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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Thursday 18 December 2003
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Thursday 18 December 2003
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Thursday 18 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 18 December of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Thursday 18 December see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 1
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many teenage pregnancies there were in the last 12 months. | | (145316) | 2
N | Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to set up a realisation fund for outstanding Export Credits Guarantee Department debt. | | (144835) | 3
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what measures have been used by the Inland Revenue to notify small businesses of their obligations under section 660A of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988; and if he will make a statement. | | (145233) | 4
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue has been raised under section 660A of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 in each of the past six years. | | (145234) | 5
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the impact that backdating payments under section 660A of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 will have on small businesses. | | (145235) | 6
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many enquiries the Inland Revenue has received from small businesses in regard to section 660A of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988. | | (145236) | 7
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many companies have (a) been investigated for possible contraventions of section 660A of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 and (b) had action taken against them as a result in each year that the Act has been in operation. | | (145238) | 8
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent information has been made available to small businesses about how section 660A of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 will be applied; and if he will make a statement. | | (145239) | 9
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on what evidence he has based his decision to adopt a non-legislative route to tackle competition issues within the banking payments system; and if he will make the evidence public. | | (145256) | 10
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with (a) the banking industry and (b) small business organisations in relation to competition within the banking payment system. | | (145258) | 11
| Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to reward people for caring for older relatives. | | (145109) | 12
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how his Pre-Budget Report plans for full employment will help older people who wish to remain in the labour market. | | (145129) | 13
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of the increase in forecast growth he estimates results from increases in public spending for each of the next three years. | | (145162) | 14
N | David Winnick (Walsall North):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will reply to the letter of 11th November from the honourable Member for Walsall North concerning the statement by members of the Royal Commission on Long Term Care.
| | (144854) | 15
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families with children were eligible for child tax credit in (a) St Helens and (b) Merseyside in (i) 2001, (ii) 2002 and (iii) 2003. | | (145151) | Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 16
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will make a statement on the implications for an individual of having a parent, sibling or peer designated with enduring power of attorney, with particular reference to the Draft Mental Incapacity Bill. | | (145204) | 17
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what plans his Department has to support the work of professionals who are required to give evidence to the Court of Protection under the provisions of the Draft Mental Incapacity Bill. | | (145205) | 18
| Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what assessment he has made of the number of peers who would be interested in relinquishing their right to sit in the House of Lords. | | (145068) | 19
| Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many members he expects the statutory independent Appointments Commission for the House of Lords will have; how many members of the commission will be appointed; and if he will make a statement. | | (145069) | 20
| Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many responses he received to the Constitutional Reform: next steps for the House of Lords consultation document; how many of these responses came from (a) government departments and agencies, (b) political parties and honourable Members, (c) peers serving in the House of Lords, (d) peers removed under the House of Lords Act 1999, (e) main representative groups and interested parties and (f) ecclesiastical representatives and organisations in (i) England, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales and (iv) Northern Ireland; and when the Government intends to issue its response to the responses received. | | (145071) | 21
N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will publish the (a) procedures and (b) timetables being followed by the Government to produce the list of nominees for election by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe as United Kingdom Judge on the European Court of Human Rights; and whether the list will include at least one man and one woman. | | (142453) | 22
N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many senior appointments in the administration of the European Court of Human Rights are unfilled; and for how long the vacancies have been unfilled. | | (142454) | 23
N | Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what steps he has taken to resolve the outstanding difficulties relating to the pensions and social security rights of judges of the European Court of Human Rights; and when he expects the matter to be concluded. | | (142455) | 24
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what provisions are made across departments of Government to reward whistleblowers for providing information leading to successful detection of fraud or other crime; and how many and what sizes of rewards have been made in the past five years. | | (145211) | 25
N | Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many hours, and what budgets were allocated, for (a) training of magistrates and (b) training of magistrates clerks on anti-social behaviour orders in each magistrate authority, listed in descending order according to average amount spent on training for magistrates' clerks since the introduction of anti-social behaviour orders. | | (144832) | 26
N | Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will list the magistrate benches that (a) do and (b) do not cooperate in joint police, local authority and magistrate courts training. | | (144836) | 27
N | David Winnick (Walsall North):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, when Lord Filkin will reply to the letter of 13th November from the honourable Member for Walsall North on the release of the 1911 Census results.
| | (144856) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 28
N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with representatives of One North East regarding (a) the tourism industry and (b) the Northumbria Tourist Board. | | (144962) | 29
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make a statement on the readiness of OFCOM to assume regulatory duties on 29th December. | | (145086) | 30
| Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much her Department spent on information literature, advertising and campaign material in each financial year since 2000-01. | | (145224) | 31
| Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the budget is for South West Arts for 2003-04; and what percentage is spent on administration. | | (145260) | 32
| Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment has been made of customer satisfaction with South West Arts; and if she will publish the results. | | (145261) | 33
| Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many staff are employed by South West Arts. | | (145262) | 34
| Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful applicants for funding from South West Arts in each of the last five years. | | (145263) | 35
| Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding each regional tourist board in England has received from its regional development agency in each year since regional development agencies were established. | | (145264) | 36
N | Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the total amount of Lottery grants given to (a) the richest 100 wards in the UK and (b) the poorest 100 wards in the UK was (i) from the inception of the Lottery to May 1st 1997 and (ii) from May 2nd 1997 to date. | | (144837) | 37
N | Paddy Tipping (Sherwood):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she intends to publish the report commissioned by the Right honourable Member for Holborn and St Pancras on funding from the New Opportunities Fund for children's play. | | (144668) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 38
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps are being taken to ensure the safety of civilian contractors working for the allied forces in Iraq. | | (145278) | 39
N | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions he has raised (a) the waiver for United Kingdom companies from the United States International Traffic in Arms regulations and (b) the fasttrack for United Kingdom defence export permits with the US Administration; and when he expects these issues to be resolved.
| | (144853) | 40
| Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effect on Northern Ireland of the Defence White Paper, Delivering Security in a Changing World; and if he will make a statement. | | (145075) | 41
| Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the formula to be applied to compensation payable to ex-servicemen wrongly taxed on their service attributable pension will provide a return on the income wrongly deducted which is at least equivalent to the return which would have been obtainable had the individual lent the equivalent sum to the Government under the National Savings scheme and received an element of damages; and whether the sum payable will be based on interest compounded (a) annually and (b) semi-annually. | | (145140) | 42
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what legal costs have been incurred in defending the retention of Fisher and Wright in HM Armed Services following their release from prison. | | (145170) | 43
| Richard Ottaway (Croydon South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, further to his letter of 30th November on Split North Port, Croatia, how much the rent payable for the Split North Port was during the relevant period; and how much the underpayment was. | | (145219) | 44
| Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the allegations of fraud and bribery in relation to the Al Yamamah arms contracts. | | (145217) | 45
| Phil Sawford (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which British companies are known to have supplied (a) weapons and (b) weapons technology to Iraq in the 10 years prior to the Gulf war in 1991. | | (145295) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 46
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to extend the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill to Northern Ireland. | | (145315) | 47
| Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether the number of people in receipt of disability living allowance and attendance allowance within a local authority area is taken into account in determining the amount of central Government block grant funding the local area receives. | | (145158) | 48
| Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, which local authorities he is assessing for (a) the introduction of relationship managers and (b) transferring the control of their services to other councils; and what criteria he has used in making these assessments. | | (145229) | 49
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when the outcome of the Government's consultation on a possible tenancy deposit scheme will be announced; and if he will make a statement. | | (145272) | 50
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what training the Government (a) has given and (b) is giving to local authorities to ensure that they are aware of the extent of their power to act as a financial institution in the housing market as provided by the Regulatory Reform Act 2002. | | (145296) | 51
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what arrangements he has put in place to ensure that local authorities in the process of developing empty property strategies to increase housing resources and aid regeneration take empty commerical buildings into account. | | (145298) | 52
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what arrangements he has put in place to ensure that local authorities are devoting adequate human resources to empty home strategies, with particular reference to the appointment of dedicated empty properties officers. | | (145299) | 53
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to provide incentives for landlords to ensure that their properties remain occupied. | | (145300) | 54
N | Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of whether the number of disputes requiring adjudication under a tenancy deposit scheme would differ from the current rate of alleged unreasonable withholding of deposits; and if he will make a statement.
| | (144858) | 55
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what recent action the Government has taken to promote sheltered housing; and if he will make a statement on the provision of sheltered housing in York and North Yorkshire. | | (145125) | 56
| Mr Eric Pickles (Brentwood & Ongar):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much his office spent on information campaigns and advertising in 2003-04 to date. | | (145275) | 57
| Mr Ken Purchase (Wolverhampton North East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, further to HB/CTB circular S9/2003 paragraphs 46-51, whether he is planning any consultation with local authorities on the ways in which the Transitional Protection Scheme will operate in 2004-05 and 2005-06; if he will provide exemplifications to local authorities before 1st January 2004 setting out the potential financial implications for 2004-05 and 2005-06 at an individual authority level of the Transitional Protection Scheme; and what guidance the Government will be providing to individual local authorities. | | (145191) | 58
N | Mr Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what target has been set for the turnout in the referenda on regional assemblies. | | (144874) | 59
N | Mr Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what budget has been agreed within the three Government Offices for the Regions to increase turnout in referenda on regional assemblies; and what organisational changes are planned in the three Government offices to help increase the turnout in the referenda on regional assemblies. | | (144875) | 60
N | Mr Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what guidance he has given to Government Offices for the Regions on increasing the turnout in the referenda on elected regional assemblies. | | (144876) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 61
N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what recent advice he has given to (a) diocesan boards of education and (b) local education authorities, regarding the budget for capital works available to voluntary aided schools in 2004/05; and if he will make a statement. | | (144669) | 62
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what recent representations he has received concerning the possibility of a common entrance qualification for Commonwealth universities; and if he will make a statement. | | (145087) | 63
N | Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many assaults have been recorded on (a) teachers and (b) other local authority education staff in Bedfordshire in (i) the last year for which figures are available and (ii) each of the previous five years. | | (144899) | 64
N | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of the proportion of the proposed top-up fee income which will be required to be applied for in bursaries.
| | (144852) | 65
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many undergraduate students there were in the United Kingdom on the latest date for which figures are available broken down by (a) age, (b) nature of course and (c) type of institution. | | (145106) | 66
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 3rd December, Official Report, column 94W, on top-up fees, when he expects to publish the regulatory impact assessment. | | (145118) | 67
N | Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many schools participated in the Pathfinder Transforming the School Workforce project in 2003-04; what the total value of that support was; and what financial support will be given to these schools in 2004-05.
| | (144846) | 68
N | Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many local education authorities have made it a condition of supporting a school's bid for specialist status that the school does not exercise its right to select pupils by aptitude.
| | (144847) | 69
N | Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many specialist schools have exercised their right to select pupils by aptitude.
| | (144848) | 70
| 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 the City of York. | | (145134) | 71
N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, in how many cases in the last five years schools have turned down a job applicant following checks against List 99. | | (144965) | 72
N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what duties are placed on social services departments to pass relevant details to the Department of Health and Department for Education and Skills for additions to List 99. | | (144966) | 73
N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether it is compulsory for schools to check List 99 before employing an individual; and what safeguards are in place to ensure that schools do so. | | (144967) | 74
| Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which of the Government's (a) numeracy and (b) literacy targets for 11 year olds were missed in 2002. | | (145202) | 75
| Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what proportion of 11 year olds have reached the required standard in (a) English and (b) numeracy in each year since the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy, broken down by local education authority. | | (145203) | 76
| Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much funding has been provided to implement the Government's (a) numeracy and (b) literacy strategies in each year since 1998. | | (145206) | 77
| Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children have had access to Sure Start local programmes in England and Wales in each year since 1998; and how many are expected to have access to such programmes in 2004. | | (145265) | 78
| Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many extra childcare places have been created in each year since 1997. | | (145266) | 79
| Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much funding has been made available for childcare for each year since 1997. | | (145267) | 80
| Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many registered childminders there were in England and Wales in each year since 1997. | | (145268) | 81
| Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many childcare places have been created in the 20 per cent. most disadvantaged wards in each year since 1997. | | (145269) | 82
| Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much funding was made available for (a) primary schools and (b) all schools in England and Wales to pay for in-service training for teachers in each year since 1997. | | (145270) | 83
| Mr Gerry Steinberg (Durham, City of):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 15th December, Official Report, column 666W, on higher education, at what level of parental income students will no longer be eligible for the full maintenance loan; and at what level of parental income students will be eligible for no more than 75 per cent. of the maintenance loan. | | (145131) | 84
N | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children's centres there are; what the locations are of (a) existing and (b) planned children's centres; and how many of each are in deprived areas. | | (144707) | 85
N | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the definition is of approved childcare. | | (144708) | 86
N | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to expand Sure Start schemes. | | (144709) | 87
N | Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on Sure Start funding mechanisms. | | (144715) | 88
N | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on how the National Curriculum promotes awareness of sustainable development. | | (144710) | 89
N | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of the cost to universities of administering the proposed bursaries; and if he will make a statement. | | (144711) | 90
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children under 18 there were in the care of the local authority in (a) St Helens and (b) Merseyside in (i) 2001, (ii) 2002 and (iii) 2003. | | (145150) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 91
N | Mr Peter Atkinson (Hexham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects to receive the report from the Forestry Commission England on the control of grey squirrels. | | (144116) | 92
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what position the Government took at the recent climate change meeting in Italy in respect of GM trees. | | (145135) | 93
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the outcome of the recent climate change meeting in Milan. | | (145136) | 94
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what advantages to parish councils and their communities will follow from an award of quality council status to that council. | | (145137) | 95
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason pesticides still hold provisional approval after five years; what the longest period is for which a pesticide has held provisional approval; and what she estimates the total tonnage used in the UK of pesticides provisionally approved in each category to be in the most recent year for which figures are available. | | (145176) | 96
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the status of the ghost ships in Hartlepool. | | (145249) | 97
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the (a) use and (b) resistance to anthelmintics in the UK; and if she will make a statement on (i) anthelmintics, (ii) flukicides and (iii) similar Pharmacy and Merchants List drugs being under veterinary dispensing control. | | (145222) | 98
| Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 16th December, ref 143598, if she will list the public objectives of Regional Producers (Wiltshire) Ltd. | | (145223) | 99
N | Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the review of Deca-BDE; and what advice she has received on potential alternatives. | | (144388) | 100
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Department spent on information campaigns and advertising in 2002-03. | | (145248) | 101
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government is on target to ensure that 95 per cent. of all sites of special scientific interest are in a favourable condition by 2010. | | (145250) | 102
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to change the number of sites of special scientific interest in England. | | (145251) | 103
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding was available for the (a) protection and (b) promotion of sites of special scientific interest in each of the past three years; and how much will be available for (i) 2003-04 and (ii) 2004-05. | | (145252) | 104
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the sites of special scientific interest in the Vale of York. | | (145253) | 105
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the Government's policy on sites of special scientific interest. | | (145254) | 106
| Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the progress of the fluvial strategy for the River Trent. | | (145207) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 107
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Written Statement, 2nd December, Official Report, columns 57-8WS on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Strategy White Paper, for what reason protection of the environment is not included in the list of international strategic priorities; and if he will make a statement. | | (145276) | 108
N | Mr A.J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the Pitcairn Island criminal cases which are to be tried in New Zealand are expected to be heard; what discussions his Department has held with the Pitcairn (a) Chief Justice and (b) Supreme Court on this matter; and if he will list those who occupy the positions of (i) Lord Chief Justice and (ii) judges of the Pitcairn Supreme Court. | | (144117) | 109
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the administrative consequences for nationals of (a) the UK and (b) Zimbabwe consequent on that country's government's announced withdrawal from the Commonwealth. | | (145085) | 110
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to provide advice on the security situation in Iraq to UK civilians offered employment there. | | (145279) | 111
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the average wage paid to engineers from (a) Iraq, (b) the USA and (c) the UK who are working on reconstruction projects in Iraq is. | | (145280) | 112
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps are being taken to recruit Iraqi engineers for reconstruction programmes in Iraq. | | (145281) | 113
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what measures are in place to ensure that reconstruction funds in Iraq are administered in a way that secures value for money. | | (145282) | 114
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much of the allocated reconstruction budget for Iraq has been spent on contracted expatriate employees; and what estimate has been made of future expenditure in this regard. | | (145283) | 115
N | Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list countries which he considers to be in breach of Article 18 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights; in which respects each country is in breach; and if he will make a statement. | | (143192) | 116
N | Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on the proposals by Greece for an Olympic Truce during the Olympic Games in the summer of 2004; and if he will make a statement. | | (144877) | 117
N | Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the outcome of the elections for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Parliament on 14th December. | | (144878) | 118
| Mr Roger Godsiff (Birmingham, Sparkbrook & Small Heath):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the full minutes and proceedings for meetings of the International Advisory and Monitoring Board for the Development Fund for Iraq will be published. | | (145119) | 119
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make enquiries about the whereabouts of the two Colombian military officers found guilty of the murder of Manuel Capeda. | | (145138) | 120
| Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received during the last 12 months from Mr Imad Hage. | | (145209) | 121
| Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what meetings (a) officials and (b) ministers in his Department have held during 2003 with Mr Imad Hage. | | (145215) | 122
| Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether United Kingdom representatives in Iraq had prior knowledge of the raid on the headquarters of the Iraqi Federation of Workers' Trade Unions on Saturday, 6th December. | | (145218) | 123
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his (a) Indian and (b) Pakistani counterpart concerning the alleged police killing of two civilians near the Jehum Valley Hospital in Srinagar, Kashmir; and if he will make a statement. | | (145292) | 124
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had since 4th November with representatives of the Governments of (a) Pakistan and (b) India on progress in dealing with the Kashmir situation. | | (145293) | 125
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what confidence-building programmes are (a) funded, (b) supported, (c) proposed and (d) initiated by his Department aimed at resolving the Kashmir situation; and if he will make a statement. | | (145294) | 126
N | Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Attorney General on sending Crown Prosecutors to Guantanamo Bay to consider what charges might be brought against the British detainees. | | (144838) | 127
N | Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what contingency arrangements have been made for the transport of British detainees in Guantanamo Bay to the United Kingdom to stand trial. | | (144839) | 128
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what funding his Department has given to Burundi in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003. | | (145152) | 129
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the use of child soldiers in the countries of the Great Lakes region in Africa. | | (145153) | 130
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the leader of Burundi on preventing the supplying, training and arming of rebel groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo. | | (145154) | 131
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his assessment is of the situation in Burundi. | | (145155) | 132
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance has been given in the last five years for the reconstruction of Burundi, including (a) assisting returning displaced people and disaster victims and (b) disarmament, demobilisation, retraining and rehabilitation of fighters. | | (145156) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 133
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the allocations to primary care trusts (PCTs) of the funding announced in his Department's press release of 18th September; and what guidance he will issue to PCTs on how their allocations on local dental services are to be spent. | | (145178) | 134
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the NHS spent on anticholinesterase inhibitors for people with Alzheimers disease in each year since 1997.
| | (144843) | 135
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to ensure that people in long-term care with Alzheimers disease are assessed for use of anticholinesterase inhibitors.
| | (144844) | 136
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to re-issue guidance to trusts to ensure that local decisions about whether to prescribe Ebixa on the NHS for people with moderate to severe Alzheimers disease are not postponed in the absence of guidance from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.
| | (144845) | 137
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how he intends to measure the success of the Investing for Health target for the percentage of young people who have not experienced sexual intercourse before the age of 16. | | (145317) | 138
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the (a) content of and (b) links from the LifeBytes website's section on sex and relationships. | | (145318) | 139
| Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements he has put in place for co-ordination between NHS Plus and the NHS University in the delivery of learning services to external health care providers. | | (145241) | 140
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will set out for each year of the programme the (a) total number of people who took part in smoking cessation programmes and (b) number of four week quitters; and what assessment he has made of the number and proportion of four week quitters who subsequently recommenced smoking. | | (145078) | 141
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to evaluate Sure Start schemes; and what arrangements have been made to ensure that lessons from such evaluations are disseminated. | | (145079) | 142
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to evaluate New Opportunity-funded healthy living programmes; and what arrangements have been made to ensure that the lessons from such evaluations are disseminated. | | (145080) | 143
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will set out for each Strategic Health Authority the (a) budget and (b) spending on (i) language support, (ii) interpreting services and (iii) ethnic monitoring in 2002-03. | | (145081) | 144
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will set out for each year since 1996 the amount (a) budgeted for and (b) spent on research and development; what proportion of the Departmental, including NHS, budget this represents; how much of the research and development budget has been (i) allocated and (ii) spent on public health; and what proportion of the research and development budget this represents. | | (145082) | 145
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will set out performance indicators and targets set by his Department in each year since May 1997 that concern public health, listing (a) when they were first set, (b) interim milestones or goals, (c) substantive revisions to the content and (d) those that were abandoned, with reasons why they were dropped. | | (145083) | 146
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many calls relating to colds or influenza were made to NHS Direct in each week in November and December to date, broken down by the age groups (a) 0 to 4, (b) 5 to 14, (c) 15 to 44, (d) 45 to 64 and (e) 65 years and over. | | (145084) | 147
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to target smoking cessation activity on middle-aged women. | | (145227) | 148
N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it the policy of the Government that those who have been waiting for more than six months for an (a) audiology hearing assessment and (b) audiology assessment should be able to have such assessments (i) carried out privately and paid for by the NHS and (ii) carried out overseas at NHS expense. | | (145049) | 149
N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action the Government is taking to guarantee that everyone in Dorset who can benefit from a digital hearing aid provided on the NHS will have received one by April 2005. | | (145050) | 150
N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in Dorset he estimates may benefit from digital hearing aids; and what proportion of these will have been fitted with digital hearing aids by 1st April (a) 2004 and (b) 2005. | | (145051) | 151
N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list in respect of each primary care trust the number of people waiting for a hearing assessment, and the number waiting for more than six months. | | (145052) | 152
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what basis it was decided that a threshold of 15,000 square metres should be used to determine which shopping developments should be exempt from full entry requirements in relation to his Department's proposals for the deregulation of pharmacy services. | | (145228) | 153
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with the Department for International Development regarding the rights of people suffering from mental health problems in the developing world.
| | (144841) | 154
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking in conjunction with his counterparts in the Department for Education and Skills to promote awareness of links between physical and mental health in young people.
| | (144842) | 155
| Jim Dobbin (Heywood & Middleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research has been conducted in teenage girls on the safety of an increase in the dosage of the emergency hormonal contraceptive Levonelle to a single dose of two tablets taken together. | | (145303) | 156
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure that NHS Live 2004 is not used to communicate party political messages. | | (145221) | 157
| Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will extend the National Service Framework to include targets for the diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias; and if he will make a statement. | | (145074) | 158
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will investigate the delay in admitting Mrs H. Potter of Warrington to Wrightington Hospital; and if he will make a statement. | | (144879) | 159
N | Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children are awaiting BCG vaccination as a result of the interruption in its administration between August 2002 and the beginning of 2003; and if he will make a statement. | | (144389) | 160
N | Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the number of medical professionals trained in the techniques necessary to administer the BCG vaccination. | | (144390) | 161
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on recruitment of chief executives of the Public Health Laboratory Service, with particular reference to the merits of recruiting (a) deputy chief medical officers and (b) microbiologists with experience of clinical practice. | | (145165) | 162
| Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department spent on information campaigns and advertising in 2002-03. | | (145286) | 163
| Mr George Osborne (Tatton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the current funds are in the discretionary fund available to victims and families of new variant CJD; what the outstanding claims are on that discretionary fund; and if he will make a statement on the future operation of the discretionary fund. | | (145112) | 164
| Mr George Osborne (Tatton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to end payments for wigs for chemotherapy patients in England. | | (145149) | 165
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to approve the governance arrangements of the first wave of foundation hospitals. | | (145194) | 166
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what percentage of the adult population of England are registered with a general practitioner. | | (145197) | 167
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of Castle Point residents were registered with an NHS dentist in each of the last five years. | | (145161) | 168
N | David Winnick (Walsall North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will reply to the letter of 10th November from the honourable Member for Walsall North, on the Royal Commission on Long Term Care, transferred to his Department from the Department for Work and Pensions.
| | (144855) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 169
| Mr David Atkinson (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his plans to introduce a £500 surcharge on immigrants to the UK includes those entering to study at English language schools; and if he will make a statement. | | (145139) | 170
N | Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 2nd December, Official Report, column 43W, on written answers, how many of the parliamentary questions tabled prior to the last four days available for tabling have now been answered; and if he will list in respect of those not yet answered (a) the date of tabling and (b) the reason for the delay. | | (145053) | 171
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the role of individual police authorities is in the public private partnership between O2 and the Police Information and Technology Organisation; and if he will make a statement. | | (145192) | 172
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the performance of multi-agency public protection panels. | | (145271) | 173
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to change the number of countries (a) on the white list and (b) for which a visa to enter the United Kingdom is required; and if he will make a statement. | | (145273) | 174
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many posts are vacant in the National Probation Service; for how long these posts have been vacant; what the average length of time taken to fill vacant posts was in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. | | (145287) | 175
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times the police have used powers under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000; how many individuals this involved; and if he will make a statement. | | (145288) | 176
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many women prisoners there are; and how many are imprisoned for offences relating to drugs. | | (145289) | 177
| Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been arrested through powers exercised under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001; how long the detention lasted in each case; and if he will make a statement. | | (145076) | 178
| Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 in tackling terrorism in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. | | (145077) | 179
| Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his policy is on returning to Zimbabwe people from that country who have made an unsuccessful claim for asylum in the United Kingdom. | | (145301) | 180
| Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his policy is on granting exceptional leave to remain to Zimbabwean nationals who claim asylum in the United Kingdom. | | (145302) | 181
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders have been applied for in the Vale of York in each of the past three years. | | (145123) | 182
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many acceptable behaviour contracts have been put in place in the Vale of York in each of the past three years. | | (145124) | 183
N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the number of employers who have decided not to employ someone as a result of a Criminal Records Bureau disclosure in the last five years; and what guidance is given to employers to ensure that such decisions are based on a fair assessment of the relevance of disclosed offences. | | (144963) | 184
N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of employees turned down for jobs following a Criminal Records Bureau check in the last five years. | | (144964) | 185
N | Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many refusals to grant anti-social behaviour orders there have been in each magistrate area, listed in descending order of number of refusals. | | (144831) | 186
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much his Department has spent on remand fostering schemes in each year since 1998. | | (145171) | 187
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the use of deprivation of liberty in the youth justice system. | | (145172) | 188
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when consolidating legislation to create consistent definitions and terminology within the youth justice system will come into effect. | | (145173) | 189
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to ensure that the principle of non-discrimination is fully implemented within the youth justice system. | | (145174) | 190
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many remand fostering schemes there are. | | (145175) | 191
| Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been prevented from committing suicide in 2003. | | (145088) | 192
| Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans the Prison Service has to introduce a public interest immunity policy. | | (145090) | 193
| Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children in prison were awarded GCSEs in 2003. | | (145091) | 194
| Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people are in a persistent vegetative state as a result of attempting to hang themselves in prisons. | | (145092) | 195
| Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children received into Stoke Heath Young Offenders' Institution in the past year were on the Child Protection Register. | | (145093) | 196
| Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether children held in segregation units in young offender institutions attend normal classes for education. | | (145094) | 197
| Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps are being taken to ensure six hours of purposeful activity and a minumum of 10 hours out of cell per day for child prisoners held in segregation. | | (145095) | 198
| Dr Rudi Vis (Finchley & Golders Green):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) secure children's home places and (b) places for children in prison were available in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2003; and if he will make a statement. | | (145213) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 199
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps are being taken to encourage (a) the use of alternative crops and (b) non-farming livelihoods in the Afghan provinces.
| | (144859) | 200
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what action he will take to increase access to anti-retroviral drugs for HIV positive people in the African pandemic area. | | (145160) | Questions to the Leader of the House 201
| Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Leader of the House, how many representations have been made to his Office which are (a) for and (b) against (i) the present sitting hours of the House and (ii) September sitting of the House. | | (145067) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 202
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many students graduated from teacher training colleges in each of the last five years; and how many were employed in a school within one year of graduating. | | (145304) | 203
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what percentage of students attending university in each of the last five years came from families where (a) one or more of the parents also attended university and (b) neither parent attended university. | | (145305) | 204
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what action he is taking to make play areas more accessible for disabled children. | | (145306) | 205
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what measures are in place to tackle the rise in childhood obesity. | | (145307) | 206
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people enrolled on a modern apprenticeship course in September. | | (145308) | 207
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many students who enrolled at university in Northern Ireland failed to complete their course in each of the last five years. | | (145309) | 208
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the major banking groups in Northern Ireland regarding access to bank accounts at post offices. | | (145310) | 209
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people have opened a Post Office Card Account. | | (145311) | 210
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much funding was allocated for the advertising campaign for the direct payment of pensions and benefits. | | (145312) | 211
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to assist those pensioners with small occupational pensions or savings who are not eligible for the Warm Homes Scheme to upgrade to a non-manual central heating system. | | (145313) | 212
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average time taken in the last 12 months was to process assessments of applications to upgrade heating systems through the Northern Ireland Housing Executive's Disabled Facilities Grant Scheme, broken down by Health and Social Services trust area. | | (145314) | 213
N | Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the strike action undertaken by the Northern Ireland Civil Service. | | (144672) | 214
| Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people in Northern Ireland are diagnosed with arrhythmia; what steps he is taking to raise awareness of this condition in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. | | (145070) | 215
| Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the main interested parties and local resident groups in relation to the review of the planning agreement affecting (a) traffic volumes and (b) operational hours at Belfast City Airport; and if he will make a statement. | | (145177) | 216
| Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many public sector dwellings are in the ownership of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in the Portstewart area; and what plans are in place to provide for social housing in this area. | | (145101) | 217
| Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many and what types of Senior Civil Service posts were filled over the past 12 months; and how many of such posts were filled by public advertisement. | | (145102) | 218
| Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list the total value of (a) house burglaries and (b) attacks on the person in the Coleraine Borough in the last three years; and what additional resources have been made available to address this problem. | | (145103) | 219
| Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) house searches, (b) arrests and (c) convictions have taken place involving members of Loyalists paramilitary groups in the Coleraine Borough in each year since 2000. | | (145104) | 220
| Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the Northern Ireland Housing Executive plans for reducing the time taken to process grant applications for home improvements. | | (145105) | 221
| Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when new trains will be introduced to the Belfast-Derry railway; and when work will begin on upgrading the track north of Ballymena. | | (145141) | 222
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what his policy is on whether a member of the (a) Human Rights Commission and (b) Equality Commission may accept a nomination to contest an election for (i) a district council, (ii) the Northern Ireland Assembly and (iii) the Westminster Parliament; and what account he took of the Paris Principles in determining that policy. | | (145212) | Questions to the Prime Minister 223
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library copies of his letters to President Putin, referred to in his Answer of 10th November, Official Report, column 3W; and if he will make a statement on when he expects the Kyoto Protocol to come into force. | | (145195) | 224
| Richard Ottaway (Croydon South):To ask the Prime Minister, whether copies of the transcript prepared by Radio Technical Services of the briefing given by him en route to Hong Kong on 22nd July have been made available to the Press. | | (145062) | 225
| Richard Ottaway (Croydon South):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will publish the
transcript prepared by Radio Technical Services of the briefing given by him en route to Hong Kong on 22nd July. | | (145063) | 226
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 15th December, Official Report, column 657W, on honours, how many honours have been returned since 1st January 1997, broken down by type. | | (145058) | 227
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 15th December, Official Report, column 657W, on honours, how many people returning honours gave a reason for returning the honour. | | (145059) | 228
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will bring forward proposals for changing the system for awarding honours. | | (145066) | 229
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Prime Minister, what the procedure is for returning an honour; and if he will make a statement. | | (145072) | 230
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Prime Minister, how many people in each year since 1997 refused an honour, broken down by type of honour. | | (145073) | 231
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Prime Minister, when he will invite the House of Lords Appointments Commission to submit its recommendations for the second round of people's peers. | | (145196) | 232
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Prime Minister, whether the work of the Iraq Survey group will be suspended pending the receipt of information from Saddam Hussein on the location of weapons of mass destruction; and if he will make a statement. | | (145199) | 233
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Prime Minister, when he expects to meet the new Prime Minister of Canada; and if he will discuss with him parliamentary reform in Canada, with particular reference to the greater use of free votes. | | (145200) | 234
| Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr):To ask the Prime Minister, what meetings his officials have held during 2003 with Mr Imad Hage. | | (145214) | 235
| Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr):To ask the Prime Minister, what representations he has received during the last 12 months from Mr Imad Hage. | | (145216) | Questions to the Solicitor General 236
N | Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Solicitor General, what assessment she has made of the case for bringing charges of treason against British detainees in Guantanamo Bay upon their return to the United Kingdom. | | (144840) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 237
N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what funding allocations have been made by each of the regional development agencies for the promotion of (a) tourism and (b) the arts in (i) 2003-04 and (ii) 2004-05; and if she will make a statement. | | (144671) | 238
N | Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on her Department's assessment of the debt owed to the Export Credits Guarantee Department by other nations; what assessment has been made of how much of these debts can be recovered and from whom; how her Department plans to recover them; and what targets have been set for their recovery. | | (144833) | 239
N | Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what guarantees the Export Credits Guarantee Department has issued to each heavily indebted poor country in each year since 1997; what the (a) value and (b) project type was in each instance; and what the total outstanding debt owed by each country is (i) in total and (ii) broken down by (A) amounts at risk, (B) unrecovered claims and (C) moratorium interest accrued on the unrecovered claims. | | (144834) | 240
N | Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how the Energy Bill will change the role of the Crown Estate with regard to (a) seabed control, (b) taxation of marine renewables and (c) planning control of marine renewables. | | (144898) | 241
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many inspectors are employed by Government departments and agencies to carry out statutory inspections of small business premises. | | (145230) | 242
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many statutory inspections of business premises took place in each of the last five years. | | (145231) | 243
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many statutory inspections carrying a right to entry onto business premises were carried out in each year since 1997. | | (145232) | 244
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had with the Treasury regarding (a) the decision to backdate payments under section 660A of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 and (b) the impact this will have on small businesses. | | (145237) | 245
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she has made of the cost to small businesses of complying with new legislation introduced in each year since 1997. | | (145257) | 246
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she has made of the costs to small businesses resulting from the recent strike by postal workers. | | (145259) | 247
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures have been taken to promote the manufacturing industry within schools. | | (145120) | 248
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many young people in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have entered the manufacturing industry following school in each year since 1997. | | (145121) | 249
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many young people in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have been employed in the manufacturing industry in each year since 1997. | | (145122) | 250
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what responsibility for defining exceptional circumstances in relation to closure under the network reinvention programme of post offices in the 10 per cent. most deprived wards lies with (a) her Department, (b) the Royal Mail Group, (c) Post Office Ltd and (d) Postwatch. | | (145054) | 251
| Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list, for each regional development agency, its board members showing (a) for councillor members, their party and local authority and (b) for other members, any declared party affiliation and the principal business or voluntary organisation to which they belong. | | (145060) | 252
| Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, who appoints board members of regional development agencies. | | (145061) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 253
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his Answer of 16th December, Official Report, column 794W, on US Ships (decommissioning), by whom an application could be made. | | (145193) | 254
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the compatibility of public service obligations on regional air services with European Commission regulations. | | (145284) | 255
| Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Cunninghame South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the ownership of BAA following the publication of the Government's White Paper on aviation; and what plans he has to break up the company. | | (145157) | 256
| Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay in completing the Bristol/Bath to South Coast Study; and what estimate he has made of the likely completion date. | | (145226) | 257
| Mr Archie Norman (Tunbridge Wells):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representations he has received from the Strategic Rail Authority concerning the ability of railway stations to conform to the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. | | (145089) | 258
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to rule out, for the foreseeable future, any further schemes for a new airport in the Thames estuary. | | (145163) | 259
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the uses to which surplus funds from (a) speed and (b) red light cameras are put in Essex. | | (145164) | 260
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost of running (a) speed and (b) red light cameras in Essex was in each of the last five years; and what the estimated costs are for the current financial year. | | (145168) | 261
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people were killed in road traffic accidents on Essex roads in each of the last five years. | | (145169) | 262
N | Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he still expects the Air Accident Investigation Branch to publish in December its report of the investigation of a series of cabin air quality incidents involving BAe 146 aircraft and other similar incidents; and if he will make a statement. | | (144970) | 263
| Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what use is made of satellite tracking systems in detecting pollution incidents in United Kingdom waters. | | (145240) | 264
| Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many prosecutions have been brought by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in each of the last 10 years; and how many of them have resulted in convictions. | | (145242) | Questions to the Minister for Women 265
| Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Minister for Women, what recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding policies to reward women for caring for older relatives. | | (145111) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 266
N | Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the new system for calculating child maintenance will be implemented with regard to existing cases.
| | (144849) | 267
N | Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what order the process of moving Child Support Agency maintenance cases onto the new system of assessment will be introduced in the regions.
| | (144850) | 268
N | Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what percentage of child support cases are being assessed using the (a) old and (b) new system for calculating child maintenance liability.
| | (144851) | 269
N | Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to remove differences in treatment of child support assessments between existing and new cases.
| | (144857) | 270
N | Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the pension fund prospects for employees at Triplex Peterborough. | | (144968) | 271
N | Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will include in the forthcoming bill on company pensions proposals to assist employees whose pensions are affected by company take-over. | | (144969) | 272
| Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the merits of reducing the time a person must be unemployed before being given New Deal 50 plus support. | | (145107) | 273
| Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to persuade employers of the economic benefits of having an age-diverse workforce. | | (145108) | 274
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make the help and advice offered by New Deal 50 plus available immediately rather than after a period of six months unemployment. | | (145126) | 275
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to implement flexible retirement ages. | | (145127) | 276
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received on (a) a flexible retirement age, (b) full employment for over 65s who wish to remain in work and (c) the operation of New Deal 50 plus to make support available immediately rather than after six months. | | (145130) | 277
| Julie Morgan (Cardiff North):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were refused bereavement benefit in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03; and what the reasons given were for refusal, broken down by (i) numbers and (ii) percentages. | | (145225) | 278
| Mr George Osborne (Tatton):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Pre-Budget Report, paragraph 4.10, if he will list those organisations that will delivery mandatory short intensive work-focused courses for all jobseeker's allowance claimants aged 25 or over at the six month stage; and if he will list the pilot areas. | | (145113) | 279
| Mr George Osborne (Tatton):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Pre-Budget Report, paragraph 4.62, what independent assessment has been undertaken to learn from the best current New Deal provision. | | (145114) | 280
| Mr George Osborne (Tatton):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Pre-Budget Report, paragraph 4.63, what independent assessment has been undertaken to consider the scope for simplifying current processes to make systems easier for (a) employers, (b) clients, (c) advisers and (d) providers. | | (145115) | 281
| Mr George Osborne (Tatton):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) status of and (b) timescale for completion of the Employment Retention and Advancement Project is. | | (145117) | 282
| Mr George Osborne (Tatton):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects to reply to the letters from the honourable Member for Tatton to the Minister for Pensions of 12th March and 25th April. | | (145132) | 283
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he estimates that Child Support Agency cases existing prior to 3rd March will be transferred to the new scheme. | | (145159) | Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office 284
| Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will list vacancies for posts on public bodies which have been advertised since 2001, indicating in such case the number of (a) posts, (b) applicants, (c) persons interviewed and (d) appointments made. | | [Transferred] (145277) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 285
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many companies have been rejected for entry into the tonnage tax scheme in each year since the system was introduced; and how many of these were operating under (a) the red ensign and (b) other flags. | | [Transferred] (145285) | 286
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will give new powers to the Office of Fair Trading to enable it to address competition issues within the banking payments system; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (145255) | 287
| Mr George Osborne (Tatton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what percentage of the working population in each region of the UK is government employees. | | [Transferred] (145116) | 288
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps are being taken to trace funds which may have been deposited in UK banks by members of the former Iraqi regime; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (145198) | 289
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many lone parent workless households there were in each of the last three years. | | [Transferred] (145290) | 290
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many children in workless households there were in each of the last three years. | | [Transferred] (145291) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 291
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make it his policy to include a statutory tenancy deposit scheme in the Bill on tenancy reform. | | [Transferred] (145274) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 292
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is his policy that the forthcoming bill on corporate killing should encompass pharmacovigilance. | | [Transferred] (145220) | 293
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much revenue Essex police received from the operation of (a) speed and (b) red light cameras in 2002-03. | | [Transferred] (145166) | 294
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much was levied in fines resulting from (a) speed and (b) red light cameras in Essex in each of the last five years. | | [Transferred] (145167) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 295
N | Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations she has received regarding the effect of the Tetra communications system on terrestrial television reception; from which areas representations have been received; and if she will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (144670) | 296
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will ensure that those who choose to work after 65 enjoy the same employment rights as those under 65. | | [Transferred] (145128) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 297
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what additional money has been given to the British Transport Police in this financial year for their duties under the Terrorism Act 2000. | | [Transferred] (145133) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 298
| Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what time-frame he has set for ending pensioner poverty. | | [Transferred] (145110) | 299
| Mr John Hayes (South Holland & The Deepings):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with private landlords regarding proposals to pay housing benefit directly to tenants; and what the outcome of those discussions was. | | [Transferred] (145297) |
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