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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Thursday 29 January 2004
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Thursday 29 January 2004
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Thursday 29 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 29 January of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Thursday 29 January see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office 1
| Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to regionalise the administration and management of the Civil Service. | | (152103) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 2
| Mr Michael Connarty (Falkirk East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much in unpaid (a) income tax and (b) national insurance contributions has been recovered from gangmasters operating in the UK's agricultural sector since 1994. | | (152097) | 3
N | Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with representatives of the Bank of England regarding the sustainability of current levels of personal debt. | | (151560) | 4
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of close companies that may currently be operated with the primary purpose of reducing owners' personal tax liability. | | (151943) | 5
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the loss to the Treasury from close companies that may currently be operated with the primary purpose of reducing owners' personal tax liability. | | (151944) | 6
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) residential and (b) other properties have been purchased under the Self Investment Personal Pension system since its introduction. | | (152163) | 7
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact of the changes proposed in his pre-Budget statement in respect of Self Investment Personal Pensions upon (a) availability of housing for rent, (b) the amount and proportion of second and holiday homes, (c) the availability of housing in areas with a high proponderance of second and holiday homes and (d) other aspects of the housing market. | | (152164) | 8
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what criteria will apply to the purchase of residential properties under his proposed changes to Self Investment Personal Pensions. | | (152165) | 9
| Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Report of the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Inland Revenue for the year ending 31st March 2003 (Cm 6050), Page 107, Table 5, Note 5, in which year the inclusion of (a) taxpayer favourable adjustments and (b) additional sums arising from the method of estimating future tax yield prior to that employed in 2002-03 in calculating the compliance performance of the Large Business Office for publication in Inland Revenue annual reports first commenced; who first sanctioned the use of each of these methods to calculate Large Business Office compliance performance; and on what date sanction was given. | | (152218) | 10
| Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 14th October 2003, Official Report, column 141W, on Project ASPIRE, on what date Inland Revenue first held a meeting to which it invited all suppliers with whom it was engaging in the market-making exercise for Project ASPIRE; and which of the suppliers did not attend.
| | (152231) | 11
| Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many members of the Senior Civil Service serve in (a) Inland Revenue, (b) head office functions of Inland Revenue, (c) the Large Business Office (CT), (d) International Division and (e) Special Compliance Office; and what proportion of them in each case are subject to performance-related pay arrangements.
| | (152232) | 12
| Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 16th December 2003, Official Report, column 803W, who the board member responsible for Mr John Yard's division was; and when he commenced planning for project ASPIRE.
| | (152233) | 13
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the latest figures for the death rate from (a) cancer and (b) coronary heart disease are in (i) the Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) Tyne and Wear, (iv) the North East and (v) the UK; and what they were in 1997. | | (152108) | 14
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue has been raised by the Climate Change Levy in each year since its introduction.
| | (152072) | 15
| Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been received from the sale of gold since 7th May 1999; how the receipts have been reinvested; and what the current market value of those reinvestments is. | | (152144) | 16
| Mr Brian Wilson (Cunninghame North):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the value was of the block grant allocation to the (a) Scottish Office and (b) Scottish Executive in each of the last 10 years; and what the projected figure is for the next two years in (a) cash and (b) constant terms. | | (151967) | Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 17
N | Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, when he will reply to the letter of 29th August 2003 from the honourable Member for Northavon, forwarded to him by the Department for Work and Pensions, reference 142208, regarding Mr Dicker. | | (151710) | 18
N | Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, for what reason Mr Philip Brown of Llandrindod Wells, reference CSCU 121/03, was refused a refund of the fee charged to gain Power of Attorney for his late mother. | | (151246) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 19
| Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many members there are on each (a) regional sports board and (b) regional arts board; and how many of each are local government councillors. | | (151950) | 20
| Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much money her Department has received from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in each year since 1998; and how much her Department estimates it will receive from the ERDF in each year until 2006, broken down by (a) capital and (b) resource income. | | (151951) | 21
| Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she expects that work on the Heathfield Transmitter will take place; and if she will make a statement. | | (152099) | 22
| Mr Brian Wilson (Cunninghame North):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list the sums committed by her Department to S4C in each year since 1997; and what the projected sums are for each of the next three years. | | (151995) | 23
| Mr Brian Wilson (Cunninghame North):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list the expenditure by her Department on reserved functions relating to Scottish Gaelic since 1999. | | (151996) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 24
| Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many sets of ceramic body armour have been issued by the Department in each year since 1992. | | (152080) | 25
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the legal costs of defending each action by disposal contractors against the Disposal Services Agency were in each of the last five years. | | (152145) | 26
| Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the cases against the Disposal Services Agency which were settled (a) in court and (b) by arbitration in each of the last five years. | | (152146) | 27
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time Royal Irish Regiment soldiers have been (i) killed and (ii) injured by terrorist actions in Northern Ireland since 1974. | | (152129) | 28
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time Ulster Defence Regiment soldiers have been (i) killed and (ii) injured by terrorist actions in Northern Ireland since 1974. | | (152130) | 29
| Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on progress in replacing the Spearfish heavyweight torpedo. | | (152005) | 30
| Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on progress on deciding which weapons would best meet the Army's future Lightweight Mobile Artillery Weapons System Gun requirement. | | (152006) | 31
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which countries have cancelled training exercises involving HM Forces in the past two years; and for what reasons. | | (152220) | 32
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what instructions have been given to Army commanding officers on identifying individuals who may no longer be regarded as necessary by their units. | | (152221) | 33
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many RAF flying posts there are this year; and how many are planned for each of the next three years. | | (152222) | 34
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Disposal Services Agency has given the Indian Government a quote for the sale of (a) HMS Invincible and (b) Sea Harrier FA2s. | | (152223) | 35
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Disposals Services Agency has given the Chilean Government a quote for the sale of (a) Type 23 frigates and (b) Type 42 destroyers. | | (152224) | 36
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Board of Inquiry into the crash of two Sea King helicopters during Operation Telic will present its findings to his Department; and if he will make a statement. | | (152225) | 37
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the disposal of Type 22 frigates to Romania has been concluded; and if he will make a statement. | | (152226) | 38
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) manpower strength and (b) manpower strength requirement is of the Ministry of Defence Police. | | (152237) | 39
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the budget of the Ministry of Defence Police has been in each of the past five years in current prices; and what the planned budget is for the next three years. | | (152238) | 40
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Ministry of Defence Police is expected to make efficiency savings. | | (152239) | 41
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which Ministry of Defence Police stations have been closed in the past two years; and what representations he has received from police forces about the closure of Ministry of Defence Police stations. | | (152240) | 42
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of Re-launching the image of the Royal Navy - A three year communication strategy, published in November 2001. | | (152241) | 43
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Harrier GR7/9 aircraft will be able to operate from CVF prior to the entry into the service of the Joint Strike Fighter. | | (152242) | 44
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the Joint Strike Fighter to enter into service. | | (152243) | 45
| Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on lean manned ships for the Royal Navy; and if he will make a statement. | | (152244) | 46
N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the laying of wreaths on Remembrance Day at the graves of Ulster Defence Regiment soldiers on behalf of the Royal Irish Regiment. | | (151613) | 47
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he will reply to the questions tabled by the honourable Member for Vale of York for answer on 12th January regarding security at RAF Leeming, refs 147075-7.
| | (152074) | 48
N | Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on progress on proposals for the building of the new garrison at Colchester; what has caused delays; and when he expects work to start. | | (151784) | 49
N | Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will hold an independent public inquiry into the deaths of the six Royal Military police officers from the Colchester garrison who were killed in Iraq. | | (151785) | 50
| Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements have been put in place in the southern sector of Iraq under British control to secure (a) state assets and (b) archaeological sites; and what discussions he has had with (i) his United States counterpart and (ii) the Administrator of the Coalition Provisonal Authority on the lessons learned from securing sites and assets, including ministries, in the United States-controlled sector. | | (151972) | 51
| Mr Gerry Steinberg (Durham, City of):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many contracts for the production of ammunition have been awarded to foreign companies in circumstances where a British company has bid for the contract in the last five years; and who the (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful companies were in each case. | | (152007) | 52
| Mr Gerry Steinberg (Durham, City of):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which foreign contractors after winning an ammunition contract have refused to supply the goods in the last five years; and what the reasons given for doing so were in each case. | | (152008) | 53
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral Answer of 26th January 2003 to the honourable Member for Stockton South, Official Report, column 8, on Iraq, what resources were in theatre but did not reach front-line forces in time for deployment. | | (151711) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 54
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the budget was for each area-based initiative for (a) 2002-03 and (b) 2003-04, broken down by English region; and what the total budget was for each region in each year. | | (151878) | 55
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the budget was for each project funded by Neighbourhood Renewal for (a) 2002-03 and (b) 2003-04, broken down by (i) English region and (ii) neighbourhood renewal area. | | (151879) | 56
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the budget was for each market renewal pathfinder scheme for (a) 2002-03 and (b) 2003-04, broken down by (i) English region and (ii) pathfinder area. | | (151880) | 57
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on when the Robson Rhodes review on the operation of supporting people is expected to report. | | (151787) | 58
N | Annabelle Ewing (Perth):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what guidelines have been issued by his Department on the siting of TETRA masts. | | (151794) | 59
| Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what matters are subject to scrutiny by the regional chambers in each of the English regions, and what the cost to public funds for each region was in each of the last three years. | | (152106) | 60
| Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many Homebuy loans were made to (a) those in social housing, (b) those on housing waiting lists and (c) key workers in London in 2002-03. | | (152018) | 61
| Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many Homebuy loans were made in each local authority area in London in 2002-03. | | (152019) | 62
| Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made since the report of the Home Ownership Task Force of introducing (a) low tranche (below 25 per cent.) shared ownership schemes and (b) lower tranche (below 75 per cent.) Homebuy schemes. | | (152020) | 63
| Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made since the report of the Home Ownership Task Force of the case for requiring the Housing Corporation (a) to set benchmark rents for shared ownership properties and (b) to monitor the performance of registered social landlords against these. | | (152021) | 64
| Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many units of affordable housing for (a) rent and (b) sale were built with funding generated by recycled capital grant in (i) 2001-02 and (ii) 2002-03, broken down by Government Office Region. | | (152024) | 65
| Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library a copy of the review of the system for valuing properties for Right to Buy purposes undertaken by the College of Estate Management. | | (152025) | 66
| Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library a copy of the research commissioned by the Homelessness Directorate on homelessness amongst people from black and ethnic minority communities. | | (152026) | 67
| Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library a copy of the framework agreed by the Housing Corporation and the London boroughs for the pooling of nominations for new lettings on a sub-regional basis. | | (152027) | 68
| Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) households, (b) people, (c) accommodation units and (d) dwellings that will fall within the scope of the mandatory houses in multiple occupation licensing scheme proposed in the Housing Bill. | | (152182) | 69
| Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd January, Official Report, column 1464W, in what circumstances a bed space is counted as a unit for the purposes of calculating the number of social housing units built or otherwise acquired by registered social landlords. | | (152183) | 70
| Ms Oona King (Bethnal Green & Bow):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd January, Official Report, column 1464W, which column of the table includes units built or acquired by registered social landlords with recycled capital grant. | | (152188) | 71
| Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford & Stortford):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many Construction Skills Certification Scheme cards are (a) in circulation and (b) due for renewal in 2005; and what estimate his Department has made of the numbers likely to seek to renew. | | (152167) | 72
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much Objective One money has been allocated to the (a) Yorkshire and Humber Region, (b) North West Region and (c) North East Region in the current financial year, broken down by area. | | (151881) | 73
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what projections he has made of the level of Objective One money likely to be given to the (a) Yorkshire and Humber Region, (b) North West Region and (c) North East Region for the 2007-13 period. | | (151882) | 74
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the criteria which need to be fulfilled for an area to obtain Objective One funding. | | (151883) | 75
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the (a) date and (b) venues were of the public consultations on the powers of the proposed regional assemblies for the (i) North West, (ii) North East and (iii) Yorkshire and the Humber. | | (151889) | 76
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the quangos which have a remit in the regions of the (a) North West, (b) North East and (c) Yorkshire and the Humber. | | (151890) | 77
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the criteria were for obtaining European Regional Funding for the 2000 to 2006 period; and what the criteria are for the 2007 to 2013 period. | | (151891) | 78
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the criteria are for organisations to obtain European Regional Funding. | | (151892) | 79
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether the criteria for obtaining (a) 2000 to 2006 and (b) 2007 to 2013 period European Regional Funding are based on (i) regional and (ii) national data. | | (151893) | 80
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether European Regional Funding has to comply with EU state aid rules. | | (151894) | 81
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether European Regional Funding figures are quoted for (a) a seven-year period and (b) annually. | | (151895) | 82
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether the proposed regional assemblies would be responsible to (a) Parliament and (b) the EU for European Regional Funding. | | (151896) | 83
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether the (a) £570 million Government grant for the Yorkshire and the Humber region, (b) £350 million for the North East region and (c) £780 million for the North West Region are classed as EU funding. | | (151897) | 84
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list (a) the recipient organisations and (b) the financial amounts over which the proposed regional assemblies would have influence in the (i) £1,100 million for the Yorkshire and the Humber region, (ii) £600 million for the North East Region and (iii) £1,600 million for the North West Region. | | (151898) | 85
| Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, from which budget (a) £1,100 million funding for the Yorkshire and the Humber region, (b) £600 million funding for the North East Region and (iii) £1,600 million funding for the North West Region comes.
| | (151899) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 86
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what representations he has received about safety on school buses; and if he will make a statement. | | (151863) | 87
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many serious accidents have occurred on school bus journeys in England in the last five years as a consequence of the behaviour of pupils travelling unsupervised on the bus. | | (151864) | 88
| Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of the number of A-Level students who took a year off study before beginning a university course in each year since 1990. | | (152003) | 89
| Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to transfer powers and responsibilities held by Learning and Skills Councils to elected regional assemblies where they are introduced. | | (152100) | 90
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children have been removed from their parents since changes to social services guidance in 1998 which made reference to Munchausen's syndrome by proxy. | | (152015) | 91
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what discussions he has had with the General Medical Council about Professor Sir Roy Meadow. | | (152016) | 92
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what grants have been made from the Children's Fund since it was set up. | | (152017) | 93
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children have been removed from their parents following a younger sibling's death, without evidence that one of the parents was responsible beyond reasonable doubt for the death of the first child, in the last 10 years. | | (152028) | 94
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when he received a letter from Jan Loxley-Blunt warning of the occurrence of misdiagnosis of Munchausen's syndrome by proxy and subsequent miscarriages of justice. | | (152029) | 95
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when the term Munchausen's syndrome by proxy changed to fabricated or induced illness; and what the reasons for the change were. | | (152030) | 96
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) cot deaths and (b) sudden infant death syndrome deaths were recorded in (i) 2003, (ii) 2002, (iii) 2001, (iv) 2000, (v) 1999, (vi) 1998 and (vii) 1997. | | (152031) | 97
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what measures he intends to put in place to reduce the numbers of parents wrongly accused of Munchausen's syndrome by proxy. | | (152032) | 98
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will discuss with the travel industry the differential pricing of holidays out of school term time.
| | (152073) | 99
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what measures he intends to put in place in social services to reduce the number of parents wrongly accused of Munchausen's syndrome by proxy. | | (152132) | 100
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many cases of parents gaoled for shaking their babies to death are to be reviewed in the light of the Angela Cannings appeal judgement. | | (152133) | 101
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, further to the Appeal Court Judgement in the R v Cannings case, what specific action he has initiated to review the cases of children removed from their parents in the family courts which have involved expert witness testimony from (a) Professor Sir Roy Meadow and (b) others on the expert witness list for (i) their expertise in Munchausen's syndrome by proxy and (ii) causing child death by shaking. | | (152136) | 102
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when the Government will implement section 11(4) of the Family Law Act 1996.
| | (152228) | 103
| Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether the Government intends to become a signatory to the European Convention on Contact.
| | (152229) | 104
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what (a) financial and (b) other assistance is available to help schools adapt to the change in funding they receive as a result of falling rolls. | | (152134) | 105
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the implications of the grant settlement for 2004-05 on local education authorities' ability to provide centrally funded services. | | (152135) | 106
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what independent audit is carried out of the quality of education offered by British universities operating overseas. | | (152205) | 107
| Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether after the introduction of higher student fees he intends to maintain the universities block grant in real terms. | | (151966) | 108
N | Mr David Rendel (Newbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his reply of 22nd January, Official Report, columns 1405-7W, what the assumed distribution was in the model of the (a) size of means-tested loan taken out and (b) size of fee loan, net of any fee remission. | | (151860) | 109
| Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 26th January, Official Report, column 145W, on school meals, who has statutory responsibility for the provision of school meals if the governing body of a school resigns. | | (152219) | 110
N | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many undergraduate students in England have declared themselves bankrupt in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement. | | (151713) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 111
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will commission research into broiler chicken welfare. | | (152150) | 112
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the report from the EU Scientific Committee for Animal Health and Animal Welfare on chicken welfare. | | (152151) | 113
| Mr Michael Connarty (Falkirk East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what budget has been allocated for the enforcement of employment law in agriculture during the period covering the last two financial years; and how many enforcement officers are dedicated to investigating breaches of employment law in agriculture. | | (152096) | 114
| Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many of the claims made for foot and mouth disease clean-up contracts which have been settled by her Department with (a) companies and (b) individuals based in Somerset were settled within the allocated time period. | | (152001) | 115
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) businesses, (b) landowners and (c) others have had all or some of their plant or tree stocks destroyed as a result of an outbreak of sudden oak death in the last two years. | | (151952) | 116
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many claims, and of what total value, her Department has received for compensation for outbreaks of sudden oak death from (a) commercial nurseries, (b) landowners and (c) others in each of the last 24 months for which records are available. | | (151953) | 117
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many claims for compensation for sudden oak death have been settled; and what payments have been made during the last two years. | | (151954) | 118
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) staff and (b) resources of (i) the Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate and (ii) other departmental bodies are deployed to detect and control outbreaks of sudden oak death in the UK. | | (151955) | 119
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent measures her Department has taken to ensure that plants and seeds infected with sudden oak death are not imported into the UK. | | (151956) | 120
| Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the risk to porpoises in UK waters from fixed seabed fishing nets; and if she will make a statement. | | (151988) | 121
| Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with (a) the European Commission and (b) her European Union counterparts on the protection of dolphins from by-catch by trawler nets; and if she will make a statement. | | (152004) | 122
| Mr David Lepper (Brighton, Pavilion):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding her Department has provided for the Warm Front programme in each year of that programme, including the current financial year. | | (151887) | 123
| Mr David Lepper (Brighton, Pavilion):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects to be able to announce the level of funding for the Warm Front programme in the (a) next financial year and (b) future years of the scheme. | | (151888) | 124
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people were employed by the Environment Agency in January (a) 1997, (b) 2000 and (c) 2004. | | (152076) | 125
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of the Environment Agency's budget in (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2003-04 was spent on national insurance contributions. | | (152077) | 126
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects the action plan on diffuse pollution relating to agriculture to be concluded. | | (152078) | 127
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 21st January, Official Report, column 1234W, on packaging waste, what her policy is on the penalising of companies involved in the packaging waste process for actions taken in contravention of the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) (England) 2003 before they were published. | | (152138) | 128
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 21st January, Official Report, column 1234W, on packaging waste, what the extent was of the delays caused by the Christmas holiday period to the publishing of the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) (England) 2003. | | (152139) | 129
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason her Department had not allowed for delays caused by the Christmas holiday period when deciding (a) when to publish the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) (England) 2003 and (b) when they should come into force. | | (152140) | 130
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the safety implications arising from the designation of the restricted fishing area in the North Sea in respect of vessels being required to dump haddock catch when they enter the area to avoid bad weather.
| | (152168) | 131
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what powers Fisheries Regional Advisory Committees will have (a) to decide on the regional total allowable catches for their areas and (b) to designate technical conservation measures; and what enforcement powers they will have.
| | (152169) | 132
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the EU (a) Necessity and (b) Recovery research programme on selective gear is scheduled to start; what the cost of each project is; and what the United Kingdom contribution to each project is.
| | (152170) | 133
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what instructions she has issued to (a) local authority environmental health departments, (b) the State Veterinary Service and (c) the Meat Hygiene Service in respect of actions to be taken to limit the spread of avian flu.
| | (152171) | 134
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much imported food has been (a) condemned and (b) impounded or otherwise detained as a result of suspected contamination with avian influenza virus.
| | (152172) | 135
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of whether the reported deaths of persons suffering from avian influenza resulted from (a) the handling of (i) live poultry and (ii) poultry meat and products and (b) the consumption of poultry meat.
| | (152173) | 136
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what tests are available to detect the avian influenza virus in imported food; whether screening is being carried out on existing stocks of imported food; and what the results were.
| | (152174) | 137
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the World Health Organisation on control measures necessary to limit the spread of avian influenza.
| | (152175) | 138
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the likelihood of the avian influenza virus mutating in a way which will increase its pathogenicity.
| | (152177) | 139
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the avian influenza virus is pathogenic to man; and whether it acts in concert with other pathogens to give rise to synergistic infection. | | (152178) | 140
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the route of infection of avian influenza is; and whether it is classified as a food-borne disease. | | (152179) | 141
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her assessment is of current risks to health from the (a) handling and (b) consumption of imported chicken meat in relation to avian influenza. | | (152180) | 142
N | Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of municipal waste going to landfill was biodegradable waste in the last year for which figures are available; and what estimate she has made of the likely change in the next five years. | | (151640) | 143
N | Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she intends to instruct that the four ghost ships moored in Hartlepool be returned to America. | | (151641) | 144
N | Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Government's response to the farm-scale evaluations of GM crops will be published. | | (151642) | 145
N | Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has for further scientific tests of GM crops following the farm-scale evaluations. | | (151643) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 146
N | Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the entry requirements are for visitors to the Falkland Islands; what visa restrictions are in place; to residents of which countries they apply; and what procedures are in place for those arriving without the correct documentation. | | (151644) | 147
| John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Government of Nigeria about (a) increases in Muslim fundamentalism in that country and (b) the potential for terrorism; and if he will make a statement. | | (151948) | 148
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that the name of the constituent of the honourable Member for East Antrim, notified in previous correspondence, who received unsolicited correspondence in respect of Iraq in March 2003 (a) will be removed from data held by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and (b) will not be disclosed to any other UK Government department. | | (152095) | 149
| Mr Colin Challen (Morley & Rothwell):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether any British companies bidding for reconstruction work in Iraq have been blacklisted under the United States Iran-Libya Sanctions Act 1996. | | (152089) | 150
| Mr Jimmy Hood (Clydesdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the outcome was of the General Affairs and External Relations Council held on 26th to 27th January; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement. | | (151974) | 151
| Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether evidence of nuclear weapons of mass destruction programme-related activities have been discovered in Iraq by the Iraq Survey Group since the statement to the United Nations Security Council on 27th January 2003 by Dr Mohamed El-Baradei on the status of nuclear inspections in Iraq. | | (151968) | 152
| Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what specific steps have been taken by the Iraq Survey Group to follow up the unresolved disarmament issues in respect of (a) VX nerve agent, (b) thiodiglycol mustard gas precursor, (c) anthrax, (d) Al Samoud 2 rockets and (e) Al Fatah rockets presented to the United Nations Security Council by Dr Hans Blix on 27th January 2003. | | (151969) | 153
| Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether former members of the Iraqi Ba'ath party will be permitted to stand for election in Iraq under the proposed arrangements being negotiated with the Iraq Governing Council. | | (151973) | 154
| Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government has taken to promote use of the World Service in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. | | (151884) | 155
| Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking in bilateral talks with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to further the protection of human rights there. | | (151885) | 156
| Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking within the (a) EU and (b) UN to further the protection of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. | | (151886) | 157
| Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who the members of the (a) British Council, (b) Commonwealth Institute and (c) Westminster Foundation for Democracy were on 1st January; what their term of office is in each case; and what their remuneration is. | | (151869) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 158
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what declaration of political affiliation health board convenors are required to make. | | (152152) | 159
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the board members of Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust in each of the last four years. | | (152153) | 160
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what criteria the Health Ombudsman uses in deciding whether to investigate a complaint against a health authority; and what assessment the Ombudsman makes of convenors' reports in making decisions about investigating complaints. | | (152156) | 161
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance he issues to health authorities on the timescale for dealing with complaints. | | (152157) | 162
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many complaints have been made to Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospital NHS Trust in each of the last four years; and how many have been upheld. | | (152159) | 163
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the net inflow of health care professionals to the United Kingdom was in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) country and (b) profession. | | (151611) | 164
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many prescription items of Orlistat were dispensed in the community in England in 2003; and how many children received the drug. | | (152002) | 165
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received from general practitioners and their representatives on difficulties in purchasing appropriate premises because of (a) house prices and (b) negative equity; and if he will make a statement. | | (152128) | 166
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the effect of obesity on life expectancy; and what research his Department has commissioned into projected levels of life expectancy of the population of the UK in this century. | | (152181) | 167
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on his plans to propose the introduction of a new definition of dual diagnosis into statute. | | (151788) | 168
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the current budgetary situation facing the National Treatment Agency, with particular reference to the South-West Region. | | (151789) | 169
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to extend the use of triage in mental health provision. | | (151790) | 170
N | Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to extend the use of primary care models for treating mental health, with specific reference to the role of general practitioners. | | (151791) | 171
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what criteria his Department used to decide on the (a) location and (b) number of training places for consultants in grown-up congenital heart abnormality. | | (152166) | 172
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS (a) general and (b) acute hospital beds there are in the (i) Portsmouth and (ii) South East Hampshire area; and how many were available (A) one year ago and (B) in 1997. | | (151992) | 173
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to recruit general practitioners; what the current national ratio of patients to general practitioners is; what the ratio is in the Portsmouth area; and how many general practitioner vacancies there are in (a) Portsmouth and (b) South East Hampshire. | | (151993) | 174
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made in improving neurology services in (a) Portsmouth and (b) South East Hampshire in the last five years; and what plans he has for the services. | | (151994) | 175
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on progress of Options for Change in improving NHS Dentistry, with particular reference to (a) Portsmouth and (b) South Hampshire.
| | (151997) | 176
| Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) nurses and (b) general practitioners are in training in (a) South Tyneside, (b) Tyne and Wear, (c) the North East and (d) the UK; and what the figures were in 1997. | | (152102) | 177
| Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which of his powers will be transferred to elected regional assemblies where they are introduced; and which body holds each of those powers. | | (152101) | 178
N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to reduce the number of cases of MRSA in hospitals. | | (151715) | 179
N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of the money set aside for directly funded equipment has been taken up by local authorities (a) so far this financial year and (b) in the last financial year. | | (151717) | 180
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what figures his Department has collated on the number of cases of Group D streptococcus in each of the last five years. | | (151945) | 181
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures he is taking to implement the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Green Top Guidelines on Group B streptococcus. | | (151946) | 182
| Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the 3rd Audit Commission report, Keeping People Independent with Assistive Technology. | | (151947) | 183
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what work is being undertaken to develop a vaccine for the protection of susceptible persons from infection by the avian influenza virus.
| | (152176) | 184
| Mr Michael Portillo (Kensington & Chelsea):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many beds have installed services for telephone, television and radio under the Patient Power Project, broken down by the licence holder providing the service. | | (152033) | 185
| Mr Michael Portillo (Kensington & Chelsea):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of the beds deemed suitable to receive telephone, television and radio services under the Patient Power Project have those services. | | (152034) | 186
| Mr Michael Portillo (Kensington & Chelsea):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what proportion of NHS trusts have signed concession agreements with licence holders under the Patient Power project. | | (152035) | 187
| Mr Michael Portillo (Kensington & Chelsea):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many installations under the Patient Power project will be completed by the end of 2004. | | (152036) | 188
| Mr Michael Portillo (Kensington & Chelsea):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many licences have been awarded to firms to provide telephone, television and radio services to hospital patients' bedsides under the Patient Power project. | | (152037) | 189
| Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether health care workers from overseas who are employed at NHS treatment centres are subject to compulsory tests for communicable diseases; and if he will make a statement. | | (151870) | 190
| Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the response to his Department's consultation paper Health Clearance for Serious Communicable Diseases: New Health Care Workers will be published; and if he will make a statement. | | (151871) | 191
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff in his Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended, (c) dismissed, (d) prosecuted and (e) convicted for involvement in benefit fraud in each of the last six years; and what amounts were involved in each case. | | (151998) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 192
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will take steps to increase the establishment of the Essex Constabulary. | | (152154) | 193
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance he gives to chief constables on the definition of serious crimes. | | (152155) | 194
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much revenue has been raised in fines imposed as a result of speed cameras in Southend since 1997. | | (152160) | 195
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many home curfew orders have been made in Southend in each of the last five years. | | (152162) | 196
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many work permits were granted to health care professionals to work in the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (a) country of origin and (b) profession. | | (151609) | 197
N | Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Department's policy is on awarding United Kingdom work permits to health care professionals; and if he will make a statement. | | (151610) | 198
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children are being detained in centres run by the Immigration Service. | | (151862) | 199
N | Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the maximum length of time is that a child has been detained in (a) Dungavel, (b) Tinsley House and (c) Oakington. | | (151865) | 200
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to improve communication links between the Parole Board of England and Wales and external bodies; what plans he has to enable the Board to have telephone listings independently of the Prison Service; and what plans there are to provide resources to the organisation to enable it to act as an autonomous body. | | (152000) | 201
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many probation field staff were employed in (a) Coventry, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England in each year since 2000. | | (151190) | 202
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many employees the National Probation Directorate has had in each year since 2000. | | (151191) | 203
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on funding available for the provision of intensive services to offenders on release by the Probation Service. | | (151192) | 204
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure the burden of administration for front line staff of the National Offender Management Service does not increase. | | (151193) | 205
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of totting procedures for motoring offences. | | (151940) | 206
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will change the definition of persistent offenders, with particular reference to rural areas. | | (151941) | 207
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prosecutions for (a) sexual offences involving minors, (b) prostitution and trafficking involving children and (c) possession of child pornography there were in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
| | (152236) | 208
| Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to place police authorities under the control of elected regional assemblies where they are introduced. | | (152107) | 209
| David Maclean (Penrith & The Border):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what basis he has calculated the provisional increase in direct Home Office grant to police authorities for 2004-05. | | (151873) | 210
| David Maclean (Penrith & The Border):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will meet inflationary costs in employment costs, pensions, and supplies and services as part of the 2004-05 funding settlement for police authorities. | | (151874) | 211
| David Maclean (Penrith & The Border):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons he proposes to reduce the amount of police specific grant to be received in Cumbria in 2004-05 in respect of the Rural Policing Initiative. | | (151875) | 212
| David Maclean (Penrith & The Border):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on Cumbria Police's local policing teams initiative. | | (151876) | 213
| David Maclean (Penrith & The Border):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures he has put in place to ensure that police authorities receive sufficient funding to meet their commitments under their statutory Police Plans. | | (151877) | 214
N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he plans to regulate the basis on which coroners decide on the re-opening of a case. | | (151716) | 215
N | Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what factors he is taking into account before deciding whether to proceed with a possible accommodation centre for asylum seekers at the Daedalus site in Lee-on-the-Solent. | | (151616) | 216
N | Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reply to the letter of 18th August 2003 from the honourable Member for Northavon, reference M4678/3, on behalf of Mrs Davies, regarding victims of crime. | | (151709) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 217
| Tony Baldry (Banbury):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will list the devolved offices the Department has overseas which are able to take decisions on local spending policy. | | (152081) | 218
| Tony Baldry (Banbury):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many university links have been established by the higher education link scheme funded by his Department; and how the scheme is promoted in UK universities. | | (152082) | 219
| Tony Baldry (Banbury):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of fiduciary risk for direct budget support. | | (152083) | 220
| Tony Baldry (Banbury):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department will take in relation to budget support to identify trends in where the Department's money is being spent. | | (152084) | 221
| Tony Baldry (Banbury):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what indicators he intends to use to assess whether direct budget support is effective. | | (152085) | 222
| Tony Baldry (Banbury):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of direct budget support in Uganda. | | (152086) | 223
| Tony Baldry (Banbury):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what representations he has received from the National Audit Office on financial controls on direct budget support. | | (152087) | 224
| Tony Baldry (Banbury):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what his Department's grant to Voluntary Service Overseas (a) is this year and (b) will be next year; and how many Voluntary Service Overseas volunteers this money supports. | | (152088) | 225
| John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the humanitarian condition of Sudanese refugees from the Beja community who are living in Eritrea; and if he will make a statement. | | (151949) | 226
| Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, who the members of the Iraq Coalition Provisional Authority's programme review board are; what criteria were adopted to choose the members of the board; how many United Kingdom representatives are on the board; and what their period of membership is. | | (151970) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 227
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate he has made of the cost of setting up and implementing the proposed new Northern Ireland post-primary education system. | | (152090) | 228
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of how the proposed new post-primary education system will affect funding for (a) schools and (b) further education colleges. | | (152091) | 229
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average time taken to respond to telephone enquiries made to the Social Security Agency Northern Ireland's pension service enquiry line was in each of the last 12 months. | | (152092) | 230
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people are eligible to receive rates relief, broken down by parliamentary constituency. | | (152093) | 231
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many pensioners (a) applied for rates relief and (b) were successful in their application in each of the last five years, broken down by parliamentary constituency. | | (152094) | 232
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of how the proposed new Northern Ireland post-primary education system will affect current schooling arrangements under the Craigavon-Dixon scheme. | | (152124) | 233
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when research will be completed on (a) the post-primary pupil profiles and (b) new admissions criteria for the proposed new post-primary education system; and whether the research process will be open to full public consultation. | | (152125) | 234
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of how the implementation of the proposed new post-primary education system will affect staff employment levels in (a) post-primary schools and (b) further education colleges. | | (152126) | 235
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average time taken to process each pension credit application was in 2003; and how many applications remain to be processed. | | (152127) | 236
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the terms of reference are of the working group chaired by the Department of Education to consider future provision for the needs of young people with moderate learning difficulties; and if he will place a copy of them in the Library. | | (152141) | 237
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which Northern Ireland departments are represented on the working group chaired by the Department of Education to consider provision for the future needs of young people with moderate learning difficulties; how many times the working group has met; and from whom the group has taken evidence. | | (152142) | 238
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what input the working group chaired by the Department of Education to consider future provision for young people with moderate learning difficulties has made to (a) the Review of Mental Health and Learning Disability Services commissioned and led by the Department of Health and Social Services and Public Safety, (b) the Children's Strategy Review led by the Office of the First and Deputy First Ministers and (c) the consultation exercise on Youth Services led by the Department of Education. | | (152143) | 239
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what opportunity is available to parents of young people with moderate learning disabilities to comment on the Education and Library Board transition plan.
| | (152234) | 240
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how (a) parents and (b) others may appeal the provisions contained in the Education and Library Board transition plan.
| | (152235) | 241
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with European Union authorities on the issue of industrial de-rating and state aid. | | (152206) | 242
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the likely impact of industrial de-rating on (a) small and medium-sized and (b) large businesses in Northern Ireland. | | (152207) | 243
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the likely impact of his decision to rate vacant premises on (a) small and medium-sized and (b) large businesses in Northern Ireland. | | (152208) | 244
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he expects to bring forward proposals in relation to rates in the domestic sector. | | (152209) | 245
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the impact of the level of domestic rates in the next financial year in Northern Ireland of the phasing out of industrial de-rating. | | (152210) | 246
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to tackle the problem of small and medium-sized businesses which are unable to obtain renewal of employer's liability insurance in Northern Ireland. | | (152211) | 247
| Mr Nigel Dodds (Belfast North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what mechanisms he has established to monitor the impact of the phasing out of industrial de-rating in Northern Ireland.
| | (152230) | 248
N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the recent meeting between the Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office and the Ulster Political Research Group. | | (151612) | 249
N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the full-time reserve of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. | | (151614) | 250
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, for what reasons he has decided to limit provision for meeting the commitments of the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister funding for minority ethnic voluntary organisations to a one-year period; and what assessment he has made under section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 of the equality impact of his decision. | | (152131) | 251
| Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much money was paid to solicitors employed by the Government in the drafting of the Energy (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02, (c) 2002-03 and (d) the current financial year, broken down by firm. | | (152212) | 252
| Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether solicitors have been retained to draft legislation in respect of water charging. | | (152213) | 253
| Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much money was paid to solicitors employed by the Government in the drafting of the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03, broken down by firm. | | (152214) | 254
| Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether solicitors have been retained to draft legislation in respect of the Single Equality Bill. | | (152215) | 255
| Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much of the funds from the Peace II programme were distributed by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in each of the last six months; and how much of these funds was distributed to (a) Greenmount Agricultural College and (b) Enniskillen Agricultural College. | | (152216) | 256
| Mr Peter Robinson (Belfast East):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the costs are of equipment purchased to deal with potato ringrot in the last 12 months. | | (152217) | Questions to the Prime Minister 257
N | Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 26th January, Official Report, column 50W, on Prisoners (Egypt), if he will meet President Mubarak to discuss the case of the three detainees held in prison in Cairo. | | (151861) | 258
| Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Prime Minister, on what subjects he has received reports from Lord Birt in each of the last two years; and what subjects will be considered by Lord Birt in the future. | | (151975) | 259
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Prime Minister, what plans he has to offer technical and logistical support to enable the Iraqi Governing Council to organise free and fair elections. | | (152161) | 260
N | Richard Ottaway (Croydon South):To ask the Prime Minister, whether recordings are kept of telephone conversations to and from 10 Downing Street. | | (151615) | 261
| Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make an exception to the usual rule on the non-disclosure of information on cabinet committee proceedings in the case of consideration of policy towards Iraq as discussed in the Defence and Overseas Policy Sub-committee. | | (151971) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 262
N | Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the contracts for which Iraq incurred its outstanding debt to the Export Credit Guarantee Department, including the names of the projects and the UK companies concerned; and if she will make a statement on the Government's intention to recover this debt. | | (151718) | 263
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many company insolvencies there have been since 1997, broken down by region and industry. | | (152009) | 264
N | Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer of 16th December 2003, Official Report, column 814W, on the fusion research reactor, what assessment was made of the proximity of the Cadarache site to an earthquake fault when the United Kingdom gave its backing to the site. | | (149094) | 265
| Mr Michael Connarty (Falkirk East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many successful prosecutions have been brought under the Employment Agencies Act 1973 against (a) employment agencies and (b) gangmasters supplying labour to the UK's agricultural industry. | | (152098) | 266
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regarding the specifying of energy efficiency aims in the Energy White Paper. | | (151872) | 267
N | Annabelle Ewing (Perth):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had with Scottish Executive ministers about TETRA masts. | | (151792) | 268
N | Annabelle Ewing (Perth):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what studies have been commissioned by her Department into the safety of TETRA masts. | | (151793) | 269
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the outcome was of discussions with major high street banks on the provision of banking services at post offices; and if she will make a statement. | | (151989) | 270
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which statutory inspectors have a right of entry to small businesses; and if she will make a statement. | | (151990) | 271
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which projects have benefited from the Renewable Energy Initiative of the Export Credit Guarantee Department. | | (151991) | 272
| Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 26th January, Official Report, column 74W, on regional development agencies, what the costs of the arrangements for each regional development agency were in the last year for which figures are available. | | (152022) | 273
N | Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she has made of the average cost of working days lost due to labour disputes in (a) the public sector and (b) the private sector for each year between 1995 and 2003; and if she will make a statement. | | (151712) | 274
N | Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she has made of the likely level of demand for community interest companies over the next five years. | | (151714) | 275
N | Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the (a) resource and (b) capital budget for her Department for each year between 1997 and 2007. | | (151800) | 276
N | Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 22nd January, Official Report, column 1452, what the (a) name and (b) date of publication of the British Gas survey was. | | (151801) | 277
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the administrative costs of supporting each of the UK's enterprise zones are in 2003-04. | | (152023) | 278
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many of the designated enterprise zones in the UK have been re-classified to address problems of deprivation. | | (152038) | 279
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many new products and processes have been brought to the market place as a result of each of the Faraday partnerships in each year since 2000. | | (152039) | 280
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the current replacement rate of assets operated by the national electricity grid is. | | (152040) | 281
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps are being taken to explore the licensing of new nuclear technologies in the United Kingdom. | | (152041) | 282
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps are being taken to maintain the nuclear skills base. | | (152042) | 283
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will conduct a public consultation on nuclear power. | | (152043) | 284
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps her Department is taking to promote the use of the internet amongst small and medium sized companies. | | (152044) | 285
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she has made of the proportion of businesses with (a) less than 10 employees, (b) 10 to 49 employees and (c) more than 50 employees which used the internet in each of the last five years.
| | (152045) | 286
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many business link operators did not satisfy the independent audit of their finances and management information systems in each year since 1997.
| | (152046) | 287
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much the Small Business Service has cost in each year since it was established; and how many people it employed in each year.
| | (152047) | 288
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much was spent by each of the research councils in each of the last six years.
| | (152048) | 289
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many firms were given assistance with internet business solutions by UK online for business, in each year since its inception.
| | (152049) | 290
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much was spent on the agency UK online for business in each year since its inception. | | (152050) | 291
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many Business Link operators did not achieve the performance levels required for their key performance indicators in each quarter since 1997; and what steps have been taken to address this. | | (152051) | 292
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps are being taken to address the funding gap between public sector support for research and private sector investment in development. | | (152052) | 293
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the impediments to the formation of spin-off firms from larger firms and universities; and what steps are being taken to tackle such impediments. | | (152053) | 294
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she has made of the change in the number of successful high growth business start-ups in each year since 1997. | | (152054) | 295
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will assess the impact of Business Link on company productivity. | | (152055) | 296
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps have been taken to ensure that support is provided by the wider business support infrastructure to assist SMART award-winners to take the outputs of their projects into the market place. | | (152056) | 297
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the take-up rates have been for the New Elements of the SMART scheme in each quarter since their inception in 1999. | | (152057) | 298
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has (a) to increase the upper limit of SMART award grants and (b) to simplify the SMART application process. | | (152058) | 299
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what proportion of SMART award-winners have reported increased profitability as a result of their award. | | (152059) | 300
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many of the claims for research and development tax credits that have been received by the Government have led to the development of a new product, service or process.
| | (152060) | 301
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what mechanisms are in place to assess the development of new products, services and processes which arise as a result of research and development tax credits; and what assessment has been made using these mechanisms.
| | (152061) | 302
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what proportion of completed projects did not meet their required performance targets in each of the regional development agencies in each of the last five years.
| | (152062) | 303
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what progress has been made towards the achievement of (a) targets and (b) delivery of the (i) regional economic strategy and (ii) corporate plan of each of the regional development agencies.
| | (152063) | 304
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what action has been taken and how much has been spent by the Government on promoting the annual tax exemption on loaned computers since it was introduced in 1999.
| | (152064) | 305
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much the Government has contributed to the funding of the Large Hadron Collider under construction in Switzerland. | | (152105) | 306
| Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 19th January, Official Report, column 1041W, on personal computers, what steps she is taking to assess the (a) take-up and (b) effectiveness of the annual tax exemption on loaned computers; and what assessment will be undertaken following the recently published guidelines for employers. | | (152227) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 307
| Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what criteria are used to determine speed restrictions in built up areas. | | (152158) | 308
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make provision for pensioners to travel free on public transport during off peak hours. | | (151636) | 309
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will estimate the cost of providing free off-peak travel for pensioners. | | (151637) | 310
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications of re-testing drivers after (a) 10 and (b) 15 years. | | (151638) | 311
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds of requiring drivers to pass a refresher test to retain their driving licence after (a) 10 and (b) 15 years. | | (151639) | 312
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on how he intends to encourage through ticketing, particularly where changes in bus contracts for certain routes require a passenger to use different companies for their journey. | | (151942) | 313
| Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) deaths and (b) serious injuries there have been on the (i) A12, (ii) A134, (iii) A120 west of Colchester, (iv) A120 east of Colchester, (v) A137 and (vi) A133 in Essex in the past 12 months. | | (152079) | 314
| Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which of his powers will be transferred to elected regional assemblies where they are introduced; and which body holds each of those powers. | | (152104) | 315
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list those individuals and organisations to whom (a) his Department, (b) its executive agencies and (c) the non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible sent a copy of the consultations (i) The future development of air transport in the United Kingdom: Northern Ireland: a national consultation, (ii) Abandoned cars: a consultation document, (iii) Draft directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority: consultation paper and (iv) The future of aviation: the Government's consultation document on air transport policy: a report on the response to the public consultation; and from whom each received a response in each case. | | (152075) | Questions to the Minister for Women 316
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Minister for Women, what the difference in pay was between (a) full-time and (b) part-time male and female workers in each year since 1997.
| | (152065) | 317
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Minister for Women, what steps she has taken to reduce the pay gap; and what evaluation she has made of the success of those steps.
| | (152066) | 318
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Minister for Women, what assessment she has made of the implications of the gender pay gap for levels of female employment.
| | (152067) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 319
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that exisiting bank account holders do not have to open a different bank account in order to receive their benefits from the Post Office. | | (152137) | 320
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made under race relations regulations of the effect on ethnic minorities of the organisational changes to his Department in the South East region. | | (152147) | 321
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what merger dividend is to be gained from the organisational changes to his Department in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. | | (152148) | 322
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what factors underlay the decisions (a) to close offices, (b) to transfer work through relocation and centralisation and (c) not to replace permanent staff in (i) Portsmouth, (ii) Southampton and (iii) the Isle of Wight; and if he will make a statement. | | (152149) | 323
| Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff in his Department have been (a) investigated, (b) suspended, (c) dismissed, (d) prosecuted and (e) convicted for involvement in benefit fraud in each of the last six years; and what amounts were involved in each case. | | (151999) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 324
N | Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 19th January, Official Report, column 1044W, on research and development tax credits, how many claims for research and development tax credits from companies have been (a) accepted and (b) rejected by the Inland Revenue; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (151786) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 325
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the extent to which vehicle excise duty reflects the environmental impact of different models of vehicle.
| | [Transferred] (152069) | 326
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representations he has received on the level at which vehicle excise duty is charged.
| | [Transferred] (152070) | 327
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on vehicle excise duty.
| | [Transferred] (152071) |
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