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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Friday 26 March 2004
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Friday 26 March 2004
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Friday 26 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 Friday 26 March of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Friday 26 March see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office 1
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress his Department has made to manage the changeover from the Bank Automated Clearing System to the new BACSTEL-IP system for electronic payments. | | (164320) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 2
N | Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, in what proportion of refinanced early private finance initiative projects the Office of Government Commerce has secured its target share of 30 per cent. refinancing gains; what proportion of deals signed since July 2002 contract for a 50/50 share of refinancing gains; and how many and what proportion of refinanced deals have applied the Office of Government Commerce application notes recommended discount rate when measuring and sharing refinancing benefits. | | (163925) | 3
N | Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West & Royton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of private finance initiative contracts have been refinanced; and if he will list by Department (a) the name, date and capital value of each, (b) the expected shareholder returns when the contract was let, (c) the increase in returns from refinancing before payment of refinancing gains to the procuring authority, (d) the refinancing gains paid to the procuring authority, (e) the expected shareholder returns after sharing refinancing gains and (f) the increase in cash terms in the processing authority's maximum termination liability. | | (163926) | 4
N | Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the (a) current and (b) future cost to public funds of each existing (i) private finance initiative and (ii) public private partnership project. | | (163828) | 5
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress his Department has made to manage the changeover from the Bank Automated Clearing System to the new BACSTEL-IP system for electronic payments. | | (164323) | Questions to the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners 6
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the honourable Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will list those others occupying parts of 1 Millbank indicating in each case (a) the square footage occupied and (b) the rental received. | | (164051) | Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 7
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, when the Criminal Defence Service will announce the result of its consultation into the provision of funding to suspects before charge. | | (164335) | 8
| Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) political parties and (b) other organisations in Northern Ireland on the Government's proposals for a supreme court. | | (164356) | 9
N | Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, which magistrates' courts have been closed in Greater London since 1997. | | (163764) | 10
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what progress his Department has made to manage the changeover from the Bank Automated Clearing System to the new BACSTEL-IP system for electronic payments. | | (164319) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 11
N | Andy Burnham (Leigh):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made as part of the Charter renewal process of the (a) extent, (b) methods and (c) purpose of commercial advertising by the BBC. | | (163959) | 12
| Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what research has been carried out into the role of the red double decker as a tourist attraction in London. | | (164145) | 13
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress her Department has made to manage the changeover from the Bank Automated Clearing System to the new BACSTEL-IP system for electronic payments. | | (164318) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 14
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the purchases of wood originating from Tasmania the Department has made in each year since 1997. | | (164050) | 15
| Hugh Bayley (York, City of):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what HIV/AIDS programme is in place for British armed forces who spend time in sub-Saharan African countries. | | (164419) | 16
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, where the search records of the (a) 7th City of Belfast battalion of the Ulster Defence Regiment, (b) 10th City of Belfast battalion of the Ulster Defence Regiment, (c) 3rd County Down battalion of the Ulster Defence Regiment and (d) regular military units operating in their tactical area of responsibility for the night of 17th February 1978 are held; by what method they are stored; and whether they are a matter of public record. | | (164431) | 17
| Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many cost reduction reviews are under way in his Department; what the approximate cost of each of these reviews is; and how much has been spent on consultancy support to each review. | | (164216) | 18
| Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent in each year since 1997 on redundancy payments for (a) administrative staff and (b) industrial staff. | | (164217) | 19
| Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent in each year since 1997 on (a) site de-contamination and (b) stores write-offs. | | (164218) | 20
| Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been spent in each year since 1997 on re-location of Ministry of Defence staff. | | (164219) | 21
N | Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to relocate an infantry brigade from Germany to the United Kingdom. | | (163770) | 22
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the price of goods available to British forces in NAAFI shops overseas, with particular reference to Iraq, compared to NAAFI shops in the UK; and if he will make a statement. | | (164179) | 23
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many aircraft available to his Department are fitted with synthetic aperture radar equipment for use in search and rescue operations, broken down by type; and if he will make a statement. | | (164296) | 24
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will assess the advantages of moving RAF Strike Command from High Wycombe to Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement. | | (164304) | 25
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the cost savings of moving RAF Strike Command from High Wycombe to Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement. | | (164305) | 26
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he plans to have with personnel at RAF Innsworth, Gloucestershire, about the future of the base; and if he will make a statement. | | (163920) | 27
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what account he will take of the impact on the community of Innsworth, Gloucestershire, when deciding on the future of RAF Innsworth; and if he will make a statement. | | (163921) | 28
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to make a decision on the future of RAF Innsworth, Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement. | | (163922) | 29
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what factors he will take into account when deciding on the future of RAF Innsworth, Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement. | | (163923) | 30
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made to manage the changeover from the Bank Automated Clearing System to the new BACSTEL-IP system for electronic payments. | | (164317) | 31
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British service personnel are involved in mine clearance and explosive ordnance disposal; and in which countries such personnel are working. | | (164326) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 32
| Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he will issue guidance and advice to local authorities on changes in the rules on part-time employees in the Local Government Pension Scheme. | | (164279) | 33
| Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many empty council house properties there are in North Tyneside. | | (164415) | 34
| Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the (a) level of external debt and (b) annual cost of servicing that debt was in each local authority in Tyne and Wear in each of the last seven years. | | (164416) | 35
| Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what percentage of (a) council tax and (b) council house rents was collected in North Tyneside in each of the last five years. | | (164417) | 36
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much has been allocated to Crosby from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund. | | (164414) | 37
N | Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the level of council tax receipts collected in Greater London was in each year since 1997, broken down by borough, and what the forecast figures are for the next year. | | (163766) | 38
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the costs to Chelmsford local authority of the eviction of gypsies and travellers in the last six months. | | (164094) | 39
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, which local authorities have taken (a) legal action and (b) eviction proceedings against gypsies and travellers in the last year for which figures are available. | | (164095) | 40
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, by what procedure certificates are issued authorising private companies to act as bailiffs on behalf of local authorities; and how many companies have (a) been refused certification and (b) had certification withdrawn in the past year. | | (164096) | 41
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what steps he has taken to record the (a) number and (b) nature of complaints against bailiffs employed by local authorities. | | (164097) | 42
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on ensuring that the activities of bailiffs employed by local authorities are in compliance with the Human Rghts Act 1998. | | (164098) | 43
| Mr Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull North):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, which local authorities include a policy towards gypsies and travellers as a part of their homelessness strategy; and what percentage of local authorities this represents. | | (164099) | 44
| Mr George Osborne (Tatton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, on what occasions in the last two years Ministers in his Department have had meetings with representatives of Scottish Power. | | (164252) | 45
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many homes have been purchased under the right-to-buy scheme in each of the last five years. | | (164202) | 46
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what guidance is given to local planning authorities on the protection of wildlife and domestic animals from the adverse effects of telecommunications transmissions; and what his policy is on where the responsibility lies for the protection of wildlife from such transmissions. | | (164079) | 47
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what progress his Department has made to manage the changeover from the Bank Automated Clearing System to the new BACSTEL-IP system for electronic payments. | | (164321) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 48
| Hugh Bayley (York, City of):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many overseas students (a) in total, (b) from Africa and (c) from each country in Africa are studying (i) non-degree, (ii) undergraduate and (iii) postgraduate courses at colleges and universities. | | (164151) | 49
| Hugh Bayley (York, City of):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average course fee paid by overseas students is on (a) non-degree, (b) undergraduate and (c) postgraduate courses at colleges and universities. | | (164152) | 50
| Hugh Bayley (York, City of):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many nationals of sub-Saharan African countries are employed by (a) state schools, (b) local education authorities and (c) his Department (i) directly and (ii) through private agencies. | | (164421) | 51
| Hugh Bayley (York, City of):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what support (a) his Department and (b) UK educational institutions have given to develop courses for African educational institutions in respect of (i) teacher training courses, (ii) training of health professionals, (iii) distance learning courses and (iv) other courses; and if he will make a statement. | | (164422) | 52
| Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the level of capital investment in schools in North Tyneside was in each of the last seven years. | | (164361) | 53
| Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much North Tyneside schools have received in Standards Fund Grant in each year since its introduction. | | (164362) | 54
| Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many school budgets in North Tyneside local education authority were in deficit in each of the last 10 years. | | (164363) | 55
| Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the cost of home to school transport in North Tyneside local education authority was in each of the last five years. | | (164364) | 56
| Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students living in North Tyneside local education authority have benefited from New Opportunities bursaries since the scheme was set up. | | (164370) | 57
| Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students living in North Tyneside local education authority have gone into full-time higher education in each of the last seven years. | | (164371) | 58
| Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many child care places there were in North Tyneside local education authority in each of the last seven years. | | (164373) | 59
| Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much money was given to schools in North Tyneside local education authority from the Capital Modernisation Fund in each of the last seven years. | | (164376) | 60
| Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what investment there has been in (a) sports and (b) music in schools in North Tyneside local education authority in each of the last seven years. | | (164377) | 61
| Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of pupils achieved at least (a) one and (b) five GCSE grades A* to C in North Tyneside local education authority in each of the last seven years. | | (164378) | 62
| Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) teaching assistants, (b) teachers and (c) teaching vacancies there were in schools in North Tyneside local education authority in each of the last seven years. | | (164380) | 63
| Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much public funding was spent on adult literacy and numeracy in North Tyneside local education authority in each of the last seven years. | | (164381) | 64
| Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the level of local education authority funding per pupil in Tyneside (a) is for 2004-05 and (b) was in 1996-97. | | (164418) | 65
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what targets his Department has on the numbers taking part in modern apprenticeship courses; and what assessment he has made of the overall number of apprentices. | | (164084) | 66
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 15th March, Official Report, column 75W, on Chesterfield High School, Sefton, how the £145,000 received by Chesterfield High School to fund the implementation of the school development plan has been spent. | | (164375) | 67
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what support is available for children who have been victims of domestic violence. | | (164379) | 68
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many schools in Crosby have had enterprise advisers working with them to encourage enterprise practice. | | (164400) | 69
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which schools in the Stroud constituency had at least one year when school repair capital spending was greater than £5,000 since 1997. | | (164169) | 70
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the total capital spending on school repairs for the Stroud constituency was for each year since 1997. | | (164170) | 71
N | Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many new school places have been created in each year since 1997, in schools in the Ribble Valley parliamentary constituency. | | [R] (163928) | 72
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much public funding has been spent on computers for schools in (a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley in each year since 1996. | | (164181) | 73
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many pupils per computer there were in schools in (a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley in each year since 1996. | | (164182) | 74
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much public money was spent on education in Chorley in each year between 1992 and 1997. | | (164183) | 75
| Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which agencies have statutory authority to inspect or audit boarding schools. | | (164262) | 76
| Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many boarding schools have been examined by the Independent Schools Inspectorate in each of the last six financial years; and how many were identified as having a significant defect. | | (164301) | 77
| Diana Organ (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the integration of citizenship, personal and social education across the curriculum. | | (164186) | 78
| Diana Organ (Forest of Dean):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what resources he is investing in delivery of communication skills within the curriculum of 11 to 16 year olds. | | (164187) | 79
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps he is taking to attract teachers who have taken early retirement back into the profession on (a) a part-time and (b) a voluntary basis; and if he will make a statement. | | (164201) | 80
| Ms Gisela Stuart (Birmingham, Edgbaston):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans the Government has to participate in the EU initiative on the Europass scheme. | | (164092) | 81
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to apply parental income tests to students entering higher education from EU accession countries; and what estimate he has made of the proportion who will enjoy (a) fee rebates and (b) maintenance bursaries. | | (164080) | 82
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students in higher education are from each EU country; what proportion from each country are assisted from public funds to meet the cost of fees or maintenance; and to what extent. | | (164081) | 83
| Angela Watkinson (Upminster):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many speech therapist posts in special schools in London were unfilled in each local education authority in each year from 1997 to 2004. | | (164158) | 84
| Angela Watkinson (Upminster):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many speech therapists were employed in special schools in each local education authority in London in each year from 1997 to 2004. | | (164159) | 85
| Angela Watkinson (Upminster):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many colleges in London offer speech therapy courses; and how many places are available on each course. | | (164162) | 86
| Angela Watkinson (Upminster):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students started speech therapy courses at colleges in London in each year from 1997 to 2004. | | (164163) | 87
| Angela Watkinson (Upminster):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students dropped out of speech therapy courses at London colleges in each year since 1997. | | (164172) | 88
| Angela Watkinson (Upminster):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students (a) qualified as speech therapists from London colleges and (b) entered the profession in each year since 1997. | | (164173) | 89
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what progress his Department has made to manage the changeover from the Bank Automated Clearing System to the new BACSTEL-IP system for electronic payments. | | (164316) | 90
N | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which of the recommendations made by the report of Professor Adrian Smith's inquiry into post-14 mathematics education on secondary school mathematics teacher shortages he intends to act on; and if he will make a statement. | | (163825) | 91
N | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of (a) the shortfall of qualified full-time equivalent mathematics teachers, (b) the percentage and number of mathematics teachers who have no post A-level qualification in mathematics and (c) the percentage and number of full-time equivalent qualified mathematics teachers employed in tasks other than teaching mathematics; and if he will make a statement. | | (163826) | 92
N | Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many full-time equivalent mathematics teachers with post A level mathematics qualifications there were in secondary schools in England in each year since 1997; and how many such teachers transferred to the further education sector in that period. | | (163827) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 93
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what has been the total wage bill for her Department for each year since its inception; and what the projected figures for (a) total wages and (b) total staff numbers are for 2004-05. | | (164082) | 94
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what investigations are conducted to ascertain whether hunting trophies have been obtained illegally. | | (164401) | 95
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many times in the last five years the import of hunted trophies has been refused where there was evidence that the animals had been taken illegally. | | (164402) | 96
N | Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the total potential hazardous waste storage capacity available from businesses using the exemption on temporary storage of hazardous waste at the place of production in paragraph 41 of Schedule 3 of the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994; and what plans she has to amend the regulations to increase the volumes of waste that may be stored under this exemption. | | (164074) | 97
N | Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what contingency measures she is putting in place in the event of a shortfall in (a) treatment and (b) disposal capacity for hazardous wastes following (i) the end of co-disposal in July 2004 and (ii) the enforcement of the Waste Acceptance Criteria in July 2005; and if she will make a statement. | | (164075) | 98
N | Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the Hazardous Waste Forum's recommendations for contingency plans to give temporary authorisation for export of hazardous waste to mainland Europe; and if she has discussed this possibility with European governments. | | (164076) | 99
N | Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what sites she has identified on a contingency basis as suitable for the storage of hazardous wastes from July 2004. | | (164077) | 100
N | Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11th March, Official Report, column 1620W on hazardous waste, how the predicted number of 750,000 active producers of hazardous waste following the implementation of the revised European hazardous waste list was reached; and how she will alert the newly included producers to the inclusion of their waste arisings on the new list. | | (164078) | 101
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost has been of providing answers to parliamentary questions asked by the honourable Member for North Shropshire on the subject of bovine TB and related matters since 2003. | | (164210) | 102
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list those village halls in the Stroud constituency that have applied for (a) her Department's and (b) Lottery grants for refurbishment purposes; and which have been successful. | | (164211) | 103
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the figures for progress on peat replacement for 2003 will be published. | | (164248) | 104
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with her ministerial colleagues in the Netherlands on similarities between the approaches taken in the UK and in the Netherlands to (a) the protection of the coastline, (b) the use of soft defences in coastal protection, (c) managed retreat and (d) managed realignment; and if she will make a statement. | | (164249) | 105
| Mr John Gummer (Suffolk Coastal):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has held with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the historic importance of Martello towers. | | (164250) | 106
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to adopt the recommendation from the Council of Europe Standing Committee for the Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes concerning domestic ducks. | | (164184) | 107
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much animal fodder has been imported into (a) the UK and (b) the EU from developing countries in each of the last three years for which information is available. | | (164222) | 108
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research she has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on damage caused to the environment by animal agriculture. | | (164224) | 109
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will increase support for farmers to grow an increased (a) range and (b) quantity of organic produce. | | (164225) | 110
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on a reduction in subsidy level for meat production. | | (164226) | 111
| Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to compensate cockle fishermen affected by the closure of cockle beds. | | (164286) | 112
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what monitoring of water quality is being undertaken by the National Rivers Authority. | | (164204) | 113
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made to manage the changeover from the Bank Automated Clearing System to the new BACSTEL-IP system for electronic payments. | | (164328) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 114
| Hugh Bayley (York, City of):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his Department's grant was to (a) the BBC World Service and (b) BBC World Television in each of the last three years; what the turnover was of each; and what proportion of (i) programmes broadcast and (ii) the budget of each service was devoted to educational programming. | | (164150) | 115
| Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he intends to reply to the letter to him of 11th March from Mrs Pamela Dix, Secretary of UK Families Flight 103, concerning the criminal investigation into the Lockerbie bombing. | | (164295) | 116
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what protection for the role of women in Government there will be in the plans to hand over power to an Iraqi government. | | (164088) | 117
| Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what measures are being taken by the international bodies involved in the reconstruction of Iraq to protect the interests of the Mandaean religious community. | | (164255) | 118
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the (a) high commissions, (b) embassies, (c) buildings and (d) land which have been sold since 1997. | | (164206) | 119
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list the (a) high commissions, (b) embassies, (c) buildings and (d) land being considered for sale. | | (164207) | 120
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when a Minister in his Department last visited (a) Singapore, (b) Malaysia and (c) Thailand. | | (164208) | 121
| Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what role his Department is playing in the potential sale of Typhoons to Singapore. | | (164209) | 122
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) equipment, (b) personnel and (c) other assistance his Department provides to other countries for search and rescue operations involving UK citizens who have gone missing; and if he will make a statement. | | (164297) | 123
| Mr George Osborne (Tatton):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what Britain's preferred location for the headquarters of the new EU Border Management Agency is. | | (164251) | 124
| John Robertson (Glasgow Anniesland):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made in the past six months of whether the governments of (a) Iran and (b) Syria have given support to terrorist groups. | | (164368) | 125
| John Robertson (Glasgow Anniesland):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of human rights in (a) Taiwan and (b) China. | | (164369) | 126
| Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the Falkland Islands 200 mile economic zone. | | (164188) | 127
| Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether there have been recent violations by Argentinian vessels of the Falklands Island 200 mile economic zone. | | (164265) | 128
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress his Department has made to manage the changeover from the Bank Automated Clearing System to the new BACSTEL-IP system for electronic payments. | | (164315) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 129
| Hugh Bayley (York, City of):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nationals of sub-Saharan African countries are employed by the NHS (a) directly and (b) through private agencies. | | (164420) | 130
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what work is being undertaken by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence into the most efficient use of alternatives to blood transfusions in the NHS. | | (164110) | 131
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with which countries other than the Philippines, Spain, India and Indonesia his Department is holding discussions to develop bilateral agreements on international nurse recruitment. | | (164289) | 132
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nurses have (a) applied for posts and (b) been recruited through the bilateral agreement with Indonesia. | | (164290) | 133
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) nurses and midwives and (b) medical consultants have been recruited through bilateral agreements, broken down by country. | | (164291) | 134
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nurses recruited through bilateral agreements are working in the NHS. | | (164292) | 135
| Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department plans to monitor the number of nurses not trained in the UK working in the NHS. | | (164293) | 136
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many inpatients in Crosby had to wait more than (a) three, (b) six, (c) nine and (d) 12 months for treatment in each year since 1997; and what the percentage change in each year was in each case. | | (164307) | 137
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average number of patients on (a) inpatient and (b) day case waiting lists was in Crosby in each year since 1997; and what the percentage change was in each year. | | (164308) | 138
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients were waiting for cataract surgery in Crosby for more than (a) three, (b) six and (c) nine months in each year since 1997; and what the percentage change was in each case in each year. | | (164309) | 139
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the performance of health authorities in Crosby in meeting outpatient access targets since 1997. | | (164310) | 140
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the inpatient pre-booking performance against target was in Crosby for (a) elective inpatients, (b) day cases and (c) outpatients in each year since 1997. | | (164311) | 141
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients in Crosby (a) were admitted, treated and discharged within four hours of arrival in accident and emergency departments and (b) had four to 12 hour trolley waits, in each year since 1997. | | (164357) | 142
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) cancelled urgent operations and (b) last minute cancelled operations there were in Crosby in each year since 1997. | | (164358) | 143
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of (a) ambulance emergency responses were within eight minutes and (b) urgent ambulance responses to general practitioners requests were within 15 minutes in Crosby in each year since 1997. | | (164359) | 144
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of patients were offered a first appointment with a general practitioner within two working days in (a) Crosby and (b) England in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. | | (164360) | 145
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the evaluation being carried out by the NHS to verify whether those who stop smoking through the NHS Stop Smoking services have managed to remain non-smokers will be (a) completed and (b) published. | | (164231) | 146
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures he is taking to encourage patients to seek medical attention when they have suspicious symptoms which may be cancer; and if he will make a statement. | | (164232) | 147
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to ensure that each general practitioner receives a copy of the updated referral guidelines for patients with suspected cancer when they are published. | | (164233) | 148
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to ensure that waiting times for radiotherapy are monitored at the local level using standardised national measures. | | (164234) | 149
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will implement all of the recommendations contained in the National Audit Office report Tackling Cancer in England: Saving More Lives. | | (164235) | 150
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to develop a mechanism to audit the time taken for assessment and treatment of patients who are referred routinely by general practitioners and subsequently diagnosed with cancer. | | (164236) | 151
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the Department of Health will issue guidance to primary care trusts on the provision and role of administrative support for multi-disciplinary teams providing cancer services. | | (164237) | 152
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to extend the national cancer clinical audits to all major cancers. | | (164238) | 153
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 5th January, Official Report, column 200W, on the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, when the findings of the investigation into the implementation of guidance on the use of cancer treatments produced by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence will be published. | | (164239) | 154
| Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether extra resources will be made available to hospitals providing radiotherapy and radiology services in order to assess local need for extra staff and facilities. | | (164240) | 155
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd March, Official Report, column 599W, on older people, how many adverse drug reactions occurred in individuals aged (a) 60-79 years, (b) 70-79 years, (c) 80-89 years and (d) over 90 years in each year since 1997. | | (164256) | 156
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd March, Official Report, column 598W, on older people, how the National Minimum Standards for Domiciliary Care Agencies are monitored; and what information is held centrally on compliance with the standard. | | (164257) | 157
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd March, Official Report, column 598W, on older people, if he will place a copy of the standard on medication for domiciliary care agencies in the Library. | | (164258) | 158
| Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to review the level of top-up fees paid by residents of care homes; and if he will make a statement. | | (164288) | 159
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to mount a public health information campaign with the aim of (a) decreasing meat consumption and (b) increasing fruit and vegetable consumption. | | (164223) | 160
| Nick Harvey (North Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to extend the ban on blood donations from those who have received a blood transfusion since 1980 (a) to organ donation recipients and (b) to prevent recipients of blood transfusions from donating organs; and if he will make a statement. | | (164280) | 161
| Nick Harvey (North Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure that those prevented from giving blood as a consequence of precautions against the transmission of variant Creutzfeld-Jakob disease are not disadvantaged in the provision of (a) insurance, (b) mortgages and (c) other relevant financial services. | | (164281) | 162
| Mr Boris Johnson (Henley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has commissioned on the movement of NHS staff into and out of the community hospitals at (a) Townlands, (b) Wallingford, (c) Abingdon, (d) Wantage, (e) Watlington and (f) Didcot. | | (164100) | 163
| Mr Boris Johnson (Henley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS staff are working in the community hospitals of (a) Townlands, (b) Wallingford, (c) Abingdon, (d) Wantage, (e) Watlington and (f) Didcot; and what proportion of these staff receive financial assistance with regard to (i) housing and (ii) transportation. | | (164101) | 164
| Mr Boris Johnson (Henley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the bed occupancy rate is in the community hospitals of (a) Townlands, (b) Wallingford, (c) Abingdon, (d) Wantage, (e) Watlington and (f) Didcot. | | (164102) | 165
| Mr Boris Johnson (Henley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has commissioned on the provision of domiciliary care in Oxfordshire. | | (164103) | 166
| Mr Boris Johnson (Henley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the retention rate of staff was in the latest period for which figures are available at the community hospitals at (a) Townlands, (b) Wallingford, (c) Abingdon, (d) Wantage, (e) Watlington and (f) Didcot. | | (164104) | 167
| Mr Boris Johnson (Henley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the minimum number of beds required to ensure the (a) clinical and (b) financial viability of community hospitals in Oxfordshire is. | | (164105) | 168
| Mr Boris Johnson (Henley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the circumstances leading to the closure of the community hospital in Burford. | | (164106) | 169
N | Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what surveys he has conducted to determine morale of staff in NHS hospitals in the West Midlands; if he will publish the results; and if he will make a statement. | | (163824) | 170
N | Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff are reported in the September 2003 Workforce Census as being employed by each strategic health authority. | | (163927) | 171
| Mr George Osborne (Tatton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to issue advice to local authorities on the funding of care for those with Alzheimer's disease. | | (164259) | 172
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what types of treatment are generally available in prisons for each form of drug addiction; and if he will make a statement. | | (164247) | 173
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision of radiographers in England; and if he will make a statement. | | (164329) | 174
| Ms Gisela Stuart (Birmingham, Edgbaston):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the impact on health of the use of khat. | | (164090) | 175
N | Dr Richard Taylor (Wyre Forest):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has negotiated a concession in the European Working Time Directive that will allow postponement of implementation of the Directive beyond August for junior doctors. | | (163924) | 176
| Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received concerning the definition of personal care provided within care homes; and if he will make a statement. | | (164107) | 177
| Angela Watkinson (Upminster):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many speech therapists posts were vacant in each of the primary care trusts in Greater London in each year since 1997. | | (164174) | 178
| Angela Watkinson (Upminster):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many school-age children were receiving speech therapy in each of the primary care trust areas in Greater London in each year since 1997 in the (a) primary and (b) secondary sector. | | (164175) | 179
| Angela Watkinson (Upminster):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many pre-school children were receiving speech therapy in each of the primary care trust areas in Greater London in each year since 1997. | | (164176) | 180
| Angela Watkinson (Upminster):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many pre-school children were diagnosed as needing speech therapy in each of the primary care trust areas in Greater London in each year since 1997. | | (164177) | 181
| Angela Watkinson (Upminster):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many school-age children were diagnosed as needing speech therapy in each of the primary care trust areas in Greater London in each year since 1997 in the (a) primary and (b) secondary sector. | | (164178) | 182
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress his Department has made to manage the changeover from the Bank Automated Clearing System to the new BACSTEL-IP system for electronic payments. | | (164314) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 183
| Hugh Bayley (York, City of):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people (a) in total, (b) from Africa and (c) from each country in Africa are in possession of a visa to study in the UK. | | (164153) | 184
| Hugh Bayley (York, City of):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the range of fees payable for visas to study in the UK is; what the average fee payable is; whether higher fees are payable for visas for longer courses; what fees are charged for visa extensions for students who do not complete their courses on time; and if he will make a statement. | | (164154) | 185
N | Mr Keith Bradley (Manchester, Withington):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the evaluation report by Oxford University of reconvictions of offenders placed in an Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme will be published. | | (163846) | 186
| Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on progress in the licensing of wheel clampers. | | (164161) | 187
| Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on progress with implementation of the UK-US Extradition Treaty set up in March 2003. | | (164220) | 188
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the work of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate official appointed to oversee all detained family cases. | | (164330) | 189
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions in the last 12 months asylum seeker families with children have been detained for over 28 days. | | (164331) | 190
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions in the past 12 months unaccompanied child asylum seekers have been detained; and what the average length of time of detention is. | | (164332) | 191
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the results from the research into data collection methods for assessing the size of the UK's illegal population will be available. | | (164333) | 192
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has been made of the number of failed asylum seekers remaining in the UK. | | (164334) | 193
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners were released from prison in each of the last five years. | | (164347) | 194
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of prisoners obtained employment following release in each of the last five years; and how these figures are calculated. | | (164348) | 195
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the roll-out of the Transco model; and which other industries are training prisoners with a view to employing them on release. | | (164349) | 196
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the benefits to the Prison Service from the roll-out of the Transco model are. | | (164350) | 197
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the benefits to the Prison Service are of its joint project with the Howard League. | | (164351) | 198
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the Women Offending Reduction Programme. | | (164372) | 199
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures have been proposed by the Prison Service to integrate vocational training into prison work to give prisoners the opportunity to gain recognized qualifications. | | (164393) | 200
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when vocational training will become a fully integrated part of the Sentence Planning Process. | | (164394) | 201
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Prison Service strategy is regarding the closure of workshops. | | (164395) | 202
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what factors influence the location of a workshop at a particular prison establishment. | | (164396) | 203
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how prisoners are assessed for vocational training and workshop placements. | | (164397) | 204
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what response he has made to the recommendation in the Internal Review Report 2003 that the prison working day should be increased. | | (164398) | 205
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what response he has made to the recommendation in the Internal Review Report 2003 that prison work should reflect the working week outside prison. | | (164399) | 206
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the outcome was of the Prison Service's meeting with the Correctional Service Accreditation Panel on the Focus on Resettlement. | | (164403) | 207
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the results of the audit to identify foreign nationals sentenced to a term of imprisonment will be available. | | (164404) | 208
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures the Prison Service is putting in place to meet the demand for new work places. | | (164405) | 209
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what co-operation there is between the Prison Service and the Learning and Skills Council in order to identify local labour market needs. | | (164406) | 210
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the link between prison work and prisoners' attitudes towards work. | | (164407) | 211
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons the Prison Service has refocused prison industry production on the internal market. | | (164408) | 212
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the reasons are for the operating loss arising from Contract Services workshops in prisons. | | (164409) | 213
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on local strategies and initiatives developed by prisons for older prisoners. | | (164429) | 214
| Mr John Grogan (Selby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects to revoke the Forensic Science Service Trading Fund Order 1998. | | (164185) | 215
| Mr David Heath (Somerton & Frome):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of police officers in each police force in England and Wales are (a) female and (b) from an ethnic minority, broken down by rank. | | (164215) | 216
| Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the Immigration and Nationality Directorate will re-send correspondence relating to case T27 1597 that was sent, and returned, on 5th March. | | (164212) | 217
| Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much time is given to applicants for political asylum to prepare their appeal after the receipt of a letter of refusal from the Immigration and Nationality Directorate; and if he will make a statement. | | (164213) | 218
| Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a delay to the date for an appeal hearing with the Immigration Service can be granted if a claimant has not received a decision letter on time from the Immigration and Nationality Directorate; and if he will make a statement. | | (164214) | 219
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what factors prevent his Department from removing failed asylum seekers from the UK to (a) Afghanistan, (b) Iraq, (c) Somalia, (d) Zimbabwe and (e) Eritrea. | | (164109) | 220
| Mr David Kidney (Stafford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons applicants for asylum who were unsuccessful in 2003 were not removed. | | (164165) | 221
N | Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) men and (b) women have been convicted on charges related to paedophilia in each of the last 10 years. | | (164043) | 222
N | Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) men and (b) women are serving sentences for paedophilia convictions. | | (164044) | 223
N | Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) men and (b) women of Afro-Caribbean origin are in jail for paedophilia. | | (164045) | 224
N | Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding has been made available for the (a) monitoring and (b) treatment of paedophiles leaving jail. | | (164046) | 225
N | John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral Answer of 22nd March, Official Report, column 551, on amphetamines, what assessment he has made of (a) trends in the level of use of methamphetamine hydrochloride and (b) the effects of those trends. | | (163929) | 226
N | John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral Answer of 22nd March, Official Report, column 551, on amphetamines, what assessment he has made of the effects of (a) methamphetamine hydrochloride and other amphetamines and (b) cocaine and crack cocaine on the (i) behaviour, (ii) psychosis and (iii) addiction of individuals when taking these drugs and on the length of time that uncharacteristic drug-induced behaviour continues whilst the drug remains in an individual's system. | | (163930) | 227
N | John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral Answer of 22nd March, Official Report, column 551, on amphetamines, what assessment he has made of the (a) levels and (b) effects of use of (i) methamphetamine, (ii) laevoamphetamine and (iii) dextroamphetamine. | | (163931) | 228
N | John Mann (Bassetlaw):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral Answer of 22nd March, Official Report, column 551, on amphetamines, what assessment he has made of the extent to which amphetamine use leads to violent and aggressive behaviour. | | (163932) | 229
| Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many boarding schools with charitable status the Charity Commissioners have inspected in each of the last six financial years; and if he will estimate the cost. | | (164260) | 230
| Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in how many boarding schools the Charity Commissioners have identified significant defects in each of the last six financial years. | | (164261) | 231
N | Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reply to the letter sent to him by the honourable Member for Torbay on 29th August 2003 with regard to Mr Wyman of Preston Down Road, Paignton. | | (164039) | 232
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many young offenders were held in secure accommodation by each local authority social services department on the latest date for which figures are available. | | (164203) | 233
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers per 1,000 population there are (a) on establishment and (b) available for 24 hour duty without restriction in the Essex Constabulary. | | (164336) | 234
| Mr Paul Stinchcombe (Wellingborough):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what dates since 1999 prison service officials have accompanied representations from government departments of the Republic of Ireland on visits to private prisons in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. | | (164302) | 235
| Ms Gisela Stuart (Birmingham, Edgbaston):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 23rd February to the honourable Member for Romford, Official Report, column 239W, on Khat, what practical steps the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs has taken to review the impact of Khat. | | (164091) | 236
N | David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his definition is of the term minimum conspicuity in relation to speed camera signs. | | (163625) | 237
N | Mr Michael Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times the Firearms Consultative Committee has met over the last 12 months. | | (163768) | 238
N | Mr Michael Weir (Angus):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the reasons are for the disbandment of the Firearms Consultative Committee. | | (163769) | 239
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress his Department has made to manage the changeover from the Bank Automated Clearing System to the new BACSTEL-IP system for electronic payments. | | (164313) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 240
| Hugh Bayley (York, City of):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on post-war reconstruction and development in Iraq. | | (164156) | 241
| Hugh Bayley (York, City of):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) teachers, (b) nurses and (c) front-line health sector staff other than nurses that are likely to die from HIV/AIDS and related illnesses in sub-Saharan Africa in the next 10 years. | | (164423) | 242
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many (a) families and (b) children in each country in sub-Saharan Africa are living in poverty; and if he will make a statement. | | (164300) | 243
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance is being made available by (a) the United Kingdom under bilateral arrangements, (b) the European Union, (c) the United States of America and (d) aid agencies to develop clean water supplies in sub-Saharan Africa; and if he will make a statement. | | (164303) | 244
| Claire Ward (Watford):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what action his Department is taking to promote the use of Fair Trade goods in the UK. | | (164089) | 245
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what progress his Department has made to manage the changeover from the Bank Automated Clearing System to the new BACSTEL-IP system for electronic payments. | | (164312) | 246
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, to which organisations the Government gave money for mine clearance in 2003-04; and how much was given in each case. | | (164325) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 247
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the timetable is for the forthcoming review of parliamentary boundaries and local government boundaries in Northern Ireland. | | (164432) | 248
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list by district council area all safe routes to schools that (a) have been developed and (b) are planned for development. | | (164433) | 249
| Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which schools in the South Eastern Education and Library Board area are (a) experiencing financial deficit and (b) projected to face a financial deficit in the next financial year. | | (164434) | 250
| Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what measures the Northern Ireland Housing Executive is undertaking to address the problems faced by the organisation in relation to recruiting people from all sections of the community in Northern Ireland. | | (164160) | 251
| Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many donors he expects to be excluded from the blood donor register in Northern Ireland as a result of the recent decision to exclude recipients of blood transfusions from donating blood. | | (164352) | 252
| Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has held with his colleagues in the Department of Health on the recent decision to exclude recipients of blood transfusions from donating blood. | | (164353) | 253
| Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the implications for Northern Ireland of the recent decision of the Secretary of State for Health to exclude recipients of blood transfusions from donating blood; whether such restrictions apply to Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. | | (164354) | 254
| Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he expects the first citizenship ceremony in Northern Ireland to take place; and with what frequency he expects them to occur. | | (164355) | 255
| Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the oath and pledge used in citizenship ceremonies in Northern Ireland will be exactly the same as those used in ceremonies in other parts of the United Kingdom. | | (164365) | 256
| Mr David Trimble (Upper Bann):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, to what extent the Common Funding Formula for schools has been implemented; what the timescale is for full implementation; what criteria are being used to determine the timescale for implementation; and what steps are being taken to ensure children in the more rural board areas are not adversely affected by the timescale for implementation. | | (164192) | Questions to the Prime Minister 257
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Prime Minister, how many, and what percentage of Written Parliamentary Questions tabled to him in 2003 he answered by reference to an earlier Parliamentary Answer. | | (164037) | 258
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Prime Minister, on what date he next intends to give a speech on environmental matters. | | (164038) | Questions to the Solicitor General 259
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Solicitor General, pursuant to her Answer of 8th March, Official Report, column 314W, on Katherine Gun, if the Attorney General will place copies of the correspondence between ministers and himself on the Katherine Gun case in the Library. | | (164241) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 260
| Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to extend (a) broadband access to the internet and (b) digital television to all rural areas of the UK. | | (164221) | 261
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what requirements are in place to ensure that job references provided by employers are accurate and not misleading; what assessment she has made of the adequacy of remedies for those who may be a victim of an inaccurate reference and may be temporarily unemployed as a consequence, with particular reference to the cost of obtaining a remedy; and if she will make a statement. | | (164083) | 262
| Mr Michael Connarty (Falkirk East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 17th March to the honourable Member for Clydesdale, Official Report, column 326-7W, on the Competiveness Council, for what reasons no agreement was reached on the regulation for the Community Patent. | | (164294) | 263
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the cost is of production of hard copy leaflets issued by ACAS that cover employment rights. | | (164157) | 264
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many complaints in each year since its introduction have been received relating to alleged underpayment of the national minimum wage; how many of these complaints in each year have been investigated; how many employers in each year were found not to be complying with the national minimum wage requirements; and what the level of underpayment of the national minimum wage identified in each year was. | | (164171) | 265
| Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 11th March, Official Report, column 1676W, on advice booklets, which of the organisations invited to be part of the practitioner group (a) accepted the invitation to form part of the group and (b) supported the policy to cease production of hard copy prints of the relevant leaflets. | | (164228) | 266
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much public finance from the Bridges Community Development Venture Fund has been invested in Crosby. | | (164366) | 267
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many research and development grants have been given to businesses in Crosby from Business Link. | | (164367) | 268
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many small businesses in Crosby have received advice from Business Link. | | (164410) | 269
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much has been allocated to Crosby from the Phoenix Fund. | | (164411) | 270
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many small businesses are registered in Crosby; and what the percentage change has been since 1997. | | (164412) | 271
| Mrs Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the total Entrepreneurial Activity index for (a) Crosby and (b) England is; and if she will make a statement. | | (164413) | 272
| Paul Flynn (Newport West):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures she (a) has introduced and (b) plans to introduce to encourage the recycling of tyres for (i) road fill material and (ii) other purposes. | | (164306) | 273
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much money is being spent in 2003-04 from the government subsidy to electricity generation companies on the construction and operation of windfarms. | | (164086) | 274
| Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much money the Government has spent on publicising the role of wind farms in each year since 1997. | | (164087) | 275
| Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate her Department has made of the average accountancy fee for completing a company voluntary agreement as a percentage of the net value of the company in each year since 2000. | | (164287) | 276
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent consultation she has conducted with (a) young people and (b) adults on low income in relation to minimum income standards. | | (164254) | 277
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what targets the Government has set for the development of broadband by 2010. | | (164264) | 278
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will establish an independent minimum income standards commission to tackle poverty in the UK; and if she will make a statement. | | (164282) | 279
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent representations she has received on minimum income standards; and if she will make a statement. | | (164283) | 280
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what research has been (a) commissioned and (b) collated by her Department on minimum income standards. | | (164284) | 281
| Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on Government plans to widen access to broadband over the next 12 months. | | (164285) | 282
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what progress her Department has made to manage the changeover from the Bank Automated Clearing System to the new BACSTEL-IP system for electronic payments. | | (164327) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 283
| Jane Griffiths (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assistance his Department and its predecessor departments, have given to the Bicycle Helmet Initiative Trust in each of the last five years; upon what conditions such assistance was given; and if he will make a statement. | | (164164) | 284
| Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd March, Official Report, columns 513-4W, on rail compensation, what plans he has to ensure consistency amongst franchisees in the compensation arrangements offered to passengers. | | (164227) | 285
N | Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many pedestrians were (a) killed and (b) injured in road traffic accidents in each year since 1997 in Greater London, broken down by borough. | | (163765) | 286
| Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what regulatory action he is proposing to improve safety on bendy buses. | | (164146) | 287
| Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the most recent average occupancy figure is of the London bendy buses. | | (164147) | 288
| Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many seats a London bendy bus has. | | (164148) | 289
| Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) British built and (b) German built buses have caught fire and burnt out in the last year in the UK. | | (164149) | 290
| Mr John Redwood (Wokingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the near collision of two Eurostar trains on 23rd March. | | (164430) | 291
N | David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans there are to improve the visibility of speed camera warning signs on the trunk road network. | | (163624) | 292
N | John Thurso (Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the previous work experience and knowledge of the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser that is relevant to the position. | | (164040) | 293
N | John Thurso (Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the process by which the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser was employed; and if he will publish the application details of the other short-listed candidates. | | (164041) | 294
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department has made to manage the changeover from the Bank Automated Clearing System to the new BACSTEL-IP system for electronic payments. | | (164324) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 295
N | Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of (a) women and (b) men are members of private (i) occupational and (ii) personal pension schemes, broken down by ethnic group. | | (163767) | 296
| Mrs Liz Blackman (Erewash):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he received the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council Report on Prescribed Disease A11; and when he will publish his response to the report. | | (164180) | 297
| Mr Alan Campbell (Tynemouth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Sure Start maternity grants were awarded in North Tyneside in each of the last seven years. | | (164374) | 298
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many mothers in Stroud have (a) applied for and (b) obtained the Sure Start maternity grant. | | (164166) | 299
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners in the Stroud constituency have benefited from the winter fuel allowance in each year since its inception. | | (164168) | 300
N | Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much money has so far been spent on each constituent element of the New Deal. | | (164042) | 301
N | Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many mothers in Greater London, broken down by borough, have taken up the Sure Start maternity grant. | | (163762) | 302
N | Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many senior citizens in (a) Greater London and (b) each Greater London borough are eligible for the winter fuel allowance; and what this represents as a percentage of the total number of senior citizens. | | (163763) | 303
| Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether reassessments of pre-2003 Child Support Agency clients transferred to the post-2003 assessment system will apply retrospectively. | | (164266) | 304
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) families and (b) children in (i) the UK and (ii) Cheltenham have ceased to live below the poverty threshold since 1997. | | (164298) | 305
| Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) families and (b) children in (i) the UK and (ii) Cheltenham he estimates are living below the poverty threshold. | | (164299) | 306
N | Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to publish in advance a schedule of publication dates for pension credit monthly progress reports; and if he will make a statement on the method of release of these reports to honourable Members. | | (164047) | 307
N | Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the percentage of Child Support Agency cases that are active on the (a) old and (b) new system; and if he will estimate what the percentages for each of the next 10 years would be if the new child support system continues to take on only new and linked cases. | | (164048) | 308
N | Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 17th March, Official Report, column 317-8W, on pension credit, if he will break down the changes of circumstances reported by customers by (a) category of change and (b) age group of claimant. | | (164049) | 309
| Brian White (North East Milton Keynes):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress his Department has made to manage the changeover from the Bank Automated Clearing System to the new BACSTEL-IP system for electronic payments. | | (164322) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 310
N | Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether VAT is chargeable in relation to pet passports (a) by his Department for providing the certificate and (b) by the veterinary surgeon who vaccinates the animal. | | [Transferred] (163771) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 311
| Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many heads of households (a) below and (b) above retirement age had a mortgage on the latest date for which figures are available. | | [Transferred] (164205) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 312
| Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the level of Sure Start expenditure in the Stroud constituency was in 2003-04. | | [Transferred] (164167) | 313
| Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) boarding schools and (b) boarding facilities within independent schools have closed since the National Care Standards Commission began its inspections. | | [Transferred] (164253) | 314
| Mr Francis Maude (Horsham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many boarding schools the National Care Standards Commission has inspected; how many were identified as having a significant defect; and if he will estimate the cost of such inspections in each year since the inspections began. | | [Transferred] (164263) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 315
| Hugh Bayley (York, City of):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much money overseas students applying for a visa to study in the UK are required to show that they have available to support themselves while they are in the UK. | | [Transferred] (164155) | 316
| Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how the Iraqi Governing Council will be different after the transfer of sovereignty; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (164085) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 317
| Mr Paul Truswell (Pudsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost will be in each of the next five years of providing the £100 payment announced in the Budget Statement to pensioners aged 70 years and over to assist with council tax; and what the cost would be in each of those years if the payment were to be made to all those aged 65 years and over. | | [Transferred] (164229) | 318
| Mr Paul Truswell (Pudsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on (a) how and (b) when the £100 payment announced in the Budget Statement to pensioners to assist with council tax will be made. | | [Transferred] (164230) |
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