Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2003 - 04
Publications on the internet
The Questions Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 29 March 2004

Notes:
* Indicates a Question for Oral Answer.
+ Indicates a Question not included in the random selection process but accepted because the quota for that day had not been filled.
[N] Indicates a Question for Written Answer on a named day, i.e. the Member has indicated under S.O. No. 22(4) the day on which he wishes the Question to be answered.
[R] Indicates that a relevant interest has been declared.

Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Monday 29 March 2004
(the 'Questions Book')

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 29 March 2004

This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Monday 29 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 Monday 29 March of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Monday 29 March see Part 2 of this paper.

Questions to the Chairman of the Administration Committee

1
Jim Dowd (Lewisham West):To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee, if she will list all the classes of pass to the Parliamentary estate, describe each category covered and give the number of each that are currently valid.

(164657)

Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office

2
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many projects undertaken by the Strategy Unit since its creation have impacted directly on the South West; and what assessment he has made of their effect on that region.

(164564)

Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

3
John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to make heritage and conservation charities aware of his plans to amend Gift Aid rules on day memberships.

(164472)

4
John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will postpone his plans to amend Gift Aid rules on day memberships to allow heritage and conservation charities to make appropriate amendments to their financial and other plans.

(164473)

5
John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what deadlines have been set for the proposed consultation on his plans to amend Gift Aid rules on day memberships.

(164474)

6
John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which organisations his Department intends to consult over plans to amend Gift Aid rules on day memberships.

(164475)

7
John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of heritage and conservation charities that will be affected by his Department's proposals to amend Gift Aid rules on day memberships.

(164476)

8
John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the additional Treasury revenue that would be raised in each of the next three years from his Department's proposed amendment to Gift Aid rules on day memberships.

(164477)

9
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many child tax credit calculations have resulted in underpayment as a result of computer problems which lead to an incorrect assessment of income; how many people have been affected by such errors; how much has been underpaid as a result; and what steps have been taken to (a) explain and (b) apologise to those affected.

(164616)

10
N Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has had from the National Trust on facilitating through financial incentives the rescue of chattels at risk in National Trust properties, where owners have retained chattels.

(160516)

11
N Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the sum of unclaimed assets in (a) national savings and (b) other Government securities was on the latest date for which figures are available.

(164338)

12
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the trust sector regarding the effect of income tax on pre-owned assets on trusts set up before December 2003.

(164561)

13
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the revenue to be raised in each of the next two financial years from the 19 per cent. minimum rate of corporation tax on distributed profits; and if he will use this revenue to support small businesses.

(164562)

14
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of Civil Service jobs presently located in the South East that will be relocated to the South West in line with the recommendations of the Lyons Report.

(164563)

15
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the ease with which tax avoidance schemes using trusts can be dismantled.

(164781)

16
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has made of the recruitment and retention of staff at Titchfield if the office is (a) not relocated and (b) relocated on the completion of the ONS modernisation programme.

(164721)

17
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the submission made to Sir Michael Lyons by the Office for National Statistics.

(164722)

18
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department made of the upfront relocation costs per person of staff employed at the Office for National Statistics in Titchfield.

(164723)

19
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the Office for National Statistics quantification of the impact of aligning its employees' pay with market conditions outside London as it applies to those employees currently based in (a) London and (b) Titchfield (i) at present and (ii) once the relocation proposals are implemented.

(164724)

20
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans the Office for National Statistics has to develop regional pay rates.

(164725)

21
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the upfront costs of relocation of Government offices will be included as a capital items within the Government's spending rules.

(164726)

22
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations of the Lyons Report on aligning departmental pay with local market conditions.

(164727)

23
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what mechanisms he has set up to co-ordinate (a) relocation and (b) redundancy of staff consequent on implementation of the Lyons Report.

(164728)

24
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the capacity for other Government (a) departments and (b) agencies to retain staff who are unable to relocate as a consequence of the recommendations in the Lyons Report.

(164729)

25
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, who owns the Office for National Statistics offices in Titchfield.

(164732)

26
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister concerning the use of the Office for National Statistics office at Titchfield.

(164733)

27
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when considering relocation options, what is the maximum permitted payback period for an investment to be approved.

(164734)

28
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what measures of financial return are used to assess the financial viability of any relocation proposal made in the Lyons Report.

(164735)

29
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations the Office of National Statistics made to Sir Michael Lyons during the preparation of his report.

(164736)

30
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the links between the Office for National Statistics office at Titchfield and Southampton University will be maintained if the office is relocated.

(164737)

31
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been spent on the (a) maintenance and (b) refurbishment of the Office for National Statistics office at Titchfield in each of the last five years.

(164738)

32
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when Office for National Statistics (a) management and (b) staff were informed of the proposals set out in the Lyons Report.

(164739)

33
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will announce a final decision on the relocation of the Office for National Statistics from Titchfield.

(164740)

34
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the process for determining whether the relocation options proposed in the Lyons Report will be implemented.

(164741)

35
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average public sector salary is in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) London, (c) the South East, (d) Hampshire, (e) the South West and (f) Wales.

(164742)

36
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average salary is of the Office of National Statistics staff at (a) Titchfield and (b) Newport.

(164743)

37
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what supplements are payable to Office for National Statistics staff working in (a) London, (b) Southport, (c) Wales, (d) Bristol and (e) Hampshire.

(164744)

38
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the service delivery improvements that would accrue from the relocation of the Office for National Statistics office from Titchfield.

(164745)

39
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the (a) grade and (b) function of staff employed at the Office for National Statistics office in Titchfield.

(164746)

40
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the objectives are of the modernisation plan being implemented by the Office for National Statistics; what the expected date of completion of implementation is; if he will make a statement on progress; and what the estimated cost is.

(164747)

41
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) redundancy and (b) early retirement arrangements there are for Civil Service staff who do not relocate as part of a relocation plan.

(164748)

42
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of the jobs recommended to be dispersed by the Lyons Report are (a) full-time and (b) part-time.

(164749)

43
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time employees are based at the Office for National Statistics in Titchfield.

(164750)

44
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the cost of relocating the Office for National Statistics office from Titchfield to another location; and what cost savings are expected to arise from the relocation.

(164751)

45
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the future use of the Office for National Statistics site at Titchfield in the event of relocation.

(164752)

46
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons the proposed move of the Office for National Statistics office in Titchfield to Southampton, considered in submissions for the 2002 Comprehensive Spending Review, was not implemented.

(164753)

47
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact of the relocation of the Office for National Statistics office in Titchfield on the economy of South East Hampshire.

(164754)

48
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the number of people at the Office for National Statistics office in Titchfield who will be prepared to move to (a) Bristol and (b) Wales.

(164755)

49
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the (a) financial and (b) operational benefits that would accrue to the Office for National Statistics from the proposed move of its office from Titchfield.

(164756)

50
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the operating costs of the Office for National Statistics premises in Titchfield are.

(164757)

51
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions have taken place with the spirits industry about introducing tax stamps; and when he expects to publish full details and costs of the proposals for tax stamps.

(164824)

52
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the reasons are for the delay in publishing details and costs of the proposed tax stamps since his original proposal.

(164825)

53
Mr Alan Reid (Argyll & Bute):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has held with the First Minister of Scotland with regard to the introduction of tax stamps on bottles of spirits.

(164565)

54
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the requirements are on officials in his Department to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for his departmental officials.

(164710)

55
John Thurso (Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many recipients of tax credits in Scotland have been overpaid and issued with demands for lump sum repayments by (a) letter and (b) telephone.

(164607)

Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs

56
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the principal categories of claim which are heard in the small claims track are.

(164436)

57
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many claims for return of tenancy deposits were heard in the small claims track in 2002-03.

(164437)

58
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to assess whether charging fees for the recovery of small claims in the small claims track has a deterrent effect on claimants.

(164438)

59
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what plans he has to simplify procedures in the small claims track.

(164439)

60
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will encourage the the small claims track to sit in neighbourhood premises to determine groups of local cases.

(164440)

61
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what plans he has for improving access for the socially excluded to the small claims track.

(164441)

62
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many defendants in the small claims track defaulted on orders for money judgments in 2002-03; and how many such judgments were enforced by the court after defaults in that year.

(164442)

63
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, whether vacancies for district judges (crime) are advertised with reference to a particular work location.

(164446)

64
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what training is given to district judges (crime) for dealing with (a) anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) and (b) breaches of ASBOs.

(164449)

65
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, pursuant to his Written Ministerial Statement of 22nd March, Official Report, column 41WS, what the mechanism will be by which magistrates' courts will conduct blitzes against fine defaulters; and by what mechanism the efficacy of such blitzes will be evaluated.

(164453)

66
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the purpose is of charging fees for (a) applicants and (b) defendants in the Small Claims Court.

(164454)

67
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will make the forms for application to the small claims track available in (a) citizens' advice bureaux and (b) other neighbourhood premises.

(164455)

68
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the minimum number of trips to the small claims track is which an applicant must take to make a claim and recover judgment.

(164456)

69
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the socio-economic origins of claimants and defendants in actions in the small claims track.

(164457)

70
Mr Mark Field (Cities of London & Westminster):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will make a statement on progress with the programme to provide the Commercial and Admiralty Courts with more suitable accommodation.

(164626)

71
Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what plans he has to bring into effect in Northern Ireland the recommendations of the Leggatt Report on the Review of Tribunals.

(164628)

72
Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, when the Legal Services Commission received details of the case relating to a constituent, D. W. Stock; and what the cost to public funds of dealing with the case has been.

(164674)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

73
Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer to the honourable Member for Lichfield of 8th March, Official Report, column 1293W, on Digital Television when she plans to undertake a public consultation on the timetable for switching off analogue television services.

(164680)

74
Mrs Patsy Calton (Cheadle):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her Answer of 8th March, Official Report, column 1292W, on sporting opportunities (children), what assessment has been made of the activities of pupils who do not take part in, or are not offered, two hours of high quality physical education per week in Phase 1 Partnership schools.

(164467)

75
Mrs Patsy Calton (Cheadle):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her Answer of 8th March, Official Report, column 1292W, on sporting opportunities (children), what steps have been taken to assess the two hour high quality physical education per week participation rates of young people in Phase 1 Partnership schools.

(164469)

76
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of households in Taunton have not converted from analogue to digital television.

(164557)

77
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much National Lottery funding has been distributed to causes in Taunton in each year since 1997.

(164559)

78
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of schoolchildren in Taunton participated in two or more hours of quality physical education and exercise in each week in the latest six months for which figures are available.

(164560)

79
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with (a) concert venues, (b) tour promoters, (c) artists, (d) music fans and (e) others regarding ticket touting; and if she will make a statement.

(164482)

80
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance her Department has issued to internet auction sites regarding ticket touts; and if she will make a statement.

(164483)

81
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what research her Department has commissioned into the impact of ticket touting (a) in person, (b) through published advertisements, (c) via internet auction sites and (d) through other means on the live music industry in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

(164484)

82
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what instructions her Department has issued to the Live Music Forum regarding the impact of ticket touting on live music; and if she will make a statement.

(164485)

83
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people over (a) 60, (b) 70 and (c) 80 she estimates have access to digital television; and if she will make a statement.

(164764)

84
Mr Doug Henderson (Newcastle upon Tyne North):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her Department's priorities are for the forthcoming spending review.

(164686)

85
Mr Doug Henderson (Newcastle upon Tyne North):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her Department's priorities are for sport and physical activity funding in the forthcoming spending review.

(164688)

86
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the requirements are on officials in her Department to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for her departmental officials.

(164700)

87
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of Community Fund grants have been distributed to wards in the 20 per cent. most deprived wards in the country according to the 2000 indices of deprivation.

(164629)

88
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps have been taken in response to the National Audit Office Report, The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, to improve the distribution of Lottery money across the regions; and if she will make a statement.

(164631)

89
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her estimate is of the total value of funding made available to voluntary groups by the Community Fund and utilised for the employment of paid employees.

(164634)

90
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what value of the Community Fund has been set aside exclusively for local groups in the Wakefield area; if she will list the total distribution from this sum to date; and if she will make a statement.

(164635)

91
Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what role regional assemblies will have in the distribution of Lottery funds.

(164549)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence

92
N Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British troops are involved in the hunt for Osama Bin Laden; what progress has been made in the search; and if he will make a statement.

(164384)

93
Hugh Bayley (York, City of):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support his Department has given to military forces in sub-Saharan Africa to establish programmes to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS by their soldiers.

(164762)

94
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) service personnel and (b) other Ministry of Defence employees are living in privately rented accommodation in the Greater Portsmouth area; and at what cost to his Department.

(164618)

95
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Ministry of Defence properties in the Greater Portsmouth area have been released to (a) Annington Homes and (b) others in each year since 1996; and what projections he has made for further such releases in each of the next five years.

(164619)

96
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has realised in capital receipts through the release of Ministry of Defence housing in the Greater Portsmouth area in each year since 1996.

(164620)

97
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many properties in the Greater Portsmouth area Annington Homes has returned to (a) his Department and (b) the open market in each year since 1996.

(164621)

98
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many properties his Department has obtained in the Greater Portsmouth area for housing purposes in each year since 1996; at what cost and from which source; and what targets have been set for further such acquisitions in each of the next five years.

(164622)

99
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many residential properties owned by his Department are currently empty in the Greater Portsmouth area.

(164623)

100
N Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the changes to stock reduction targets for slow-moving stock and consumables have been, following the undertaking by his Department in its response to the 13th report of the Committee of Public Accounts in Session 2002-03, MoD: Progress in Reducing Stocks, to revisit them.

(163933)

101
Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library copies of the cash flow statements maintained by his Department's management groupings for financial years 1999-2000 to 2002-03.

(164639)

102
Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library copies of the statements of recognised gains and losses maintained by his Department's management groupings for financial years 1999-2000 to 2002-03.

(164640)

103
Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average number was of (a) military and (b) civilian full-time staff or equivalent employed in financial year 2002-03 by the (i) Fleet, (ii) General Officer Commanding (Northern Ireland), (iii) Field Army (Theatre Troops), (iv) 1 (UK) Armoured Division, (v) 2nd Division, (vi) UK Support Command (Germany), (vii) 3rd Division, (viii) Joint Helicopter Command, (ix) 4th Division, (x) Land Support and (xi) 5th Division management groups.

(164662)

104
Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average number was of (a) military and (b) civilian full-time staff or equivalent employed in financial year 2002-03 by the (i) Flag Officer Training and Recruiting, (ii) HQ, (iii) Naval Secretary, (iv) Army Personnel Centre, (v) Adjutant General, (vi) Army Training and Recruiting Agency, (vii) Army Programme, (viii) Service Children's Education and (ix) General Staff management groups.

(164663)

105
Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average number was of (a) military and (b) civilian full-time staff or equivalent employed in financial year 2002-03 by the (i) Defence Fuels Group, (ii) Dep Chief of Defence Logistics, (iii) Defence Communication Services Agency, (iv) Defence Logistics Support HQ, (v) Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency, (vi) DG Equipment Support (Land), (vii) Warship Support Agency, (viii) DG Equipment Support (Air), (ix) Defence Storage and Distribution Agency, (x) Director Land Service Ammunition, (xi) Defence Transport and Movements Agency and (xii) British Forces Post Office management groups.

(164664)

106
Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average number was of (a) military and (b) civilian full-time staff or equivalent employed in financial year 2002-03 by the (i) 1 Group, (ii) 3 Group 2 Group, (iii) Deputy Commander-in-Chief, (iv) British Forces Cyprus, (v) British Forces Gibraltar, (vi) Permanent Joint Headquarters, (vii) Sovereign Base Areas Administration and (viii) British Forces Falkland Islands management groups.

(164665)

107
Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average number was of (a) military and (b) civilian full-time staff or equivalent employed in financial year 2002-03 by the (i) Personnel Management Agency, (ii) Core HQ, (iii) Training Group Defence Agency, (iv) Internal Costs, (v) Programme Account and (vi) Nuclear management groups.

(164666)

108
Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average number was of (a) military and (b) civilian full-time staff or equivalent employed in financial year 2002-03 by the (i) Personnel Director, (ii) War Pensions Agency, (iii) Pay and Personnel Agency, (iv) Surgeon General, (v) Defence Vetting Agency, (vi) Dep Chief Defence Staff (Personnel), (vii) Defence Export Services Organisation, (viii) Defence Secondary Care Agency, (ix) Finance Director, (x) Defence Dental Agency, (xi) Defence Analytical Services Agency, (xii) Defence Housing Executive, (xiii) Defence Bills Agency, (xiv) Defence Medical Training Org, (xv) Chief Constable MOD Police, (xvi) Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency, (xvii) Chief Scientific Adviser, (xviii) Defence Estates, (xix) Policy Director, (xx) Deputy Chief Defence Staff (Commitments), (xxi) Deputy Chief Defence Staff (Equipment Capability), (xxii) Director Special Forces, (xxiii) Chief of Defence Intelligence, (xxiv) Defence Geographic and Imaging Intelligence Agency and (xxv) Defence Intelligence and Security Centre management groups.

(164667)

109
Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library copies of the (a) fixed assets registers, (b) balance sheets and (c) operating cost statements maintained by his Department's management groupings for financial years 1999-2000 to 2002-03.

(164668)

110
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the requirements are on officials in his Department to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for his departmental officials.

(164703)

111
John Thurso (Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people have left (a) the Highlanders, (b) the Black Watch, (c) the Royal Scots, (d) the Royal Highland Fusiliers, (e) the King's Own Scottish Borderers, (f) the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, (g) the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, (h) Scots Guards and (i) F Company Scots Guards in each of the last five years owing to exit codes (i) 9.398, (ii) 9.403, (iii) 9.404, (iv) 9.405, (v) 9.411, (vi) 9.413, (vii) 9.414 and (viii) PVR.

(164717)

112
N Mr Paul Tyler (North Cornwall):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to carry out checks on results following the publication of the research study of miscarriages and birth defects amongst the children of Gulf War veterans; and if he will set up an independent inquiry into all reports of serious health problems amongst veterans.

(164190)

Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister

113
Mr John Battle (Leeds West):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when his review of gypsy and traveller community provision will be published.

(164459)

114
N Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when the research on car parking in sustainable environments will be published; and if he will make a statement.

(164273)

115
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the cost to (a) the Valuation Office Agency, (b) the valuation tribunals and (c) central government of administering council tax and council tax benefit in financial year 2003-04.

(164486)

116
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many planning applications on playing fields have been approved in Taunton since 1997 that resulted in a lower provision of playing field space.

(164556)

117
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the effect on the threat to life from fire of implementing plans for a single control room for the fire and rescue services in the South West Region; and if he will make a statement.

(164589)

118
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what guidance his Department has issued with respect to levels of new-house building in the the South West Region; which sites in that region are targeted for development; and if he will make a statement.

(164590)

119
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what new spending obligations his Department has passed to local government in Somerset since 1997; to what extent these new responsibilities have been supported by an increase in central government grant; and if he will make a statement.

(164672)

120
Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how (a) the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, (b) its regional offices, (c) the Fire Service College, (d) the Ordnance Survey, (e) the Planning Inspectorate, (f) the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre and (g) the Rent Service monitor and audit purchases of timber and timber products to ensure that they meet the Department's stated commitment to being obtained from legal and sustainable sources.

(164676)

121
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what definition he uses of the category key worker.

(164650)

122
N Mr David Heath (Somerton & Frome):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library his letter to the Chairman of the Electoral Commission dated 22nd March.

(164341)

123
Mr Doug Henderson (Newcastle upon Tyne North):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what resources his Department has put into community cohesion and regeneration through sport- and physical-activity based programmes in the last five years.

(164685)

124
Mr Doug Henderson (Newcastle upon Tyne North):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of sports and physical activity-based interventions in community cohesion and regeneration.

(164687)

125
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what account he has made of the proposals set out in the Lyons Report in assessing future demands for housing in (a) the South East and (b) Hampshire.

(164584)

126
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment has been made as part of the current Balance of Funding Review of the conclusions of the Layfield Committee's report in 1974 concerning a combination of property tax and income tax.

(164544)

127
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what measures have been taken to ensure that the Balance of Funding Review in England and the concurrent review commissioned in Wales by the Welsh Assembly Government co-operate effectively where appropriate.

(164545)

128
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment has been made in the Balance of Funding Review of a local income tax on individuals differentiated by income and property value.

(164546)

129
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the printed material produced by Robson Brown for his Department in the past 12 months; and if he will place a copy of each item in the Library.

(164803)

130
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when the contract for the Your Say campaign was put out for tender; how many tenders were received; what the selection criteria were for awarding the contract; when the contract was awarded; and when the contract will terminate.

(164804)

131
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, by what means, and at what cost, (a) Your Say: A New Opportunity for the North East, (b) Your Say: A New Opportunity for the North West, (c) Your Say: A New Opportunity for Yorkshire and the Humber, (d) Your Say: Business and Jobs, (e) Your Say: Assembly Powers and Responsibilities and (f) Your Say: Housing, Planning and Transport are being distributed.

(164805)

132
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many copies of (a) Your Say: A New Opportunity for the North East, (b) Your Say: A New Opportunity for the North West, (c) Your Say: A New Opportunity for Yorkshire and the Humber, (d) Your Say: Business and Jobs, (e) Your Say: Assembly Powers and Responsibilities and (f) Your Say: Housing, Planning and Transport he intends to distribute; and when he intends to terminate their distribution.

(164806)

133
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, to whom (a) Your Say: A New Opportunity for the North East, (b) Your Say: A New Opportunity for the North West, (c) Your Say: A New Opportunity for Yorkshire and the Humber, (d) Your Say: Business and Jobs, (e) Your Say: Assembly Powers and Responsibilities and (f) Your Say: Housing, Planning and Transport are being distributed.

(164807)

134
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many people were employed in each of the Government offices for the regions in (a) 2003-04 and (b) each of the last three years; and how many are budgeted for the next year.

(164808)

135
Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he intends to publish a full analysis of the responses to his consultation paper, Empty Homes:temporary management, lasting solutions.

(164652)

136
Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many respondents to his consultation paper, Empty Homes:temporary management, lasting solutions, (a) supported and (b) opposed each of the four options for the new mechanism to bring private sector empty homes back into use.

(164653)

137
Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library copies of the responses to his consultation paper, Empty Homes:temporary management, lasting solutions.

(164654)

138
Mr Andrew Love (Edmonton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the respondents to his consultation paper, Empty Homes:temporary management, lasting solutions.

(164655)

139
N Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what his estimate is of the effective increase in the Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority's precept for the next financial year; and if he will cap the authority.

(164243)

140
Mr Stephen Pound (Ealing North):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made in the balance of funding review of the impact on London local authorities of a local income tax.

(164461)

141
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the requirements are on officials in his Department to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for his departmental officials.

(164707)

142
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what percentage of (a) council tax and (b) council house rents was collected in (i) Devon and (ii) Cornwall in each of the last seven years.

(164790)

143
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what estimate he has made of the costs to (a) Devon and (b) Cornwall local authorities by the eviction of gypsies and travellers in the last three years.

(164791)

144
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many empty council homes there are in (a) Devon and (b) Cornwall.

(164792)

145
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the level of external debt was in each local authority in (a) Devon and (b) Cornwall in each of the last seven years; and what the cost of servicing the debt was in each year.

(164793)

146
N Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 11th March, Official Report, column 1710W, on local government finance (Isle of Wight), what his grant to the Isle of Wight Council was for 2003-04; and what his grant would have been for (a) 2003-04 and (b) 2004-05 had he not accepted the Isle of Wight's argument about the New Earnings Survey sample size.

(164435)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills

147
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether he has undertaken a gender impact assessment of the latest pay proposals for higher education staff.

(164768)

148
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps he is taking to reduce the pay gap in the higher education sector.

(164769)

149
Kate Hoey (Vauxhall):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what sources of public funding are available to cover the cost of accommodation while studying for a single, childless, full-time further education student, studying for a non-degree course, and living independently of parental support in local authority accommodation.

(164627)

150
Mrs Joan Humble (Blackpool North & Fleetwood):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many teaching assistants were employed in (a) Blackpool and (b) Lancashire local education authorities in each year since 1997.

(164552)

151
Mrs Joan Humble (Blackpool North & Fleetwood):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of pupils in (a) Blackpool and (b) Lancashire local education authorities left school with no qualifications in each year since 1997.

(164553)

152
Dr Brian Iddon (Bolton South East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of whether the Government is on target to meet the commitments identified in paragraph 15 on page 4, Appendix 1 on page 28 and in the table on page 29 in, Raising standards and tackling workload: a national agreement, for schools' Remodelling Change Programme; and if he will make a statement.

(164458)

153
N Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children in Gloucestershire were of primary school age on the latest date for which figures are available.

(164111)

154
Phil Sawford (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what action his Department takes to monitor the type of employment opportunities offered to graduates.

(164468)

155
Phil Sawford (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many graduates left university in each of the last five years; and how many went into full-time employment.

(164470)

156
Jonathan Shaw (Chatham & Aylesford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 22nd March, Official Report, column 630W, on special educational needs, if he will make a statement on each of the four cases the Special Educational Needs and Disability Panel has reviewed, the reasons for each being reviewed and the subsequent outcomes.

(164758)

157
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the requirements are on officials in his Department to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for his departmental officials.

(164701)

158
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to compensate companies forced to close due to the termination of individual learning accounts.

(164783)

159
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students living in the Devon Local Education Authority area have gone into full-time higher education in each of the last seven years.

(164784)

160
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much money was given to schools in the Devon Local Education Authority area from the Capital Modernisation Fund in each of the last seven years.

(164785)

161
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much Devon schools have received in Standards Fund Grant in each year since its introduction.

(164786)

162
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many school budgets in Devon Local Education Authority were in deficit in each of the last seven years.

(164787)

163
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the cost of school transport in Devon Local Education Authority was in each of the last seven years.

(164788)

164
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students living in the Devon Local Education Authority area have benefited from New Opportunities bursaries since the scheme was set up.

(164789)

165
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what investment there has been in (a) sport and (b) music in schools in Devon Local Education Authority in each of the last seven years.

(164794)

166
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):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 Devon Local Education Authority in each of the last seven years.

(164795)

167
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):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 Devon Local Education Authority in each of the last seven years.

(164796)

168
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much was spent on adult (a) literacy and (b) numeracy in Devon Local Education Authority in each of the last seven years.

(164797)

169
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the level of local education authority funding is per pupil in Devon for 2004-05; and what the amount spent was in 1996-97.

(164798)

170
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many incidences of bullying in schools were recorded in Devon in the last seven years.

(164799)

171
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many schools have access to (a) the internet and (b) broadband.

(164800)

172
Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students dropped out of (a) Oxford, (b) Cambridge, (c) Edinburgh, (d) St Andrews, (e) Exeter and (f) Durham universities in each of the last seven years.

(164801)

173
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps his Department has taken to ensure the smooth transition from the present arrangements for applications for student loans through local education authorities to the new system of Student Finance Direct; and if he will make a statement.

(164633)

174
Mr Tom Watson (West Bromwich East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of schools have an asthma policy.

(164812)

175
Mr Tom Watson (West Bromwich East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what advice his Department gives to schools about dealing with children who suffer from asthma.

(164813)

176
Mr Tom Watson (West Bromwich East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many school nurses there are, broken down by education authority.

(164814)

177
Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 18th March, Official Report, column 475W, on school innovation, how many schools have been granted the power to innovate, broken down by area of innovation.

(164624)

178
Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 18th March, Official Report, column 482W, on temporary classrooms, how many (a) primary and (b) secondary schools use temporary mobile classrooms, broken down by region; and if he will list the local education authorities who did not supply data on temporary buildings in their asset management plans.

(164625)

179
Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which functions of learning and skills councils would be transferred to regional assemblies.

(164547)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

180
N Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the process will be for the formulation of GM coexistence and liability measures.

(164424)

181
N Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether it will be permissible for GM Chardon LL maize to be grown commercially in the United Kingdom before liability and compensation measures have been fully established; and whether she intends that such measures will be based on the principle of perpetual liability.

(164425)

182
N Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether statutory coexistence and liability measures will be put in place before GM Chardon LL maize can be grown commercially in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

(164426)

183
N Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures she is taking to ensure that farmers wishing to grow GM crops commercially comply with a code of practice based on the EU 0.9 per cent. labelling threshold for GM content; and if she will give them statutory backing.

(164427)

184
N Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the process is for modifying the Part C consent of Chardon LL maize under Directive 90/220/EEC before it can be grown and managed in the United Kingdom.

(164428)

185
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the budget for administration was for each non-departmental public body for which she is responsible that are in the following categories (a) public corporation, (b) executive, (c) advisory and (d) tribunal non-departmental public bodies in financial year 2002-03.

(164460)

186
N Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what instructions her Department issued to Warm Front scheme managers on the publication on their websites of monthly statistical data relating to works carried out under the scheme; what assessment she has made of compliance with these instructions; and what action she proposes to take to ensure future compliance.

(161638)

187
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the merits of including disposable nappies in the criteria for hazardous waste.

(164491)

188
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what response she has made to the recent Food Standards Agency proposal to end the Over Thirty Month Scheme.

(164466)

189
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what type of energy generation is used for the supply of electricity and heating to Noble House; and whether her Department has experienced problems with this method of energy generation.

(164594)

190
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, further to correspondence with the honourable Member for the Vale of York, whether all the mistakes made during the digitalisation of the mapping of land have now been corrected.

(164595)

191
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what role the British Cattle Movement Service plays in the tracing of stolen cattle.

(164596)

192
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many formal complaints were made against the Rural Payments Agency's Northallerton office in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

(164597)

193
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the role of the Rural Payments Agency.

(164598)

194
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, under what Act the Rural Payment Agency is able to (a) demand money back from farmers and (b) deduct money from future payments after resolution of disputes over the slaughter premium scheme.

(164599)

195
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the requirements are on officials in her Department to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for her departmental officials.

(164711)

196
Matthew Taylor (Truro & St Austell):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9th March, Official Report, column 1391, on temporary staff, if she will list the amounts spent by her Department on (a) temporary staff and (b) consultants for each year; if she will publish the job descriptions of the consultants hired by her Department in (i) 2001-02, (ii) 2002-03 and (iii) 2003-04; and if she will make a statement.

(164714)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

197
Mr David Atkinson (Bournemouth East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance has been given to Russia through the Individual Partnership Programme under NATO's Partnership for Peace Programme; what the results have been; whether he expects further assistance to be given to ensure democratic control of the Armed Forces in Russia; and if he will make a statement.

(164649)

198
Mr Colin Challen (Morley & Rothwell):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government's position is on Article 51 of the draft EU Constitution.

(164494)

199
N Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list, for each month since it was established, the total income from oil revenues paid into the development fund for Iraq.

(163083)

200
Mr Tony Colman (Putney):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what advice he has given the Secretary of State for Home Affairs in relation to applications for asylum from Saudi members of the Committee for the Defence of Legitimate Rights resident in the United Kingdom.

(164677)

201
Mr Tony Colman (Putney):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government's policy is on peaceful democratic reform in Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement.

(164678)

202
Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow Pollok):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on promoting regime change in Venezuela; what discussions he or his officials have had with United States counterparts on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

(164606)

203
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) the United States, (b) Norway and (c) other EU countries on a peacekeeping force for Sudan.

(164493)

204
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he will make to the Government of Eritrea concerning (a) the arrest of nine evangelical Christians in Asmara on 17th March and the arrest of a further six evangelical Christians in Asmara on 18th March, (b) the arrest of 10 evangelical Christians from the Full Gospel Church in Aba Shwale district, Asmara, on 23rd February and (c) the continuing detention of 46 evangelical Christians arrested at the Hallelujah Church in Asmara in mid-February.

(164636)

205
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he will make to the Government of Eritrea concerning the torture of evangelical Christians in prisons.

(164637)

206
N Annabelle Ewing (Perth):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations have been made to the Chinese government on (a) removing the death sentence imposed on the Buddhist religious leader, Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche and (b) allowing a fair retrial in the presence of international impartial observers.

(164343)

207
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the recent election in Taiwan.

(164536)

208
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will apply to the EU Constitution a European version of the criterion applied to the 1949 Washington Treaty which declared that it should be understandable to a milkman from Omaha.

(164543)

209
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the requirements are on officials in his Department to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for his departmental officials.

(164709)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Health

210
Hugh Bayley (York, City of):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what training is provided to nationals of sub-Saharan African countries working within the NHS in treating HIV/AIDS.

(164760)

211
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 12th March, Official Report, column 1828W, on therapist consultants, how many allied health professions consultants there were in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004.

(164242)

212
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on his Department's review of the Yellow Card scheme for reporting adverse drug reactions.

(164611)

213
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on ambulance and paramedic access to prisons; and if he will make a statement.

(164612)

214
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether it is his policy that NHS trust board meetings should be open to the public; and what guidance he issues on circumstances under which meetings may be held in private.

(164613)

215
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action his Department has taken in response to the incident in Middlesbrough regarding quarantining of surgical instruments.

(164614)

216
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding his Department (a) has made available in each year since 1996-97 and (b) will make available in each year from 2004-05 to 2007-08 to tackle anomalies of the old funding system for long-term care.

(164615)

217
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his statement of 22nd March, Official Report, column 594, what the basis was for the statement that a policy of patients' passports paying for operations in the private sector would divert £2 billion of taxpayers' money away from the National Health Service.

(164648)

218
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of adverse reactions relating to herbal medicines were reported to the yellow card scheme in each year since 1997.

(164681)

219
N Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to provide funding for research on the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

(164345)

220
Angela Eagle (Wallasey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list for each local health directorate in England the number of (a) men and (b) women elected.

(164632)

221
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the National Cancer Director expects to have completed his review of postcode prescribing in the case of cancer treatment.

[R] (164683)

222
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to tackle the large local variations in the availability of chemotherapy and other systemic therapies across England identified by the National Audit Office in its report on cancer services.

[R] (164684)

223
Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 12th January, Official Report, column 603W, on ethical and environmental investment policies, whether this information will be (a) automatically sent to the foundation hospital trusts and (b) sent on request.

(164638)

224
Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 12th January, Official Report, column 603W, on ethical and environmental investment policies, if he will set minimum standards for the ethical and environmental investments.

(164658)

225
Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how (a) the Department for Health, (b) health authorities, (c) the Meat Hygiene Service, (d) the Medicines and Healthcare Products and Regulatory Agency, (e) the NHS Estates, (f) the NHS Pensions Agency and (g) the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency monitor and audit purchases of timber and timber products to ensure that they meet the Department's stated commitment to being obtained from legal and sustainable sources.

(164675)

226
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what health checks are routinely performed on the NHS on people over 65.

(164763)

227
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimates his Department has made of the costs of implementing Standard 1 of the National Service Framework for Older People.

(164765)

228
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will break down by region the domiciliary care agencies which have applied for registration.

(164766)

229
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, of the domiciliary care agencies which have been registered with action plans, how many are (a) in the public sector and (b) privately owned.

(164767)

230
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implementation of the guidance in No Secrets.

(164770)

231
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, of the domiciliary care agencies which have been fully registered, how many are (a) in the public sector and (b) privately run.

(164771)

232
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many domiciliary care agencies have been refused registration.

(164772)

233
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many domiciliary care agencies have been registered; and how many have been registered with action plans.

(164773)

234
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what risk assessment has been made of agency nurses working in care home settings without the need for a Criminal Records Bureau disclosure.

(164811)

235
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to encourage the publication of all the results of clinical trials.

(164817)

236
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what risk assessment he has made of allowing care assistants to work unsupervised for a domiciliary care agency before their Criminal Records Bureau checks are complete.

(164818)

237
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the protection of vulnerable adults list will be implemented in healthcare settings.

(164819)

238
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the number of incidents of abuse of the elderly in residential and domiciliary care settings; and if he will make a statement.

(164820)

239
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance he has issued to NHS trusts with regard to checking the credentials of bank nurses; and how the system is monitored.

(164821)

240
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what submissions he has received regarding the location of the independent sector treatment centre in Trent as part of the Trent Region Access and Choice programme; what assessment the Department has made of (a) the length of journey and (b) the time taken to reach (i) Derby, (ii) Nottingham and (iii) Sheffield hospitals; and what assessment has been made of the potential impact on patient safety if complications occur after surgery.

(164600)

241
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether independent sector treatment centres will be subject to the same national audit framework as NHS hospitals.

(164601)

242
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the specific requirements of the NHS (Appointment of Consultants) Regulations 1982 are on the appointment procedure for NHS consultants; what (a) qualifications and (b) experience a surgeon is required to have to be appointed as an NHS consultant; what (i) experience and (ii) qualifications a surgeon is required to have to work for an independent sector treatment centre; and what criteria the appointment procedure must satisfy.

(164602)

243
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which organisations have been consulted on the Trent Region Access and Choice programme; how long the consultation period was; and whether copies of the responses were made publicly available.

(164603)

244
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what criteria organisations had to satisfy to be invited to bid for independent sector treatment centre contracts; what stages the evaluation process consisted of; who evaluated the competing providers; and what qualifications each had to enable them to carry out the evaluation.

(164604)

245
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which organisations have been invited to bid for independent sector treatment centre contracts; and what specific experience each organisation has in running surgical facilities providing orthopaedic procedures and major joint replacement programmes.

(164605)

246
N Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what systems are in place to ensure that products and services purchased by e-auction are subject to the same quality and clinical reliance tests as those purchased under normal tender procedures.

(164342)

247
N Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what period he will support the Integrated Community Equipment Service Team; and what budget has been allocated for 2004-05.

(164344)

248
N Phil Sawford (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS hospitals have (a) formal and (b) exclusive agreements with (i) manufacturers and (ii) suppliers of disposable nappies.

(164112)

249
N Phil Sawford (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to promote awareness of the benefits of reusable nappies.

(164113)

250
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what requirements there are on officials in his Department to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for his departmental officials.

(164691)

251
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many operations have been purchased from the private sector in the last 12 months.

(164692)

252
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which operations are being purchased from the private sector.

(164693)

253
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the impact of purchasing operations from the private sector on NHS waiting lists.

(164694)

254
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients he estimates will receive treatment under the Patient Choice Scheme in its first year; and if he will make a statement.

(164695)

255
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to allow patients to opt into the Patient Choice Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

(164696)

256
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the price paid was for each class of operation purchased from the private sector; and what the equivalent NHS cost of those operations is.

(164822)

257
Mr Tom Watson (West Bromwich East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the prevalence of asthma amongst children under 16, broken down by health authority.

(164815)

258
Mr Tom Watson (West Bromwich East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the treatment of asthma cost the NHS in each of the last five years.

(164816)

259
N Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the role of (a) the Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority and (b) his Department in determining the progress of the strategic outline case being prepared by North Bristol NHS Trust.

(164383)

Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department

260
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many breaches of anti-social behaviour orders were subject to court enforcement in Langbaurgh police basic command unit in 2003.

(164447)

261
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were made the subject of anti-social behaviour orders in Langbaurgh police basic command unit in 2003.

(164448)

262
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for asylum from Burmese people were (a) received and (b) refused in 2002-03.

(164451)

263
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Burmese failed asylum seekers were deported to Burma in the year 2002-03.

(164452)

264
N Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the current estimated time for processing a naturalisation application is.

(164271)

265
N Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what date those who participated in the first British citizenship naturalisation ceremony made their applications for naturalisation; and how long processing took.

(164272)

266
Mr Tony Colman (Putney):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons he rejected the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman in his report, ref. C.923/03 relating to the complaint of a constituent, ref. R333021/2.

(164679)

267
N Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Cunninghame South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures have been taken since September 2003 to tackle discriminatory practices against the Dalit community in the United Kingdom.

(164267)

268
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what public expenditure there has been by drug action teams on countering the problems caused by alcohol misuse in (a) Taunton and (b) the South West in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(164782)

269
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prosecutions have been made in each of the last three years for ticket touting (a) in person, (b) through published advertisements, (c) via internet auction sites and (d) through other means; how many were successful in each case; what the average length of custodial sentence was in each case; and if he will make a statement.

(164487)

270
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate his Department has made of the level of ticket touting in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

(164488)

271
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions his Department has held with (a) concert venues, (b) tour promoters, (c) artists, (d) music fans and (e) others regarding ticket touting; and if he will make a statement.

(164489)

272
Mr Don Foster (Bath):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance his Department has issued to internet auction sites regarding ticket touts; and if he will make a statement.

(164490)

273
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 17th March, Official Report, column 336W, on animal experiments, if he will make it his policy to encourage the formation of a European Union wide animals (scientific procedures) inspectorate.

(164642)

274
N Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reply to the questions tabled by the honourable Member for Woking on 10th March, refs (a) 161619 and (b) 161620.

(164270)

275
N Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on progress made on introducing a workers' registration scheme for EU Nationals after 1st May.

(164337)

276
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 conversion of common cold, flu and hayfever tablets into amphetamines; and what discussions he has had on the volume of these over the counter medicines sold to individuals.

(164189)

277
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the requirements are on officials in his Department to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for his departmental officials.

(164708)

278
N Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been allocated to the National Asylum Support Service in each financial year since its inception.

(163628)

279
N Miss Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone & The Weald):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to the Answer of 15th January, Official Report, columns 886-7W, on Gurkhas, what progress has been made on the review of immigration laws as applied to Gurkhas.

(164339)

Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development

280
Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support his Department is providing to the Congo Basin Forest Partnership; and whether his Department has participated in discussions about the partnership's objectives.

(164588)

281
Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will assist the governments of (a) Ghana and (b) Cameroon in implementing the indicative actions of the African Forest Law Enforcement and Governance ministerial declaration with respect to (i) wildlife and (ii) bushmeat.

(164669)

282
Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what new funding has been released to improve wildlife management since the publication of the Department's Wildlife and Poverty Study.

(164670)

283
Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what resources have been allocated to ensure that wildlife and bushmeat issues are incorporated into poverty assessments since the publication of the Department's Wildlife and Poverty Study.

(164671)

284
N Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many (a) families and (b) children in each British Overseas Territory are living in poverty; and if he will make a statement.

(164340)

285
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the requirements are on officials in his Department to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for his departmental officials.

(164702)

Questions to the Leader of the House

286
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Leader of the House, what the requirements are on officials in his Office to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for his officials.

(164698)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

287
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list (a) the meetings he has held and (b) the correspondence he has had with representatives from (i) The Ulster Hospital, Dundonald and (ii) The Ulster Community and Hospitals Trust in relation to the funding shortfall within the Trust.

(164534)

288
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) arrests and (b) cautions there have been in Northern Ireland for (i) the possession of and (ii) the sale of cannabis since its reclassification.

(164535)

289
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many pulmonary hypertension sufferers there were in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(164537)

290
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what his Department's policy is regarding the disposal of asbestos at district council amenity sites in (a) North Down and (b) Northern Ireland.

(164538)

291
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what research has been undertaken to ascertain the level of (a) need and (b) demand for a dedicated drug rehabilitation service in Northern Ireland.

(164539)

292
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Part 3 of The Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 in tackling contaminated land in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

(164540)

293
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the provisions in Northern Ireland for sufferers of pulmonary hypertension.

(164541)

294
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the total expenditure on recruitment advertising by the Police Service of Northern Ireland has been in each year since its formation; what form this advertising has taken; and if he will make a statement.

(164542)

295
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate he has made of the number of police reservists who would lose their jobs within each Police Service of Northern Ireland District Command Unit if the police reserve were to be phased out.

(164659)

296
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he has taken to ensure that sunbed users in Northern Ireland are made aware of the health risks arising from sunbed use; and if he will make a statement.

(164660)

297
Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the time taken to release payments for discretionary grants by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, Southern Division.

(164610)

298
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the requirements are on officials in his Department to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for his departmental officials.

(164704)

Questions to the Prime Minister

299
N Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Prime Minister, how many Labour Party events have been held at (a) Number 10 and (b) Number 11 Downing Street since 1997; and how much was paid for the use of the venue in each case.

(164386)

300
N Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):To ask the Prime Minister, if, during his forthcoming visit to Libya, he will discuss the future detention of Abdul Bassett al Megrahi.

(163724)

301
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Prime Minister, with reference to the recommendations of the Lyons Report, when a Cabinet Committee on relocation will be set up; who will chair it; and who its members will be.

(164585)

302
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer from the Leader of the House to the honourable Member for New Forest East on 11th March, Official Report, column 1673, on prime ministerial and Royal representation at the 60th anniversary commemoration of the liberation of Rome on 4th June, what action he proposes to take.

(162080)

303
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Prime Minister, what the requirements are on officials in his Office to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for his officials.

(164705)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland

304
Mr Alan Reid (Argyll & Bute):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has held with the First Minister of Scotland with regard to the introduction of tax stamps on bottles of spirits.

(164566)

305
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the requirements are on officials in his Office to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for his officials.

(164713)

306
John Thurso (Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his Answer of 26th February, Official Report, column 485W, on publicity campaigns, on what advertising campaigns the Scotland Office spent money in 2002-03.

(164651)

Questions to the Solicitor General

307
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Solicitor General, how many appeals against grants of bail were made in (a) 2001-02 and (b) 2002-03 by the Cleveland Crown Prosecution Service; and how many were successful in each year.

(164443)

308
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Solicitor General, what the Crown Prosecution Service's policy is on prosecuting for criminal damage people on home detection curfew who remove or break their electronic tag.

(164444)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

309
Mr John Battle (Leeds West):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how the Government will follow up its recent submission to the European Commission on reforming the rules of origin for preferential trade agreements.

(164759)

310
Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she expects the research on the way interest ceilings work in other EU countries will be completed.

(164656)

311
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the impact of the introduction of the national minimum wage for 16 to 17 year olds on the numbers of young people staying in education or training until the age of 18.

(164550)

312
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the impact of the introduction of the national minimum wage for 16 to 17 year olds on combatting the exploitation of young people by employers.

(164551)

313
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she has made of the number of low paid workers who will directly benefit from the increase in the minimum wage in (a) the constituency of Ogmore, (b) Bridgend County Borough and (c) Wales.

(164554)

314
Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what financial assistance is available towards collaborative research projects involving business and universities in the field of digital archiving technologies; which projects she (a) has assisted since 2001 and (b) is supporting; and whether her policy is available on a website.

(164450)

315
Miss Julie Kirkbride (Bromsgrove):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the locations of the overseas (a) offices and (b) representations of each regional development agency; what the cost is of each of these representations; and how many staff were employed in each in the last financial year for which figures are available.

(164608)

316
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the cost to British businesses of complying with the Working Time Directive in (a) the ceramic sector, (b) construction products, (c) quarry products and (d) all products in total.

(164581)

317
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of (a) implementation of the Working Time Directive in other EU member states and (b) costs to business in other EU member states of complying with the Working Time Directive.

(164582)

318
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the implications for the competitiveness of UK industry of complying with the Working Time Directive.

(164583)

319
Mrs Theresa May (Maidenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list each (a) existing and (b) proposed onshore wind farm, broken down by constituency.

(164647)

320
N Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the Department has been given Treasury approval to retain surpluses payable to it out of the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme during the last five years to offset expenditure on liabilities inherited from British Coal.

(164382)

321
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the requirements are on officials in her Department to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for her departmental officials.

(164699)

322
Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of potential business and commercial opportunities for UK firms consequent on improved relations with Libya; and if she will make a statement.

(164730)

323
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much she estimates is held by utility companies in excess from estimated bills.

(164630)

324
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps she has taken to ensure the accuracy of estimated utility bills; and if she will make a statement.

(164641)

325
Mr Tom Watson (West Bromwich East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer of 12th March, Official Report, column 1781W, on radioactive waste, for what reason the review of Nirex is not yet complete.

(164802)

326
Mr Tom Watson (West Bromwich East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 11th March, Official Report, column 1683W, on the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, when her officials have been actively seeking new spent nuclear fuel reprocessing contracts in the last 24 months.

(164809)

327
Mr Tom Watson (West Bromwich East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 11th March, Official Report, column 1683W, on the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, whether the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority will be seeking new spent fuel reprocessing contracts.

(164810)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport

328
N Gregory Barker (Bexhill & Battle):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the Strategic Rail Authority on improving the service on the Hastings to London line; what assessment he has made of the (a) punctuality and (b) frequency of trains departing stations south of Tunbridge Wells; and if he will make a statement.

(164385)

329
Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether funding was provided for the signage for the M6 toll motorway by (a) Midland Expressway Limited, (b) his Department, (c) the Highways Agency and (d) a combination of public and private finance.

(164673)

330
Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will enter into discussions with Chiltern Railways about its capacity to provide extra rail services in Brent and North West London during the essential engineering work to be carried out to the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines as part of the upgrade of Wembley Park tube station.

(164682)

331
Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the level of co-operation offered by Chiltern Railways to (a) Transport for London and (b) London Underground to maintain capacity during closures caused by essential engineering works will have an impact on the renewal of its licence to operate as a train company.

(164689)

332
Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what statutory responsibilities Chiltern Railways has to co-operate with (a) London Underground Limited, (b) Transport for London and (c) Tubelines in their efforts to maintain rail capacity during the essential engineering work to be carried out to the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines as part of the upgrade of Wembley Park tube station.

(164690)

333
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the viability of the proposal to extend Crossrail to Kingston via Richmond.

(164492)

334
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the original targets for the implementation of the Electronic Vehicle Licensing System were; and what the current forecast is; and if he will make a statement.

(164617)

335
Mr Paul Marsden (Shrewsbury & Atcham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the track access costs for each train company for each year since 1997.

(164823)

336
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the requirements are on officials in his Department to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for his departmental officials.

(164712)

337
John Thurso (Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what advice his Department has received from the Civil Aviation Authority on whether My Travel's ATOL bond is sufficient to meet customer claims in the event of that company's financial failure.

(164643)

338
John Thurso (Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funds the Air Travel Trust Fund would be required to provide to cover the cost of air tickets in the event of the financial failure of MyTravel.

(164644)

339
John Thurso (Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the financial status of the Air Travel Trust Fund; which types of air tickets are covered by the Air Travel Trust Fund; and how many and what value of tickets were sold in each category in each year from 1997.

(164645)

340
John Thurso (Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the current deficit of the Air Travel Trust Fund is at present as covered by the Government guaranteed overdraft facility; and how this is projected to change over the next few years.

(164646)

341
John Thurso (Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his estimate is of the total cost to the Government of public expenditure on road investment taken from the Capital Departmental Expenditure limit, but excluding capital grants to the private sector within the Resource Department Expenditure Limit, in each year from 2001-02 to 2010-11 (a) at outturn prices and (b) at today's prices.

(164715)

342
Ann Winterton (Congleton):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) responsibility for local transport plans and (b) functions of the Highways Agency could be transferred to regional assemblies.

(164548)

343
Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many cases have been investigated by the Office of the Traffic Commissioner in Eastbourne following anonymous tip-offs in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003.

(164478)

344
Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many cases raised through anonymous tip-offs in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003 were referred to the police for further investigation.

(164479)

345
Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many successful cases were brought against transport companies in Sittingbourne and Sheppey as a result of anonymous tip-offs in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003.

(164480)

346
Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will ask an external body to audit the work of the Office of the Traffic Commissioner in Eastbourne.

(164481)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales

347
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of the (a) environmental and (b) health impact of wind farms in Wales.

(164591)

348
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what the requirements are on his officials to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for his departmental officials.

(164697)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

349
Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Answer of 12th February, Official Report, column 1608W, which of the 571 cases identified involved (a) an extension of time limits for claiming and (b) the reduction of the disability threshold; and how many claims in each of these categories have been (i) successful and (ii) unsuccessful.

(164716)

350
N Annabelle Ewing (Perth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what requests for resources relate to the administration costs of the pension credit.

(164268)

351
N Annabelle Ewing (Perth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to collate information on the cost of administering pension credit.

(164269)

352
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Taunton have been contacted about converting to direct payment of benefits; how many people in Taunton have converted to direct payment since the conversion process started; and how many people in Taunton are still to be contacted about converting to direct payment.

(164558)

353
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners in the Government Office for the South West Region were eligible for pension credit on the latest date for which figures are available; how many eligible pensioners in Taunton were claiming pension credit on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many pensioners in Taunton were claiming the minimum income guarantee prior to the introduction of pension credit.

(164661)

354
Mr Michael Foster (Worcester):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will intervene to ensure the Child Support Agency (CSA) deal immediately with the case of Amanda Bufferey, CSA reference 326728861475.

(164593)

355
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) men and (b) women receiving incapacity benefit payments made on mental health grounds in relation to (i) depression, (ii) stress, (iii) anxiety and (iv) behavioural problems received these payments for longer than five years in each year since 1997; and if he will break these payments down by region.

(164718)

356
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) men and (b) women receiving incapacity benefit payments made on mental health grounds in relation to (i) anxiety and (ii) behavioural problems received these payments for longer than (A) one month, (B) six months, (C) a year, (D) two years and (E) five years in each year since 1997; and if he will break these payments down by region.

(164719)

357
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) men and (b) women receiving incapacity benefit made on mental health grounds in each year since 1997 in relation to (i) stress, (ii) behavioural issues, (iii) anxiety and (iv) depression previously received (A) income-based and (B) contribution-based jobseeker's allowance.

(164720)

358
Mr Paul Goodman (Wycombe):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average length of time was for which (a) a man and (b) a woman has received incapacity benefit on mental health grounds in each year since 1997 in relation to (i) stress, (ii) behavioural problems, (iii) anxiety and (iv) depression.

(164731)

359
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if the Government will make it its policy to restore parity between the state pension available to British citizens resident overseas and that available to UK residents.

(164592)

360
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the requirements are on officials in his Department to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for his departmental officials.

(164706)

Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

361
Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost of the shortlife unit proposed in the Lyons Report to monitor progress on relocation.

[Transferred] (164586)

362
Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of young people who will directly benefit from the introduction of the minimum wage for 16 and 17 year olds in (a) the constituency of Ogmore, (b) Bridgend County Borough and (c) Wales.

[Transferred] (164555)

Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs

363
Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, how many district judges (crime) it is intended will be in post in Teesside in 2004.

[Transferred] (164445)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Health

364
Mr Barry Gardiner (Brent North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many instances have been reported to his Department of Her Majesty's Customs clearing cargo before health checks have been executed by port health authorities in the last 12 months.

[Transferred] (164587)

Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department

365
Hugh Bayley (York, City of):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the maximum period of time is that nationals of sub-Saharan African countries are permitted to work in the NHS.

[Transferred] (164761)

366
Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans the Government has to provide alternative accommodation for asylum seekers currently detained at Maghaberry Prison.

[Transferred] (164609)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

367
John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the number of pensioners in Scotland who will receive the £100 payment to help with council tax bills, broken down by (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local authority area.

[Transferred] (164471)

© Parliamentary copyright 2004
Revised 29 March 2004