what reasons he was subsequently refused after applying for a work permit under the sector based schemes on the grounds that he was of too low a level of skill (REF DWA/BO 69511); and if he will make a statement. | | (144082) | 222
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the reasons for admitting young offenders to HMP Gloucester following the announcement of closure of Ashfield Young Offender Institution. | | (144960) | 223
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the reasons are for the delay by the Director General of the Prison Service in replying to correspondence from the Independent Monitoring Board Chairman following the decision to re-admit young offenders to Gloucester Prison. | | (144961) | 224
| Annabelle Ewing (Perth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of asylum seekers in each country of the United Kingdom had gained prior to their entry into the UK (a) higher education qualifications or their equivalent, (b) professional qualifications or their equivalent and (c) secondary level qualifications or their equivalent in each year since 1997. | | (144817) | 225
| Annabelle Ewing (Perth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of asylum seekers in each country of the United Kingdom had achieved, prior to their entry into the UK, professional qualifications or their equivalent in (a) nursing, (b) medicine, (c) dentistry and (d) teaching in each year since 1997. | | (144818) | 226
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the membership, role and functions of the proposed Sentencing Guidelines Council; and what plans he has to ensure that there are representatives on the Council from all Government regions. | | (144743) | 227
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much money has been invested, and how many retailers have benefited, (a) in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, (b) in the North East and (c) in total from the Capital Modernisation Fund to assist small retailers in deprived areas. | | (144746) | 228
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans there are to develop the Capital Modernisation Fund to assist small retailers in deprived areas; and if he will make a statement. | | (144747) | 229
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much money has been invested, and how many schemes have received funding (a) in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, (b) in the North East and (c) in total under the Building Safer Communities initiative. | | (144748) | 230
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action is being taken in (a) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland and (b) the North East to help crime and disorder reduction partnerships deliver crime reduction; and if he will make a statement. | | (144749) | 231
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action is being taken in (a) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland and (b) the North East (i) to reduce gun crime and (ii) to disrupt drugs markets; and if he will make a statement. | | (144750) | 232
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Government-funded schemes resulting in the installation of CCTV cameras have received crime and disorder reduction partnership funds in (a) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland and (b) the North East since 2001. | | (144751) | 233
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action is being taken to strengthen co-ordination of local partnerships to ensure they are able to deliver the crime and drugs agenda in (a) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland and (b) the North East. | | (144752) | 234
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding has been made available to local communities to support interventions that (a) disrupt local drug markets by tackling both the supply and demand, (b) tackle drug-related crime and (c) address associated anti-social behaviour in (i) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, (ii) the North East and (iii) England. | | (144753) | 235
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on (a) improved information sharing between crime reduction partnerships and (b) the sharing of good practice techniques between police forces; and how such practices have benefited the residents of Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland. | | (144754) | 236
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on police community visibility schemes with particular reference to mobile police stations; and how he estimates such initiatives can reduce crime in the area covered by the Cleveland Police Force. | | (144755) | 237
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action is being taken to reduce and tackle persistent offending through targeting (a) prolific offenders and (b) improving security; where such schemes and projects are being trialled; and how and when such initiatives will be introduced in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland. | | (144756) | 238
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many senior civil servants in his Department are disabled, expressed in (a) numbers and (b) as a percentage of whole-time equivalents. | | (144978) | 239
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people aged under 18 have been returned to their families in their countries of origin in each of the last three years. | | (144992) | 240
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the cost to West Sussex County Council of the judgement in Behre and others v Hillingdon London Borough Council, on asylum seekers in local authority care. | | (144993) | 241
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many unaccompanied child asylum seekers arrived at Gatwick in each of the last three years; and how many of them are registered in care. | | (144994) | 242
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to respond to (a) the European Commission and (b) the EU presidency on the joint statement and conclusions from the November 2003 Conference on Youth Volunteering and Civic Service. | | (145035) | 243
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he intends to take an active part in developing full time civic service and transnational volunteering programmes for young people (a) in the UK and (b) with other EU member states and accession countries. | | (145036) | 244
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how he will involve the experience and contribution of UK youth volunteering organisations in the process of exchanging information, research, cooperation and development of civic service. | | (145037) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 245
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what aid his Department is providing to Colombia, with particular reference to aid to (a) help the development of civil society, (b) improve human rights and (c) encourage the activity of free trades unions. | | (144923) | 246
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many senior civil servants in his Department are disabled, expressed in (a) numbers and (b) as a percentage of whole-time equivalents. | | (144976) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 247
N | Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress has been made in introducing the proposed temporary ban on the killing or taking of Irish hares; and if he will make a statement. | | (144386) | 248
N | Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people in Northern Ireland are waiting for treatment with Remicade; and how many of these people have been waiting (a) less than six months, (b) between six and 12 months, (c) between 12 and 18 months, (d) between 18 and 24 months and (e) longer than 24 months. | | (144387) | 249
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many senior civil servants in his Department are disabled, expressed in (a) numbers and (b) as a percentage of whole-time equivalents. | | (144980) | 250
| Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what means he used to find out what people think of the Government's proposals for establishing stand-alone, midwife-led maternity units. | | (144777) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland 251
N | Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what changes have been made to the coverage of the block grant arrangements since 1979. | | (144664) | 252
N | Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what sums of money were (a) added to and (b) subtracted from the Scottish Consolidated Fund in each year since 1999. | | (144665) | 253
N | Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether the operation of the Barnett Formula has, since its introduction, (a) narrowed, (b) widened and (c) maintained relative per capita spending between Scotland and England; and if he will make a statement. | | (144666) | 254
N | Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimate he has made of the costs that would fall on (a) the Government and (b) business if the Scottish Parliament voted to use its powers to vary the basic rate of income tax as specified in Section 72 of the Scotland Act 1998. | | (144667) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 255
| Mr Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations she has made to the European Union on the suspension of duties on coke imported from China. | | (144922) | 256
| John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many responses were received to the consultation on the proposed closure of Stenhouse Cross Post Office; of these, how many (a) supported and (b) opposed the closure; and when she expects a final decision to be taken on the closure. | | (144823) | 257
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much has been made available in each year since 2001-02 to the devolved regions to support post office branches in deprived areas; and how much has been made available for future years. | | (144804) | 258
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what value of guarantees have been issued by the Export Credits Guarantee Department since 1997 which relate to (a) military and defence projects, (b) aerospace projects, (c) oil, petrochemical and gas projects, (d) environmental projects, (e) telecommunications and transport projects, (f) education and medical projects and (g) mining projects, broken down by country. | | (144806) | 259
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which unrecovered claims outstanding with the Export Credits Guarantee Department her Department has established as unrecoverable; who the debtor is in each case; what the amount of outstanding debt is in each case; and what the project type is. | | (144807) | 260
| Mr Michael Connarty (Falkirk East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the outcome was of the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council held on 15th December; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement. | | (144901) | 261
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will publish the list of licences granted for trade with Colombia which involve the export of military equipment. | | (144924) | 262
N | Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many proposals for closure have been made under the Urban Reinvention Programme for the Post Office network; how many closures have been made; how many such proposals have been reversed following consultation; what the locations are of post offices which have been reprieved following consultation; and what the reasons were for those branches remaining open. | | (143559) | 263
N | Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many and what proportion of sub-postmasters (a) have been offered compensation to close under the Urban Reinvention Programme, (b) have applied to close with compensation and (c) have applied to close with compensation and been refused. | | (143560) | 264
N | Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the proposed closure of the post office at 69-71 City Way, Rochester, Kent. | | (143561) | 265
N | Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what her estimate is of the number of broadband connected personal computers in the UK which have, unknown to the owner of the computer, been hijacked by computer programmes written by internet criminals and which also have the potential to serve as a platform for the spread of fraud, spam, paedophile images and organised crime over the internet; and what steps she is taking to counter this problem. | | (144391) | 266
| Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what grant assistance is available to trade associations to help them meet the costs of consultation and representation associated with European legislation; and if she will make a statement. | | (144872) | 267
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps are being taken to help people in the North East who are 50 and over who are not working to set up their own businesses. | | (144769) | 268
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the carbon reduction targets outlined in the Energy White Paper, what Government support is being given to research and development into (a) low carbon technologies and (b) lightweight vehicle design initiatives; and how much of that Government support has gone to companies conducting such research in (i) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland and (ii) the North East. | | (144770) | 269
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the role of, and funding given to, Fuel Cells UK. | | (144772) | 270
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many senior civil servants in her Department are disabled, expressed in (a) numbers and (b) as a percentage of whole-time equivalents. | | (144982) | 271
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the impact on wildlife of wind turbines. | | (145002) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 272
| Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what financial support is available from Government to assist returning the stretch of the A421, proposed to be de-trunked around Great Barford, Bedfordshire, following the construction of a by-pass, to its rural character. | | (144820) | 273
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what investigation he has undertaken of the condition of signalling equipment on the rail line between Gloucester and Bristol; and what safety appraisal he has sought from the different rail authorities. | | (144908) | 274
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement further to the recent Commission for Integrated Transport Report on proposals fundamentally to review how motorists pay to use the road network. | | (144814) | 275
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects (a) rail freight facility grants and (b) track access grants to recommence. | | (145011) | 276
| Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Department spent on advertising the Drink Drive Campaign in each year since 1997.
| | (144830) | 277
| Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department spent on marketing in each year since 1997. | | (144886) | 278
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the estimated average cost is of establishing a taxi rank in an urban area (a) at a major transport interchange and (b) at a main road. | | (144883) | 279
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list (a) the total mileage of roads in the Greater London area and (b) the total mileage of roads in the Greater London area where u-turns were forbidden for the last five years for which figures are available. | | (144884) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales 280
| Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when he expects the Dee Cockle Regulation Order to be implemented. | | (144779) | 281
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many senior civil servants in his Department are disabled, expressed in (a) numbers and (b) as a percentage of whole-time equivalents. | | (144986) | 282
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list reports produced by the Children's Commissioner for Wales. | | (145042) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 283
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the recommendations of the National Employment Panel for helping those on inactivity benefits back to work. | | (144934) | 284
| Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the honourable Member for Christchurch will receive a response to his letter of 31st October relating to the disability living allowance claim of Mr Harvey. | | (145000) | 285
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the evidence he used to derive the statement that the Post Office Card Account costs public funds at least 30 times more than direct payments into a bank account for clients of Job Centre Plus; and if he will publish the evidence. | | (144395) | 286
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with (a) the Department for Trade and Industry and (b) the Royal Mail on the advice that he is offering to Job Centre Plus clients about moving to direct payments. | | (144396) | 287
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the basis is for the Department's advice to Job Centre Plus clients that the Post Office Card Account is not the best option for direct payment. | | (144397) | 288
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the targets and benchmarks for the Department regarding the number of Job Centre Plus clients whom they wish to move to direct payment, broken down by (a) current accounts, (b) basic bank accounts and (c) Post Office Card Accounts. | | (144398) | 289
| Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what change there will be in the number of pensioner households and individuals who will qualify for pension credit in April 2004 as a result of the minimum income guarantee being increased in line with earnings while the savings threshold rises in line with prices. | | (144778) | 290
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether individuals are permitted to cash giros at post offices after 2pm. | | (144971) | 291
N | Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his latest estimate is of the number of pensioners who are not receiving pension credit but are receiving housing benefit and council tax benefit. | | (144701) | 292
N | Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer to the honourable Member for West Derbyshire of 9th December, Official Report, columns 416-7W, on pension credit, how many pensioner households in each Government Office region he estimates are eligible for pension credit. | | (144702) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 293
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much of the sum available to support post office branches in deprived areas of England has been allocated; which post offices have benefited; and by what amount. | | [Transferred] (144805) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 294
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assistance is available to children from low income families who wish to pursue careers in the performing arts; and what the most recent figures are for regional uptake. | | [Transferred] (144744) | 295
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many asylum seekers aged under 18 are in the care of social services, broken down by local authority. | | [Transferred] (144974) | 296
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children seeking asylum who have arrived in the UK are missing from care. | | [Transferred] (144996) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 297
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 9th December, Official Report, column 449W, on international trade, if she will make a statement on the impact of the Commons Agricultural Policy on the competitiveness of products from developing countries. | | [Transferred] (144808) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 298
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) women and (b) men are in prison having been convicted of causing the deaths of their own children. | | [Transferred] (145030) | 299
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) women and (b) men have been convicted in each of the last 10 years for causing the deaths of their own children. | | [Transferred] (145031) | Questions to the Solicitor General 300
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Solicitor General, in how many cases in which parents were charged with causing the death of a child, was expert evidence given by Professor Sir Roy Meadow. | | [Transferred] (145032) | 301
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Solicitor General, how many (a) women and (b) men are serving jail sentences as a result of court cases in which expert evidence was given by Professor Sir Roy Meadow. | | [Transferred] (145033) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 302
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made against the EU target for biofuels to reach two per cent. of the petrol and diesel market by December 2005. | | [Transferred] (144771) |
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