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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Wednesday 21 January 2004
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Wednesday 21 January 2004
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 21 January of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department. For other Written Questions for answer on Wednesday 21 January of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Wednesday 21 January see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office 1
N | Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much (a) his Department and (b) each agency and non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department has spent on (i) advertising and (ii) information campaigns in each year from 1995-96 to 2003-04 (estimated); and if he will make a statement. | | (149623) | 2
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many Government (a) cars, (b) vans and (c) trucks in use were built (i) in the United Kingdom, (ii) in the EU and (iii) outside the EU. | | (149968) | 3
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will list the (a) dates and (b) venues of the public consultation in Wales on the Draft Civil Contingencies Bill. | | (150021) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 4
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to allow a stamp duty rebate at time of purchase for homebuyers installing energy efficiency measures. | | (149098) | 5
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effects of widening the VAT reduction to five per cent. on energy saving materials. | | (149099) | 6
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce a new tax allowance for private landlords investing in energy efficiency. | | (149100) | 7
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the benefit to the UK economy of (a) professional and (b) amateur sports in (i) 2001, (ii) 2002 and (iii) 2003. | | (149948) | 8
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the benefit to the UK economy of the health and fitness sector in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003. | | (149949) | 9
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the financial benefit to amateur sports of mandatory rate relief at 80 per cent. for registered community amateur sports clubs. | | (149950) | 10
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the financial benefit to amateur sports of setting the thresholds at which community clubs are exempt from corporation tax at £50,000. | | (149951) | 11
N | Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the European Commission on combating the evasion of excise taxes within the European Union. | | (148479) | 12
| Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what targets he has set for securing additional tax revenue from investigations under (a) the IR35 Regulation and (b) section 660A of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 regulation. | | [R] (149806) | 13
| Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what procedures are in place to monitor the progress of investigations under (a) the IR35 Regulation and (b) section 660A of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 regulation. | | [R] (149807) | 14
| Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what penalties exist for late payment of tax; and how many times in each of the last five years these penalties have been used. | | [R] (149808) | 15
| Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff are employed by the Inland Revenue to administer the collection of unpaid tax. | | [R] (149809) | 16
| Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the administration costs have been, in each of the last five years, of collecting unpaid taxes. | | [R] (149810) | 17
| Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many fines have been imposed for late payment of taxes in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. | | [R] (149811) | 18
| Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much tax that should have been paid is outstanding from each of the last five financial years. | | [R] (149812) | 19
| Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consultation he carried out before reinterpreting section 660A of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988. | | [R] (149813) | 20
| Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consultation he carried out before introducing the IR35 regulation. | | [R] (149814) | 21
| Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that companies do not avoid paying tax in the UK; and if he will make a statement. | | [R] (149815) | 22
| Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that individuals do not avoid their tax responsibilities; and if he will make a statement. | | [R] (149816) | 23
| Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much tax revenue was raised under section 660A of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 in the last year; and if he will make a statement. | | [R] (149817) | 24
| Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the progress of the Inland Revenue's Employer Compliance Review. | | (149860) | 25
| Mr Oliver Letwin (West Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the progress of (a) the IR35 regulation and (b) section 660A of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 regulation in securing additional tax revenue. | | [R] (149861) | 26
| Richard Ottaway (Croydon South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is his Department's policy to make notes of (a) meetings and (b) telephone conversations involving Ministers; and under what circumstances no notes would be made. | | (149803) | 27
| Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford & Stortford):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the change in unreclaimable tax for small businesses following the recent increase in the starting threshold for VAT. | | (149767) | 28
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the standard for exchange of information set out in the Double Taxation Agreement between the UK and Switzerland. | | (149923) | 29
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the implications for the current Double Taxation Agreement between the UK and Switzerland of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Report on Improving Access to Bank Information for Tax Purposes: The 2003 Progress Report, with particular reference to exchange of information on criminal, civil and administrative matters. | | (149924) | 30
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what agreements the Government has entered into with Switzerland in compliance with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development standard for exchange of information for tax purposes by 2006. | | (149925) | 31
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assurances the Government has given to Switzerland in relation to the EU Directive on the Taxation of Savings Income, under the Double Taxation Agreement, with particular reference to exchange of information in criminal, civil and adminstrative matters. | | (149926) | 32
| Mr Alex Salmond (Banff & Buchan):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he intends to reply to the letter dated 5th November 2003 from the honourable Member for Banff and Buchan regarding EU children's clothes VAT plans. | | (149781) | Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 33
N | Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how much (a) his Department and (b) each agency and non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department has spent on (i) advertising and (ii) information campaigns in each year since its creation to 2003-04 (estimated); and if he will make a statement. | | (149622) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 34
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help independent film distributors to compete with (a) mainstream products and (b) products distributed from Hollywood studios. | | (149952) | 35
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to broaden the audience base at cinemas. | | (149953) | 36
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support the independent distribution sector in making available more prints of independent films. | | (149954) | 37
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to create incentives for exhibitors to show more independent films. | | (149955) | 38
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her Department's policy is on the recognition of cinema as a cultural and regenerative opportunity in unitary development plans. | | (149956) | 39
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how the funds allocated to Step into Sport have been spent; and how many volunteers have been recruited. | | (149962) | 40
| Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 4th December 2003, Official Report, columns 166-7W, on sports expenditure, if she will break down by funding block the £103.5 million spent by her Department on sport in 2003. | | (150023) | 41
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what preparations the Government is making to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012. | | (149927) | 42
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if the Government will make arrangements for a Diamond Jubilee Baton Relay should London host the 2012 Olympics. | | (149929) | 43
| Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to visit the Imperial War Museum North seminar on Nuclear Weapons Past and Future to be held on 11th February. | | (149969) | 44
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much Heritage Lottery funding has been awarded to Brent in each year since 1997. | | (150039) | 45
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much Heritage Lottery funding has been awarded on average to London boroughs in each year since 1997. | | (150042) | 46
| Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the use of the Radio Joint Audience Research system of audience measurement to calculate the amount of levy on the qualifying revenues of national commercial radio stations. | | (149892) | 47
| Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will adopt a system of electronic audience measurement to calculate the amount of levy on the qualifying revenue of national commercial radio stations. | | (149893) | 48
| Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will ask Ofcom to conduct a study into the accuracy of the Radio Joint Audience Research system of audience measurement. | | (149894) | 49
| Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effect on revenue from the levy on qualifying revenues of national commercial radio stations of moving from the Radio Joint Audience Research system of audience measurement to a system of electronic audience measurement. | | (149895) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 50
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department takes to ensure that foreign ships it charters meet international convention standards for safety and working conditions. | | (149907) | 51
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Answer of 14th January, Official Report, column 763W, on the Atlantic Crusader, under what flag the ship is sailing; for what purpose his Department has commissioned the vessel; and for how long the charter is. | | (149964) | 52
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many meetings with parents of service personnel killed in the Iraq conflict he has arranged. | | (150063) | 53
| Mr Mohammad Sarwar (Glasgow Govan):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on current projections of cost and capability for the new aircraft carrier programme. | | (149775) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 54
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the change in the number of jobs in Staffordshire Fire Service as a result of the proposed regionalisation of the Fire and Rescue Service. | | (149842) | 55
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whom he has consulted on the plans to regionalise Staffordshire's Fire and Rescue Service. | | (149843) | 56
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, under what powers he would implement the regionalisation of the Fire and Rescue Service in Staffordshire without the consent of Staffordshire County Council. | | (149844) | 57
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with Staffordshire County Council on his plans to regionalise the Fire and Rescue Service. | | (149845) | 58
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with (a) retained and (b) full-time firefighters in Staffordshire on his plans to regionalise the Fire and Rescue Service; and what their advice was. | | (149846) | 59
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what change in the number of managerial jobs he expects to result from the regionalisation of the Fire and Rescue Service in Staffordshire. | | (149847) | 60
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what community consultation he has held in Staffordshire on his plans to regionalise the Fire and Rescue Service. | | (149848) | 61
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what research relating to Staffordshire he has commissioned to provide the evidential basis for his plans to regionalise the Fire and Rescue Service. | | (149849) | 62
| Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with the Staffordshire Police Authority on his plans to regionalise the Fire and Rescue Service. | | (149850) | 63
| Mr Mark Field (Cities of London & Westminster):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with the Greater London Authority on his plans to regionalise the Fire and Rescue Service. | | (149891) | 64
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether elected regional assemblies will have power to determine transport-related priorities within their regions. | | (150077) | 65
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether it is the Government's policy that the proposals for elected regional assemblies will not involve any review of the Barnett formula. | | (150078) | 66
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether he expects elected regional assemblies to have the power to determine how public spending within the region is allocated. | | (150079) | 67
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, which powers elected regional assemblies will take from existing local authorities. | | (150080) | 68
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the amount of brownfield land available for new build in Chorley. | | (150016) | 69
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether local planning authorities can refuse new housing applications in areas where (a) sewage and (b) flooding problems are known to exist. | | (150017) | 70
| Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whom he has consulted on the plans to regionalise Hereford and Worcester's Fire Service. | | (149833) | 71
| Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what research he has assessed that indicates that the optimum structure for the Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service is one based on the existing Government Office West Midlands Region. | | (149834) | 72
| Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with the West Mercia Police Authority on his plans to regionalise the Fire Service. | | (149835) | 73
| Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the change in the number of jobs in Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service that will be consequent on the proposed regionalisation of the Fire and Rescue Service. | | (149836) | 74
| Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what change in the number of managerial jobs he expects to result from the regionalisation of the Fire Service in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. | | (149837) | 75
| Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, under what powers he would implement the regionalisation of the Fire Service in Hereford and Worcester without the consent of Herefordshire and Worcestershire County Councils. | | (149838) | 76
| Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with (a) retained and (b) full-time firefighters in Hereford and Worcester on his plans to regionalise the Fire Service; and what their advice was. | | (149839) | 77
| Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what community consultation he has held in Hereford and Worcester on his plans to regionalise the Fire Service. | | (149840) | 78
| Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what research relating to Hereford and Worcester he has commissioned to provide the evidential basis for his plans to regionalise the Fire Service. | | (149841) | 79
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the job losses in Humberside, including East Yorkshire, as a result of the proposed regionalisation of the Fire and Rescue Service. | | (149400) | 80
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what research relating to Humberside he has commissioned to provide the evidential basis for his plans to regionalise the Fire and Rescue Service. | | (149401) | 81
N | Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what community consultation he has held in Humberside and East Yorkshire on his plans to regionalise the Fire and Rescue Service. | | (149402) | 82
| Mr Greg Knight (East Yorkshire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whom he has consulted on the plans to regionalise the Humberside Fire and Rescue Service. | | (149403) | 83
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the average waiting time for a person to be rehoused in Brent was in each year since 1997. | | (149883) | 84
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many people are on the housing list waiting to be rehoused in Brent. | | (149884) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 85
N | Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much (a) his Department and (b) each agency and non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department spent on (i) advertising and (ii) information campaigns in each year since 1995-96; what his estimate is for 2003-04; and if he will make a statement. | | (149724) | 86
| Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time (i) primary and (ii) secondary school teachers were employed in the Ribble Valley and Fulwood area in each year since 1997. | | (149802) | 87
| Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the level of employer engagement with the modern apprenticeship scheme. | | (150003) | 88
| Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much his Department has spent on modern apprenticeships in each year since their inception. | | (150004) | 89
| Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many businesses provided places for modern apprenticeships for the first time in (a) 2001-02 and (b) 2002-03 to support trainees receiving training through (i) further education colleges and (ii) private training organisations. | | (150005) | 90
| Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what research his Department has undertaken to examine what the effect on provision would be were all the further education colleges funded by the Further Education Funding Council to withdraw from all work-based learning provision. | | (150006) | 91
| Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much was spent by each learning and skills council on employer initiatives in 2003; and if he will make a statement. | | (150007) | 92
| Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list, broken down by region, the (a) firms and (b) companies taking part in employer training pilots; and how much public funding each of them has received in (i) 2001-02, (ii) 2002-03 and (iii) 2003. | | (150008) | 93
| Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the success rate as defined by his Department is for employer training pilots; and if he will make a statement. | | (150009) | 94
| Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many expressions of interest were received between the start of the advertising campaign in London in 2002 promoting modern apprenticeships and three months after the conclusion of the campaign; and how many of these expressions of interest translated into modern apprenticeship courses started. | | (150010) | 95
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on Condover Hall School. | | (149773) | 96
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will estimate the number of higher education students who will be affected by the introduction of top-up fees. | | (149774) | 97
| Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether he will require universities charging higher than average variable fees to pay their academic staff more. | | (149947) | 98
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average class size for (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in (i) Brent East constituency, (ii) the London Borough of Brent, (iii) London and (iv) England was in each year since 1997. | | (149897) | 99
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the level of funding per pupil in further education was in (a) Brent East, (b) the London Borough of Brent, (c) London and (d) England in each year since 1997. | | (149901) | 100
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what research he has commissioned into the effects of tuition fees on medical manpower planning. | | (149759) | 101
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what research he has commissioned into the repayment of tuition fees by women medical students. | | (149760) | 102
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effects of tuition fees on women medical students. | | (149761) | 103
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many toothbrushes have been distributed free by each Surestart project. | | (149398) | 104
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what legal services and goods Surestart projects are (a) authorised and (b) forbidden to provide at no cost to the recipient. | | (149399) | 105
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, from which Learning and Skills Council-funded work-based learning providers funding contracts were removed in 2002-03. | | (149990) | 106
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much was spent on the University for Industry in (a) 2002-03 and (b) 2003-04; and what proportion was spent on (i) administration and (ii) staffing. | | (149991) | 107
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether University for Industry-funded learning targets were achieved in (a) 2001-02 and (b) 2002-03. | | (149992) | 108
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what proportion of funding provided to the University for Industry by his Department was taken up by learners in 2002-03. | | (149993) | 109
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what proportion of the Learning and Skills Council low priority adult funding budget will go to the University for Industry in each local Learning and Skills Council region in 2004-05. | | (149994) | 110
| Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what liaison takes place between local Learning and Skills Councils and the University for Industry; and if he will make a statement. | | (149995) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 111
N | Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much (a) her Department and (b) each agency and non-departmental public body sponsored by her Department spent on (i) advertising and (ii) information campaigns in each year since its creation; what her estimate is for 2003-04; and if she will make a statement. | | (149723) | 112
| Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many abandoned vehicles were collected in the Ribble Valley and Fulwood area in each year since 1997. | | (149793) | 113
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the status is of the four ships from the US ghost fleet sent to the UK for decommissioning. | | (150029) | 114
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what evaluation she has made of the pig welfare regulations in force in Poland; how they will change on accession to the EU; and in what respects they (a) differ now and (b) will differ upon accession from those in force in the UK. | | (150030) | 115
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions (a) she and (b) her officials have had with the Treasury regarding a tax on pesticides. | | (150031) | 116
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what explanation she has received from (a) the US authorities and (b) the US Marine Administration on why warnings given by the Environment Agency on (i) 3rd October 2003, (ii) 8th October 2003 and (iii) 10th October 2003 that the four ships from the US ghost fleet should not set out for the UK were not heeded. | | (150032) | 117
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the average income of (a) arable, (b) beef, (c) dairy, (d) poultry, (e) pig, (f) sheep and (g) mixed farmers was in Lancashire in the latest year for which figures are available. | | (149936) | 118
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the future economic viability of dairy farming in Lancashire. | | (149937) | 119
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to meet representatives of supermarkets to discuss United Kingdom dairy farming. | | (149938) | 120
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many leakages from underground fuel tanks were reported to the Environment Agency in the last five years. | | (150051) | 121
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many organic farms there were in England and Wales (a) in 2000 and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available. | | (150055) | 122
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the latest figure for the average annual income of hill farmers in England and Wales is. | | (150058) | 123
| Mr Alex Salmond (Banff & Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she intends to reply to the letter dated 28th October 2003 from the honourable Member for Banff and Buchan to the Minister for Farming, Food and Sustainable Energy, regarding his constituent, Mr T. Curran of Portsoy. | | (149778) | 124
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recommendations she has made to local authorities for recycling levels of (a) domestic refuse, (b) commercial refuse and (c) industrial refuse. | | (149957) | 125
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of (a) domestic refuse, (b) commercial refuse and (c) industrial refuse was recycled in (i) Brent, (ii) London and (iii) England in the last year for which records are available. | | (149958) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 126
| Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the information bulletin being issued to foreign nationals arriving in Israel which informs them that they now require written prior authorisation from the Israeli government to visit territories under the control of the Palestinian Authority and that failure to obtain such authorisation many result in legal action being taken against them by Israel. | | (149886) | 127
| Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what mechanisms the Israeli government used to consult the United Kingdom before issuing warnings to British citizens and other foreign nationals arriving in Israel that entry to territories under the control of the Palestinian Authority is now forbidden without written prior authorisation from the Israeli Government and stating that entry to those territories without such written authorisation may result in legal action being taken; and what representations he is making to Israel on the issue. | | (149935) | 128
| Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether there are alternative entry points to those controlled by the Israeli military for British passport holders visiting territories under the administration of the Palestinian Authority; and what assessment he has made of the implications for the freedom of movement of British passport holders of the introduction by Israel of regulations forbidding foreign nationals entry to Palestinian territories without written prior authorisation from the Israeli government and stating that entry to those territories without such written authorisation may result in legal action being taken. | | (149940) | 129
N | Sir Menzies Campbell (North East Fife):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what financial support the United Kingdom has given to the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee; and if he will make a statement. | | (149096) | 130
| Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on relations between China and the UK. | | (150040) | 131
| Mr John Maples (Stratford-on-Avon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list residential properties sold by his Department since June 1997, and the net cash proceeds of each. | | (149856) | 132
| Mr John Maples (Stratford-on-Avon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the residential properties purchased by his Department since June 1997, and the total cash cost of each. | | (149857) | 133
N | Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the deadlines were for payment of regular budget contributions to the United Nations for each year since 1993; and when the United Kingdom made these payments in each year. | | (148667) | 134
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many interviews were conducted by the British High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan for entry clearance for settlement purposes in each month in the last two years. | | (149885) | 135
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how long it took on average in 2003 for a person applying for entry clearance for settlement to be granted an interview. | | (149887) | 136
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many people are waiting to be granted an interview by the British High Commission in Islamabad for entry clearance for settlement purposes. | | (149888) | 137
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many staff work at the British High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan. | | (149889) | 138
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the average number of staff working at a British High Commission was in 2003. | | (149890) | 139
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Israeli Government concerning (a) illegal settlements in Gaza and the West Bank and (b) continued construction of the security wall. | | (149820) | 140
| Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his European Union counterparts on the future of Cyprus; and if he will make a statement. | | (150033) | 141
| Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of prospects for an agreement between Greece and Turkey on the issue of the future sovereignty of Cyprus when the island accedes to the Europen Union on 1st May; and if he will make a statement. | | (150034) | 142
| Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the role of the latest UN plan for the sovereignty of Cyprus in achieving an agreement between Greece and Turkey; and if he will make a statement. | | (150035) | 143
| Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last met the (a) Turkish Ambassador and (b) Greek Ambassador to discuss the future of Cyprus. | | (150036) | 144
| Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what priorities he has set for assisting in negotiations aimed at achieving an agreement between Greece and Turkey on the sovereignty of Cyprus. | | (150037) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 145
N | Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason sensory impairment does not feature on the list of priorities for research published on his Department's website. | | (149704) | 146
N | Mr Richard Allan (Sheffield, Hallam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason none of the research and development work on assistive technology listed in his Department's statutory report that was laid before Parliament in November 2003 related to sensory impairment. | | (149726) | 147
N | Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much (a) his Department and (b) each agency and non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department spent on (i) advertising and (ii) information campaigns in each year since 1995-96; what his estimate is for 2003-04; and if he will make a statement. | | (149725) | 148
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what evaluation he has undertaken of the effect of the Fruit for Schools pilot schemes on children's health. | | (149852) | 149
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 13th January, Official Report, column 708W, on agency staff, if he will estimate the cost of fraud covered by criminal prosecutions; and what extrapolation has been made from these figures of the wider cost of timesheet fraud. | | (149853) | 150
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting times were for (a) all specialities, (b) orthopaedics and (c) thoracic treatment in each year since 1997 for (i) England and (ii) each region; and if he will make a statement. | | (149854) | 151
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what clinical audit data hospitals and primary care trusts in England have collated that is more than 12 months old covering the information in Milestone 3 on heart failure set out in the National Service Framework on Coronary Heart Disease. | | (149855) | 152
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what central Government funds have been allocated in each of the next three years for the Fruit for Schools scheme; and if he will make a statement. | | (149859) | 153
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hits have been recorded for the website mindnseek.net since it was established; and what evaluation of the project has been undertaken. | | (149863) | 154
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the (a) number and (b) rate of general practitioner vacancies in each (i) strategic health authority and (ii) primary care trust in each year since each was established. | | (149864) | 155
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made towards meeting the National Service Framework for Mental Health in the areas of (a) early intervention, (b) support for carers and (c) waiting times for mental health services; and if he will make a statement. | | (149867) | 156
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his statement, of 7th January, Official Report, column 279, which trusts received an increased star rating as a result of the recalculations. | | (149942) | 157
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which individual NHS trust ratings the Secretary of State queried during consideration of the 2002 star ratings; and what the reasons were in each case. | | (149943) | 158
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on which 3-star NHS trusts at risk of losing a star ministers raised queries during consideration of the 2002 star ratings. | | (149944) | 159
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many recalculations of the 2002 NHS trust star ratings took place (a) before and (b) after 15th to 16th July 2002; and what the reasons were for each recalculation. | | (149945) | 160
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which criteria in the 2002 NHS trust star ratings were changed when they were recalculated on 15th to 16th July 2002. | | (149946) | 161
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made towards the target of reducing the value of NHS building backlog maintenance by 25 per cent. by 2004. | | (150043) | 162
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made with the Department's aim to ensure appropriate use of secure and forensic facilities by 2004. | | (150044) | 163
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what percentage of prisoners with severe mental illness have a care plan. | | (150045) | 164
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made towards the target to (a) reduce the duration of untreated psychosis to a service median of less than three months and (b) provide support for the first three years for all young people who develop a first episode of psychosis, by 2004. | | (150046) | 165
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what definition he uses of (a) mental health crisis resolution teams, (b) mental health assertive outreach teams, (c) mental health early intervention teams and (d) secure personality disorder places, as established by his Department; and how many of each there are. | | (150047) | 166
| Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the relationship between the criminal guardianship powers in the Mental Health Act 1983 and the community treatment orders proposed in the Draft Mental Health Bill 2002. | | (149798) | 167
| Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research has been (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the use of criminal guardianship powers in the Mental Health Act 1983. | | (149799) | 168
| Mrs Helen Clark (Peterborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the target groups of people with mental health problems who will be helped by the introduction of community treatment orders. | | (149800) | 169
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of people aged 65 years and over who suffer from sensory impairment, broken down by sense. | | (149790) | 170
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many care homes are registered as catering for the needs of the elderly mentally infirm. | | (149791) | 171
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of people assessed as being elderly mentally infirm. | | (149792) | 172
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have been commissioned by the National Care Standards Commission to inspect care homes for the elderly; and what the full-time equivalent is. | | (149797) | 173
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received from (a) patients suffering from osteoporosis and (b) groups representing them about the recent National Institute for Clinical Excellence assessment of Raloxifene; and how many patients have been prescribed the drug in each of the past three years. | | (150038) | 174
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the impact of settlement in the UK of citizens of EU accession states on demand for NHS services in (a) 2004-05 and (b) 2005-06 financial years. | | (150076) | 175
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what statistics he has collated on the use of NHS Direct in Lancashire, broken down by constituency. | | (149939) | 176
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospital trolley waits there were in the London region in (a) 2000, (b) 2001, (c) 2002 and (d) 2003; and how many there were in December of each year. | | (149794) | 177
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what provisions he has made to ensure that funding of independent residential care providers encourages them to supply expected increases in demands on their services from 2005 onwards. | | (149826) | 178
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average cost of dental treatment in (a) Brent, (b) London and (c) England was in each year since 1997. | | (149898) | 179
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent on agency fees by (a) North West London Strategic Health authority, (b) North West London Hospitals NHS Trust and (c) Brent Primary Care Trust in each year since 1997. | | (149899) | 180
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioners there were per head of population in (a) Brent East, (b) Brent Primary Care trust area, (c) London and (d) England on the latest date for which figures are available. | | (149900) | 181
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioner surgeries there are in Brent East constituency. | | (149902) | 182
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioner surgeries in Brent East constituency closed their list in the last 12 months. | | (149903) | 183
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dentists' surgeries there are in Brent East constituency. | | (149904) | 184
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dentists' surgeries in Brent East constituency are accepting new NHS patients. | | (149905) | 185
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what money has been allocated to NHS local investment finance trust schemes in each year since the scheme was introduced in (a) Brent, (b) London and (c) England. | | (149959) | 186
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what uptake there has been of NHS local investment finance trust scheme funding in each year since the scheme was introduced in (a) Brent, (b) London and (c) England. | | (149960) | 187
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients, in the absence of an available general practitioner, have been allocated to a locum doctor in (a) Brent, (b) London and (c) England. | | (149961) | 188
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for how many former community health council premises which are empty, payments for (a) leases, (b) rent, (c) rates and (d) security costs are still being made. | | (149762) | 189
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the estimated cost is of (a) maintaining and (b) securing empty community health council premises until alternative uses have been found. | | (149763) | 190
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health has spent to date in establishing new arrangements following the abolition of community health councils. | | (149764) | 191
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much is being spent in supporting patient and public involvement at local level. | | (149765) | 192
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health has spent on (a) headquarters and (b) regional offices in the current financial year. | | (149766) | 193
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what changes will be required to patient and public involvement in health forums established in NHS trusts which gain foundation status. | | (149769) | 194
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health renamed the local network providers as forum support organisations; and for what reasons the change was made. | | (149770) | 195
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement Forums monitors and assesses the performance of forum support organisations. | | (149771) | 196
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patient and public involvement forums have started monitoring the NHS. | | (149772) | 197
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost was of abolishing community health councils. | | (149776) | 198
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research he has undertaken into links between taking cannabis and schizophrenia. | | (149821) | 199
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of rape victims are known consequently to have contracted (a) a sexually transmitted disease, (b) HIV/AIDS, (c) hepatitis B and (d) hepatitis C in each of the last five years. | | (149906) | 200
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people in (a) St Helens and (b) Merseyside had HIV/AIDS in (i) 2001, (ii) 2002, (iii) 2003 and (iv) the most recent in 2004 for which figures are available. | | (149910) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 201
| Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what meetings his Department has had with community organisations working to combat gun crime. | | (149785) | 202
| Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the performance of Government-funded community groups working to combat gun crime. | | (149786) | 203
| Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much Government funding, broken down by local authority area, is given to community groups working to combat gun crime. | | (149787) | 204
N | Andy Burnham (Leigh):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people in each police force area were charged by police with driving without insurance in each of the last five years. | | (148742) | 205
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on his plans for increases in fines for drivers caught speeding; and how the extra money raised will help victims of (a) crime and (b) road traffic accidents. | | (149095) | 206
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate his Department has made of the number of citizens of EU accession states likely to settle in the UK during the first year of those states' membership. | | (150081) | 207
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what records will be kept of numbers of citizens of EU accession states entering the UK and intending to settle here after 1st May. | | (150082) | 208
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):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 drugs in (a) the North West and (b) Lancashire. | | (149965) | 209
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the level of drug-related crime in (a) the North West, (b) Lancashire and (c) Chorley; and what the cost of drug-related crime was in each area in each of the last three years. | | (149966) | 210
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much revenue the Metropolitan Police received from the operation of (a) speed and (b) red light cameras in 2002; and how much was (i) imposed and (ii) collected in fines resulting from (A) speed and (B) red light cameras in London in each of the last five years. | | (149795) | 211
| Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress has been made towards the 10-year anti-drugs strategy targets of (a) halving the number of young people using Class A drugs, (b) halving the availability of Class A drugs, (c) doubling the number of drug misusers in treatment and (d) halving the levels of re-offending by drug-misusing offenders. | | (149865) | 212
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the net figure remitted to the Home Office in respect of speeding fines raised by police forces in England and Wales was in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003. | | (150018) | 213
N | Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the monetary grant made available to prisoners on release from gaol is different if a prisoner provides no fixed abode as their address. | | (149519) | 214
N | Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners in the most recent year for which figures are available, gave no fixed abode as their address; how many convicted paedophiles were released form gaol within this period; and how many convicted paedophiles gave no fixed abode as their address within this period. | | (149520) | 215
N | Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners were released from gaol in the most recent year for which figures are available. | | (149521) | 216
| Richard Ottaway (Croydon South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is his Department's policy to make notes of (a) meetings and (b) telephone conversations involving Ministers; and under what circumstances no notes would be made. | | (149805) | 217
| Mr Alex Salmond (Banff & Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to reply to the letter dated 8th December 2003 from the honourable Member for Banff and Buchan regarding asylum seekers in Scotland. | | (149777) | 218
| Mr Alex Salmond (Banff & Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to reply to the letter dated 31st October 2003 from the honourable Member for Banff and Buchan regarding his constituent, Mr G Christie of Fordyce. | | (149779) | 219
| Mr Alex Salmond (Banff & Buchan):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to reply to the letter dated 8th December 2003 from the honourable Member for Banff and Buchan regarding his constituent, Mr C. Ming of Fraserburgh. | | (149783) | 220
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the implications of the introduction of identity cards for the common travel area between the UK and Ireland. | | (149931) | 221
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he next plans to meet Irish government officials to discuss the introduction of identity cards in the UK. | | (149932) | 222
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what negotiations he has had with the Irish Government concerning the introduction of identity cards in the United Kingdom. | | (149933) | 223
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children are held in detention centres for asylum seekers. | | (149822) | 224
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment is made of the needs of children before they go to detention centres. | | (149823) | 225
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what provision is made for children to be educated in detention centres. | | (149825) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 226
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent estimate he has made of the number of Afghan refugees in (a) Pakistan and (b) Iran. | | (149972) | 227
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Uganda Presidential Peace Team. | | (149973) | 228
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment he has made of the number of internally displaced people in the Democratic Republic of Congo, broken down by region. | | (149974) | 229
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many refugee camps in Pakistan are being run by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. | | (149975) | 230
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much of the $200 million pledged by the Government to the Global Health Fund over five years has been disbursed. | | (149976) | 231
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when he will report on the outcome of the technical reviews of economic governance carried out as part of the Africa Peer Review Mechanism. | | (149978) | 232
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what his most recent estimate is of levels of malnutrition in (a) Ethiopia, (b) Malawi and (c) the Democratic Republic of Congo. | | (149979) | 233
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will list current EU aid projects. | | (149980) | 234
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many staff in his Department devote a proportion of their working time to involvement in EU aid projects, broken down by grade. | | (149981) | 235
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many recent meetings officials from his Department have had with local Iraqi non-governmental organisations; and what the results of those meetings have been. | | (149982) | 236
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate he has made of the number of humanitarian aid stockpiles in Iraq that have been (a) destroyed and (b) stolen since April 2003. | | (149983) | 237
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much money his Department has provided to the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees since the start of the conflict with Iraq to assist with its work in Iraq and neighbouring countries. | | (149984) | 238
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on the levels of (a) malnutrition, (b) disease and (c) destitution in Southern Sudan in (i) December 2001, (ii) December 2002 and (iii) December 2003. | | (149985) | 239
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment he has made of maternal mortality rates in refugee camps in Pakistan. | | (149996) | 240
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what decisions were reached at the conference in the Netherlands in 2003 on priority setting for development when peace is achieved. | | (149997) | 241
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment he has made of the levels of (a) fighting and (b) casualties in Darfur; and what they were in June 2003. | | (149998) | 242
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what progress has been made with the plan of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to assist the return of up to half a million Iraqi refugees. | | (149999) | 243
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what progress has been made with plans to assist those displaced before the conflict in Iraq to return home. | | (150000) | 244
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the result was of the consultation with the Association of Chief Police Officers on possible next steps in maintaining public order in Iraq. | | (150001) | 245
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will list the drugs of which there is a shortage in Iraq; and what conditions they are intended to treat. | | (150002) | 246
| Richard Burden (Birmingham, Northfield):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the implications for the work of humanitarian aid agencies of the information bulletin being issued to foreign nationals arriving in Israel which informs them that entry to territories under the control of the Palestinian Authority is forbidden without written prior authorisation from the Israeli Government and that entry to those territories without such written authorisation may result in legal action being taken; and what representations he is making to Israel on the issue. | | (149934) | 247
N | Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much (a) his Department and (b) each agency and non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department has spent on (i) advertising and (ii) information campaigns in each year from 1995-96 to 2003-04 (estimated); and if he will make a statement. | | (149621) | 248
| Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether his Department (a) was represented at and (b) sent observers to the World Social Forum held in Mumbai this month. | | (149963) | 249
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions he has had with (a) non-governmental organisations and (b) the UN concerning provision for AIDS orphans in Africa. | | (149819) | 250
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions he has had with the Rwandan Government concerning military activity in the Democratic Republic of Congo. | | (149824) | 251
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans he has for ensuring the adequacy of healthcare systems in countries likely to (a) obtain and (b) use antiretroviral drugs for treatment of AIDS. | | (149858) | 252
| Mr Shaun Woodward (St Helens South):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support he provides to programmes in the Great Lakes region of Africa that educate HIV-positive men about treatment for their condition. | | (149911) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 253
| Richard Ottaway (Croydon South):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether it is his Department's policy to make notes of (a) meetings and (b) telephone conversations involving Ministers; and under what circumstances no notes would be made. | | (149801) | 254
| Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what action has been taken by the South Eastern Education and Library Board to complete the asbestos survey of its estate; when he expects the survey to be completed; and when its findings will be published. | | (149780) | 255
| Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average time between referral of pupils for statutory assessment and receiving the required assistance for (a) learning difficulties, (b) speech and language, (c) autism, (d) behavioural difficulties and (e) medical needs within the South Eastern Education and Library Board was in the last year for which figures are available. | | (149784) | Questions to the Prime Minister 256
| Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Prime Minister, what conclusions he has reached following his investigations into the treatment of child access by the courts announced by him on LBC Radio on 14th January. | | (149941) | 257
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Prime Minister, whether he plans to attend the Normandy Veterans' 60th Anniversary Service at St Paul's Cathedral. | | (149930) | 258
| Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Oral Answer of 14th January to the honourable Member for Billericay, Official Report, column 813, if he will ensure that the enforcement of planning law in relation to travellers referred to is included in the Planning Bill; and if he will agree to meet the honourable Members for Billericay and South West Bedfordshire and other concerned honourable Members on this subject. | | (149851) | Questions to the Solicitor General 259
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Solicitor General, what the overall conviction rate for cases pursued by the Serious Fraud Office was in 2003. | | (150062) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 260
| Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many delegates from each member of the World Trade Organisation attended the ministerial conference in Cancún in September 2003. | | (149977) | 261
N | Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much (a) her Department and (b) each agency and non-departmental public body sponsored by her Department spent on (i) advertising and (ii) information campaigns in each year since 1995-96; what her estimate is for 2003-04; and if she will make a statement. | | (149721) | 262
| Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer of 3rd December 2003, Official Report, column 102W, when she will make an announcement regarding the implementation of section 23 of the Employment Relations Act 1999 in relation to employment rights for clergy. | | (149818) | 263
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the average length of time was for settlement of miners' compensation claims for respiratory diseases in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside and (c) the UK in each year since 1997. | | (149912) | 264
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many miners' compensation claims for respiratory diseases (a) have been made, (b) have been settled and (c) are outstanding in (i) the Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside and (iii) the UK in each year since 1997. | | (149913) | 265
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what mechanisms are in place to ensure that miners' compensation claims for respiratory diseases are settled within a reasonable period of time. | | (149914) | 266
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she will announce the minimum payment under the Miners' Pension Fund; and if she will make a statement. | | (149796) | 267
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list applications for wind farm developments in Lanchashire, broken down by (a) location and (b) output in kw per hour. | | (149967) | 268
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many post offices there were in England and Wales (a) in 1996 and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available. | | (150053) | 269
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many post offices have closed in Brent in each year since 1979. | | (149896) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 270
N | Andy Burnham (Leigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of (a) the number of people driving on roads in England and Wales without adequate insurance cover in each of the last five years and (b) trends in driving without insurance in recent years. | | (148738) | 271
N | Andy Burnham (Leigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many road accidents there were in each region of England in each of the last five years involving a driver or drivers who were uninsured; and what percentage of those accidents involved (a) third party personal injury and (b) third party property damage. | | (148739) | 272
N | Andy Burnham (Leigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the average cost to the insurance premium holder in each of the last five years of driving without insurance. | | (148740) | 273
N | Andy Burnham (Leigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the overall cost to public funds in the latest year for which figures are available of driving without adequate insurance cover. | | (148741) | 274
| Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many asylum seekers have been issued with driving licences in each of the past three years; and what estimate he has made of the number of asylum seekers driving without valid UK licences. | | (150048) | 275
| Mr Damian Green (Ashford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the public inquiries into applications made under the Transport and Works Act 1992 held in each of the last five years; how soon after the inquiry the inspector made his report to him in each case; and how long it took him to reach a decision in each case. | | (149986) | 276
| Mr Damian Green (Ashford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the decision-making process for applications made under the Transport and Works Act 1992; and if he will make statement. | | (149987) | 277
| Mr Damian Green (Ashford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff there are in his Department's Transport and Works Act processing unit, broken down by grade; and how many are (a) full-time, (b) part-time and (c) casual workers. | | (149988) | 278
| Mr Damian Green (Ashford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which safety camera partnerships moved cameras for reasons of effectiveness between 1st January and 31st December 2003. | | (149989) | 279
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the introduction of the new Advanced Driving Instructor part 1 examination; and what skills the examination will assess which are not covered by existing tests. | | (150015) | 280
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many rail freight miles were travelled in each year since 2003; and if he will make a statement. | | (150011) | 281
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many members of the Coastguard Service work in Wales; and how many worked in Wales in 1996. | | (150012) | 282
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many freight access grants have been made in the last 12 months; and what the total sum paid was. | | (150013) | 283
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he was consulted before the Strategic Rail Authority introduced its moratorium on freight access grants. | | (150050) | 284
| Richard Ottaway (Croydon South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is his Department's policy to make notes of (a) meetings and (b) telephone conversations involving Ministers; and under what circumstances no notes would be made. | | (149804) | 285
| Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the future of the Royal Train. | | (149928) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales 286
| Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what plans he has to hasten the implementation of the Dee Cockle Regulation Order. | | (150041) | 287
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when he last met the First Secretary to discuss the funding of Objective One projects. | | (150014) | 288
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many representations he received concerning the application for planning permission for a youth offender institution in Glyn Neath; and how many of those supported the application. | | (150054) | 289
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when he last met the First Minister of the National Assembly to discuss (a) the Richard Commission in general, (b) the Labour Party's evidence to the Commission and (c) any differences between the Labour Party's Assembly Group's evidence and the evidence given by some Welsh Labour honourable Members. | | (150056) | 290
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many official engagements he undertook in Wales over the last six months; and how many of those were in Mid and North Wales. | | (150057) | 291
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many letters from honourable Members from Wales he answered during (a) June, (b) July, (c) August, (d) September, (e) October and (f) November 2003; and if he will make a statement. | | (150059) | 292
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many press releases the Wales Office Press Office issued each day in (a) November and (b) December 2003. | | (150060) | 293
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what the total salary cost of the Wales Office Press Office was in 2003. | | (150061) | 294
N | Andrew Rosindell (Romford):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with the National Assembly for Wales Government on the funding of the NHS in Wales. | | (148357) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 295
N | Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much (a) his Department and (b) each agency and non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department spent on (i) advertising and (ii) information campaigns in each year since 1995-96; what his estimate is for 2003-04; and if he will make a statement. | | (149722) | 296
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will extend the winter fuel payment to severely disabled people under 60. | | (149097) | 297
| Annabelle Ewing (Perth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost was of administering council tax benefit payments in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) Scotland in each of the last five years; what the value was of council tax benefit payments made in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) Scotland in each of those years; and what estimate he has made of the total amount of council tax benefit unclaimed in each of those years. | | (149782) | 298
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the progress his Department has made in respect of the Third Age Service. | | (149788) | 299
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the Care Direct pilots. | | (149789) | 300
| Mr Philip Hammond (Runnymede & Weybridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the total additional cost of all benefits payable in (a) 2004-05 and (b) 2005-06 financial years to citizens of EU accession states residing in the UK. | | (150083) | 301
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many appeals against refusal to grant the (a) care and (b) mobility component of the disability living allowance were made in each year since 2000; how many were allowed in each year; and if he will make a statement. | | (150022) | 302
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many leakages from underground fuel tanks were reported to the Health and Safety Executive in the last five years. | | (150052) | 303
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have claimed pension credit in Brent East since it was introduced. | | (149908) | 304
| Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are entitled to claim pension credit in Brent East. | | (149909) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 305
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many deaths from (a) circulatory disease and (b) cancer were recorded in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (149868) | 306
| Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford & Stortford):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the impact on unreclaimable costs for small businesses of the recent increase in the starting threshold for VAT. | | [Transferred] (149768) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 307
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the average time spent on all sports by those aged between six and 16 years was in terms of hours per week in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (149866) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 308
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what provision his Department has made to enable schoolchildren to have access to clean drinking water during the school day. | | [Transferred] (149862) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 309
| Kate Hoey (Vauxhall):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer given by the honourable Member for Basildon, on 11th December 2003, Official Report, columns 577-8W, on hare coursing, what sources other than the principal sources cited in his Answer he used to reach his decision to refuse a licence to a coursing club to net hares. | | [Transferred] (150049) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 310
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether funds retained by police authorities from fines imposed for exceeding speed limits may be used to set up mobile CCTV systems. | | [Transferred] (150019) | 311
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what criteria apply to the quantification of the Rural Policing Fund; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (150020) |
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