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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Wednesday 7 January 2004
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Wednesday 7 January 2004
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 7 January 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 7 January of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Wednesday 7 January see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 1
N | Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how often he has met on a one-to-one basis senior representatives from (a) major industrial companies and (b) oil and gas companies. | | (145653) | 2
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the UK levies applicable to UK-produced wine. | | (146472) | 3
| Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what account public sector pay review bodies take of rates of (a) staff turnover and (b) vacancies in assessing benefit packages offered by public sector bodies in different regions and localities. | | (146706) | Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 4
N | Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the (a) overall cost per annum and (b) average cost per case was for legal aid for asylum cases in each of the last five years. | | (145795) | 5
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what measures are being taken to increase access to justice for the disadvantaged. | | (146667) | 6
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what recent steps the Department has taken to promote gender recognition. | | (146668) | 7
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Home Affairs on delivering an efficient asylum process. | | (146671) | 8
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how much the Department spent on the delivery of the asylum process in the last financial year. | | (146672) | 9
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, on how many occasions the Secretary of State met the Secretary of State for Home Affairs to discuss (a) asylum seekers and (b) reform of the criminal justice system in the last 12 months. | | (146673) | 10
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what recent steps the Department has taken to promote (a) freedom of information, (b) data protection and (c) human rights. | | (146674) | 11
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what steps the Department is taking to ensure access to justice. | | (146675) | 12
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to cut (a) costs and (b) waste in the justice system. | | (146676) | 13
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the cost of the justice system was in (a) 1995, (b) 1997, (c) 1999, (d) 2001 and (e) 2003; and what the projected cost is in 2004-05. | | (146677) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 14
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the failure rate of the bomblets in the cluster munitions his Department purchased from BAe Systems in 2003; whether the use of these munitions in Iraq has contributed to the assessment; and if he will make a statement. | | (146431) | 15
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date his Department was informed of the purchase in early 2003 by BAe Systems UK from Israel Military Industries of 26,000 155mm L20 cluster artillery shells; whether the order was made at the behest of his Department; what his Department's response was in respect of this proposed purchase; on what date a Minister was first notified of this proposed purchase and what his response was; on what date his Department purchased these cluster shells from BAe Systems and at what cost; for what reason his Department purchased these cluster shells from BAe Systems rather than from Israeli Military Systems directly; and if he will make a statement. | | (146471) | 16
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the UK has bulk-stored herbicides with a view to possible military application; and if he will make a statement. | | (146707) | 17
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the role and function is of the unit set up under Operation Rockingham; what its cost was in the last financial year; and if he will make a statement. | | (146708) | 18
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the investigation into the death, in British custody, of Baha Mousa, in Iraq; when the investigation is likely to be completed; and whether the findings will be made public. | | (146515) | 19
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many married quarters (a) were released to Annington Homes in each year since 1996 and (b) are projected to be released in each of the next five years; what the location is in each case; and what factors influence decisions on releases. | | (146516) | 20
| Glenda Jackson (Hampstead & Highgate):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what percentage of British troops are engaged in security duties for American commercial and business interests in Iraq. | | (146573) | 21
| Glenda Jackson (Hampstead & Highgate):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British personnel are engaged in the Iraq Survey Group; and when he expects its next report to be published. | | (146579) | 22
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the United Kingdom Government's policy is on the export of (a) bacillus anthracis, (b) clostridium botulinum, (c) histoplasma capsulatum, (d) brucella, (e) melitensis and (f) clostridium perfringens by other countries. | | (146722) | 23
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the periods in dry-dock of each Royal Fleet Auxiliary oiler in each year since 1997. | | (146505) | 24
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the (a) year of construction and (b) anticipated year of decommissioning of each oiler in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. | | (146506) | 25
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the suitability of current Royal Fleet Auxiliary oilers for future expeditionary warfare. | | (146507) | 26
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to use ships taken up from trade as oilers in future expeditionary warfare. | | (146508) | 27
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has for replacement oilers for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. | | (146509) | 28
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the due decommissioning dates are for each of the (a) Swiftsure class submarines and (b) batch 3 Type 22 frigates; and which of these dates have been brought forward during the past year. | | (146510) | 29
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his latest estimate is of the maximum number of aircraft which will be capable of deployment on each future aircraft carrier. | | (146511) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 30
N | Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether he plans to implement the requirements of Directive 2002/91 on the energy performance of buildings under the European Communities Act 1972. | | (145750) | 31
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many regular firefighters were employed by the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service on 1st December 2003. | | (146436) | 32
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on progress made to implement the provisions of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 which will allow leaseholders of houses to select their own insurer. | | (146678) | 33
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what recent assessment has been made of the operation of the Emergency Tri-Service Centre in Gloucestershire. | | (146569) | 34
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what complaints he has received on the balloting arrangements of local authorities consulting tenants on plans to transfer their housing stocks. | | (146630) | 35
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what research he has commissioned on the growth of holiday homes in areas where there is a perceived shortage of affordable housing, with particular reference to pressure on local services. | | (146631) | 36
| Mr Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what guidance he has issued to local authorities regarding the provision of short breaks for families caring for children with severe learning disabilities. | | (146484) | 37
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the job losses in (a) Suffolk and (b) East Anglia which will result from the regionalisation of the Fire Service. | | (146522) | 38
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what reduction in the number of managerial jobs he expects to result from the regionalisation of the Fire Service in East Anglia. | | (146523) | 39
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, under what powers he would implement the regionalisation of the Fire Service without the consent of Suffolk County Council. | | (146524) | 40
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what (a) operational benefits and (b) other advantages to the people of East Suffolk he expects to accrue from his plans to regionalise the Fire Service. | | (146525) | 41
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what financial benefits to (a) the Treasury, (b) Suffolk County Council, (c) taxpayers and (d) council taxpayers in Suffolk he expects to accrue from his plans to regionalise the Fire Service. | | (146526) | 42
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with (a) retained and (b) full-time firefighters in Suffolk on his plans to regionalise the Fire Service; and what their advice was. | | (146527) | 43
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what community consultation he has held in Suffolk on his plans to regionalise the Fire Service. | | (146528) | 44
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what evidence he has received to support his proposal that the fire station in Orford would provide a swifter and more efficient service if controlled by the same centralised system as Rickmansworth. | | (146529) | 45
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what research relating to East Anglia he has commissioned to provide factual backing for his plans to regionalise the Fire Service. | | (146530) | 46
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with the Suffolk Police Authority on his plans to regionalise the Fire Service. | | (146531) | 47
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with Suffolk County Council on his plans to regionalise the Fire Service. | | (146532) | 48
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whom he has consulted on the plans to regionalise Suffolk's Fire Service. | | (146533) | 49
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, for what reason the budget of the Arson Control Forum is projected to rise from £1.36 million in 2002-03 to £4.02 million in 2003-04 and to £4.80 million in 2005-06. | | (146420) | 50
| Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what account he took, in setting the revenue support grant for Wychavon District Council for 2004-05, of cost pressures on the council flowing from (a) administering the new local plan, (b) implementing the law on high hedges, (c) administering the Supporting People programme, (d) deregulation of building control services, (e) ending of Market Towns Initiative funding, (f) ending of Local Government On-Line funding and (g) compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000. | | (146549) | 51
| Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what account he took in setting the revenue support grant for Wychavon District Council for 2004-05, of cost pressures on the council flowing from (a) implementation of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 on council property, (b) compliance with new legislation on homelessness, (c) provision for migrant workers, (d) changes to insurance premiums, (e) audit and inspection fees, (f) implementation of new licensing arrangements, (g) provision of recycling and waste services and (h) increases in employer contributions to pension funds. | | (146550) | 52
| Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what account he took, in setting the revenue support grant for Wychavon District Council for 2004-05, of cost pressures on the council flowing from (a) the requirement for more consultation with the community to improve local accountability and community leadership, (b) the administration of Anti Social Behaviour Orders, (c) further requirements for dealing with stray dogs, (d) administration of the standards regime for regulation of District and Parish Councils, (e) the need to have the financial capacity to improve following Comprehensive Performance Assessment inspection and (f) the requirement to develop a cultural strategy. | | (146555) | 53
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much has been allocated to the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Housing Board for 2003-04; and how much of this is allocated by them to (a) repairs and renovation of council housing and (b) privatisation of council housing. | | (146422) | 54
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much has been allocated in the current financial year by the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Housing Board to gap funding for privatisation of council housing to (a) North East Lincolnshire and (b) other local authorities; and what the allocation of gap funding per council property is in each area which has received it. | | (146423) | 55
| Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what procedures are available to residents of shire boroughs and districts to request a referendum on a major local issue. | | (146571) | 56
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what organisations responsible for the distribution of European Union regional funding currently operate in the (a) North East, (b) Yorkshire and Humberside and (c) North West regions; and what organisations in each of those areas are in receipt of such funding. | | (146683) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 57
| Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much earmarked funding has been provided to local authorities for children's services in each of the last three years for which figures are available. | | (146732) | 58
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list the schools in Huntingdon which ran a budget deficit in the year ending 31st March 2003; and how much this deficit was for each school. | | (146434) | 59
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many full-time (a) primary and (b) secondary school teachers were employed in Huntingdon on 1st December 2003. | | (146435) | 60
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what proportion of 16 to 18 year olds in Huntingdon (a) started further education courses and (b) completed such courses in each year since 1999. | | (146437) | 61
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) enrolments and (b) graduations there were in each of the last three years in Cambridgeshire further education colleges in (i) construction, (ii) computing, (iii) software engineering, (iv) electronics, (v) manufacturing engineering and (vi) hospitality, catering and tourism. | | (146442) | 62
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to increase opportunities for young people in the field of environmental engineering, with particular reference to the provision of (a) courses in further education and (b) modern apprenticeships. | | (146545) | 63
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps he is taking to address difficulties in assessing value added improvements in secondary schools where part of their intake have not previously been evaluated in terms of SATS and teacher assessment. | | (146560) | 64
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment has been made of toilet training for children; and whether any research has been conducted on this subject. | | (146727) | 65
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the number of children who have been adequately toilet trained prior to entry to school. | | (146728) | 66
| Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will trial the modern apprenticeship in sporting excellence scheme before it is introduced to all relevant sporting organisations. | | (146458) | 67
| Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how the more academically gifted young footballers' academic requirements will be taken into account when the modern apprenticeship in sporting excellence scheme is introduced. | | (146459) | 68
| Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will delay the introduction of the modern apprenticeship in sporting excellence scheme until full consultation has been possible with all those involved. | | (146460) | 69
| Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will allow sporting organisations more flexibility than provided for in the proposed modern apprenticeship in sporting excellence scheme to adapt the scheme to allow progression in careers other than sport. | | (146461) | 70
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answers of 11th December 2003, Official Report, column 608W, on education spending, what effect the announcement of additional funding for 2004-05 in the Chancellor's Pre-Budget Report will have on the sums provided; and what the sums provided were in 2003-04. | | (146521) | 71
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on differences in information technology curricula between the main examination boards. | | (146658) | 72
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many teachers were provided with information technology equipment to use in their own home in the last year for which figures are available. | | (146659) | 73
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps he is taking to increase the information technology skills of teaching staff. | | (146660) | 74
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the Government's policy is on the use of mobile phones in schools by (a) pupils and (b) staff. | | (146661) | 75
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps the Government is taking to retain teachers. | | (146662) | 76
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what methods are used to measure regional differences in educational standards. | | (146663) | 77
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what measures are in place to promote recruitment of teachers of information and communication technology. | | (146664) | 78
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on pupil exclusions. | | (146665) | 79
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what provisions are being implemented to promote the safety of teachers, with particular reference to violent pupils. | | (146666) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 80
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the level of (a) Green Box support, (b) Amber Box support and (c) Blue Box support is from the UK Government to agriculture. | | (146645) | 81
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many abandoned vehicles were collected in Huntingdon in 2002-03; what the average length of time was from notification to collection; and if she will make a statement. | | (146433) | 82
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many fuel poor households there are in each district council area in Cambridgeshire; and what her estimate is of how many (a) children and (b) elderly people are living in fuel poor households. | | (146443) | 83
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research has been (a) undertaken and (b) commissioned by her Department on (i) illegal animal movements, (ii) illegal culling of wildlife and (iii) illegal hunting of protected species. | | (146567) | 84
| Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the polluter pays principle applies to management of the municipal waste stream; and if she will make a statement. | | (146517) | 85
| Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she plans to extend the statutory duty on local authorities with regard to recycling and composting beyond 2005-06; and if she will make a statement. | | (146518) | 86
| Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the delay of the landfill allowance trading scheme until 2005. | | (146519) | 87
| Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of delaying the introduction of the landfill allowance trading scheme on achieving the UK's compliance with the Landfill Directive; and if she will make a statement. | | (146538) | 88
| Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many tonnes of material have been recycled as a direct result of the Waste and Resources Action Programme's activity; what the average cost to public funds was per tonne of such recycled material; and if she will make a statement. | | (146540) | 89
| Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what action she is taking to prevent the importation of plant material that may act as a host to sudden oak death infection; and if she will make a statement. | | (146456) | 90
| Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what additional resources are being made available to the Plant Health Inspectorate in connection with sudden oak death; and if she will make a statement. | | (146457) | 91
| Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of (a) the lead content in glass television screens and (b) lead glass in crystal for household use, with respect to the disposal of hazardous waste; and if she will make a statement. | | (146716) | 92
| Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford & Southend East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance she will provide to fruit and vegetable retailers following the Law Lords' decision on the case against Asda relating to European Union definitions of fruit and vegetables. | | (146719) | 93
| Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford & Southend East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the scale of penalties which will be incurred by retailers for selling (a) peaches which are less than 5.6cm in diameter, (b) bananas which are less than 13.97cm long and (c) carrots which are less than 1.9cm at the thick end, following the Law Lords' decision on the case against Asda initiated by her Department. | | (146720) | 94
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the scientific expectancy is of fish stock improvement in the North Sea following the 10 per cent. cut in the sand eel quota. | | (146681) | 95
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which other European Union member states' fishing vessels will have to comply with the restricted areas in EU waters due to commence on 1st February. | | (146682) | 96
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much food, by weight, is required to produce one kilo of marketable farmed salmon; how much raw marine resource, by weight, is required to make one kilo of fish food; where that food is sourced from; and what the content of that food is. | | (146712) | 97
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much farmed salmon has been produced from the United Kingdom salmon farms over the last 10 years. | | (146713) | 98
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what type of trawl is used as standard for scientific fisheries research within the European Union. | | (146714) | 99
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the escape characteristic is that cod have for avoiding towed fishing gear. | | (146715) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 100
| Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Israeli authorities in advance of the court hearing scheduled for 7th January, concerning the proposed demolition of the peace centre called Beit Arabiya in the West Bank village of Anata. | | (146561) | 101
| Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the implications for the UK's responsibilities as (a) a permanent member of the UN Security Council and (b) a high contracting party to the 4th Geneva Convention of the International Court of Justice's decision to open hearings into the legal consequences of the construction of the wall in the occupied Palestinian Territory. | | (146562) | 102
| Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how he intends to respond to the invitations from the International Court of Justice to member states to submit written evidence by 30th January to the hearings it is organising into the legal consequences of the construction of the wall in the occupied Palestinian Territory; and whether he will indicate by 13th February whether the UK intends to take part in those hearings. | | (146563) | 103
| Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of (a) the amount of Palestinian land planned for appropriation by Israel under the map released by the Israeli Government on 23rd October 2003 to construct the Separation Wall and (b) the amount of land that will be made inaccessible to its owners by the wall. | | (146564) | 104
| Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of (a) the amount of Palestinian land (i) appropriated and (ii) planned for appropriation by Israel in the area around Jerusalem to construct the Separation Wall and (b) the amount of land in that area already made inaccessible to its owners by the Wall. | | (146565) | 105
| Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of (a) settlement buildings, (b) movement restrictions on Palestinians, (c) planning regulations, (d) rules of residence and (e) construction of the Separation Wall on the extent to which Israel is fulfilling its responsibilities towards the character and status of Jerusalem under UN Security Council Resolutions 242, 267, 476 and 478; and what representations he is making on the issue. | | (146566) | 106
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of weapons imported into Iraq in 2003 (a) prior to and (b) subsequent to the invasion by Coalition Forces; for what purpose this was done and to whom they were supplied; whether such supply was in breach of the UN arms embargo; and if he will make a statement. | | (146432) | 107
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the advice given to UK visitors to Thailand. | | (146481) | 108
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he proposes to hold discussions with the new government in Georgia. | | (146482) | 109
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an appraisal of the threat posed by North Korea, with particular reference to its policy towards acquisition of nuclear weapons. | | (146483) | 110
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the extent of human rights abuses by Russian forces in Chechnya. | | (146684) | 111
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what role he envisages for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Chechnya. | | (146685) | 112
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what evidence his Department has of links between Chechens and (a) al-Qaeda, (b) Iraqi insurgents and (c) other practitioners of terrorism. | | (146686) | 113
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he (a) has made and (b) intends to make to the Russian authorities to persuade them (i) to cease compelling displaced Chechens to return to the war zone, (ii) to allow humanitarian organisations access to camps containing displaced Chechens, (iii) to avoid closing such camps without providing alternative accommodation and (iv) to issue invitations to UN specialist agencies to visit Chechnya. | | (146687) | 114
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Russian authorities in respect of (a) the mass bombardment of civilians in Chechnya, (b) the desirability of negotiations to bring the conflict to an end and (c) the applicability of internationally accepted standards of conduct to this conflict. | | (146709) | 115
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to support the arraignment before an international criminal court of individuals suspected of war crimes in Chechnya. | | (146710) | 116
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what mechanism the European Union has to expel a member state. | | (146711) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 117
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether public health nurses are employed within the NHS. | | (146323) | 118
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 15th December, Official Report, column 772W, on maternity services, to what extent women are able to choose whether they will be seen in a midwifery-led maternity unit; and what effect the policy of their local health authority has on choice. | | (146324) | 119
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether it is the Government's policy that women should be able to choose to be treated in a midwife-led maternity unit. | | (146325) | 120
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the vacancy rates were for health visitors in (a) the UK, (b) London and (c) each region for each year since 1997. | | (146326) | 121
| Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many adults with learning disabilities there were in the UK in (a) 1997 and (b) 2003; and how many of these were aged 60 or over. | | (146679) | 122
| Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much earmarked funding has been provided to local authorities for a (a) older people's services and (b) adults with learning disabilities in each of the last three years for which figures are available. | | (146731) | 123
| Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to provide earmarked funding to local authorities to (a) increase capacity and (b) modernise services for adults with learning disability. | | (146735) | 124
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much compensation was paid to patients and relatives by the NHS (a) in Cambridgeshire and (b) in England in each year since 1990. | | (146438) | 125
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people with dementia live in residential care (a) in Cambridgeshire and (b) in England; and how many people with dementia in residential care are funded by the NHS. | | (146439) | 126
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost of agency (a) nurses and (b) doctors has been to the NHS in Huntingdon in each year since 1999. | | (146444) | 127
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many admissions to accident and emergency departments in Cambridgeshire there were in each of the past 12 quarters, broken down by hospital. | | (146448) | 128
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many publicly-funded care home places there were in Huntingdon in each year since 1999. | | (146449) | 129
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the average waiting time for a first consultant appointment in Cambridgeshire in each year since 1999. | | (146450) | 130
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) medical and clinical staff and (b) other types of staff were employed in the NHS in Cambridgeshire according to the most recently available survey of staffing. | | (146451) | 131
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimates he has made of the cost to the NHS in Cambridgeshire of health tourism in 2002-03. | | (146452) | 132
| Jim Dobbin (Heywood & Middleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for each of the maternal deaths associated with termination of pregnancy for the period 1991 to 1999, (a) under what section of the Abortion Act 1967 the termination of pregnancy was being performed, (b) at what stage of gestation the pregnancy was and (c) what the age of the mother was. | | (146478) | 133
| Jim Dobbin (Heywood & Middleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what investigations the (a) Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and (b) the Committee on the Safety of Medicines have conducted into the two suspected fatal reactions associated with the use of Mifegyne; and with what results. | | (146479) | 134
| Jim Dobbin (Heywood & Middleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many times the Government has consulted the Voluntary Euthanasia Society on end of life decision making since 1997, and on what issues. | | (146480) | 135
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nursing and care home places meet statutory requirements for people over 65 with sensory impairment, broken down by local authority. | | (146733) | 136
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the Government's strategy for ensuring that there are sufficient care and nursing home places which meet statutory requirements for people over 65 with sensory impairment to satisfy demand. | | (146734) | 137
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice has been given to trusts seeking foundation status on (a) building up an active membership and (b) demonstrating their understanding of mutual organisations. | | (146546) | 138
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance is issued to NHS Trusts on the disposal of NHS assets; and what changes are proposed as a result of foundation status being achieved. | | (146547) | 139
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research has been conducted on links between bowel and bladder problems in children and child abuse. | | (146723) | 140
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many parents have been (a) accused of and (b) admitted to abuse of their child as a result of nocturnal enuresis or daytime wetting. | | (146724) | 141
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research the Department has conducted into the prevalence of continence conditions in (a) children of offenders, (b) children in care, (c) children of asylum seekers and (d) children in lower socio-economic groups. | | (146725) | 142
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which primary care trusts have dedicated paediatric continence services. | | (146726) | 143
| Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) osteoporotic and (b) hip fractures were treated by the NHS in each of the last five years; and what the cost was in each year. | | (146575) | 144
| Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what arrangements are in place to monitor the implementation of the national service framework for older people; what proportion of primary care trusts (PCTs) have implemented it; by what date PCTs should have implemented it; and what sanctions will be applied to PCTs that fail to do so. | | (146576) | 145
| Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the implementation of the national service framework for older people. | | (146577) | 146
| Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what mechanisms are in place to ensure that the targets related to osteoporosis in standard six of the national service framework for older people have been met. | | (146578) | 147
| Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the impact population growth will have on East London primary care trusts reaching their capitation funding targets in the current three year funding period to 2005-06; and whether there will be adjustments to national resource allocation policy to recognise population growth. | | (146411) | 148
| Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether additional health funding provided to meet population growth will be provided in advance of population increases. | | (146412) | 149
| Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with the Deputy Prime Minister on key worker housing and the land required to provide health services for key workers. | | (146413) | 150
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the United States Administation since 22nd December 2003 concerning the integrity of the food chain in the US and non-contamination of it by BSE-infected meat. | | (146717) | 151
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of colloidal silver as a treatment for MRSA and other hospital-acquired infections. | | (146718) | 152
| Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department has given to local primary care trusts on the provision of influenza vaccinations to carers. | | (146453) | 153
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent research has been conducted by his Department on salt depletion in the human body during hot weather. | | (146680) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 154
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the decision to re-introduce young offenders into Gloucester Prison; and whether the decision was affected by the closure of Ashfield Young Offenders Institution. | | (146729) | 155
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many murders were committed in the areas covered by the (a) Metropolitan and (b) City of London police forces in 2003. | | (146416) | 156
| Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners absconded from Ford Open Prison in each year since 1990. | | (146473) | 157
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time was between the referral by courts of individuals with criminal convictions for drug or alcohol treatment and the commencement of their treatment programmes in each of the last five years. | | (146539) | 158
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on his plans to introduce legislation on corporate killing. | | (146541) | 159
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the measures his Department is taking to ensure there is a co-ordinated asylum policy across EU member states. | | (146542) | 160
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many instances of arson there have been in England and Wales in each of the last five years. | | (146421) | 161
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the outcome of police investigations into the claims made during the hearing of the extradition case against Boris Berezovsky that an assassin had been sent from Russia to attack him. | | (146730) | 162
| Laura Moffatt (Crawley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of the Forensic Science Service is contracted out to private operators. | | (146537) | 163
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what further steps his Department will take to change the criminal justice system to help reduce crime and the fear of it. | | (146669) | 164
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to improve the efficiency of the criminal justice system. | | (146670) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 165
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions he has had since 17th September 2003 with (a) the World Trade Organisation, (b) the European Commission and (c) the United States about the use of special and differential treatment. | | (146585) | 166
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions he has had since 17th September 2003 with representatives of the United States Administration on the impact of US subsidies to domestic cotton producers on cotton producers in West Africa. | | (146587) | 167
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the benefits achieved to date for developing countries from the World Trade Organisation agreement on Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights and Public Health. | | (146592) | 168
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether it is his policy to support compulsory licensing for export of all drugs for life-threatening diseases to least-developed countries. | | (146593) | 169
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, on how many occasions he had discussions with Mr Pascal Lamy between 10th and 14th September 2003. | | (146595) | 170
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the European Commission proposal that the G20 be invited to give preferential access to products from the poorest countries. | | (146600) | 171
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether he was consulted about the drafting of the Derbez text at the World Trade Organisation ministerial in Cancun. | | (146603) | 172
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the effect of reductions in barriers to non-agricultural goods on (a) developed countries and (b) developing countries. | | (146614) | 173
| Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the impact of (a) movement restrictions on Palestinians and (b) the construction of the Separation Wall on the ability of people living in the town of Abu Dis and surrounding villages to visit hospital and other health facilities. | | (146551) | 174
| Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the impact of (a) movement restrictions on Palestinians and (b) the construction of the Separation Wall on the access of children living in the town of Abu Dis and surrounding villages to schools and other educational facilities. | | (146552) | 175
| Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the preliminary analysis of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs published on 15th December 2003 into the humanitarian consequences of the planned route of the Separation Wall outlined in the map released by the Israeli Government on 23rd October 2003. | | (146553) | 176
| Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will place in the Library a copy of the preliminary analysis of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs published on 15th December 2003 into the humanitarian consequences of the planned route of the Separation Wall outlined in the map released by the Israeli Government on 23rd October 2003 on the website www.seamzone.mod.gov.il. | | (146554) | 177
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to his Answer of 15th December 2003, Official Report, column 721W, what working arrangements there have been between Mr Andrew Smith and his Department in Sierra Leone prior to the last 12 months. | | (146417) | 178
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to his Answer of 9th December 2003, Official Report, column 830W, what contracts his Department entered into prior to the last 12 months with (a) Avient Air and (b) other companies in which Mr Andrew Smith has an interest; what services were provided to his Department under these contracts; what the value of these contracts was; when these contracts were entered into; and if he will make a statement. | | (146418) | 179
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what checks officials in his Department make on the identities of shareholders and partners in companies which are contracted to provide services for it overseas; and if he will make a statement. | | (146419) | Questions to the Prime Minister 180
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with (a) President Bush and (b) Mr Romano Prodi since 14th September 2003 on the need to resume trade negotiations following the termination of the World Trade Organisation Ministerial in Cancun. | | (146637) | 181
| Mr George Foulkes (Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on his meeting with prime ministers from Commonwealth caribbean countries. | | (146430) | 182
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Prime Minister, what plans he has to assist the Iraqi Governing Council in organising free and fair elections; and if he will make a statement. | | (146512) | 183
| Glenda Jackson (Hampstead & Highgate):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library the Iraq Survey Group report and its annexes listing the massive network of laboratories and factories engaged in the production of weapons of mass destruction referred to in his Christmas broadcast to British forces in Iraq on 16th December 2003. | | (146580) | 184
| Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library a copy of a transcript of his remarks to journalists on board his flight from Basra on 4th January. | | (146581) | 185
| Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Prime Minister, whether he or his officials have examined the transcript of the interview given by the Head of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, on the Dimbleby Programme on 28th December 2003, with particular reference to Mr Bremer's comments on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction; and whether he discussed Iraqi weapons of mass destruction with Mr Bremer in his meeting with him in Basra on 4th January. | | (146583) | Questions to the Solicitor General 186
| Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the Solicitor General, if she will place in the Library the document sent by the Crown Prosecution Service to those questioned in connection with Operation Antler, explaining the Law Officers' decision on prosecutions. | | (146574) | Questions to the honourable Member for Gosport representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission 187
| Mr Crispin Blunt (Reigate):To ask the honourable Member for Gosport representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, when the Speaker's Committee last made a report to the House on the exercise by it of its functions. | | (146485) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 188
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the effect of an agreement at the World Trade Organisation with the G20 on subsidies, tariffs and the Singapore issue on (a) the G20, (b) the United Kingdom, (c) the European Union and (d) the United States. | | (146474) | 189
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had since 17th September 2003 with (a) the World Trade Organisation, (b) the European Commission and (c) the United States about the use of special and differential treatment. | | (146584) | 190
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had since 17th September 2003 with her counterpart in the United States about (a) the desirability of and (b) the timetable for eliminating US subsidies to cotton producers. | | (146586) | 191
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what her policy is on the development of non-discriminatory multilateral rules for investment. | | (146588) | 192
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what her policy is on the development of a multilateral framework to enhance the contribution of competition policy to international trade and development. | | (146589) | 193
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what her policy is on the development of a multilateral framework to enhance the transparency of Government procurement. | | (146590) | 194
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what her policy is on the Singapore issue of trade facilitation. | | (146591) | 195
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, on how many occasions she had discussions with Pascal Lamy between 10th and 14th September 2003. | | (146594) | 196
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had since 14th September 2003 with the Director General of the World Trade Organisation about the status of papers produced by chairmen and facilitators of working groups, and the role of the World Trade Organisation Secretariat, at World Trade Organisation Ministerials. | | (146596) | 197
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the volume of United Kingdom trade with each of the full members of the G20 was in each of the last 10 years. | | (146597) | 198
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the volume of United Kingdom trade with each of the members of the G90 was in each of the last 10 years. | | (146598) | 199
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the volume of United Kingdom trade with each of the members of the G33 was in each of the last 10 years. | | (146599) | 200
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether it was her policy to support the decision of the European Union at the World Trade Organisation ministerial in Cancun to pursue negotations on the Singapore issues. | | (146601) | 201
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she was consulted about the drafting of the Derbez text at the World Trade Organisation ministerial in Cancun. | | (146602) | 202
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what has been the volume of United Kingdom trade with (a) Benin, (b) Burkina Faso, (c) Chad and (d) Mali in each of the last 10 years. | | (146604) | 203
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what comes into the category of green box support. | | (146605) | 204
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what comes into the category of amber box support. | | (146606) | 205
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on what constitutes blue box domestic support. | | (146607) | 206
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what immediate reforms she has proposed to the conduct of World Trade Organisation ministerials. | | (146615) | 207
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the stance of her Department was on the Singapore issues at meetings of European trade ministers and officials before 15th December 2003. | | (146634) | 208
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what submission her Department has made to the Sutherland Commission on longer-term reforms of World Trade Organisation ministerials. | | (146635) | 209
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list Economic Partnership Agreements with the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. | | (146636) | 210
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the effect of the economic partnership agreements with the African, Carribbean and Pacific countries on the economies of the (a) ACP countries and (b) European Union members. | | (146638) | 211
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what quantitive assessment she has made of the impact of dumping of agricultural produce by developed countries on the economies and living standards of developing countries. | | (146639) | 212
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether it is her policy to seek an end to dumping of agricultural produce by developed countries on developing countries as part of a development treaty agreement with the World Trade Organisation. | | (146640) | 213
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what quantitive assessment she has made of the effect of (a) tariff rates and (b) tariff escalation on the economies and living standards of developing countries. | | (146641) | 214
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether it is her policy to seek to extend duty-free and quota-free access for all least developed countries exports into all developed countries as part of a development friendly agreement with the World Trade Organisation. | | (146642) | 215
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the members of the World Trade Organisation, broken down by the size of their (a) gross domestic product and (b) per capita income. | | (146643) | 216
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what progress has been made with the establishment of an expert working group on special and differential treatment to report to the General Council of the World Trade Organisation. | | (146644) | 217
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether developing countries have produced a list of proposed products to be covered by the proposal in the Derbez text to remove export subsidies for products of particular interest to developing countries. | | (146721) | 218
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many manufacturing jobs have been (a) created and (b) lost in (i) Cambridgeshire and (ii) Huntingdon in each of the last three years. | | (146447) | 219
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the progress of (a) the network reinvention programme and (b) the rural subsidy for sub-post offices. | | (146486) | 220
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what government support is available for the setting up of call centres, with particular reference to rural areas. | | (146487) | 221
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on help available to community enterprises operating in rural areas. | | (146488) | 222
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on employment prospects in rural areas with particular reference to (a) environmental management and (b) waste control. | | (146568) | 223
| Jeff Ennis (Barnsley East & Mexborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the 10 firms of solicitors who have received the most in fees for dealing with miners' compensation claims; and how much each has received. | | (146657) | 224
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many workers who won their cases, since 1997, at industrial tribunals have failed to receive payments awarded; what sums have been defaulted upon in each case; what steps she is taking to resolve the problem; and if she will make a statement. | | (146513) | 225
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, in what circumstances she is able to take action to debar directors of companies; and what plans she has to extend those powers. | | (146514) | 226
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how officials from her Department made contact with the British-based companies alleged to have breached Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development business ethics guidelines in the last report of the UN Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of the Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; what responses have been received so far; whether responses will be placed in the Library; and if she will make a statement. | | (146414) | 227
| Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what response her Department has received to its request to the UN Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of the Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for further information and evidence on the allegations against British-based companies contained in its last report; whether this information can still be provided by the UN following the disbandment of the Panel of Experts on 31st October 2003; what the process is for obtaining information from a UN Panel of Experts which has been disbanded; if she will place a copy of her Department's request to the UN Panel of Experts' response in the Library once it is received; whether her Department made representations to the UN with regard to the disbandment of the Panel; and if she will make a statement. | | (146415) | 228
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will bring forward legislation preventing auditors from selling tax avoidance schemes to their audit clients. | | (146534) | 229
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to bring forward legislation requiring companies to publish in their annual reports (a) a table showing the annual (i) pre-tax profits and (ii) tax paid in each country and (b) transfer prices for intergroup transactions. | | (146535) | 230
| Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much was spent on research, demonstration and development, since July 2001, on (a) active solar power, (b) passive solar power, (c) wave power, (d) tidal power, (e) geothermal powers, (f) onshore wind powers, (g) offshore wind powers, (h) biomass energy, (i) hydrogen conversion technologies, (j) fuel cells, (k) nuclear fission, (l) nuclear fusion, (m) clean coal, (n) combined heat and power and (o) combined-cycle gas by (i) the Department and (ii) relevant publicly owned utilities in each year since 1991; and what payments have been made to (A) Euratom, (B) the European Commission's joint research centres and (C) the International Atomic Energy Agency in each year since 1991. | | (146582) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 231
| Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what percentage of the total land area of the UK is taken up by roads. | | (146736) | 232
| Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many miles of motorway there are per 1,000 square kilometres in (a) the UK and (b) other EU countries. | | (146737) | 233
| Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many miles of dual carriageway there are per unit area in each county. | | (146738) | 234
| Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the accident rates, including fatalities, for (a) single and (b) dual carriageway roads, including motorways. | | (146739) | 235
| Mrs Patsy Calton (Cheadle):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much has been spent on (a) maintenance and (b) upgrade of the West Coast Main Line in each year since 1997; and what the purpose of the expenditure was in each case. | | (146570) | 236
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much investment there was in transport in (a) Cambridgeshire and (b) Huntingdon in each of the past five years. | | (146445) | 237
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proposals are being made to permit Stroud Station to become compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. | | (146475) | 238
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the report will be published on the impact of traffic flow on local roads following the opening up of Junction 12 of the M5 into a full junction. | | (146476) | 239
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the resurfacing schedule for the M5; and what account it takes of requests to deal with excessive noise nuisance. | | (146477) | 240
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what requirements there are for asylum seekers to apply for a UK or international driving licence before driving on British roads. | | (146548) | 241
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the numbers of deaths and injuries on motorway hard shoulders as set out in the Transport Research Laboratory reports PR/TT/082/99 and PR/TT/069/98 (Table 7). | | (146520) | 242
N | Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether local authority grant financing will be available to local authorities who own airports in the South East to develop those airports. | | (145893) | 243
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many regional control centres will be established under the Traffic Management Bill; what their annual cost will be; and how many new positions will be created. | | (145823) | 244
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the estimated cost is of each additional traffic manager as proposed in the Traffic Management Bill. | | (145824) | 245
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many uniformed patrols will be set up by the Highways Agency under the Traffic Management Bill; what their annual cost will be; and how many new posts will be created. | | (145825) | 246
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much he has spent on installing traffic calming measures in each of the last three years. | | (145826) | 247
| Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many responses there were to the Driving Standards Agency's Consultation on Approved Driving Instructors qualifications; and what proportion of the responses came from (a) qualified driving instructors and (b) organisations representing them. | | (146454) | 248
| Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason the Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Association was consulted by the Driving Standards Agency regarding proposed changes to Approved Driving Instructor qualifications; and if he will make a statement. | | (146455) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 249
N | Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on his Department's plans to amend the terms and conditions of employees of the Department who serve as justices of the peace. | | (145382) | 250
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the cost of the new council tax benefit in the first full year of operation; and how it compares to the cost of the old council tax benefit, using the same methodology for the calculations. | | (146689) | 251
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the local housing allowance will be extended from the nine Pathfinder authorities to all local authorities. | | [R] (146690) | 252
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons the local housing allowance applies only to the de-regulated private sector. | | [R] (146691) | 253
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how the rent of those tenants whose rent is higher than the local housing allowance will be paid. | | [R] (146692) | 254
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether there will be a hardship payment to prevent the eviction of those tenants whose rent is higher than the new local housing allowance. | | [R] (146693) | 255
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the nine Pathfinder local authorities for local housing allowance will fully implement the new system. | | [R] (146694) | 256
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the criteria used to set the local housing allowance in each area. | | [R] (146695) | 257
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how often local housing allowance will be reviewed; and what methodology will be used to calculate the new level. | | [R] (146696) | 258
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the estimated cost is of local housing allowance in the first full year of operation; and what the equivalent cost of housing benefit would have been using the same methodology for the calculation. | | [R] (146697) | 259
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of local housing allowance on rent restructuring in the de-regulated private rental sector. | | [R] (146698) | 260
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how local housing allowance will be adjusted to take into account improvements that are carried out to an individual property. | | [R] (146699) | 261
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the landlord will be able to apply to have local housing allowance paid directly to him in circumstances when the tenant is likely to abscond with the allowance. | | [R] (146700) | 262
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of (a) the change in the number of homes available to rent to those in receipt of local housing allowance and (b) the change in the number of empty homes as a result of the introduction of local housing allowance. | | [R] (146701) | 263
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what arrangements are being made in each of the Pathfinder local authority areas to house tenants who have to move from the private to the public sector because of the introduction of local housing allowance. | | [R] (146702) | 264
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what advice the Department is offering those tenants who get into financial difficulties following the introduction of local housing allowance; and what the estimated cost is of the provision of that advice. | | [R] (146703) | 265
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how local housing allowance will be paid; and what arrangements will be made for those tenants who do not have a bank account. | | (146704) | 266
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the tenant will be reimbursed for any overdraft fee paid as a result of late payment of local housing allowance into a bank account. | | (146705) | 267
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many full-time workers were employed by Jobcentre Plus in Cambridgeshire in each of the last three years. | | (146441) | 268
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners were in receipt of (a) full and (b) partial council tax benefit in Huntingdon in each of the last three financial years. | | (146446) | 269
| Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many officials dealing with disability living allowance have specialist knowledge of chronic fatigue syndrome. | | (146608) | 270
| Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many sufferers from (a) chronic fatigue syndrome and (b) multiple sclerosis were awarded disability living allowance in the last five years; and what percentage of those applying that represented in each case. | | (146609) | 271
| Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the suitability of disability living allowance application forms for those suffering from variable conditions. | | (146610) | 272
| Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with the Disability Living Allowance Appeals Service on how to deal with variable conditions. | | (146611) | 273
| Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on chronic fatigue syndrome in relation to benefits. | | (146633) | 274
| Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what UK social security entitlements citizens of other EU countries have if they reside in the UK; and if he will make a statement. | | (146612) | 275
| Mr David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what UK pension rights citizens of other EU countries have if they reside in the UK; and if he will make a statement. | | (146613) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 276
| Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will amend the Licensing Act 1964 to allow on-duty police officers to be served with refreshments; and if she will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (146572) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 277
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government has used a contractor to purchase weapons from abroad for supply to another foreign user; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (146688) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 278
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will estimate how many deaths there have been because of (a) dangerous driving, (b) driving under the influence of illegal drugs and (c) driving under the influence of alcohol in (i) Cambridgeshire and (ii) Huntingdon in each year since 2000. | | [Transferred] (146440) | 279
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much public subsidy was given to each railway company in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (146536) |
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