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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Thursday 15 January 2004
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Thursday 15 January 2004
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Thursday 15 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 Thursday 15 January of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Thursday 15 January see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office 1
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people employed in his Department have claimed statutory sick pay for (a) less than one week, (b) one to three weeks, (c) four to six weeks, (d) seven to 12 weeks, (e) 13 to 20 weeks and (f) 21 to 28 weeks in each year since 1997. | | (148638) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 2
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what measures his Department has taken to prevent investment companies offering child trust funds from offering reduced services to customers who do not invest the maximum sum permitted. | | (148666) | 3
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people employed in his Department have claimed statutory sick pay for (a) less than one week, (b) one to three weeks, (c) four to six weeks, (d) seven to 12 weeks, (e) 13 to 20 weeks and (f) 21 to 28 weeks in each year since 1997. | | (148622) | 4
| Mr George Howarth (Knowsley North & Sefton East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the additional revenue which would be raised from a one pence increase in (a) the standard rate of income tax and (b) the higher rate of income tax. | | (148711) | 5
| Mr George Howarth (Knowsley North & Sefton East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the additional revenue which a higher rate of income tax of 50 per cent. would produce. | | (148712) | 6
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the change in the level of unemployment in the Chorley constituency has been since 1997. | | (148494) | 7
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many firms in (a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley (i) are benefiting and (ii) have benefited from research and development tax credits. | | (148704) | 8
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement about levels of unemployment in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland; and what the rates were in (a) 1992, (b) 1997 and (c) 2001. | | (148402) | 9
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have benefited from the New Deal (a) broken down by region and (b) in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland (i) since 1997 and (ii) since 2001. | | (148403) | 10
| Mr Bob Laxton (Derby North):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the level of the Government's public sector pensions liability. | | (148317) | 11
N | Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, by what amounts (a) the Welsh Block and (b) the Scottish Block has been changed as a consequence of change in public funding for the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew through the operation of the Barnett Formula for each of the last six years. | | (148309) | 12
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what percentage of Inland Revenue enquiry offices have textphone or similar communication aids. | | (148382) | 13
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many home visits were conducted by Inland Revenue employees in each of the last five years to provide advice to those incapable of reaching an office. | | (148383) | 14
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to establish a disabilities helpline in the Inland Revenue for (a) tax payers and (b) voluntary sector intermediaries who need access to information on disability issues. | | (148384) | 15
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to produce an Inland Revenue leaflet covering all the Inland Revenue help available for those with special needs. | | (148385) | 16
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what percentage of public Inland Revenue offices are equipped with equipment to aid those with hearing impediments. | | (148386) | 17
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what percentage of Inland Revenue frontline staff have received training on disability issues. | | (148387) | 18
N | Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the letter of 2nd December 2003 from the Paymaster General to the honourable Member for Northavon, on tax credits compensation, if he will list the (a) compensation claims submitted and (b) compensation payments made. | | (147990) | 19
N | Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the letter of 2nd December 2003 from the Paymaster General to the honourable Member for Northavon, on tax credits compensation, how many claims for compensation were submitted to the Inland Revenue up to the end of September 2003; and what the (a) minimum and (b) maximum compensation payments were that were made. | | (147991) | Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 20
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many people employed in his Department have claimed statutory sick pay for (a) less than one week, (b) one to three weeks, (c) four to six weeks, (d) seven to 12 weeks, (e) 13 to 20 weeks and (f) 21 to 28 weeks in each year since 1997. | | (148630) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 21
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people employed in her Department have claimed statutory sick pay for (a) less than one week, (b) one to three weeks, (c) four to six weeks, (d) seven to 12 weeks, (e) 13 to 20 weeks and (f) 21 to 28 weeks in each year since 1997. | | (148631) | 22
N | Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make a statement on the remit of the Government's taskforce The Live Music Forum; and whether it extends to Northern Ireland. | | (147573) | 23
| Mr Bob Laxton (Derby North):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what role OFCOM has in maintaining levels of regional television broadcasting output in (a) the East Midlands and (b) other regions. | | (148670) | 24
| Mr Bob Laxton (Derby North):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how levels of regional television output have changed since the adoption of the Charter for the Nations and the Regions in (a) the East Midlands and (b) other regions. | | (148675) | 25
| Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many Lottery grants were given to (a) the 100 richest and (b) the 100 poorest wards in Wales, using the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation published by the National Assembly for Wales in 1999 (i) from the inception of the Lottery to 1st May 1997 and (ii) from 2nd May 1997 to date. | | (148491) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 26
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many individuals are being held by UK forces in Iraq; and what the average length of detention is. | | (148577) | 27
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many individuals being held by UK forces in Iraq have died in custody; and if he will make a statement. | | (148578) | 28
| Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British servicemen and women were awarded the Gulf Campaign Medal for Operation Desert Storm in 1990-91, broken down by armed service. | | (148320) | 29
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people employed in his Department have claimed statutory sick pay for (a) less than one week, (b) one to three weeks, (c) four to six weeks, (d) seven to 12 weeks, (e) 13 to 20 weeks and (f) 21 to 28 weeks in each year since 1997. | | (148636) | 30
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Falklands War veterans were still serving in the (a) Army, (b) Navy, (c) RAF and (d) Royal Marines in 2003. | | (148457) | 31
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) civilian and (b) service posts in his Department in Gibraltar will be (i) transferred to the private sector and (ii) removed. | | (148458) | 32
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which (a) Army, (b) RAF and (c) Royal Navy bases he proposes to close. | | (148459) | 33
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many new (a) Army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) RAF bases are being considered for opening; and in what areas. | | (148460) | 34
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many dog patrols were made on (a) Army bases and (b) RAF stations in the United Kingdom on (i) 1st January 1997 and (ii) 1st January 2003. | | (148397) | 35
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many reservists serve as (a) full-time reservists with full commitment contracts, (b) full-time reservists with limited commitment contracts, (c) full-time reservists with home commitment contracts and (d) volunteer reservists. | | (148668) | 36
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) full-time reservists with full commitment contracts, (b) full-time reservists with limited commitment contracts, (c) full-time reservists with home commitment contracts and (d) volunteer reservists have been called out on active duty in each year since 1997; and what the average active duty service time has been for each category. | | (148669) | 37
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 17th December 2003, Official Report, column 943W, on defence spending, what the limits are on the UK's ability to conduct unilateral national operations in pursuance of security objectives; and if he will make a statement. | | (148530) | 38
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 15th December 2003, Official Report, column 30W, on Iraq, how many of the armoured Land Rovers operating in Iraq have been used in field operations. | | (148550) | 39
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 5th January, Official Report, column 30W, on Iraq, how many of the Gazelle and Puma helicopters operating in Iraq have been used in field operations. | | (148585) | 40
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 17th December 2003, Official Report, columns 944-5W, on network-centric capabilities, what effect he expects the change of emphasis towards network-centric capabilities will have on the numbers of employees within the United Kindgom armed forces. | | (148686) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 41
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many, and what percentage of recommendations from inspectors called in dealing with (a) planning appeals and (b) applications he overturned in each year since1997. | | (148484) | 42
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many people employed in his Department have claimed statutory sick pay for (a) less than one week, (b) one to three weeks, (c) four to six weeks, (d) seven to 12 weeks, (e) 13 to 20 weeks and (f) 21 to 28 weeks in each year since 1997. | | (148626) | 43
N | Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, by what percentage he estimates the number of failed housing market transactions will fall as a consequence of the proposed introduction of homebuyers packs. | | (148302) | 44
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what percentage of new build is required to be social housing for (a) rent and (b) shared ownership. | | (148424) | 45
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many council houses were sold in Chorley in the last five years; and how many properties remained in local authority ownership in each of those years. | | (148425) | 46
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what additional money (a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley have received from his Department in each of the last three years, expressed in (i) monetary and (ii) percentage terms, using 2000-01 as a baseline. | | (148426) | 47
| Mr Boris Johnson (Henley):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will examine whether there is a conflict of interest in the Government's advisor on geographic information being Chief Executive of the Ordnance Survey. | | (148478) | 48
| Mr Boris Johnson (Henley):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what factors underlay the decision to use uncompeted Ordnance Survey data in the Pan Government Agreement for Central Government. | | (148480) | 49
| Mr Bill Wiggin (Leominster):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the change has been in the number of local government employees since 1997. | | (148443) | 50
| Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, which local authorities in England are operating on a debt-free status. | | (148705) | 51
| Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what steps his Department is taking to protect the debt-free status of local authorities. | | (148706) | 52
| Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much funding derived from capital receipts has been transferred by his Department in each of the last five years from debt-free local authorities to Metropolitan local authorities. | | (148707) | 53
| Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will end the transfer of funding derived from capital receipts from debt-free local authorities to Metropolitan local authorities. | | (148708) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 54
N | Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the size of the total student loan debt was in each year since 1999; what the size of the increases in (a) loans taken out and (b) repayments of principal were in each year; what the increases from interest additions were in each year; and what the Government contribution to the student loan scheme was in each year. | | (147417) | 55
| Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what representations he has received from (a) schools, (b) parents and (c) pupils about the intentions of year 12 or lower 6th students expecting to complete A levels in summer 2005 and considering whether to take a gap year in 2005-06. | | (148504) | 56
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many people employed in his Department have claimed statutory sick pay for (a) less than one week, (b) one to three weeks, (c) four to six weeks, (d) seven to 12 weeks, (e) 13 to 20 weeks and (f) 21 to 28 weeks in each year since 1997. | | (148625) | 57
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average public subsidy is for each person attending university in 2003-04. | | (148444) | 58
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which local education authority had the highest number of school leavers attending university in each year since 1996; and what percentage this represented of the total number of school leavers in these local education authorities. | | (148445) | 59
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which constituency had the highest number of people attending university in each year since 1996. | | (148446) | 60
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which constituency had the highest number of school leavers attending university in each year since 1996; and what percentage these were of the total number of school leavers in those constituencies. | | (148447) | 61
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many people attended university from (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside local education authority and (c) the United Kingdom in each year since 1996. | | (148448) | 62
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many school leavers attended university from (a) Jarrow constitutency, (b) South Tyneside local education authority and (c) the United Kingdom in each year since 1996; and what percentage these were of the total number of school leavers in each of these years. | | (148449) | 63
| Stephen Hesford (Wirral West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children's centres are planned to open in 2004; and if he will make a statement. | | (148427) | 64
N | Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list for each local education authority the education formula spending share (a) before and (b) after the impact of floors and ceilings for 2004-05. | | (147993) | 65
| Mr George Howarth (Knowsley North & Sefton East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of the amount of funding that will be raised for higher education in (a) 2006 and (b) each year to 2020 under (i) the present arrangements and (ii) his proposals on top-up fees. | | (148709) | 66
| Mr George Howarth (Knowsley North & Sefton East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many additional student places will be made available in higher education in (a) 2006 and (b) each year to 2020 under (i) the present arrangements and (ii) his proposals on top-up fees. | | (148710) | 67
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many incidents of bullying have taken place in schools in (a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley in each of the last three years. | | (148372) | 68
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) short term, (b) long term and (c) permanent (i) high schools and (ii) primary schools exclusions there were in Lancashire in each of the last three years. | | (148373) | 69
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what progress has been made with his plans to encourage retired professionals to assist in schools on a voluntary basis; and what programmes are in place in the North East. | | (148319) | 70
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much was spent (a) per primary school pupil and (b) per secondary school pupil in (i) 1992, (ii) 1997 and (iii) 2001; and what plans there are to increase this figure. | | (148406) | 71
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students entered universities to study medicine in (a) 1992, (b) 1997, (c) 2001 and (d) 2003. | | (148408) | 72
N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what information must be contained in the plan that a higher education institution must provide to the Director of Fair Access in order to increase fees above the basic rate; and if he will make a statement. | | (148264) | 73
N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will estimate the additional cost to the Student Loans Company of administering student loans if top-up fees are introduced; and if he will make a statement. | | (148265) | 74
N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will break down the planned expenditure for the proposed Office of Fair Access by (a) salaries and staff, (b) office, (c) personal expenses and (d) other costs; and if he will make a statement. | | (148266) | 75
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans his Department has to train specialist primary modern language teachers. | | (148376) | 76
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what progress is being made on the production of specialised resources for the teaching of modern languages in primary schools. | | (148377) | 77
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of teaching time he aims to allocate to foreign languages in primary schools by 2010. | | (148378) | 78
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the progress since November 2002 of Government plans to upgrade foreign languages in primary schools. | | (148379) | 79
N | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will propose an amendment to the Higher Education Bill to require the annual report produced by the Director of Fair Access to be accompanied by an annual debate on the floor of the House; and if he will make a statement. | | (148262) | 80
N | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how the Director of Fair Access will safeguard fair access to higher education if top-up fees are introduced; and if he will make a statement. | | (148263) | 81
| Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, to which universities he was referring in his statement to the House on 8th January when he made reference to modern universities which have strong records in recruiting students from poorer backgrounds. | | (148532) | 82
| Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list the circular documents that were sent by his Department to (a) primary and (b) secondary schools between (i) 1st September 2002 and 31st August 2003 and (ii) 1st January and 31st December 2003; how many were on teacher workload; and how many pages each document contained. | | (148559) | 83
| Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many circular e-mails were sent by his Department to (a) primary and (b) secondary schools between (i) 1st September 2002 and 31st August 2003 and (ii) 1st January and 31st December 2003. | | (148560) | 84
| Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, at what level Government funding per pupil will be in each of the next 10 years. | | (148561) | 85
| Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students he expects to receive the full £1,500 maintenance grant, assuming current student numbers; and how many will receive an amount of grant. | | (148563) | 86
| Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimates he has made of the cost of providing (a) maintenance loans and (b) fee loans in each of the next 10 years assuming (i) current student numbers and (ii) expected growth in student numbers. | | (148564) | 87
| Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when he expects universities to take on responsibility for the funding of the new student complaints office. | | (148565) | 88
| Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, by how much annual Government spending on student loans will change in each of the next 10 years from the amount set out in the Higher Education Bill. | | (148566) | 89
| Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of the average bursary that universities charging the full £3,000 will pass on to students from poorer backgrounds; and how many students he estimates will receive this bursary. | | (148567) | 90
| Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what powers the Office of Fair Access will have in the setting of bursary amounts in respect of universities that do not have strong records in recruiting students from poorer backgrounds. | | (148568) | 91
| Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether the Office of Fair Access will continue the system of fining universities that do not meet their benchmarks for participation from under-represented social groups. | | (148569) | 92
| Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of the average length of time that an access agreement between the Director of Fair Access and each individual university will last. | | (148570) | 93
| Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether he intends to set a cap on the level of specified financial requirements that the Higher Education Funding Council for England can impose on universities breaking the terms of their access agreements. | | (148571) | 94
| Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what notice the Director of Fair Access must give to universities under the provisions of section 35 (1)(b) of the Higher Education Bill. | | (148572) | 95
| Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what total revenue he expects to be raised assuming (a) 10 per cent., (b) 20 per cent., (c) 30 per cent., (d) 40 per cent., (e) 50 per cent., (f) 60 per cent., (g) 70 per cent., (h) 80 per cent., (i) 90 per cent. and (j) 100 per cent. of universities charge the full £3,000 fee, with the remainder of universities charging the standard fee of £1,200. | | (148573) | 96
| Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what total revenue he expects to be raised assuming (a) 10 per cent., (b) 20 per cent., (c) 30 per cent., (d) 40 per cent., (e) 50 per cent., (f) 60 per cent., (g) 70 per cent., (h) 80 per cent., (i) 90 per cent. and (j) 100 per cent. of universities charge the full £3,000 fee, with the remainder of universities charging the standard fee of £1,200 less the total amount spent on bursaries. | | (148574) | 97
| Mr Tim Yeo (South Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds of the introduction of higher education maintenance grants of £1,500 in 2006. | | (148575) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 98
| Mr Peter Atkinson (Hexham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with (a) British Waterways, (b) the British Disabled Angling Association and (c) the National Angling Association about the provision of greater access for disabled anglers under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 by 1st October. | | (148423) | 99
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason she has made no oral statement to the House on an environmental matter since July 2002. | | (148586) | 100
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the EU legislation her Department has had responsibility for implementing since its inception; and what the (a) EU deadline for implementation and (b) date of final United Kingdom implementation were in each case. | | (148595) | 101
N | Dr Jack Cunningham (Copeland):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of the decisions of the December 2003 EU Fisheries Council on (a) fishing in the Irish Sea, (b) fish landings in Whitehaven and (c) policy on designated ports; and if she will make a statement. | | (147448) | 102
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research she has commissioned into illegal culling activity in TB hot spot areas. | | (148304) | 103
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the latest advice is that she has offered to those who use organophosphates for sheep dipping. | | (148305) | 104
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what restrictions she has placed on imports of beef into the UK from the USA following the recent BSE case there; and what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on achieving a common approach to policy. | | (148306) | 105
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what advice she has received from the Advisory Committee on Releases into the Environment on the proposal by Bayer to import GM rice into the EU for processing and animal feed. | | (148307) | 106
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Government's policy is on the single farm payment. | | (148308) | 107
| Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance is issued to gamekeepers and others involved in the setting of snares. | | (148451) | 108
| Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what checks are in place to ensure that the law is being enforced with respect to the setting of snares. | | (148452) | 109
| Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what obligation the United Kingdom has under the Berne Convention on conservation of European wildlife and their habitats with respect to snaring. | | (148453) | 110
| Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects to publish the results of the review of the law relating to the use of snares. | | (148454) | 111
| Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she has received about the illegal use of snares; and if she will make a statement. | | (148455) | 112
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people employed in her Department have claimed statutory sick pay for (a) less than one week, (b) one to three weeks, (c) four to six weeks, (d) seven to 12 weeks, (e) 13 to 20 weeks and (f) 21 to 28 weeks in each year since 1997. | | (148632) | 113
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many firms are in dispute with her Department over payments for work carried out during the recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease; what the total outstanding sum in dispute is; and for what reasons each payment is being withheld. | | (148646) | 114
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the (a) advantages and (b) disadvantages of the proposed flood defence plan for Cheltenham. | | (148540) | 115
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the audited amount of (a) plutonium and (b) uranium at each nuclear energy facility which was unaccounted for in each year since 1997. | | (148500) | 116
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the total population of badgers in the UK; and in which areas the population is greatest. | | (148650) | 117
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the resources necessary to ensure that a given area is cleared and kept free of badgers, with particular reference to (a) number of visits and (b) personnel employed. | | (148651) | 118
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether there are humane methods licensed for the stunning and slaughter of animals and poultry which rely on gases to render animals unconscious prior to their slaughter. | | (148652) | 119
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who owns the traps and other equipment used for badger trapping exercises carried out on behalf of the Department. | | (148653) | 120
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the proportion of TB in cattle that arises from cattle-to-cattle spread. | | (148654) | 121
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of whether wild deer are responsible for the spread of TB to cattle. | | (148655) | 122
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the criteria are for designating a wild species of animal as protected. | | (148656) | 123
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the incidence of TB in cattle by 2008 if current measures are continued and there is no increase in activity by her Department; and what her projections are for costs of compensation for slaughter of cattle reactors in that period. | | (148657) | 124
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the administrative boundaries of the Krebs proactive areas necessarily coincide with the areas inhabited by badgers. | | (148658) | 125
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) financial and (b) human resources are allocated to the (i) clearance of badgers and (ii) the maintenance of badger-free areas in the Krebs proactive areas. | | (148659) | 126
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research she has evaluated in which badgers have been systematically removed from an area, and the area kept free of badgers, where the incidence of TB in cattle has declined; and what conclusions she drew from this work. | | (148660) | 127
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what tests have been carried out by the Department to determine whether healthy badgers have acquired or are likely to acquire infection after colonising setts left vacant as a result of clearance of TB infected badgers. | | (148661) | 128
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what controls are imposed on the relocation of badgers which are treated by animal hospitals and sanctuaries. | | (148662) | 129
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which persons and organisations are permitted to slaughter badgers; what conditions are imposed on them; and under what circumstances badgers are allowed to be slaughtered. | | (148663) | 130
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what controls are imposed on the relocation of badgers removed from setts. | | (148664) | 131
| Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of using helicopters for the purpose of identifying trees infected with sudden oak death; and if she will make a statement. | | (148557) | 132
| Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the effects of using methyl bromide as the fungicide of choice for combating sudden oak death; and if she will make a statement. | | (148558) | 133
| Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the UK's raw milk production was in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and how this raw milk is processed, broken down by percentage. | | (148690) | 134
| Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total supermarket share of the (a) liquid milk and (b) cheese market was in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. | | (148691) | 135
| Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the outcome of the retail price initiatives on liquid milk and cheese during the last three years. | | (148692) | 136
| Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the operation of the milk-dairy supply chain. | | (148693) | 137
| Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on fluctuations in the level of the farm gate price of milk in the last 20 years. | | (148694) | 138
| Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dairy farms were in operation in each of the last 20 years for which figures are available. | | (148695) | 139
| Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the average income of dairy farmers in the United Kingdom was in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. | | (148696) | 140
| Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the future economic viability of the dairy industry in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement. | | (148697) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 141
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what role his Department played in allowing rock-hopper penguins to be removed from Tristan da Cunha for onward transport to zoos in the Far East. | | (148592) | 142
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the division of responsibilities between his Department and the local council on Tristan da Cunha in respect of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. | | (148621) | 143
N | Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on recent progress towards finding a solution to the Cyprus problem. | | [R] (148259) | 144
N | Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he plans to make to (a) the new government in northern Cyprus and (b) Turkey over the need for a census to be conducted in northern Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. | | [R] (148260) | 145
N | Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the outcome of the elections in northern Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. | | [R] (148261) | 146
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Government of the Sudan about the recent disturbances at Khartoum University. | | (148303) | 147
| Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many people entered the UK from (a) Russia and (b) China in the latest year for which figures are available. | | (148410) | 148
N | Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received on Mr Robert Mugabe's continuing tenure of an honorary knighthood; and if he will take steps to strip him of the knighthood. | | (148256) | 149
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many people employed in his Department have claimed statutory sick pay for (a) less than one week, (b) one to three weeks, (c) four to six weeks, (d) seven to 12 weeks, (e) 13 to 20 weeks and (f) 21 to 28 weeks in each year since 1997. | | (148635) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 150
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to publish the report of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment; and if he will make a statement. | | (148576) | 151
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of research undertaken by the US Food and Drug Administration into mercury contamination of tuna. | | (148591) | 152
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice his Department gives to consumers on the consumption of tuna, with particular reference to mercury content. | | (148593) | 153
N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were waiting for in-patient treatment in the Mid Essex Hospital Trust area at the latest date for which figures are available; and how many people have been waiting over 12 months for in-patient treatment. | | (147989) | 154
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to require independent diagnostic and treatment centres to have patients' forums. | | (148680) | 155
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to disclose information concerning the (a) financial and (b) clinical performance of independent diagnostic and treatment centres on the same basis as information collected and reported on direct NHS services. | | (148684) | 156
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library copies of the performance standards set for the first wave of independent diagnostic and treatment centres. | | (148685) | 157
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to fine social services departments in the case of delayed discharges in community hospitals. | | (148370) | 158
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people employed in his Department have claimed statutory sick pay for (a) less than one week, (b) one to three weeks, (c) four to six weeks, (d) seven to 12 weeks, (e) 13 to 20 weeks and (f) 21 to 28 weeks in each year since 1997. | | (148627) | 159
| Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what role he envisages for the private sector in providing respite care facilities for people with learning difficulties. | | (148687) | 160
| Stephen Hesford (Wirral West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress is being made in the performance management of the public health function; and if he will make a statement. | | (148609) | 161
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost was of agency (a) doctors and (b) nurses in (i) Preston and (ii) Chorley hospitals in each of the last three years. | | (148374) | 162
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many times ambulance services had 999 calls passed to them by BT operators who were unable to connect the call to the Lancashire Ambulance Service in the last 12 months. | | (148375) | 163
| Mr Boris Johnson (Henley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the proposal to amalgamate the South East Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust with the South West Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust. | | (148477) | 164
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will commission a study on the environmental impact of staff and service users across the NHS. | | (148316) | 165
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what figures he has collated on the use of NHS Direct (a) broken down by region and (b) within the constituency of Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland. | | (148404) | 166
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many additional (a) doctors, (b) nurses and (c) matrons have been employed (i) in each region and (ii) in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland since (A) 1997 and (B) 2001. | | (148405) | 167
| Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of student nurses who enrolled for courses in (a) general nursing, (b) paediatric nursing, (c) midwifery and (d) psychiatric nursing successfully completed their course in each year since 1973. | | (148647) | 168
| Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the drop-out rate was in England for student nurses studying (a) general nursing, (b) paediatric nursing, (c) midwifery and (d) psychiatric nursing in each year since 1973. | | (148648) | 169
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 12th January, Official Report, column 602W, on foundation hospitals, if he will list those applications for foundation hospital status which have been submitted to the Independent Regulator. | | (148409) | 170
| Dr John Pugh (Southport):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what changes there have been to the rate of sexually transmitted diseases in the Southport and North Sefton area in the last five years. | | (148488) | 171
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many performance indicators were in place for NHS Trusts in (a) 2003-04 and (b) 2001-02. | | (148490) | 172
| Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding has been provided (a) in absolute terms and (b) per head of population served by the Trust for the United Lincolnshire NHS Trust in each year since 1995. | | (148474) | 173
| Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding (a) in absolute terms and (b) per head of population has been made available in (i) Lincolnshire and (ii) England for the provision of adult social services in each year since 1995. | | (148475) | 174
| Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what change in the number of beds available for NHS treatment in Pilgrim Hospital, Boston there has been in each year since 1995. | | (148476) | 175
| Geraldine Smith (Morecambe & Lunesdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to ban smoking in public places. | | (148551) | 176
| Dr Richard Taylor (Wyre Forest):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the reasons are for the delay in opening the Kidderminster diagnostic and treatment centre; and whether the contractors are subject to penalty payments. | | (148698) | 177
| Dr Richard Taylor (Wyre Forest):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, by how much the unitary fee for the Worcestershire Royal Infirmary increases each year; and whether this annual increase was specified in the contract. | | (148699) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 178
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been charged with offences in relation to the use of mobile phones whilst driving since the new measures were introduced. | | (148600) | 179
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on his plans to provide drug treatment for young offenders addicted to hard drugs. | | (148602) | 180
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on his policies to tackle cannabis abuse. | | (148603) | 181
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many convictions there have been for possession of cannabis in each of the last 10 years. | | (148604) | 182
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the costs of drug-related crime in each year since 1997. | | (148605) | 183
| Andy Burnham (Leigh):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people in each local authority area in England were found guilty of driving without insurance in each of the last five years. | | (148665) | 184
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many updates of the Police National Computer took place in each of the last three years; how many people are authorised to insert, delete or change data on the Police National Computer; what checks are in place to ensure the accuracy of (a) data changes and (b) the data held; and if he will make a statement. | | (148414) | 185
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how long the longest-serving (a) male and (b) female prison inmate has been held in prison; and for what offence they were convicted when they were originally sentenced to imprisonment. | | (148598) | 186
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) men and (b) women were (i) serving a life sentence for murder and (ii) category A prisoners on 1st January. | | (148606) | 187
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) men and (b) women were held in prisons in England and Wales owing to no final decision having been reached on their right to remain in the United Kingdom as political or religious asylum seekers on 1st January 2003. | | (148608) | 188
| Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people entered the UK from the USA in the latest year for which figures are available. | | (148411) | 189
| Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidelines his Department has set for the police concerning motorists (a) eating, (b) smoking and (c) drinking non-alcoholic drinks whilst driving. | | (148413) | 190
| Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many passports in the care of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate for the processing of applications have been (a) lost and (b) stolen in each of the last five years. | | (148498) | 191
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people employed in his Department have claimed statutory sick pay for (a) less than one week, (b) one to three weeks, (c) four to six weeks, (d) seven to 12 weeks, (e) 13 to 20 weeks and (f) 21 to 28 weeks in each year since 1997. | | (148623) | 192
| Stephen Hesford (Wirral West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the role of the Criminal Justice Interventions Programme in addressing drug-misusing offenders. | | (148428) | 193
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many drivers failed a breath test in Lancashire in each of the last five years. | | (148363) | 194
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his estimate is of expenditure required to upgrade the Forensic Science Service laboratories in each of its centres; and if he will list the centres. | | (148365) | 195
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the full time equivalent strength of the police force in Lancashire, broken down by rank, for each of the last three years. | | (148366) | 196
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many special constables there were in Lancashire, in each of the last three years, broken down by rank. | | (148367) | 197
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many traffic wardens there were in Lancashire in each of the last three years. | | (148368) | 198
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of damage or injury caused by the use of catapults have been reported in each of the last five years; and how many of these cases have led to (a) arrest and (b) prosecution. | | (148538) | 199
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make it his policy to outlaw the sale and use of catapults; and if he will make a statement. | | (148541) | 200
| Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many non-natural deaths have occurred in prisons in England and Wales during the last five years for which figures are available. | | (148607) | 201
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers, broken down by (a) sex and (b) ethnicity, were employed by each English police force in (i) 1992, (ii) 1997, (iii) 2001 and (iv) at the latest date for which figures are available. | | (148407) | 202
| Siobhain McDonagh (Mitcham & Morden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applications the UK received from citizens of Sri Lanka in (a) 2000, (b) 2001, (c) 2002 and (d) 2003. | | (148420) | 203
| Siobhain McDonagh (Mitcham & Morden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applications have been received from citizens of Sri Lanka since it was included in the list of designated countries on 17th July 2003; how many of these applications (a) have been accepted, (b) have been refused, (c) are still pending, (d) have led to non-suspensive appeals, (e) have resulted in successful non-suspensive appeals and (f) have resulted in judicial review. | | (148421) | 204
| Siobhain McDonagh (Mitcham & Morden):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applicants who are citizens of Sri Lanka were given permission to stay in the UK in (a) 2000, (b) 2001, (c) 2002 and (d) 2003; and how many applications were refused in each of these years. | | (148422) | 205
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who will have responsibility for the retention and disposal of passports required to be photocopied by UK carriers abroad; and what assessment he has made of the implications for such a requirement of the Data Protection Act 1998 and EU Directives on data protection. | | (148390) | 206
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if his Department will resist a requirement on UK-registered airlines operating flights to the UK to photocopy passengers' passports. | | [R] (148391) | 207
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the overseas airports his Department intends to designate as departure points requiring carriers to photocopy passports for passengers travelling to the UK. | | [R] (148392) | 208
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how his Department will consult airline carriers before requiring them to photocopy passports at a foreign airport. | | [R] (148393) | 209
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans his Department has to obtain approval and clearance from the relevant foreign government or authority before requiring airlines to photocopy passports for passengers travelling to the UK at airports located in that country. | | [R] (148394) | 210
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the (a) cost to the airlines of photocopying passports in terms of equipment and staff and (b) length of time required to photocopy passports. | | [R] (148395) | 211
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will set out the procedures that will apply in the event that passengers refuse to allow their documents to be copied. | | [R] (148396) | 212
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on street crime in towns and cities, with particular reference to Romford. | | (148489) | 213
| Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders have been (a) granted and (b) refused by each Magistrates' bench in North Wales since their introduction. | | (148492) | 214
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to counter identity theft. | | (148596) | 215
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to prevent the issuing of passports to people with false identities. | | (148597) | 216
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance he has issued to the public on the protection of their personal details. | | (148599) | 217
| Mrs Betty Williams (Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Criminal Records Bureau is meeting its targets for processing applications for taxi-driver licences. | | (148481) | 218
| Mrs Betty Williams (Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of applications for taxi-driver licences were processed by the Criminal Records Bureau within target times in the latest month for which figures are available. | | (148482) | 219
| Mrs Betty Williams (Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for taxi-driver licences are (a) awaiting processing and (b) being processed by the Criminal Records Bureau. | | (148483) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 220
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what action his Department has taken to improve (a) coverage of skilled care at delivery and (b) the use of emergency obstetric care to reduce maternal mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. | | (148512) | 221
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the results have been of his Department's work with the World Health Organisation, UNICEF and UN Population Fund to strengthen global leadership on maternal mortality. | | (148513) | 222
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the nature is of his Department's collaboration with the World Bank to strengthen global leadership on maternal mortality. | | (148514) | 223
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what performance targets he has set for his Department's involvement in the World Health Organisation Partnership for Safe Motherhood and Newborn Health. | | (148515) | 224
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts about possible further reforms to EU development assistance. | | (148516) | 225
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on the adoption and implementation of effective poverty reduction strategies by 2004 in all countries accessing International Development Association high impact or adjustment lending. | | (148520) | 226
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, for what reason the external independent quality assurance and quality control audits relating to the Chad Cameroon project have been circumvented. | | (148521) | 227
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, for what reason quality assurance and quality control audits of the Chad/Cameroon pipeline project have not been conducted by the World Bank. | | (148522) | 228
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, for what reason internal audits of the Chad/Cameroon pipeline project have not been conducted. | | (148523) | 229
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, for what reason work on the Chad/Cameroon pipeline project continued without procedures for quality assurance and quality control. | | (148524) | 230
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, for what reason the project design change orders on the Chad/Cameroon pipeline project were negotiated and approved without plans for quality assurance and quality control. | | (148525) | 231
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment has been made by international aid agencies of the adequacy of compliance with quality assurance and quality control in relation to the Chad/Cameroon pipeline project. | | (148526) | 232
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, for what reason the World Bank has employed contractors who are not fully I.S.O.9000 series accredited. | | (148527) | 233
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much money his Department has contributed since the start of the 2003-04 financial year through (a) non-governmental organisations and (b) UN feeding programmes to assist the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe; and how much he plans to spend in 2004-05. | | (148542) | 234
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will take steps to send an independent international commission of inquiry to Darfur. | | (148543) | 235
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans he has to visit Darfur. | | (148544) | 236
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the safety of humanitarian aid workers in Darfur. | | (148545) | 237
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what expansion of humanitarian access to (a) drought-affected people in West and North Darfur and (b) vulnerable people in South Darfur has taken place since June 2003; and what contribution has been made by his Department. | | (148546) | 238
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment he has made of the level of movement of people and goods in Darfur. | | (148547) | 239
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will list the organisations funded by his Department in each of the last three years which have received (a) less than £1 million, (b) less than £750,000, (c) less than £500,000, (d) less than £250,000 and (e) less than £100,000. | | (148548) | 240
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the result has been of his Department's engagement with health sector development in 10 of the 16 countries in Africa affected by his public service agreement target to reduce mortality amongst people aged under five years. | | (148549) | 241
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the result has been of his Department's technical and financial contribution to the development and implementation of effective health programmes in the 16 African countries affected by his public service agreement target on mortality amongst children aged under five years. | | (148553) | 242
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the result has been of the support provided by his Department to the Africa Regional Office of the World Health Organisation for malaria and childhood illness activities. | | (148554) | 243
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the involvement of his Department has been in international fora which form strategies to reduce child mortality, with particular reference to (a) the Child Survival Working Group and (b) the Saving Newborn Lives Initiative. | | (148555) | 244
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the (a) nature and (b) cost is of his Department's support for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation. | | (148556) | 245
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what humanitarian assistance has been provided to Iraq since April 2003 by (a) Australia, (b) Austria, (c) Bangladesh, (d) China, (e) Croatia, (f) the Czech Republic, (g) Denmark, (h) Finland, (i) France, (j) Germany, (k) Greece, (l) Iran, (m) Ireland, (n) Italy, (o) Japan, (p) Korea, (q) Kuwait, (r) Malaysia, (s) the Netherlands, (t) New Zealand, (u) Norway, (v) Russia, (w) Saudi Arabia, (x) Spain, (y) Sweden, (z) Switzerland and (aa) the United States of America. | | (148579) | 246
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what reduction in the trafficking of women in (a) Laos, (b) Thailand, (c) China (Yunnan), (d) Cambodia and (e) Vietnam has been achieved by the International Labour Organisation. | | (148580) | 247
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what his most recent estimate is of the total cost of post-war reconstruction in Iraq; and how much (a) the United States and (b) EU member states will contribute to meeting that cost. | | (148581) | 248
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of the financial assistance from his Department to Afghanistan in 2003-04 has been directed towards the long-term development of the country. | | (148582) | 249
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will formally request the Government of Zimbabwe to release the results of its vulnerability assessment. | | (148583) | 250
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will formally request the Government of Zimbabwe to release a revised crop forecast and the assumptions on which it is based. | | (148584) | 251
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will list the areas in Zimbabwe which suffer from (a) raised levels of malnutrition, (b) unmet needs and (c) continuing dependence on food aid. | | (148642) | 252
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions he has had on human rights abuses in Darfur with the Sudanese authorities. | | (148643) | 253
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on the study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine of the performance of the Global Health Fund. | | (148644) | 254
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether the £60 million funding for his Department's expenditure in Iraq announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 9th April 2003 has been claimed. | | (148672) | 255
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether project completion certificates for the Chad/Cameroon pipeline project have been approved. | | (148700) | 256
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on levels of insurance cover relating to the Chad-Cameroon pipeline project. | | (148713) | 257
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on environmental protection measures relating to the Chad-Cameroon pipeline project. | | (148714) | 258
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on the standard of fiscal accountability and transparency measures since the commissioning of the Chad-Cameroon pipeline project. | | (148715) | 259
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, for what reason bills of quantities in relation to the Chad-Cameroon pipeline project have been approved in the absence of packages for quality assurance and quality control. | | (148716) | 260
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, for what reason bills of quantities for the Chad-Cameroon pipeline project have been approved without packages for front end engineering design. | | (148717) | 261
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what definition he uses of (a) poor and (b) middle income countries; and if he will list the countries so defined. | | (148499) | 262
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance his Department (a) has given and (b) plans to give to humanitarian aid workers affected by the banking crisis in Zimbabwe. | | (148637) | 263
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the banking crisis in Zimbabwe on the ability to (a) pay aid workers and (b) deliver aid. | | (148688) | 264
| Tom Brake (Carshalton & Wallington):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment his Department has made of the impact on food aid to Zimbabwe arising from the estimated $111 million shortfall in donations to the World Food Programme. | | (148689) | 265
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to his Answer of 12th January, Official Report, column 518W, on the Adam Smith Institute, how much his Department has spent on work undertaken by the Adam Smith Institute in each of the last 10 years. | | (148671) | 266
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many people employed in his Department have claimed statutory sick pay for (a) less than one week, (b) one to three weeks, (c) four to six weeks, (d) seven to 12 weeks, (e) 13 to 20 weeks and (f) 21 to 28 weeks in each year since 1997. | | (148634) | 267
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, by when the Government is committed to achieving the UN target of 0.7 per cent. of national income to be spent on development assistance. | | (148456) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 268
N | Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many racist incidents involving victims from the Chinese community occurred in Northern Ireland in (a) each of the last three years and (b) the current year to date. | | (148257) | 269
N | Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what action he is taking to deal with the problem of racism and racist incidents towards the Chinese community in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. | | (148258) | 270
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people employed in his Department have claimed statutory sick pay for (a) less than one week, (b) one to three weeks, (c) four to six weeks, (d) seven to 12 weeks, (e) 13 to 20 weeks and (f) 21 to 28 weeks in each year since 1997. | | (148629) | 271
N | Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the minimum sentence for the murder of (a) a prison officer and (b) a police officer on duty in Northern Ireland is; and if he will make a statement on the relevant provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 2003. | | (147574) | 272
| Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to extend Part 8 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 to Northern Ireland. | | (148673) | 273
| Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on progress being made with the reform of water and sewerage services in Northern Ireland. | | (148674) | Questions to the Prime Minister 274
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Prime Minister, what common factor makes it permissible for the US, the UK, France, Israel, India, Pakistan and Russia to hold weapons of mass destruction. | | (148676) | 275
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Prime Minister, how he defines rogue states. | | (148677) | 276
N | Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Prime Minister, what the (a) number and (b) salary cost of special advisors was in each Department in each year from 1995-96 to 2002-03; and if he will make a statement. | | (147656) | 277
N | Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Prime Minister, what the total salary cost for special advisors is estimated to be for 2003-04; and how many special advisors there are in each pay band, broken down by Department. | | (147657) | 278
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Prime Minister, whether the source of the leaked minutes of the Honours Committee has been found; and if he will make a statement. | | (148399) | 279
| Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr):To ask the Prime Minister, what obligations are recognised by the Government as arising in cases where a person has died from a heart attack as a result of duress or harsh treatment inflicted by an agent of the state. | | (148321) | Questions to the Solicitor General 280
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Solicitor General, what criteria are applied to decisions on whether prosecutions for alleged racial hatred are in the public interest. | | (147849) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 281
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her written statement of 11th December 2003, Official Report, column 93WS, on the BNFL Strategy Review, what estimate she has made of the potential cost to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority which will result from that body taking responsibiilty for the clean-up of the Springfields site. | | (148531) | 282
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will urge the Post Office to re-examine the case of the closure of (a) Stock Road sub-post office, Billericay, Essex and (b) Barn Hall Post Office, Wickford, Essex, following the representations of the honourable Member for Billericay to the Post Office and Postwatch. | | (148145) | 283
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the maintenance work that needs to be carried out on the National Grid; and if she will hold meetings with National Grid Transco to discuss the matter. | | (148318) | 284
N | Annabelle Ewing (Perth):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures have been taken to publicise the joint public consultation on modernising the policy for decommissioning the UK's nuclear facilities being undertaken by the Department in association with the Treasury, DEFRA, the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly and the Ministry of Defence. | | (147999) | 285
| Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to restrict the implementation of new business regulations to two specific dates each year, 1st April and 1st September; and if she will make a statement. | | (148601) | 286
| Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many rural sub-post offices closed in (a) England and (b) Somerset in each quarter in each of the last three years. | | (148505) | 287
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many people employed in her Department have claimed statutory sick pay for (a) less than one week, (b) one to three weeks, (c) four to six weeks, (d) seven to 12 weeks, (e) 13 to 20 weeks and (f) 21 to 28 weeks in each year since 1997. | | (148633) | 288
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the roll out of broadband in Lancashire. | | (148415) | 289
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will state the percentage coverage of broadband in (a) Lancashire and (b) each Lancashire district. | | (148416) | 290
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what talks she has had with trade unions over the future of the Post Office. | | (148417) | 291
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on (a) job losses in the Post Office and (b) the future of the Post Office. | | (148418) | 292
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had with representatives of the car industry on exports of UK built (a) cars, (b) vans and (c) trucks. | | (148419) | 293
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the number of new UK built (a) cars, (b) vans and (c) trucks exported in each of the last three years. | | (148473) | 294
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the future post office network in Chorley. | | (148645) | 295
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many firms in (a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley have used Business Link in each of the last three years. | | (148701) | 296
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many businesses in (a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley have been helped by the North West Regional Development Agency. | | (148702) | 297
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much money from the North West Regional Development Agency has been spent in (a) Cumbria, (b) Lancashire, (c) Greater Manchester, (d) Merseyside and (e) Cheshire in each of the last three years. | | (148703) | 298
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the (a) type and (b) value of export contracts to the Iraqi Ministry of Defence for each year since 1979; and if she will list those contracts which were supported by export credits. | | (148539) | 299
N | Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which trade unions have applied to pursue claims directly under the miners' compensation schemes; and what the reasons were for (a) granting and (b) rejecting such an application in each case. | | (148310) | 300
N | Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the average payment in compensation received was in cases fully settled under the chest disease compensation scheme by claimants (a) who have had their claims processed by the Union of Democratic Mineworkers Nottingham section subsidiary company Vendside and (b) who have had their claims processed by all other solicitors in England. | | (148311) | 301
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she will reply to the letter from the honourable Member for Totnes dated 19th November 2003 enclosing one from Mr Christopher Martin-Gathern of Buckfastleigh about identity fraud. | | (148057) | 302
| Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what procedure is in place to pay the British Coal component part of miners' health compensation claims in cases where negotiations are continuing with private small mines; and if she will make a statement. | | (148678) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 303
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect on carbon dioxide emissions from aircraft by (a) 2010, (b) 2020, (c) 2030 and (d) 2050 arising from the proposals in the Aviation White Paper. | | (148587) | 304
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department has issued to airlines in respect of flight paths that take commercial aircraft above 30,000 feet. | | (148589) | 305
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what environmental assessment has been made of the (a) benefits and (b) disbenefits of commercial aircraft flying at (i) 20,000, (ii) 25,000, (iii) 30,000 and (iv) 35,000 feet. | | (148590) | 306
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the occasions since 1975 when ships have lost dangerous cargoes overboard in (a) United Kingdom waters, (b) the English Channel and (c) the North Sea; what cargo was lost in each case; and what was subsequently recovered. | | (148594) | 307
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on Government strategy for decreasing the noise disturbances arising from main roads in residential areas, with particular reference to relevant measures in the Traffic Management Bill. | | (148369) | 308
| Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the roles and duties that the Traffic Management Bill will accord to traffic managers and local traffic authorities to (a) respond to and (b) prevent traffic gridlock. | | (148371) | 309
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people employed in his Department have claimed statutory sick pay for (a) less than one week, (b) one to three weeks, (c) four to six weeks, (d) seven to 12 weeks, (e) 13 to 20 weeks and (f) 21 to 28 weeks in each year since 1997. | | (148624) | 310
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Strategic Rail Authority on the construction of a Cheltenham/Gloucester Parkway railway station near Gloucester Airport. | | (148533) | 311
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will assess the advantages and the disadvantages of constructing a Cheltenham/Gloucester Parkway railway station near Gloucester Airport. | | (148534) | 312
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects to carry out a review of the new traffic arrangements on the A40 at the Charlton Kings Sixways Junction in Cheltenham; and in what form he would like submissions to the review. | | (148535) | 313
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people have made reports to the Confidential Hazardous Incident Reporting Programme, in each year since it was introduced. | | (148485) | 314
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the (a) date and (b) nature of each incident involving ships in British waters assisting other vessels attempting to bring illegal immigrants to Britain since 1997; and what the names of the vessels were in each case. | | (148502) | 315
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many near misses between ships there were in each year since 1997 whilst in British waters; and what steps he is taking to reduce the number of such incidents. | | (148503) | 316
| Geraldine Smith (Morecambe & Lunesdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information he has received from the EC Committee on Driving Licence working groups on the procedures employed to (a) assess and (b) minimise the road safety risks associated with epilepsy. | | (148552) | 317
| Tony Wright (Cannock Chase):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made of the impact of the M6 Toll on traffic flows in the West Midlands. | | (148649) | Questions to the Minister for Women 318
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Minister for Women, if she will make a statement on the number of women holding directorships in FTSE 100 companies; and what this represents as a percentage of the total number of directors. | | (148398) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 319
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people employed in his Department have claimed statutory sick pay for (a) less than one week, (b) one to three weeks, (c) four to six weeks, (d) seven to 12 weeks, (e) 13 to 20 weeks and (f) 21 to 28 weeks in each year since 1997. | | (148628) | 320
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people claimed incapacity benefit in each year since 1997, broken down by the condition that enables them to claim this benefit; and if he will make a statement on trends in claims. | | (148639) | 321
N | Mr Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost is of the departmental pay bill increase for 2003-04. | | (147515) | 322
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average change in income has been for pensioners in Chorley since the introduction of the minimum income guarantee. | | (148495) | 323
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners in Chorley have (a) applied for and (b) received pension credit; and what the average consequent change in income per pensioner is. | | (148496) | 324
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many individuals in each country for which Her Majesty's Government has an aid programme who are entitled to a United Kingdom state pension have them frozen; and if he will make a statement on his policy on frozen pensions. | | (148537) | 325
N | Mr James Plaskitt (Warwick & Leamington):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency cases are now operating on the new formula for calculation of maintenance payments. | | (147994) | 326
N | Mr James Plaskitt (Warwick & Leamington):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency cases continue to operate on the original formula for calculation of maintenance payments. | | (147995) | 327
N | Mr James Plaskitt (Warwick & Leamington):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he will begin the process of migrating existing cases to the new formula for calculation of maintenance payments. | | (147996) | 328
N | Mr James Plaskitt (Warwick & Leamington):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria he will apply to the prioritisation of cases for migration to the new formula for calculation of maintenance payments. | | (147997) | 329
N | Mr James Plaskitt (Warwick & Leamington):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how long he expects the process of migration of cases to the new formula for calculation of maintenance payments to take. | | (147998) | 330
| John Robertson (Glasgow Anniesland):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of applicants for disability living allowance assessed by a Benefits Agency Medical Service doctor were (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful in their applications in 2003. | | (148450) | 331
| John Robertson (Glasgow Anniesland):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the complexity of the application process for disability living allowance. | | (148493) | 332
| John Robertson (Glasgow Anniesland):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the performance of the Sema Group in its contracts to operate the Benefits Agency Medical Service. | | (148497) | 333
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much money there is in the Unclaimed Assets Register. | | (148380) | 334
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the overlap between existing Citizens Advice Bureaux and the new advice-based organisations funded by his Department; and if he will make a statement. | | (148528) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 335
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the need for a risk warning to be attached to (a) all financial products and (b) documentation about pensions. | | [Transferred] (148381) | 336
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to develop a substitute eligibility test for working tax credit fast-track. | | [Transferred] (148388) | 337
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to conduct a reappraisal of the fast-track eligibility rules for claiming working tax credit. | | [Transferred] (148389) | Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 338
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, in what circumstances decision-making meetings between civil servants and ministers are not minuted; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (148400) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 339
| Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the steps his Department is taking to monitor the effectiveness of the Sure Start programme. | | [Transferred] (148641) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 340
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the revision of the generalised system of preferences. | | [Transferred] (148517) | 341
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on progress with negotiations on Economic Partnership Agreements with African, Caribbean and Pacific States which are party to the Cotonou Agreement. | | [Transferred] (148518) | 342
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on proposals to improve rules of origin for economic partnership agreements. | | [Transferred] (148519) | 343
| Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many people (a) in the UK and (b) in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland have benefited from the minimum wage; and what measures are in place to ensure that employers are paying the statutory hourly minimum wage. | | [Transferred] (148401) | 344
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much money her Department has allocated to the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (a) in each of the last three years and (b) for each of the next three years; and if she will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (148529) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 345
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for human health of travelling in passenger aircraft at altitudes in excess of 30,000 feet. | | [Transferred] (148588) | 346
| Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the new guidelines relating to the erection of speed cameras will cover existing cameras as well as new cameras. | | [Transferred] (148412) | 347
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many accidents were caused by drink driving in Lancashire in each of the last five years. | | [Transferred] (148364) | 348
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) injuries and (b) fatalities of employees of shipping companies there were in each year since 1997, broken down by company. | | [Transferred] (148486) | 349
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) injuries and (b) fatalities to workers on ships there were in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (148487) | 350
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) injuries and (b) fatalities there were caused by accidents involving personal transfer baskets used in British waters in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (148501) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 351
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the cost of abolishing the rule on freezing state pensions for those citizens entitled to state pensions who reside in countries for which the United Kingdom has an aid programme; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (148536) |
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