|
Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Tuesday 18 May 2004
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Tuesday 18 May 2004
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 18 May 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 Tuesday 18 May of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Tuesday 18 May see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 1
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the cost of the United Kingdom's involvement in Iraq has been since the commencement of military operations. | | (174352) | 2
N | Mr Frank Dobson (Holborn & St Pancras):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the cost was of (a) preparations for the invasion of Iraq, (b) the invasion itself and (c) the subsequent occupation in (i) 2002-03 and (ii) 2003-04; and what the estimate of costs is for (A) this financial year and (B) each subsequent financial year. | | (174156) | 3
N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the (a) design costs, (b) production costs, (c) distribution costs, (d) number of staff involved in production and distribution and (e) total number produced of the 'What Budget 2004 means for' leaflets for each of the regions and nations of the United Kingdom. | | (174273) | 4
N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the amount raised by each of the revenue categories listed in Table C8 of Chapter C in the 2004 Financial Statement and Budget Report in each of the English regions in each year since 1997. | | (174274) | 5
| Tony Wright (Cannock Chase):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the latest projection of UK population growth up to 2050 is. | | (174350) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 6
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which private organisations are providing support to UK military forces in Iraq; and what role each has. | | (174351) | 7
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what length of deployment UK military personnel are required to serve in Iraq. | | (174353) | 8
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, at how many UK run prisons in Iraq Iraqi prisoners are being held; and where each prison is located. | | (174354) | 9
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) men and (b) women Iraqi prisoners were being held by UK military forces in Iraq on 10th May. | | (174355) | 10
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which branch of the UK military are responsible for the running of prisons in Iraq; who is the head of this branch; and to whom he is responsible for making reports. | | (174356) | 11
N | Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Defence Intelligence Budget was in (a) 1997, (b) 2000 and (c) 2004; and what budget is projected for the next three financial years. | | (173961) | 12
| Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list each of the weapons containing uranium used in Operation Telic. | | (174372) | 13
| Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what disciplinary action has been taken in respect of the aircrew involved in the near-hit incident reported on 4th April 2002 concerning a helicopter and the nuclear installations at Berkeley, Gloucestershire, as recorded in the report of the defence flying complaints investigation team at Henlow, dated 30th May 2002. | | (174373) | 14
| Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of each of the (a) Blu-97B, (b) 20mm Phalanx Sea-to-Air, (c) 25mm M791, (d) 30mm PGU-14/B, (e) 120mm MV Charm, (f) Tow 2 A/B A/tank, (g) AGM-65 G Maverick, (h) Hellfire II/Brimstone, (i) AGM-84 SLAM-ER, (j) AGM-154C JSOW, (k) AGM-158 JASSM, (l) BGM-109 Tactical Tomahawk, (m) Storm Shadow/Scalper, (n) GBU-15, (o) GBU-24, (p) GBU-27, (q) GBU-28B/B, (r) GBU-31JDAM, (s) GBU-37 B/B, (t) GBU-118/B and (u) SSB weapon types were used in Iraq; and which were used against targets in urban areas. | | (174375) | Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister 15
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the estimated cost to (a) his Department, (b) the Valuation Office Agency and (c) other Government agencies and bodies was of council tax revaluation for financial years (i) 2003-04, (ii) 2005-06 and (iii) 2006-07. | | (174358) | 16
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the cost to (a) the Valuation Office Agency, (b) the Valuation Tribunals and (c) central Government of administering (i) council tax and (ii) council tax benefit was in financial year 2001-02. | | (174359) | 17
| Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what progress has been made by the Thames Gateway Strategic Executive with the Environment Agency on the production of working maps of environmental and flooding constraints for the zones of change in the Thames Gateway; and when he expects these maps to be published. | | (174360) | 18
N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Guidance on the Government use of Public Relations Consultants, Annex B to Guidance on the work of the Government Information Service, paragraph 6, on what grounds he decided that the core components of the Your Say information campaign on elected regional assemblies could not be carried out by the Government's own employees. | | (174275) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 19
N | Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps he will take during 2004 in respect of schools, colleges and universities (a) to increase awareness of the dangers of global climate change and (b) to promote education about ways to reach the Government's target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions. | | (171257) | 20
N | Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many centres of excellence for transport workers have been established since 1997. | | (174155) | 21
N | Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what surveys of public perceptions of (a) his Department, (b) schools and other education institutions and (c) teaching unions have taken place over the last 12 months; what the (i) title and (ii) nature of these surveys was; what the findings of each survey were; where these findings have been published; what the cost of all such surveys was; and if he will place copies of the surveys in the Library. | | (174339) | 22
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the estimated intake in medical schools in Great Britain is in each of the next three years. | | (173430) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 23
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 19th April, Official Report, column 152W, on secondees from outside organisations presently working in her Department, in which Answers to Parliamentary Questions (a) Joanna Enright of Ashursts and (b) Nader Bahri of Powergen were involved in the drafting process.
| | (174087) | 24
N | Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many abandoned vehicles were removed by local authorities in England in (a) 2001-02, (b) 2002-03 and (c) 2003-04. | | (173407) | 25
N | Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the concept of contraction and convergence as the basis for international negotiations on climate change beyond 2010. | | (172936) | 26
| Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28th April to the honourable Member for Salisbury, Official Report, column 1025W, on Severely Disadvantaged Areas, what assessment she has made of the extent of non-receipt of integrated administration and control system forms; and how many farms have contacted the Rural Payments Agency to request forms. | | (174371) | 27
N | Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will impose a statutory obligation on local authorities to ensure weekly collections of household waste.
| | (174088) | 28
N | Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she will publish the final draft of the mid-term review of the Common Agricultural Policy; how long farmers will have to comply with the requirements of the mid-term review from the date of publication; and if she will make a statement. | | (174271) | 29
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reasons sludge sewage has been exempted from requiring a waste management licence for treatment in agriculture; and what research has been undertaken to assess the potential health risks posed by sewage sludge seeping into water supplies. | | (173428) | 30
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research has been undertaken to assess the potential risks to health posed by the spreading of sewage sludge on agricultural fields situated close to residential homes. | | (173429) | 31
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps have been taken to amend the Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989 to incorporate a safe barrier between agricultural fields treated with sewage sludge and residential homes; and if she will make a statement. | | (173432) | 32
N | Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the itinerary was for the transport from the country of origin to the final country of destination of the potatoes which brought potato ring-rot into the UK. | | (174154) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 33
N | Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his letter placed in the Library on 11th May concerning the handling of the International Committee of the Red Cross report and the telegram sent to London by the office of the UK Special Representative for Iraq on 27th February, which office received the telegram; to which Department and to which Ministers and senior officials the telegram was subsequently distributed; and when the telegram was distributed. | | (173677) | 34
| Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which human rights organisations have been allowed to visit Abdullah Ocalan to see what prison conditions he is being held under; what his general state of health is; and if he will make a statement. | | (174357) | 35
| Jane Griffiths (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Burmese Government regarding Thet Win Aung, who is sentenced to 60 years imprisonment. | | (174390) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 36
| John Austin (Erith & Thamesmead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the cost of NHS prescribed medicines for dyspepsia in each year from 2000. | | (174346) | 37
| John Austin (Erith & Thamesmead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he made of the change in NHS spending on dyspepsia arising from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidance published in 2000. | | (174347) | 38
| John Austin (Erith & Thamesmead):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the spending on drugs for treatment of dyspepsia as a percentage of (a) the total expenditure on drugs for gastro-intestinal conditions and (b) the total primary care drugs budget in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. | | (174348) | 39
N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting time is for a patient to get an appointment to be seen at a genito-urinary medicine clinic in each strategic health authority area in England. | | (174038) | 40
N | Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what surveys of public perceptions of (a) his Department, (b) the NHS and (c) other areas of responsibility of the Department have taken place over the last 12 months; what the (i) title and (ii) nature of these surveys was; what the findings of each survey were; where these findings have been published; what the cost of all surveys was; and if he will make a statement and place copies of the surveys in the Library. | | (174338) | 41
| Julie Morgan (Cardiff North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what consultation he has undertaken on a possible ban on the smoking of tobacco in public places. | | (174383) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 42
| John Austin (Erith & Thamesmead):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many basic skills (a) entry level, (b) level 2 and (c) level 3 places are available to prisoners at each (i) Prison Service establishment and (ii) privately run establishment. | | (174289) | 43
| John Austin (Erith & Thamesmead):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Prison Service definition is of purposeful activity for prisoners. | | (174343) | 44
| John Austin (Erith & Thamesmead):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the Youth Justice Board definition is of purposeful activity for juvenile prisoners. | | (174344) | 45
| John Austin (Erith & Thamesmead):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people are employed and by whom in the delivery of Counselling Assessment, Referral, Advice and Through-care services in each (a) Prison Service establishment and (b) privately run establishment. | | (174345) | 46
N | Vera Baird (Redcar):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what insurance cover is provided, and by whom, for members of the emergency services who are called out to terrorist incidents. | | (173514) | 47
N | Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on his review into whether all immigrants should be tested for HIV upon entry into the United Kingdom; and when the review will be completed. | | (174039) | 48
N | Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many failed asylum seekers were removed from the UK in (a) 2001-02, (b) 2002-03 and (c) 2003-04. | | (173300) | 49
N | Mr Howard Flight (Arundel & South Downs):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much was spent on the removal of failed asylum seekers; and how many asylum seekers were removed, in each year since 1997. | | (173676) | 50
N | Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the application to close All Saints Churchyard, Brightlingsea, in Essex. | | (174272) | 51
N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the (a) members, (b) reports produced by and (c) dates of meetings in 2003 of (i) the National Crime Reduction Task Force, (ii) the Insurance Cover Working Group, (iii) the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, (iv) the Correctional Services Accreditation Panel, (v) the Animal Procedures Committee, (vi) the Criminal Records Bureau Consultative Panel, (vii) the Police Advisory Board for England and Wales and (viii) the Technical Advisory Board. | | (174269) | 52
N | Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) budget and (b) administration costs in 2003 were of (i) the National Crime Reduction Task Force, (ii) the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, (iii) the Correctional Services Accreditation Panel, (iv) the Animal Procedures Committee, (v) the Criminal Records Bureau Consultative Panel and (vi) the Police Advisory Board for England and Wales. | | (174270) | Questions to the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission 53
N | Mrs Jackie Lawrence (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the total expenditure on facilities entirely for the use of honourable Members was in each year since 1995. | | (174150) | 54
N | Mrs Jackie Lawrence (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many officers other than Clerks there were in the House on 1st January in each year since 1995. | | (174151) | 55
N | Mrs Jackie Lawrence (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the total annual running costs were in each year since 1995 of the House (a) Works Services Directorate, (b) Operations Directorate, (c) Personnel Policy Directorate, (d) Internal Review Services Directorate, (e) Financial Management Directorate, (f) Communications Directorate and (g) Estates Directorate. | | (174152) | 56
N | Mrs Jackie Lawrence (Preseli Pembrokeshire):To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many employees there were as at 1st January, in each year since 1995 in the House (a) Works Services Directorate, (b) Operations Directorate, (c) Personnel Policy Directorate, (d) Internal Review Services Directorate, (e) Financial Management Directorate, (f) Communications Directorate and (g) Estates Directorate. | | (174153) | Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development 57
N | Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in developing countries concerning the allocation of greenhouse gas emissions rights on an equal per capita basis, as proposed by the Africa Group of countries in 1997 and the Indian Prime Minister at the 9th UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in December 2002. | | (171231) | 58
| Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the trauma caused to children in Iraq from (a) the coalition invasion and (b) the continuing violence; and what assistance his Department is providing to mitigate trauma in Iraqi children. | | (174374) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 59
| David Burnside (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many and what percentage of Northern Ireland Housing Executive homes have had (a) oil and (b) gas-fired central heating installed, broken down by Housing Executive District Office Area. | | (174376) | 60
| David Burnside (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many and what percentage of Northern Ireland Housing Executive homes have (a) coal-fired and (b) electric and (c) no central heating, broken down by Housing Executive District Office Area. | | (174377) | 61
| David Burnside (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what public funding supported capital infrastructure improvements were carried out at each of the Northern Ireland airports during the last five years. | | (174378) | 62
| David Burnside (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list by district council area the (a) total amount of debt owed by each of the 26 local authorities and (b) the amount of debt per elector in each district. | | (174379) | 63
| David Burnside (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to propose legislation to permit the electronic monitoring of individuals; and if he will make a statement. | | (174380) | 64
| David Burnside (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what action he is taking to reduce the number of repeat car crime offenders; and if he will make a statement. | | (174381) | 65
N | The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on public appointments for which his Department is responsible and compliance with (a) equal opportunities and (b) fair employment legislation. | | (174040) | Questions to the Prime Minister 66
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Prime Minister, whether section 6 of the Ministerial Code permits individuals other than special advisers to use Government property to undertake manifesto preparation work for New Labour.
| | (174083) | 67
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Prime Minister, on how many occasions in each year since 1st May 1997 spouses or partners of Ministers travelled (a) within the United Kingdom and (b) overseas at public expense under the provisions of section 87 of the Ministerial Code; and what the total cost of such expenses was in each year.
| | (174084) | 68
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Prime Minister, whether the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs sought his approval for her recent absences overseas in accordance with section 7, paragraph 73 of the Ministerial Code; and if he will make a statement.
| | (174085) | 69
N | Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Prime Minister, how he plans to apply section 90 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct to the recent offer by the US authorities of a decoration.
| | (174086) | 70
| Dr Jenny Tonge (Richmond Park):To ask the Prime Minister, when he will reply to the letter of 19th April from the honourable Member for Richmond Park. | | (174391) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 71
N | Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer of 5th May, Official Report, column 1645W, on product recalls/safety, when she intends to implement the General Product Safety Directive. | | (173958) | 72
N | Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer of 5th May, Official Report, column 1645W, on product recalls/safety, if she will place in the Library correspondence between the Government and the European Commission on the General Product Safety Directive. | | (173959) | 73
N | Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer of 1st April, Official Report, columns 1592-4W, on the National Minimum Wage, for what average length of time compliance officers identified the National Minimum Wage was being underpaid in 2003-04. | | (173960) | 74
N | Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the Answer of 10th May, Official Report, column 79W, on departmental publications, if she will provide the information her Department holds centrally on the newspapers, magazines and periodicals for which it is responsible. | | (173962) | 75
| Mr Martin Caton (Gower):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on actions being taken by (a) Ofgem and (b) industry to minimise disconnections made in error. | | (174361) | 76
| Mr Martin Caton (Gower):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the impact of energy disconnections for debt. | | (174362) | 77
| Mr Martin Caton (Gower):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many household (a) gas and (b) electricity disconnections were made in each year from 2000; and how many were made in error in each case in each year. | | (174363) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 78
N | Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his latest assessment is of the number of accidents attributable to sleep and microsleep on roads. | | (167658) | 79
N | John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will announce his findings on the review of the railways while Parliament is in session. | | (172989) | 80
N | John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how the Department of Transport is monitoring changes in (a) training and (b) employment positions for seafaring ratings generated by the tonnage tax scheme. | | (172990) | 81
N | John McDonnell (Hayes & Harlington):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what measures he has put in place to ensure that companies do not remove themselves from the 10 year obligation to the UK shipping industry tonnage tax regime by switching registers. | | (172991) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 82
| Simon Hughes (North Southwark & Bermondsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list the official meetings his predecessor had with the Mayor of London since July 2000 to discuss pension issues in London; and what the (a) dates and (b) subject of each meeting was. | | (174349) | 83
N | Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what surveys of public perceptions of (a) his Department and (b) its areas of responsibility have taken place over the last 12 months; what the (i) title and (ii) nature of these surveys was; what the findings of each survey were; where these findings have been published; what the cost of all such surveys was; and if he will make a statement and place copies of the surveys in the Library. | | (174340) | 84
N | Mr Peter Pike (Burnley):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects the new Jobcentre Plus office in Burnley to open; and if he will make a statement. | | (174041) | 85
N | Mr Peter Pike (Burnley):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proposals he has for the future of pension centre offices; and if he will make a statement. | | (174042) | 86
N | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will investigate why it took two years to conclude that Mr Leroy Keen of Paignton had been overpaid by £119.55 in income support. | | (173431) | 87
N | Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason 960 business square metres is sought for a new Shanklin JobcentrePlus office; and what the area is in business square metres of Ryde and Newport JobcentrePlus office. | | (174341) |
|
