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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Thursday 4 March 2004
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Thursday 4 March 2004
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Thursday 4 March 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 4 March of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Thursday 4 March see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office 1
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will list the buildings occupied by his staff which require (a) remedial work on and (b) the removal of asbestos; what that work will cost; what budgets are available for this work for (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005; and what budget is available for future asbestos surveys. | | (159362) | 2
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of buildings occupied by (a) staff of the Department and (b) staff of the Department's executive agencies have been surveyed for the purpose of identifying the presence of asbestos prior to implementation of the control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. | | (159371) | 3
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to table amendments to the Civil Contingencies Bill. | | (158901) | 4
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Department spent on official publications in each year since 1999. | | (159331) | 5
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what inquiries the Strategy Unit is undertaking. | | (159332) | 6
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the expenditure by non-departmental public bodies of the Office was in (a) 1996-97 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available in (i) cash, (ii) real terms and (iii) as a percentage of gross national product. | | (159333) | 7
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to change the level of expenditure on the Government Information and Communication Service. | | (159334) | 8
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what account is taken of the promotion of sustainable development in the work of the Better Regulation Taskforce. | | (159335) | 9
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the annual telephone costs of (a) his Department, (b) their agencies and (c) the Government Information and Communication Service in (i) 1996-97 and (ii) the latest period for which figures are available. | | (159336) | 10
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the most recently enacted legislation is which he proposes to repeal following a report of the Better Regulation Taskforce. | | (159339) | 11
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many proposals to impose new regulations on business have been dropped following regulatory impact assessments. | | (159340) | 12
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, in which areas of public service and activity (a) illiteracy and (b) mental ill health are a disqualification from participation. | | (159341) | 13
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have been employed in (a) central government and (b) the public sector under the New Deal for Disabled People. | | (159342) | 14
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants in his Department are directors of companies. | | (159343) | 15
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assets were sold by his Department in each year since 1997 to date; what the value of each item was; and if he will estimate the value of asset sales planned for 2003-04 and 2004-05. | | (159344) | 16
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will place in the Library a list of the overseas visits undertaken by ministers in his Department since 1999 indicating in each case by (a) destination, (b) purpose of visit, (c) size of party, (d) composition of party, (e) cost to public funds of each party and (f) the capacity in which the Minister was sent. | | (159346) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 17
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce a non-means-tested council tax and rates relief scheme for over 70 year olds. | | (159197) | 18
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the buildings occupied by staff of (a) his Department and (b) agencies which require (i) remedial work on, and (ii) removal of, asbestos; what that work will cost; and what budgets are available for (A) this work and (B) further asbestos surveys in (1) 2004 and (2) 2005. | | (159351) | 19
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of buildings occupied by (a) staff of the Department and (b) staff of the Department's executive agencies have been surveyed for the purpose of identifying the presence of asbestos prior to implementation of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. | | (159375) | 20
N | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what contributions were made after 2nd December 1992 by overseas governments in respect of costs incurred by the UK during the Gulf War. | | (158652) | 21
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact of new money laundering regulations on small firms of (a) accountants and (b) solicitors. | | (159251) | 22
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has held with (a) churches and (b) church leaders on debt relief and the campaign for trade justice. | | (159049) | 23
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many officials from his Department have been seconded in each of the last five years to work in less developed countries, broken down by country. | | (159050) | 24
N | Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons delays are occurring in the payment of working tax credit for those who have changed jobs in Northern Ireland; what steps he is taking to eliminate these delays; and if he will make a statement. | | (158282) | 25
| Mr Boris Johnson (Henley):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of households likely to be affected by the Inland Revenue's proposed tax on pre-owned assets. | | (159014) | 26
| Mr Boris Johnson (Henley):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what research his Department has commissioned on the effect of the proposed tax on pre-owned assets on elderly individuals who have gifted their house to their relatives. | | (159015) | 27
N | Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact upon existing prospective stock transfer associations of the Inland Revenue's decision to disallow certain repairs expenditure being offset for corporation tax purposes when housing stock has been transferred to stock transfer associations. | | (158039) | 28
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will reconsider his decision to change the duty on liquefied petroleum gas. | | (159325) | 29
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, in what ways environmentally sustainable procurement strategies within the Department have driven innovation in the design and supply of products. | | (159148) | 30
N | Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his latest estimate is of the amount of overpayments of (a) child tax credit and (b) working tax credit made owing to official error; and if he will make a statement. | | (158769) | Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 31
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the total number of applications alleging a breach of a section 42 of the Family Law Act 1996 non-molestation injunction was, broken down by (a) whether or not the breach was proved and (b) in the event the breach was proved whether there was (i) an immediate prison sentence, (ii) a suspended prison sentence, (iii) a fine and (iv) another noncustodial disposal in (A) 2001, (B) 2002 and (C) 2003. | | (159397) | 32
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many applications to civil courts included a claim for injunctive or financial relief under section 3 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003, broken down by sex of the respondent. | | (159400) | 33
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many civil non-harassment injunction orders were made under section 3(1) of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003, broken down by sex of the respondent. | | (159401) | 34
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many orders for the payment of damages there were under section 3(2) of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003, broken down by sex of the respondent; and what extent of overlap with orders for section 3 non-harassment injunctions there was. | | (159402) | 35
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many applications alleging a breach of a section 3(1) of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 non-harassment injunction there were in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003, broken down by (i) sex of the respondent/defendant, (ii) whether the (A) civil contempt of court procedure by section 3(3)-(5) and (B) criminal procedure by section 3(6)-(7) was used and (iii) whether the breach was proved. | | (159403) | 36
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, on what basis the Home Secretary instructs judges to hold meetings with the public on their work. | | (159348) | 37
| Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what rules are set out regarding costs orders in relation to cases involving children; and if he will make a statement. | | (158955) | 38
| Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, under what circumstances legal aid is available to those contesting legal cases involving children; and if he will make a statement. | | (158956) | 39
| Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what restrictions are placed on the availability of legal aid for use in cases where costs orders cannot be made; and if he will make a statement. | | (158957) | 40
| Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what appraisal his Department has made of the adequacy of arrangements for registering electors for parliamentary elections. | | (158958) | 41
| Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will list the 20 constituencies in which the highest number of electors have been lost from the parliamentary register between 2000 and 2004. | | (158959) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 42
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to increase the funding of regional museums. | | (158144) | 43
| Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much has been allocated from the New Opportunities Fund to fund travel expenses of ex-servicemen and women wanting to travel to remembrance services in each year since its introduction. | | (158968) | 44
| Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for how long the New Opportunities Fund has provided travel expenses to ex-servicemen and women wanting to attend remembrance services in (a) the UK and (b) Europe. | | (158969) | 45
| Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether ex-servicemen and women from (a) Scotland, (b) Northern Ireland, (c) Wales and (d) England are entitled to equal financial aid through the New Opportunities Fund to travel to remembrance services in (i) the UK and (ii) Europe. | | (158970) | 46
| Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make a statement on the provision of financial aid through the New Opportunities Fund to help ex-servicemen and women travel to remembrance services. | | (158971) | 47
| Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she received from ex-servicemen and women during the creation of the initiative by the New Opportunities Fund to fund their travel expenses to remembrance services. | | (158972) | 48
| Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what criteria were used when deciding whether individual servicemen and women are entitled to benefit from the funding of their travel expenses to remembrance services by the New Opportunities Fund. | | (158973) | 49
| Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many servicemen and women have benefited from the funding of travel expenses to remembrance services by the New Opportunities Fund in each of the last three years for which figures are available. | | (158974) | 50
N | Mr Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations were made by her Department to the Commonwealth Games Federation General Assembly concerning the selection of disabled sports for the 2006 Commonwealth Games; and whether she will make further representations on behalf of (a) bowls and (b) other excluded sports. | | (158832) | 51
| Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what initiatives the Government has introduced to promote (a) reading and (b) library usage (i) in England and (ii) at a local level; at what cost; what promotional techniques and media were used; and if she will make a statement. | | (158966) | 52
| Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimates she has made of public library spending in each year since 1990 on (a) information and communications technology equipment, (b) building renovations, (c) book stocks and (d) audio-visual material stocks; and if she will make a statement. | | (158967) | 53
| Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will instruct the England and Wales Cricket Board not to proceed with its planned tour of Zimbabwe this year. | | (159231) | 54
N | Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis & Littlehampton):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what measures she is taking to tackle problems caused to television reception as a consequence of transmissions by TETRA masts. | | (158566) | 55
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many school sports grounds have been sold in each London borough since 1997. | | (159169) | 56
| Jim Knight (South Dorset):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when the Weymouth transmitter will be upgraded. | | (159236) | 57
| Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list the Arts Council grants for capital projects by (a) name and (b) funding level for each year since 1998. | | (159232) | 58
| Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list the Arts Council grants for Capital projects broken down by funding level, which were agreed but not commenced, as at 1st March. | | (159233) | 59
| Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list by (a) name and (b) the revenue funding level the Arts Council grants paid in each year since 1998 to (i) dance companies, (ii) theatre/drama companies, (iii) opera companies, (iv) visual arts organisations, (v) literature organisations and (vi) other arts organisations. | | (159234) | 60
| Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when her Department expects to release the Tourism Prospectus announced on 17th November 2003. | | (159253) | 61
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, in what ways environmentally sustainable procurement strategies within the Department have driven innovation in the design and supply of products. | | (159099) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 62
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what studies have been commissioned by his Department into (a) the degree of contamination and (b) the prospects for remedial action at military bases in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) dependent territories abroad. | | (158903) | 63
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what studies his Department has commissioned on the levels of (a) toxic and (b) other pollution at military bases in the UK; and what publications his Department has issued in this respect since May 1997. | | (158904) | 64
| Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many locations there are where there is recorded contamination (a) at and (b) from military bases, broken down by (i) location, (ii) nature of contamination, (iii) remedial works taken or planned and (iv) the financial cost of contamination; and if he will make a statement. | | (158905) | 65
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of buildings occupied by (a) his Department's staff and (b) staff of his Department's executive agencies have been surveyed to date for the purpose of identifying the presence of asbestos prior to implementation of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. | | (159353) | 66
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the buildings occupied by his departmental staff, including agencies, which require (a) remedial work on and (b) the removal of asbestos; what that work will cost; what budgets are available for this work for (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005; and what budget is available for future asbestos surveys. | | (159360) | 67
| Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the role of British forces in locating Bosnian war-crime suspects, with particular reference to (a) Radovan Karadzic and (b) General Ratko Mladic. | | (159221) | 68
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of ship-borne Tomahawk cruise missiles. | | (158138) | 69
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason it is not proposed to arm the new Type 45 destroyers with Tomahawk cruise missiles. | | (158139) | 70
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Tomahawk cruise missiles he estimates could be mounted on a Type 45 destroyer. | | (158140) | 71
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what increase in capability would result from the upgrading of the gun turret on a Type 45 destroyer to house (a) a 127mm and (b) a 155mm gun, instead of a standard 115mm gun. | | (158141) | 72
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy to include (a) Tomahawk cruise missiles and (b) a larger-calibre turret gun in the armament of the Type 45 destroyer fleet. | | (158142) | 73
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to make (a) a decision and (b) an announcement on whether the Ministry of Defence Fire Service will be retained or privatised. | | (158692) | 74
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the comparative cost per firefighter per hour during the firefighters' strike of emergency cover by an armed forces' firefighter and a firefighter employed by a private firm under contract to his Department. | | (158693) | 75
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what surveys his Department have undertaken to assess the willingness of firefighters employed by private contractors to serve in war zones during hostilities. | | (158694) | 76
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what insurance cover is given to (a) his Department's fire service personnel and (b) privately contracted firefighters when attending (i) road traffic accidents and (ii) other civil emergencies. | | (158695) | 77
N | Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Report from the Central Flying School that concluded that there was no reason why JSA7(G) should not move to RAF Halton. | | (158886) | 78
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what amount has been spent on Ministry of Defence advertising in the (a) UK, (b) Wales and (c) England since the beginning of hostilities in Iraq. | | (158890) | 79
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many soldiers have been (a) killed in Iraq, (b) injured seriously enough to warrant a return from Iraq and (c) injured but stayed in Iraq to continue service, broken down by soldiers based in (i) Wales, (ii) England, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland. | | (158891) | 80
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Ministry of Defence civilian staff have been used in the reconstruction of Iraq; and if he will make a statement. | | (158892) | 81
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which Welsh regiments have served in Iraq since the beginning of hostilities; which regiments are presently in Iraq; and what amount of leave was given to each regiment during their tour of duty abroad. | | (158893) | 82
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many contracts have been awarded to UK firms for the reconstruction of Iraq; and how many of these are (a) Welsh firms and (b) firms with operations in Wales. | | (158894) | 83
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the changes in Ministry of Defence staff in Wales for the November 2003 to January 2004 quarter. | | (158895) | 84
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) establishment and (b) current strength is of each of the regular Welsh infantry battalions; and where they are located. | | (158896) | 85
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list Welsh firms that have contracts with the Ministry of Defence; and how much departmental expenditure has been with these firms in each year since 1997. | | (158897) | 86
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the (a) expenditure and (b) number of staff employed for each defence agency and organisation in (i) Wales and (ii) England in each year since 1997. | | (158898) | 87
N | Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Second World War (a) veterans and (b) war widows he estimates are resident in the Irish Republic; and if he will make a statement. | | (158833) | 88
N | Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what directives are in force in the Armed Forces on the use of sensory deprivation techniques. | | (158884) | 89
N | Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the freedom of information rules are governing access to completed reports of the Special Investigation Branch in which no further action is recommended. | | (158885) | 90
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many bills were processed by the Defence Bills Agency in fiscal year 2002-03; what the total value of the bills was; and what the total amount paid out was in (a) 2002-03, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2000-01. | | (159243) | 91
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many bills pertaining to (a) companies based in Scotland and (b) procurement projects relating to bases in Scotland were processed by the Defence Bills Agency in fiscal year 2002-03; what the total value of the bills was; and what the total amount paid out was in (a) 2002-03, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2000-01. | | (159244) | 92
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many procurement contracts were placed by his Department with companies based in Scotland in financial year (a) 2002-03, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2000-01; what the (i) most expensive and (ii) least expensive contracts were; and what the total value of contracts was. | | (159245) | 93
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many research contracts were placed by his Department with research institutions based in Scotland in fiscal year (a) 2002-03, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2000-01; what the total value of these contracts was; and what the total value of research contracts placed within the UK was. | | (159246) | 94
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total expenditure was on procurement by each of the services in the last year for which figures are available; and how much of the procurement budget for each was spent in Scotland. | | (159304) | 95
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of his Department's civilian jobs are in Scotland, broken down by location. | | (159305) | 96
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how his Department calculates the number of people employed in and by defence related industries in the regions of the UK; what multiplier is used; and what the (a) regional and (b) national totals are. | | (159306) | 97
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much of its total personnel budget the (a) Army Personnel Centre, (b) Army Training and Recruiting Agency, (c) Defence Dental Agency, (d) Defence Bills Agency and (e) Armed Forces Personnel and Administration Agency spent in Scotland from the start of financial year 2003-04 to December 2004, (i) in monetary terms and (ii) as a percentage of the total; and if he will make a statement. | | (159354) | 98
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much of its total personnel budget the (a) Defence Analytical Services Agency, (b) Defence Housing Executive, (c) Defence Intelligence and Security Centre, (d) Defence Estates, (e) Defence Geographic and Imagery Intelligence Agency and (f) Naval Manning Agency spent in Scotland from the start of financial year 2003-04 to December 2004, (i) in monetary terms and (ii) as a percentage of the total; and if he will make a statement. | | (159355) | 99
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much of its total personnel budget (a) Service Children's Education, (b) the Duke of York's Royal Military School, (c) the Naval Recruiting and Training Agency, (d) the RAF Personnel Manning Agency, (e) the RAF Training Group Defence Agency and (f) the Warship Support Agency spent in Scotland from the start of financial year 2003-04 to December 2004, (i) in monetary terms and (ii) as a percentage of the total; and if he will make a statement. | | (159356) | 100
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much of its total personnel budget the (a) Defence Procurement Agency, (b) Defence Transport and Movements Agency, (c) Medical Supplies Agency, (d) Defence Communications Services Agency, (e) Defence Storage and Distribution Agency and (f) Veterans Agency spent in Scotland from the start of financial year 2003-04 to December 2004, (i) in monetary terms and (ii) as a percentage of the total; and if he will make a statement. | | (159357) | 101
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much of its total personnel budget the (a) British Forces Post Office, (b) Defence Vetting Agency, (c) Defence Medical Education, and Training Agency, (d) Disposal Services Agency, (e) Pay and Personnel Agency, (f) Defence Aviation Repair Agency and (g) Meteorological Office spent in Scotland from the start of financial year 2003-04 to December 2003, (i) in monetary terms and (ii) as a percentage of total; and if he will make a statement. | | (159358) | 102
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much of its total personnel budget the (a) United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, (b) Defence Export Services Organisation, (c) Defence Medical Services, (d) Army Base Repair Organisation (e) Defence Evaluation and Research Agency and (f) Defence Secondary Care Agency spent in Scotland from the start of financial year 2003-04 to December 2003, (i) in monetary terms and (ii) as a percentage of total; and if he will make a statement. | | (159359) | 103
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in what ways environmentally sustainable procurement strategies within the Department have driven innovation in the design and supply of products. | | (159100) | 104
N | Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the future of the Royal Yeomanry. | | (158775) | 105
N | Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the financial delegation for the Ministry of Defence relating to running costs and other current administrative expenditure relating to personnel costs of the armed forces. | | (158776) | 106
N | Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge & Malling):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date the Permanent Secretary in his Department was first informed as to which Iraqi weapons the 45 minute claim in the Iraqi weapons of mass destruction dossier applied. | | (158773) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 107
| Mr John Battle (Leeds West):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the arm's length management organisations approved to date, broken down by local authority; and which have a specific regeneration remit. | | (159289) | 108
N | Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the gross expenditure of the Audit Commission was in each year since 1992-93; and how many full-time equivalent staff it had in each year. | | (158650) | 109
N | Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what measures are being taken to ensure that guidelines in the draft PPG6 do not result in local monopolies for out of town supermarkets. | | (158651) | 110
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the buildings occupied by his staff, including agencies, which require (a) remedial work on and (b) the removal of asbestos; what that work will cost; what budgets are available for this work for (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005; and what budget is available for future asbestos surveys. | | (159363) | 111
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what proportion of buildings occupied by (a) staff of the Department and (b) staff of the Department's executive agencies have been surveyed for the purpose of identifying the presence of asbestos prior to implementation of the control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. | | (159372) | 112
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has for regulations specifying that (a) alarms and (b) sprinklers be present and functioning in all homes. | | (158278) | 113
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many local authority dwellings in Stroud District fail the Decent Home standard; and what estimate he has made of how much it will cost to bring them up to that standard. | | (159384) | 114
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with Stroud District Council following the unsuccessful ballot on large-scale voluntary transfer. | | (159385) | 115
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much he estimates Stroud District Council spent on the large scale voluntary transfer ballot. | | (159386) | 116
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the implications for the Supporting People programme in Gloucestershire of a stand-still budget. | | (159387) | 117
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the current budget for Supporting People in Gloucestershire is; and what the projected budget is for each of the next three years. | | (159388) | 118
N | Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what his projections are, for (a) the demand level for affordable housing in Greater London, (b) the level of public subsidy that will be required to meet these demand levels in Greater London and (c) the number of affordable houses which will be provided in Greater London through public subsidy in to each of the next 15 years, | | (158764) | 119
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on 10th February, Official Report, column 1347, if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter to the Mayor of London on the capping of council tax. | | (159174) | 120
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many intermediate housing properties were constructed in each London borough in each of the last six years. | | (159180) | 121
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what guidelines he has issued to local authorities on dealing with the effects of severe weather. | | (159237) | 122
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on his policy requiring electoral registration officers to issue lists of postal voters who have voted prior to polling day in general, European, local council and regional elections and referendums; and if he will estimate the timescale for introducing such a requirement. | | (159041) | 123
N | Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with the leader of Herefordshire Council about its setting of council tax in Herefordshire for 2004-05; and if he will make a statement. | | (158646) | 124
| Andy King (Rugby & Kenilworth):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what action the Department has taken to ensure there is full consultation with (a) schools and residents in close proximity to and (b) local authorities responsible for proposed sites of Tetra masts. | | (159377) | 125
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether he estimates that the running costs of the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Assembly will be more than the running costs of the two-tier system. | | (159194) | 126
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will estimate the total cost of (a) holding the referendum for a Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Assembly, (b) setting up the Assembly and (c) holding the elections for the Assembly. | | (159195) | 127
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether administrative cost savings consequent on the change in status of local government in North Yorkshire in the event of the establishment of a Regional Assembly would be deducted from future funding allocations to the county. | | (159196) | 128
| Patrick Mercer (Newark):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, for what reason rent officers are (a) obliged to investigate private landlords and (b) not obliged to investigate registered social landlords. | | (158984) | 129
| Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what proportion of the budget of the Sustainable Communities Policy will be allocated to the implementation of the stand-alone self-sustaining three-dimensional spatial concept for a city along the Thames from the Docklands to the Estuary. | | (159252) | 130
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the additional costs to local authorities of the Waste and Emissions Trading Act 2003. | | (158961) | 131
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what proportion of local authority expenditure was spent on (a) waste disposal and (b) waste recycling in each of the last five years. | | (158962) | 132
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how local authority funding for (a) waste disposal and (b) recycling is calculated. | | (158963) | 133
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs concerning the role of local authorities in meeting the requirements of the Landfill Directive. | | (159038) | 134
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he will reply to the letter to his Department of 29th January from the Leader of the Isle of Wight Council. | | (158826) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 135
N | Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the total gross expenditure was of the Learning and Skills Council in each year since it was established. | | (158649) | 136
N | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the outstanding stock of student debt owed to public funds was (a) on 1st March 1997 and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available; and how much of each sum was (i) debt in arrears and (ii) debt written off. | | (158653) | 137
N | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what information on individual student debt is made available to credit rating agencies. | | (158654) | 138
N | Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what order of precedence state student debt has in relation to other creditors in personal bankruptcy proceedings. | | (158655) | 139
| Mr Ben Chapman (Wirral South):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of the number of schools raising funds from food and drink vending machines. | | (158947) | 140
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what discussions he has had with (a) Gloucestershire County Council and (b) Gloucestershire Learning and Skills Council on the local education authorities post-16 review; and if he will publish the relevant correspondence. | | (159391) | 141
N | Mrs Lorna Fitzsimons (Rochdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what capital funding has been spent on education in the Rochdale constituency since 1997; which schools benefited from additional capital investment in each year; how much funding each received; and how the funding has been spent. | | (158829) | 142
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many state schools (a) have (i) cricket nets and (ii) cricket squares and (b) play inter-school cricket fixtures. | | (159330) | 143
N | Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children aged (a) three to six months and (b) six months to one year entered local authority care in (i) Greater London and (ii) each London borough in the last 12 months for which figures are available. | | (158762) | 144
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) part-time and (b) full-time classroom assistants were (i) recruited and (ii) employed in each London borough in each year since 1997. | | (159170) | 145
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps he is taking to reduce the amount of salt in school meals; and if he will make a statement. | | (158647) | 146
N | Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what research his Department has carried out into the salt content of school meals; and if he will make a statement. | | (158648) | 147
| John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the establishment of GCSE courses in the Kurdish language. | | (159248) | 148
| John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what support his Department provides for the teaching of the Kurdish language. | | (159249) | 149
N | Mr Colin Pickthall (West Lancashire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to extend the incentive for teachers on repayment of student loans beyond June 2005. | | (157850) | 150
| Phil Sawford (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much money was received by Northamptonshire County Council at each stage of the New Deal for Schools. | | (159312) | 151
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, in what ways environmentally sustainable procurement strategies within the Department have driven innovation in the design and supply of products. | | (159101) | 152
| Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to include internet safety teaching in the National Curriculum. | | (158996) | 153
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of outreach programmes carried out by moderate learning difficulty schools in mainstream secondary and primary schools; and if he will make a statement. | | (159382) | 154
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the future role of moderate learning difficulty special schools will be; and if he will make a statement. | | (159383) | 155
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what proportion of the school population is categorised as having (a) severe and (b) moderate learning difficulties; and what proportion is in special schools in each case. | | (159389) | 156
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which community schools have closed and reopened as faith schools in the last 15 years; and which faith was involved in each case. | | (158948) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 157
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the buildings occupied by her Department's staff, including agencies, which require (a) remedial work on and (b) the removal of asbestos; what that work will cost; what budgets are available for this work for (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005; and what budget is available for future asbestos surveys. | | (159364) | 158
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of buildings occupied by (a) staff of the Department and (b) staff of the Department's executive agencies have been surveyed for the purpose of identifying the presence of asbestos prior to implementation of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. | | (159374) | 159
N | Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what incentives are in place in the UK to discourage the (a) production and (b) handing out of plastic bags. | | (158279) | 160
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many ducks other than ruddy ducks, broken down by species, have been culled as a result of the ruddy duck control scheme. | | (159213) | 161
| Mr Jimmy Hood (Clydesdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the outcome was of the Environment Council on 2nd March; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement. | | (159173) | 162
| Mr Boris Johnson (Henley):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the decision by a State Veterinary officer to renew Mr Bobby Waugh's swill feeding licence 14 days before the foot and mouth disease outbreak began. | | (159013) | 163
| Mr Boris Johnson (Henley):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what action she has taken as a consequence of the recommendations contained within the EU report DG (SANCO)/3367/2001-MR Final regarding the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the United Kingdom. | | (159029) | 164
| Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the controls contained in the proposed EU chemicals regulation on the use of persistent and bioaccumulative chemicals. | | (158953) | 165
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what financial incentives she has considered in the development of the Government's Combined Heat and Power Strategy Paper; and if she will make a statement. | | (159211) | 166
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she last visited a combined heat and power plant; and if she will make a statement. | | (159212) | 167
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to reduce the compensation payable to livestock owners for TB. | | (159052) | 168
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she has received from the European Commission on the incidence of TB in cattle in the United Kingdom. | | (159053) | 169
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information with relevance to determining policy options for the control of cattle TB in the UK she has obtained from the Republic of Ireland in relation to badger control trials. | | (159054) | 170
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she has received from the Woodland Trust on the culling of badgers. | | (159055) | 171
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the potential value of additional trade to the farming community if the United Kingdom regained its status as a TB-free area. | | (159056) | 172
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what records her Department keeps of the (a) number of badgers admitted to animal sanctuaries, (b) number of such animals held in captivity at any one time, (c) number of animals released into the wild and (d) location of those releases. | | (159057) | 173
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the estimated cost is of the consultation workshops to be carried out in connection with her consultation document on preparing for a new strategy on bovine tuberculosis. | | (159058) | 174
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Treasury on the costs of the TB control programme. | | (159059) | 175
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures she plans to reduce the costs of the TB control programme. | | (159060) | 176
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the need for (a) vaccination of (i) cattle and (ii) badgers and (b) other measures to control the incidence of TB in cattle herds in the absence of any significant wildlife reservoir of the disease. | | (159061) | 177
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the average duration of a TB2 restriction notice was in (a) 1997 and (b) 2003. | | (159062) | 178
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many injuries have been sustained by (a) livestock keepers and (b) their workers while (i) assisting veterinary surgeons in administering TB tests to cattle and (ii) otherwise handling cattle for the purpose of assembling them for testing since 1997. | | (159063) | 179
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the feasibility of use of the current BCG vaccination for cattle to damp down the disease as a control option as part of an overall control strategy for reducing the incidence of TB in cattle. | | (159064) | 180
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for the badger population if bovine TB is allowed to spread into previously clean areas. | | (159065) | 181
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what cattle biosecurity measures were maintained during the Thornbury badger clearance programme. | | (159066) | 182
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the latest advice issued by her Department is concerning cattle biosecurity measures. | | (159067) | 183
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures are taken to confirm that badgers found to have TB after testing in an animal sanctuary or hospital have been destroyed. | | (159068) | 184
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures are undertaken by her Department in respect of animal sanctuaries and hospitals to ensure that the guidelines relating to the release of badgers into the wild are fully observed. | | (159069) | 185
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the change in premiums for bovine TB insurance policies since 1997. | | (159070) | 186
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the measures necessary to restore health to the national badger population. | | (159071) | 187
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the likely incidence of TB in the badger population in 2007. | | (159072) | 188
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, at what level the incidence of TB in badgers starts to pose a significant risk to human health through indirect transmission via companion animals. | | (159073) | 189
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how long after exposure to an infective dose of M. bovis bacilli a bovine animal becomes infectious; and what the typical duration of infectivity is. | | (159074) | 190
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what reasons have been adduced for the relatively low density of badgers in the eastern counties of England. | | (159075) | 191
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will determine the optimum population of badgers for each county area, having regard to the effect of high badger densities on (a) property, (b) wildlife and (c) the incidence of TB. | | (159076) | 192
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to what extent different (a) age groups and (b) sexes of badgers are more likely to be trapped than others. | | (159077) | 193
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether there have been any significant differences between the pattern of TB lesions observed in badgers subject to post-mortem examination pre-2000 and those examined during and after 2000. | | (159078) | 194
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of the total hours expended by field officers engaged on randomised badger culling trials were absorbed by travelling time. | | (159079) | 195
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what epidemiological value data on the seasonal incidence of TB in cattle has in determining possible causation. | | (159080) | 196
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) received on chemical deterrents which may be used to protect buildings or other structures from badger ingress. | | (159081) | 197
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the (a) incidence and (b) prevalence of bovine TB in the South West of England was in 1994; and what the current figures are. | | (159082) | 198
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the ideal geological conditions are for a badger habitat; and whether there are conditions which (a) prevent and (b) deter colonisation by badgers. | | (159083) | 199
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to what extent cattle husbandry creates conditions favourable to colonisation of the habitat by badgers. | | (159084) | 200
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research has been conducted by her Department to determine whether badgers infected with M. bovis are capable of transmitting infection to cattle. | | (159108) | 201
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discretion directors of veterinary investigation laboratories have to authorise the post mortem examination of badgers for the presence of TB when presented to their laboratories by a private individual. | | (159109) | 202
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the scientific merit of the results obtained from the Thornbury badger clearance project. | | (159110) | 203
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many reports of road traffic accidents involving badgers were received by her Department in each of the last five years; how many carcasses were received by veterinary investigation service laboratories in each of those years; and how many were subject to full post-mortem examination including microbiological analysis. | | (159111) | 204
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what facilities are in place for the (a) collection from site of the carcasses of badgers killed in road traffic accidents and (b) delivery to veterinary investigation laboratories. | | (159112) | 205
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the long-term effect on the badger population of total clearance of badgers from a specific location. | | (159113) | 206
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the estimated cost of damage caused by badgers to (a) land, (b) buildings, (c) roads and (d) other structures is since the Prevention of Badgers Act 1992 came into force. | | (159114) | 207
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for section 10 licences under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 permitting the killing of badgers for the express purpose of preventing serious damage to land, crops, poultry or any other form of property have been (a) made and (b) approved in respect of listed buildings or other listed sites in each year that the Act has been in force. | | (159116) | 208
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for section 10 licences under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 permitting the killing of badgers have been (a) made by (i) farmers and (ii) other private landowners and (b) issued for the express purpose of preventing serious damage to land, crops, poultry or any other form of property in each year that the Act has been in force. | | (159117) | 209
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost was of establishing the experimental badger research facility in Weybridge; and what the status of the unit is. | | (159118) | 210
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the relevance to the UK of the results obtained in the Republic of Ireland following use of BCG vaccine on badgers. | | (159119) | 211
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the difference in gamma interferon test sensitivity in UK trials compared with test sensitivity in Australia. | | (159120) | 212
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of whether her containment policy for bovine TB will also contain the spread of M. bovis in badgers. | | (159121) | 213
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what advice she has issued to private veterinary surgeons on the (a) detection and (b) reporting of domestic cats infected with M. bovis. | | (159122) | 214
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which clauses of the Berne Convention relate to the mass culling of badgers for the purpose of disease control. | | (159127) | 215
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 30th January, Official Report, column 538W, on badgers, what the source of her definition of epidemic is. | | (159130) | 216
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects the results of the badger culling study conducted in the Republic of Ireland to be published. | | (159131) | 217
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 6th February, Official Report, column 1109W, what the period is between the administration of each test to which badgers are subject before release; and what the statistical probability is of detecting an infected badger by the application of three tests. | | (159143) | 218
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answers of 8th December 2003, Official Report, column 218W, and 29th January, Official Report, column 482W, on bovine TB, in how many cases when traps were damaged it was judged that the traps had been recently occupied by badgers. | | (159145) | 219
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28th January, Official Report, column 381W, on badgers, what methods other than shooting are available for the culling of badgers. | | (159154) | 220
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answers of 8th December 2003, Official Report, column 218W and 29th January, Official Report, column 482W, on badgers, in how many instances her departmental officials reported the loss or damage of badger traps to the police; and what investigations were made as a result.
| | (159155) | 221
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8th December 2003, Official Report, column 215W, on badgers, what aspects affecting the routes of transmission of M. bovis (a) from cattle to cattle, and (b) between badgers and cattle, remain to be fully understood. | | (159214) | 222
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8th December 2003, Official Report, column 215W, on badgers, whether her objective of containing the geographical spread of TB in cattle also encompassed a reduction in the incidence of TB in cattle in those geographical areas where it has already been detected. | | (159215) | 223
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8th December 2003, Official Report, column 213W, on badgers, whether the number of field officers employed are sufficient to maintain trapping frequency in proactive areas, in accordance with the protocols set out for the Krebs trials. | | (159216) | 224
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the highest density of badgers recorded at any one location in England has been; and where that location was. | | (159238) | 225
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with her counterparts in the Republic of Ireland about public attitudes to control of TB in wildlife. | | (159241) | 226
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11th December 2003, Official Report, column 539W on badgers, what assessment she has made of the change in size of the total badger population in the Krebs areas since the commencement of the culling of badgers. | | (159275) | 227
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15th December 2003, Official Report, column 631W, whether she has consulted the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons on the veterinary resource implications of increasing the frequency of cattle TB testing. | | (159276) | 228
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16th December 2003, Official Report, column 821W, what assessment she has made of whether badger culling programme design and execution need to be improved in order to reduce perturbation. | | (159281) | 229
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8th December 2003, Official Report, column 212W, on bovine tuberculosis, what the lowest estimate is of culling efficiency using traps, experienced in the Krebs trial areas. | | (159282) | 230
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answers of 20th November 2003, Official Report, column 1204W, on bovine tuberculosis and 8th December 2003, Official Report, column 212W, what the basis is of her estimate for the efficiency of trapping as a means of badger culling; whether that estimate has been scientifically validated; and what the current estimate is of the efficiency of the culling conducted in the Krebs trial areas. | | (159284) | 231
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the need for animal vaccines in the event of the eradication of the wildlife reservoir of bovine TB. | | (159286) | 232
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what reports she has received of badger damage to flood defence works; and what the estimated cost of the damage was. | | (159291) | 233
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the reliability of badger culling trials in areas which are bounded by major physical obstacles which prevent badger entry into cleared areas. | | (159292) | 234
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has sold beef carcases derived from animals purchased as a result of positive TB tests. | | (159293) | 235
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps are taken to ensure that wildlife unit officers and vehicles engaged in work relating to the trapping or destruction of badgers are unrecognisable. | | (159294) | 236
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 28th January, Official Report, column 384W, whether these data indicate that a significant number of herd tests fail to identify infection where it is present; and what her best estimate is of the failure rate. | | (159295) | 237
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what evidence her Department has collated on whether badgers have been translocated illegally from the Krebs trials areas. | | (159296) | 238
| Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30th January, Official Report, column 538W, on badgers, to what level the incidence of TB in 1997 was expected to rise by 2003; and what level it reached in 2003. | | (159327) | 239
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to demonstrate to local authorities the potential benefits of (a) increasing recycling and (b) reducing waste. | | (159004) | 240
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how her Department disseminates best practice in sustainable waste management to local authorities. | | (159005) | 241
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with local government on local authority performance on waste recycling. | | (159006) | 242
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of local authority performance on (a) waste recycling and (b) waste disposal. | | (159010) | 243
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in what ways environmentally sustainable procurement strategies within the Department have driven innovation in the design and supply of products. | | (159102) | 244
| Mr Siôn Simon (Birmingham, Erdington):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management will take evidence from the relevant bodies in (a) Sweden, (b) Finland and (c) the USA. | | (159024) | 245
N | Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to include aviation in the target of a 60 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. | | (158830) | 246
N | Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the pilot project using detector dogs to find illegal animal products will be concluded. | | (158831) | 247
| Mr Tom Watson (West Bromwich East):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures are in place to ensure that the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management does not duplicate work already undertaken by other organisations. | | (159025) | 248
N | Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many units of United Kingdom sheep quota were leased-out but remained unused by the recipient farmers in (a) 2002-03 and (b) 2003-04. | | (158431) | 249
| David Wright (Telford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which (a) Government departments and (b) external organisations are responsible for the long-term management of high level radioactive waste. | | (159026) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 250
| Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action the Government took to support efforts for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Haiti. | | (159175) | 251
| Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action the Government has taken through its diplomatic mission in the Dominican Republic to influence the situation in Haiti. | | (159176) | 252
| Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government's policy is on an international intervention in Haiti. | | (159177) | 253
| Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the UK's position is in the UN Security Council discussions on Haiti. | | (159178) | 254
| Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the (a) administration of justice and (b) protection of the rights of overseas investors in Turkey. | | (158902) | 255
| Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) British passport holders and (b) British journalists who visited the USA in each of the last five years; if he will make a statement on the new visa arrangements for travel from the UK to the US; and what assessment he has made of the effect of the new arrangements on the timescale for issuing US visas to UK citizens. | | (159156) | 256
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the buildings occupied by his staff, including agencies, which require (a) remedial work on and (b) the removal of asbestos; what that work will cost; what budgets are available for this work for (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005; and what budget is available for future asbestos surveys. | | (159366) | 257
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what proportion of buildings occupied by (a) staff of the Department and (b) staff of the Department's executive agencies have been surveyed for the purpose of identifying the presence of asbestos prior to implementation of the control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. | | (159373) | 258
| Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps (a) he is taking and (b) he plans to take to ensure that British companies involve Iraqi people in the management of and employment in their operations in Iraq. | | (159000) | 259
| Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what guarantees he offers to British companies wanting to assist in the reconstruction of Iraq regarding the safety of their (a) employees and (b) assets. | | (159001) | 260
| Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many contracts, of what total financial value, have been awarded for reconstruction projects in Iraq, broken down by nationality of company awarded a contract. | | (159002) | 261
| Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations have been made to the Government of Colombia concerning arrests and detention of trade union leaders and human rights activists in Colombia; and if he will make a statement. | | (159240) | 262
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the situation in Darfur in Sudan. | | (158977) | 263
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with EC accession states on internal migration within the EU. | | (158978) | 264
| Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the progress of repatriation of Sierra Leone refugees from Liberia. | | (159217) | 265
| Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the decision by the Serbian Government to try war crime suspects before domestic courts in Serbia. | | (159229) | 266
| Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of talks taking place to reunify Cyprus. | | (159230) | 267
| Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of militia violence in the Katanga province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. | | (159254) | 268
| John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the Turkish Government on the detention and imprisonment of Mr Abdullah Ocalan. | | (159247) | 269
| John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Turkish Government on the case of the detention of Leyla Zana, a Kurdish member of the Turkish Parliament. | | (159250) | 270
| Richard Ottaway (Croydon South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether there have been breaches by the UK of the (a) Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations 1946 and (b) Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 in the last two years. | | (159378) | 271
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many informal meetings of the European Council of Ministers took place (a) between 1st July and 31st December 2003 and (b) since 1st January; when these meetings took place; what topics were discussed at these meetings; what informal meetings are planned until 30th June; and if he will make a statement. | | (159337) | 272
| Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many informal meetings of the European Council of Ministers took place (a) between 1st January and 30th June 2002, (b) 1st July 2002 and 31st December 2002, (c) 1st January and 30th June 2003 and (d) 1st July and 31st December 2003; when these meetings took place; what issues were discussed at each of these meetings; which members of the Scottish Executive were present at each meeting; and if he will make a statement. | | (159338) | 273
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in what ways environmentally sustainable procurement strategies within the Department have driven innovation in the design and supply of products. | | (159103) | 274
| Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what initiatives he has taken to tackle international internet child abuse. | | (158997) | 275
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance the Government will offer (a) Greek Cypriot and (b) Turkish Cypriot controlled areas of Cyprus for the monitoring of a referendum on a settlement to the Cyprus problem. | | (159136) | 276
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) legal and (b) constitutional changes will be made to the guarantor powers and obligations for the UK in relation to Cyprus following its accession to the EU. | | (159137) | 277
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what trading and movement of goods rules will apply to arrangements between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot controlled areas of Cyprus after accession to the EU (a) in the event of a solution to the situation in Cyprus and (b) if a solution is not achieved. | | (159138) | 278
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Secretary General of the UN that his role in deciding deadlock points in the Cyprus Settlement Plan must be strictly restricted to the basis of the plan and not involve issues that are outside the plan. | | (159139) | 279
N | Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge & Malling):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he received advice from officials within his Department that a war against Iraq might be illegal. | | (158143) | 280
N | Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge & Malling):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on what date the Permanent Secretary in his Department was first informed as to which Iraqi weapons the 45 minute claim in the Iraqi weapons of mass destruction dossier applied. | | (158774) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 281
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the performance of East Sussex County Council in tackling bed-blocking. | | (158881) | 282
N | Andy Burnham (Leigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many beds there were in the NHS on (a) 1st May 1997 and (b) 1st March 2004. | | (158688) | 283
N | Andy Burnham (Leigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioner vacancies there were in each primary care trust on 1st March. | | (158689) | 284
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will set out the (a) timescale, (b) funding and (c) content of his Department's plans to integrate community pharmacists into the national IT programme. | | (158960) | 285
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 9th February, Official Report, column 1200W, on angiography, how many waits were under (a) three, (b) six, (c) nine, (d) 12 and (e) 15 months for (i) England and (ii) each Strategic Health Authority. | | (158964) | 286
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when his Department started collecting the figures for angiography waiting times; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for collecting this data centrally. | | (158965) | 287
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 7th January, Official Report, column 393W, on healthy living programmes, when the Tavistock Institute evaluation will be (a) completed and (b) published. | | (159030) | 288
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 7th January, Official Report, column 396W, on public health, which posts are filled by (a) acting staff, (b) temporary staff and (c) staff who fill other posts as directors of public health. | | (159105) | 289
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 7th January, Official Report, column 398W, on smoking, what the data is for quarters (a) two and (b) three. | | (159123) | 290
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 15th January, Official Report, column 856W, on Health Promotion England, what happened to the underspends. | | (159128) | 291
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 27th January, Official Report, column 331W, on public health, when his Department's discussions with strategic health authorities will be concluded. | | (159129) | 292
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 5th February, Official Report, column 1061W, on alcohol advertising, what judgement the Chief Medical Officer has formed on the studies. | | (159153) | 293
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 7th January, Official Report, column 393W, on the Health Development Agency, what the level of income from sources other than government is; and what the sources are. | | (159157) | 294
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 12th February, Official Report, column 1697W, on Public Health Skills Audit, how the voluntary register is maintained; and what it contains. | | (159158) | 295
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 7th January, Official Report, column 398W, on smoking, when he will publish the findings of the research on the success of the NHS Stop Smoking Service. | | (159321) | 296
| Mrs Patsy Calton (Cheadle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment has been made of the potential for fraud in the use of electronic transmission of prescriptions. | | (159107) | 297
| Mrs Patsy Calton (Cheadle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been spent by (a) primary care trusts and (b) NHS trusts on the National Programme for IT since 2001; and what spending is projected for the next three years. | | (159140) | 298
| Mrs Patsy Calton (Cheadle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment has been made of the possibility of the loss of patient data while new IT schemes under the National Programme for IT are being implemented. | | (159141) | 299
| Mrs Patsy Calton (Cheadle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment has been made of the cost to each (a) primary care trust and (b) NHS trust for training users of the new IT systems under the National Programme for IT; and what allocation of funding has been made to each for that purpose. | | (159142) | 300
| Mr John Cummings (Easington):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) doctors, (b) nurses and (c) nursing staff who work in the (i) Sunderland Royal Hospital, (ii) Durham University Hospital and (iii) Hartlepool University Hospital come from (A) the Commonwealth, (B) European accession states and (C) South East Asia; and if he will make a statement. | | (159318) | 301
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nurses have come to the UK from abroad in each of the last five years to work in the NHS; and from which countries. | | (158975) | 302
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what marketing his Department is undertaking to attract nurses from abroad to work in the NHS. | | (158976) | 303
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to develop the evidence base required for health practitioners to improve the health of men most at risk of (a) heart disease, (b) cancer and (c) obesity following the cancellation of the Health Development Agency's men's health work programme. | | (159328) | 304
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to encourage best practice in sexual health promotion among vulnerable communities in London. | | (159172) | 305
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to increase awareness of sexually transmitted diseases among (a) heterosexual and (b) homosexual males. | | (159193) | 306
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of people who have contracted (a) a sexually transmitted disease, (b) HIV/AIDS and (c) Hepatitis in each London borough since 1995. | | (159198) | 307
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he intends to take to deal with shortages of NHS dentists in Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement on NHS dentistry in Gloucestershire. | | (159043) | 308
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting time is for digital hearing aids in (a) England and (b) Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement on measures he intends to take to reduce waiting times. | | (159044) | 309
| Andy King (Rugby & Kenilworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action the Department has taken to investigate the potential health risks of Tetra masts in residential areas. | | (159376) | 310
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the impact of the free movement of (a) doctors, (b) nurses and (c) dentists from the EU accession countries on the National Health Service after 1st May. | | (159201) | 311
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) doctors, (b) dentists and (c) nurses from the EU accession countries he expects to come to work in the UK after 1st May. | | (159202) | 312
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether all the EU accession countries are compliant with the minimum training requirements in (a) medicine, (b) nursing and (c) dentistry as laid down in the relevant EC Directives. | | (159203) | 313
| Mr Edward O'Hara (Knowsley South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of (a) patients' need for monitored dosage systems and (b) the wide variation in payment mechanisms to community pharmacists for these, including charges to individual patients. | | (158999) | 314
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, in what ways environmentally sustainable procurement strategies within the Department have driven innovation in the design and supply of products. | | (159104) | 315
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the waiting time for hip replacements is at the Royal London Hospital. | | (159132) | 316
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the qualifying criteria are for patients who wish to take advantage of the Patient Choice Scheme. | | (159133) | 317
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how patients can opt into the Patient Choice Scheme; and if he will list the hospitals in the South East which take on patients under that scheme for each category of treatment. | | (159134) | 318
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients have taken advantage of the Patient Choice Scheme to reduce treatment waiting time. | | (159135) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 319
N | Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will bring section 144 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 into force as a matter of urgency. | | (158562) | 320
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 23rd February, Official Report, column 243W, on police, what the reasons were for the rise in numbers of accidents in which police vehicles were involved in Gloucestershire; and what the approximate cost of this increase was.
| | (159392) | 321
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisons with foreign nationals have specific work (a) led by a foreign nationals co-ordinator and (b) guided by relevant policies. | | (159287) | 322
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to assess the research carried out by Professor Robin Murray of the Institute of Psychiatry on the causal link between cannabis and schizophrenia. | | (159288) | 323
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons evaluaton of the 2004 cannabis advertising campaign is only being conducted amongst 14 to 17 year olds. | | (159307) | 324
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which agencies bid for the 2004 cannabis advertising campaign. | | (159308) | 325
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many offenders were placed on the Home Detention Curfew Scheme between January 1999 and 31st January 2004, broken down by (a) sex and (b) police authority. | | (159309) | 326
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners are held in Category C prisons who have been designated as Category B prisoners. | | (159310) | 327
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action he has taken to implement the results of the research commissioned from Prisoners' Families on enabling women prisoners to keep in touch with their families. | | (159311) | 328
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the extent of his responsibility for (a) magistrates and (b) district judges. | | (159298) | 329
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with the Attorney General about the renaming of the Crown Prosecution Service; and if he will make a statement. | | (159299) | 330
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the extent of his responsibility for the Crown Prosecution Service. | | (159300) | 331
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) home and (b) child curfew orders have been made in (i) Greater London and (ii) each London borough in each of the last five years. | | (159218) | 332
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were (a) charged, (b) prosecuted and (c) found guilty of burglary in Greater London in each year since 1997; how many of these were under (i) 16, (ii) 18 and (iii) 21 years; and how many of those found guilty were given (A) custodial and (B) non-custodial sentences, broken down by age group. | | (159219) | 333
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people in Greater London have been (a) fined and (b) given a prison sentence for (i) supplying, (ii) trafficking and (iii) possession of cannabis in each of the last five years. | | (159220) | 334
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many attacks on (a) police officers and (b) fire officers there were in (i) Greater London and (ii) each London borough in each of the last 10 years. | | (159222) | 335
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many burglaries were committed in (a) the Metropolitan Police area and (b) each London borough in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and in how many cases convictions were obtained for (i) custodial and (ii) non-custodial sentence, broken down by police force area. | | (159223) | 336
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many violent crimes against people were committed in (a) Greater London and (b) each London borough in each year since 1997. | | (159224) | 337
| Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when his Department will publish guidelines on the treatment of prisoners with gender dysphoria. | | (159028) | 338
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what advice is issued by his Department to chief constables on policing vehicle cruise events. | | (159162) | 339
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will review the law relating to vehicle cruise events. | | (159163) | 340
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance he has issued to police authorities on monitoring of vehicle cruise events advertised on the internet. | | (159164) | 341
| Mr Peter Kilfoyle (Liverpool, Walton):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will implement the recommendations of the report The New and the Old from the Life in the United Kingdom Advisory Group. | | (159239) | 342
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in what circumstances a convicted sex offender would be able to drive a school bus without having a Criminal Records Bureau check performed on them. | | (159199) | 343
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a person employed by a local authority to drive a school bus would be required to have a Criminal Records Bureau check before taking up the job. | | (159200) | 344
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many incidents of vandalism to buses were reported in each police force area in the last 12 months for which figures are available. | | (159031) | 345
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in what ways environmentally sustainable procurement strategies within the Department have driven innovation in the design and supply of products. | | (159152) | 346
| Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on plans to establish regional centres dedicated to high technology investigation of on-line child abuse. | | (158986) | 347
| Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance he gives to chief constables on the secondment of police officers who specialise in (a) internet and (b) non internet child abuse to other types of police activity. | | (158987) | 348
| Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with internet service providers who refuse to keep the internet addresses of customers after they change ISP and the effect of this on the tracking of online predators. | | (158988) | 349
| Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the findings of the survey from the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency on the proportion of primary school children who regularly chat over computer software and admit that they have had face-to-face meetings with people they met on-line. | | (158989) | 350
| Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the level of resources available to gather forensic evidence on on-line child abusers. | | (158990) | 351
| Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the police forces in England and Wales which do not specialise in combating internet child abuse. | | (158991) | 352
| Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding is available for international co-operation to protect children whose images have been trafficked on-line. | | (158992) | 353
| Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has undertaken with his US counterparts on increasing US detection of internet child pornography crime. | | (158993) | 354
| Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of internet child pornography detected in the UK has been hosted on websites in the USA. | | (158994) | 355
| Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the training that police who are not part of specialist units receive on how on-line paedophiles operate. | | (158995) | 356
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent representations he has received on the design of policemen's helmets; and if he will make a statement. | | (159390) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 357
| Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much money has been provided to Haiti in the last two years as part of multilateral programmes including those funded by (a) the European Union and (b) the World Bank. | | (159144) | 358
| Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether his Department plans to reassess its policy on the provision of bilateral aid to Haiti. | | (159160) | 359
| Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North & Stoke Newington):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much direct British Government aid has gone to (a) non-Government organisations and (b) other civil society groups working in Haiti in the past three years; what other sums have been provided to Haiti; and to whom. | | (159161) | 360
| Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on the land expropriation laws which are set to come into effect in South Africa in April. | | (159039) | 361
| Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what measures are being taken to reduce the use of child soldiers in Burundi. | | (159040) | 362
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how the members of the Commission for Africa were chosen. | | (159379) | 363
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what payment will be made to those who will sit on the Commission for Africa; and how this will be funded. | | (159380) | 364
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether the Commission for Africa will take evidence in Africa. | | (159381) | 365
| Helen Jackson (Sheffield, Hillsborough):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what response the Government has made to the document Human Security: Placing Development at the Heart of the EU's External Relations produced by the Irish EU Presidency Project. | | (158951) | 366
| Helen Jackson (Sheffield, Hillsborough):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what consultations the Government has had with the Irish Government about their proposals for international development in the recent Irish EU Presidency project document Human Security: Placing Development at the Heart of the EU's External Relations. | | (158952) | 367
| Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the levels of food shortages in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. | | (159225) | 368
| Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the requirement for aid supplies for the Darfur region of Sudan. | | (159226) | 369
| Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the levels of food shortages in Somalia. | | (159227) | 370
| Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the influx of Sudanese refugees into Chad. | | (159228) | 371
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, in what ways environmentally sustainable procurement strategies within the Department have driven innovation in the design and supply of products. | | (159151) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 372
N | Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, for what reasons acceptable behaviour contracts have not yet been introduced in Northern Ireland. | | (158280) | 373
N | Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to bring forward proposals to amend legislation to enable the piloting of electronic counting of votes in (a) local council, (b) Assembly and (c) Westminster elections in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. | | (158281) | 374
| Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will urgently raise through the normal channels of North/South contact the situation of the former employees of Irish Fertilizer Industries based in Northern Ireland (Richardsons), in respect of their expectations of receiving pension entitlement; and if he will make a statement. | | (159051) | Questions to the Prime Minister 375
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Prime Minister, whether a senior Cabinet Minister will visit Gibraltar during the tercentenary celebrations. | | (159320) | 376
N | Mr Andrew Mitchell (Sutton Coldfield):To ask the Prime Minister, what the (a) attendance and (b) voting records have been of each People's Peer since each was appointed. | | (157460) | 377
N | Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr):To ask the Prime Minister, what the Government's policy is on the use of sensory deprivation by members of the security forces. | | (158883) | 378
N | Mr Richard Shepherd (Aldridge - Brownhills):To ask the Prime Minister, who is to chair the review of the Official Secrets Act 1989; and if he will make a statement. | | (158687) | 379
| Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Prime Minister, whether he authorised the letter faxed to the Right honourable Member for Birmingham, Ladywood on 28th February by the Cabinet Secretary. | | (158946) | 380
N | Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge & Malling):To ask the Prime Minister, on what date the Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee was first informed as to which Iraqi weapons the 45-minutes claim in the Iraq's weapons of mass destruction dossier applied. | | (158771) | 381
N | Sir John Stanley (Tonbridge & Malling):To ask the Prime Minister, on what date the Cabinet Secretary was first informed as to which Iraqi weapons the 45-minutes claim in the Iraq's weapons of mass destruction dossier applied. | | (158772) | Questions to the Solicitor General 382
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield):To ask the Solicitor General, if she will make a statement on the responsibility for oversight of the Crown Prosecution Service of (a) the Attorney General and (b) the Home Secretary. | | (159297) | 383
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield):To ask the Solicitor General, what plans she has to change the name of the Crown Prosecution Service; and if she will make a statement. | | (159301) | 384
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield):To ask the Solicitor General, if she will make a statement on the basis on which the Director of Public Prosecutions advises the Home Secretary on the Crown Prosecution Service. | | (159347) | Questions to the honourable Member for Gosport representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission 385
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the honourable Member for Gosport representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what steps the Commission is taking to improve voter turnout in June for (a) the London Assembly elections, (b) European elections, (c) Mayoral elections and (d) other local elections. | | (159235) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 386
| Mr Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the impact of the change in scrap metal prices on the British cast metal industry. | | (159027) | 387
N | Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the Export Credits Guarantee Department had received the Human Rights Watch report of January 1999 on human rights abuses in connection with the Dabhol power project in India when it provided overseas investment insurance for the project. | | (158564) | 388
N | Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment the Export Credits Guarantee Department made of the social, environmental and human rights impact of the Dabhol Power Project before it provided overseas investment insurance to banks for investing in the project; if she will place in the Library the relevant documentation; and if she will make a statement. | | (158567) | 389
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the respondents to the consultation document Rewards for Failure - Directors Remuneration - Contracts, Performance and Severance; and if she will list those respondents who (a) advocated legislative provisions and (b) did not want legislation to address executive remuneration. | | (159350) | 390
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the buildings occupied by her departmental staff and agency staff, which require (a) remedial work on and (b) the removal of asbestos; what that work will cost; what budgets are available for this work for (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005; and what budget is available for future asbestos surveys. | | (159367) | 391
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what proportion of buildings occupied by (a) staff of the Department and (b) staff of the Department's executive agencies have been surveyed for the purpose of identifying the presence of asbestos prior to implementation of the control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. | | (159368) | 392
N | Mrs Patsy Calton (Cheadle):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much money has been paid in compensation to sub-post masters and mistresses of closing post offices; and how many post offices have been closed in each of the last five years. | | (158586) | 393
N | Mrs Patsy Calton (Cheadle):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the part played by (a) Postwatch and (b) Post Office Limited in the Urban Network Reinvention Programme. | | (158594) | 394
| Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many contracts for reconstruction projects in Iraq have been awarded to each British company to have won such a contract; and what the total value is of such contracts. | | (159003) | 395
| Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much coltan was imported by the United Kingdom from the Democratic Republic of Congo in each of the last two years; and if she will make a statement. | | (159242) | 396
N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, for what purpose an official of her Department travelled from London to the Linlithgow constituency on 23rd February returning on 24th February; what advice the official gave on planning matters; and what contact the official had with Fauldhouse Community Council. | | (158563) | 397
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps she is undertaking to reinforce the National Grid in (a) the UK and (b) London to meet the Government's target of 10 per cent. renewable generation by 2010. | | (159171) | 398
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what her Department's responsibilities are for meeting the Energy White Paper target of achieving 10GW of combined heat and power by 2010. | | (159209) | 399
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs concerning combined heat and power; and if she will make a statement. | | (159210) | 400
| John Robertson (Glasgow Anniesland):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what relationship she envisages between the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and Nirex. | | (159023) | 401
| John Robertson (Glasgow Anniesland):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment her Department has made of the data protection implications of the offshoring of the processing of financial details. | | (159125) | 402
| John Robertson (Glasgow Anniesland):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the types of jobs that have been offshored in the past 12 months. | | (159126) | 403
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what progress has been made in joint working with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the promotion of UK science, engineering and technology. | | (159007) | 404
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what progress has been made with ensuring compliance with the EU Copyright Directive; and if she will make a statement. | | (159008) | 405
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps she is taking to enforce regulations limiting excessive packaging on products. | | (159009) | 406
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, in what ways environmentally sustainable procurement strategies within the Department have driven innovation in the design and supply of products. | | (159146) | 407
| Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures she has taken to encourage internet service providers to take action to contact child pornography websites. | | (158998) | 408
| Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the effectiveness of company voluntary agreements. | | (159165) | 409
| Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, in how many company voluntary agreements creditors received monies owed in each year since 2000. | | (159166) | 410
| Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many company voluntary agreements were entered into in each year since 2000. | | (159167) | 411
| Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many companies have entered into company voluntary agreements and have continued trading in each year since 2000. | | (159168) | 412
| Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the outcome of the renewables innovation review. | | (159034) | 413
| Mark Tami (Alyn & Deeside):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations her Department has made to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the future structure of Nirex. | | (159047) | 414
| Mark Tami (Alyn & Deeside):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions her Department has had with the Environment Agency on the possibility of their responsibility for the Letter of Comfort process operated by Nirex. | | (159048) | 415
| Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what arrangements she is making to ensure that the United Kingdom complies with the provisions of the Landfill Directive relating to the disposal of tyres. | | (159020) | 416
| Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what proportion of end-of-life tyres were disposed of in ways that met the terms of the EU Landfill Directive in 2003. | | (159021) | 417
| Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what arrangements she is making to ensure that all UK end-of-life tyres will be shredded prior to 2006. | | (159022) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 418
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects to make a statement on proposals for a crossing of the railway line at Beddingham on the A27. | | (158882) | 419
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the buildings occupied by his Department's staff, including agencies, which require (a) remedial work on and (b) the removal of asbestos; what that work will cost; what budgets are available for this work for (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005; and what budget is available for future asbestos surveys. | | (159365) | 420
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of buildings occupied by (a) staff of the Department and (b) staff of the Department's executive agencies have been surveyed for the purpose of identifying the presence of asbestos prior to implementation of the control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. | | (159369) | 421
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) UK and (b) foreign ships failed port side inspections in the UK in each of the last five years; and how many people have been employed to undertake port side inspections in each of the last five years. | | (158949) | 422
| Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to protect UK merchant ships from piracy and armed attacks. | | (158950) | 423
| Mr John Cummings (Easington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the re-opening of railway stations at (a) Easington, (b) Colliery and (c) Horden. | | (159317) | 424
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many driving theory tests were booked in each year since 19th December 2001; and what proportion of such tests was booked online. | | (159329) | 425
N | Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will allow regional passenger transport authorities to bid to run franchises. | | (158763) | 426
N | Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the dates of the formal meetings he has had with the Mayor of London about transport projects in London. | | (158765) | 427
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to introduce statutory regulation on emissions from (a) motorcycles and (b) powered two-wheel vehicles. | | (159179) | 428
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect on numbers of cycle journeys should cycle helmets be made compulsory. | | (159106) | 429
N | Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to encourage cycling in the City of Hereford; and if he will make a statement. | | (158645) | 430
| Mr Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North & Leith):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations the Government has made in the last year to the (a) International Civil Aviation Organisation and (b) its other member states regarding the possible removal of the exemption of aviation fuel from taxation. | | (158954) | 431
N | Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his Answer of 26th February, Official Report, column 529W, on the Dibden Bay container port proposal and the New Forest National Park proposal, for what reason he declined to state whether or not he would make it his policy not to announce his decision on the port before the result of the public inquiry into the National Park is known; and if he will make a statement. | | (158828) | 432
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the UK's commitment to a fully liberalised aviation treaty between the EU and the US. | | [R] (159204) | 433
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made at the recent talks in Washington between the EU and the US on an open aviation area. | | [R] (159205) | 434
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to promote the interests of (a) the UK and (b) UK aviation during the open aviation talks between the EU and the US. | | [R] (159206) | 435
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make representations for restrictions on (a) ownership, (b) cabotage rights, (c) wet lease and (d) the Fly America policy to be removed as part of any agreement on an open aviation area between the EU and the US. | | [R] (159207) | 436
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what further progress is expected at the next meeting between the EU and US on an open aviation area. | | [R] (159208) | 437
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the impact of changes in grants for people to convert vehicles to run on liquefied petroleum gas. | | (159322) | 438
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to meet its targets on use of (a) compressed natural gas and (b) hydrogen as road fuels. | | (159323) | 439
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans the Government has to address road fuel poverty (a) in remote and rural areas and (b) for disabled drivers. | | (159324) | 440
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what Government financial support is available to post buses. | | (159032) | 441
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many road traffic accidents took place in 2003 where interference by children distracting bus drivers was a contributory factor to the accidents. | | (159033) | 442
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in how many road traffic accidents drug taking was a contributory factor in the accident in each year since 1997. | | (159035) | 443
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what police procedures oversee the use of DNA kits issued by Metroline bus company used to identify spitting offenders. | | (159046) | 444
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list in descending order airlines using British airports by their air safety records. | | (159313) | 445
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many hybrid petrol/electric cars were sold in the United Kingdom in each year since 1997. | | (159314) | 446
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many car owners failed to pay for car tax discs in each year since 1997. | | (159315) | 447
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many miles of cycle paths there were in each year since 1997. | | (159316) | 448
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which local authorities use pre-wetted salt when road salting, broken down by Highways Agency area. | | (159345) | 449
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list for each local authority the cost of a bus pass for pensioners. | | (159349) | 450
N | Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the passenger usage data for (a) Faversham, (b) Selling, (c) Lenham, (d) Harrietsham and (e) Hollingbourne that the Strategic Rail Authority used in the consultation document on the Integrated Kent franchise for Faversham. | | (158827) | 451
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in what ways environmentally sustainable procurement strategies within the Department have driven innovation in the design and supply of products. | | (159147) | 452
| Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chichester):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received for changes to be made to the Rules of the Air to limit helicopters and other recreational aircraft from flying over urban areas. | | (159319) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 453
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what advice he has made available to employers concerning the implementation of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. | | (159352) | 454
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list the buildings occupied by his staff, including departmental agencies, which require (a) remedial work on and (b) the removal of asbestos; what that work will cost; what budgets are available for this work for (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005; and what budget is available for future asbestos surveys. | | (159361) | 455
| Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of buildings occupied by (a) staff of the Department and (b) staff of the Department's executive agencies have been surveyed for the purpose of identifying the presence of asbestos prior to implementation of the control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. | | (159370) | 456
N | Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on delays to processing entitlement to retirement pensions for the recently widowed. | | (158702) | 457
N | Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what target has been set for the processing of entitlements to retirement pensions for the recently widowed; and whether this target is being met. | | (158703) | 458
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what ways environmentally sustainable procurement strategies within the Department have driven innovation in the design and supply of products. | | (159149) | 459
N | Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people above state pension age he estimates are not drawing a state retirement pension because they have deferred taking a state pension; and if he will make a statement. | | (158767) | 460
N | Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his latest estimate is of the amount of overpayments made owing to official error in each social security benefit paid by his Department; and if he will make a statement. | | (158768) | 461
N | Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) men and (b) women drawing state retirement pensions are receiving increments because they deferred drawing that pension beyond state pension age, broken down by the length of time for which that pension was deferred. | | (158770) | Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office 462
| Patrick Mercer (Newark):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what part virtual reality equipment plays in enabling Sir David Omand to provide central co-ordination for contingency planning and the Resilience Capability Programme. | | [Transferred] (158979) | 463
| Patrick Mercer (Newark):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what arrangements are in place for those involved in contingency planning to receive appropriate professional and career development. | | [Transferred] (158980) | 464
| Patrick Mercer (Newark):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what new training methods have been put in place at the Emergency Planning College at Easingwold over the past two years. | | [Transferred] (158981) | 465
| Patrick Mercer (Newark):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much has been spent at the Emergency Planning College at Easingwold on new classrooms and accommodation over the past two years; and how much was spent on new training equipment in the same period. | | [Transferred] (158982) | 466
| Patrick Mercer (Newark):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what arrangements he will make for honourable Members to visit the Emergency Planning College to see the training taking place. | | [Transferred] (158983) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 467
N | Jim Knight (South Dorset):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal measures are being considered to improve the availability of affordable housing in the South West of England. | | [Question Unstarred] (158486) | 468
| Mr Elfyn Llwyd (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many alternative or parallel remittance brokers have been registered as money service businesses since the introduction of the Money Laundering Regulations 2001. | | [Transferred] (158899) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 469
| Mr David Chidgey (Eastleigh):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to bring forward proposals for legislation to ensure that companies providing water and sewerage services are made statutory consultees to local authorities in the planning process. | | [Transferred] (159124) | 470
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the future of Gloucestershire's Emergency Services Tri-service headquarters in Gloucester. | | [Transferred] (159042) | 471
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when the Department is planning to release Planning Policy Guidance Note 10; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (159036) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 472
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the cost to local authorities of meeting the Government's recycling targets. | | [Transferred] (159011) | 473
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the change in costs to local authorities of the Household Waste Recycling Act 2003. | | [Transferred] (159012) | 474
| Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with local authorities regarding local authority charging for waste collection and disposal. | | [Transferred] (159037) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 475
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total number of restraining orders made under section 5 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 after a conviction under section 2 of the Act was in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003, broken down by sex of the defendant.
| | [Transferred] (159393) | 476
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total number of restraining orders made under section 5 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 after a conviction under section 4 of the Act was in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003, broken down by sex of the defendant.
| | [Transferred] (159394) | 477
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total number of applications alleging a breach of a section 5 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 restraining order resulting in a conviction was in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003, broken down by gender.
| | [Transferred] (159395) | 478
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total number of applications alleging a breach of a section 5 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 restraining order resulting in an acquittal was, broken down by gender, in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003. | | [Transferred] (159396) | 479
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many magistrates' court prosecutions under section 2 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 resulted in (a) conviction and (b) acquittal in (i) 2001, (ii) 2002 and (iii) 2003, broken down by sex of defendant | | [Transferred] (159398) | 480
| Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many magistrates, court and Crown court prosecutions under section 4 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 resulted in (a) conviction and (b) acquittal in (i) 2001, (ii) 2002 and (iii) 2003, broken down by sex of defendant. | | [Transferred] (159399) | 481
| Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many drivers were found to be in excess of the legal alcohol limit in each year since 1997. | | [Transferred] (159045) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 482
| Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what information the Office collects on the on-line submission of complaints to trading standards offices. | | [Transferred] (158900) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 483
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what action the Government is taking to improve air quality, with particular reference to use of alternative road fuels. | | [Transferred] (159326) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 484
| Patrick Mercer (Newark):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason the housing benefit regulations (a) require a rent officer to review the rent of a private landlord and (b) do not require a rent officer to review the rent of a registered social landlord. | | [Transferred] (158985) |
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