Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2003 - 04
Publications on the internet
The Questions Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Thursday 9 September 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 Thursday 9 September 2004
(the 'Questions Book')

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Thursday 9 September 2004

This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Thursday 9 September of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

For other Written Questions for answer on Thursday 9 September of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Thursday 9 September see Part 2 of this paper.

Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

1
John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will announce the results of the consultation on his plans to amend the gift aid rules on day memberships.

(187948)

2
John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 30th March, Official Report, columns 1350-1W, on gift aid, for what reasons an announcement on the results of the consultation on his plans to amend the gift aid rules on day memberships was not made at around the time of the 2004 Spending Review.

(188253)

3
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress has been made towards an IMF programme for Iraq.

(188347)

4
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to assist economic reform in Iraq.

(188348)

5
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Crown Estate spent on marine stewardship programmes in each year since 1994.

(188429)

6
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to permit Muslims to buy leasehold property on the same or similar basis to freehold within the provisions in the Budget to prevent double stamp duty and allow purchases without payment of interest as a consequence.

(188013)

7
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the growth rate has been in environmentally sustainable economic activity in each year since 1997.

(188164)

8
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on (a) the performance of environmental investments funds as an indicator of the strength of environmentally sustainable economic activity and (b) the success of Government policies for promoting environmentally sustainable economic activity.

(188165)

9
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining the key points on the agenda for each of the Council of Ministers' meetings at which his Department is represented in advance of each meeting.

(188210)

10
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which his Department is represented as soon as is practicable following that meeting (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by honourable Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting.

(188211)

11
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the major initiatives the Treasury has undertaken since 1997 in relation to disabled people.

(188151)

12
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in the Tamworth constituency aged between 16 and 24 years were both economically inactive and not in further or higher education (a) in 1997 and (b) in the latest year available.

(188096)

13
Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he will reply to the letter to him dated 2nd August from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr H Broadley.

(187981)

14
Mr George Osborne (Tatton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in (a) 2003-04 and (b) the current financial year to date have been overpaid tax credits; what proportion of the cases of overpayment were due to error by the Inland Revenue; and in what proportion of the cases the Inland Revenue has attempted to recover overpayments.

(188243)

15
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to each Government department of redundancy payments arising from staff reductions announced in the 2004 Spending Review.

(187939)

Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs

16
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining the key points on the agenda for each of the Council of Ministers' meetings at which his Department is represented in advance of each meeting.

(188218)

17
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which his Department is represented as soon as is practicable following that meeting (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by honourable Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting.

(188219)

18
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will make a statement on the consultation on removing eligibility from children and placing it on parents in the case of clinical and educational negligence cases; and what assessment has been made of the implications of using conditional fee agreements in such cases.

(188408)

19
N Mr Simon Thomas (Ceredigion):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what assessment has been made of the health and safety standards in Aberystwyth Magistrates' Court cells.

(187075)

20
N Mr Simon Thomas (Ceredigion):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the minimum health and safety requirements are for magistrates' court cells.

(187076)

21
N Mr Simon Thomas (Ceredigion):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the basis was for the decision to stop using Aberystwyth Magistrates' Court cells for the holding of offenders; and if he will make a statement.

(187077)

22
N Mr Simon Thomas (Ceredigion):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what estimate has been made of the cost of bringing the cells in Aberystwyth Magistrates' Court up to the health and safety standard required to allow them to be used to hold offenders.

(187078)

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

23
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government is prepared to sell the Tote to a body other than the Racing Trust.

(188287)

24
Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make a statement on progress in winding-up the heritage regulators whose work has been assumed by Ofcom.

(188233)

25
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining the key points on the agenda for each of the Council of Ministers' meetings at which her Department is represented in advance of each meeting.

(188206)

26
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which her Department is represented as soon as is practicable following that meeting (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by honourable Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting.

(188207)

27
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what access (a) local and (b) national temperance societies will have to discussions on licensing when the new licensing arrangements come into operation.

(188315)

28
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with (a) the BBC and (b) BSkyB on the options that will be available for free-to-view digital satellite television in areas where this is the only practical way of receiving terrestrial stations.

(188413)

29
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to seek solutions for those people in the Stroud constituency who can neither receive a digital signal nor access satellite because of signal problems.

(188414)

30
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress is being made on the roll-out of digital television to those areas which have yet to receive it.

(188415)

31
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to enhance the affordability of digital television when the only means of access is via satellite.

(188416)

32
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what powers she has to insist that recorded highlights of major sporting events including international football matches, are shown on terrestrial television.

(188426)

33
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many old age pensioners in the Tamworth constituency have benefited from the introduction of free television licences.

(188115)

34
Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she last met the English Heritage Directors to discuss policy on historic buildings being included in the registered list; and if she will make a statement.

(188046)

35
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which planned new art galleries have been guaranteed Arts Council funding; and for how many years the funding has been guaranteed.

(187977)

36
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which art galleries, broken down by region, have received funding from arts councils in each of the last five financial years for which figures are available; and how much funding was granted in each case.

(187978)

37
Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which areas of the South West Bedfordshire constituency are unable to receive Freeview; and when she expects all areas in the constituency to be able to receive this service.

(188246)

38
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much public funding has been received by Supporters Direct in each financial year since 2000-01.

(188062)

39
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what mechanisms are in place to ensure the allocation of public funds to supporter's trusts by Supporters Direct is transparent, equitable and objective.

(188063)

40
Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what procedures are in place to prevent Supporters Direct's allocation of public funds being influenced by the club interests of current members.

(188064)

41
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Department is spending in 2004-05 on promoting knowledge of other European cultures and languages in the entertainment sector.

(188301)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence

42
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to make a separate status of forces agreement with the Iraqi Government.

(188317)

43
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the safety of United Kingdom personnel in Iraq following the transfer of sovereignty.

(188318)

44
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Iraqi detainees and prisoners of war were held by British forces in Iraq on 29th June.

(188320)

45
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what safeguards have been put in place by his Department to prevent the mistreatment of detainees in Iraq.

(188321)

46
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the destruction of biological weapons material in the Russian Federation.

(188334)

47
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the Russian Federation on accelerating the destruction of its chemical weapons stocks.

(188335)

48
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans his Department has to provide security (a) before, (b) during and (c) after elections in Iraq.

(188342)

49
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what action his Department is taking to ensure the return of the Royal Naval marine equipment and weapons held by the Iranian authorities.

(188352)

50
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the required numbers of Iraqi (a) armed forces, (b) police, (c) civil defence corps and (d) border police.

(188353)

51
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to increase assistance by his Department to the Government of Iraq in its efforts to improve security.

(188357)

52
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to improve living and working conditions for UK personnel in Afghanistan.

(188358)

53
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on (a) the number of fighters serving with the militias in Afghanistan and (b) the arms available to them.

(188362)

54
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with other members of NATO on the need for additional resources for the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

(188363)

55
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support his Department is providing for the reform of the military in the Russian Federation.

(188366)

56
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in EU member states about increasing the contribution of the European Union to non-proliferation efforts in the Russian Federation.

(188369)

57
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many United Kingdom armed forces personnel he plans to commit in the event of United Nations intervention in Sudan; what estimate he has made of the likely cost of such a mission; and if he will make a statement.

(188066)

58
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the monetary cost of the United Kingdom's contribution to NATO's missions in Afghanistan has been over the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

(188067)

59
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a Written Ministerial Statement outlining the key points on the agenda for each of the Council of Ministers' meetings at which his Department is represented in advance of each meeting.

(188200)

60
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a Written Ministerial Statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which his Department is represented as soon as is practicable following that meeting (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by honourable Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting.

(188201)

61
Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many young people were recruited to (a) the Cheshire Regiment and (b) other parts of the armed forces in the Birkenhead area in each of the last 10 years.

(188325)

62
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy to retain the skilled workforce at Woodford between the development and production phases of the Nimrod MRA4 through the commissioning of lead items.

(188148)

63
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what factors contributed to the decision to upgrade the Nimrod R1 aircraft rather than replace it; and if he will make a statement.

(188149)

64
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost is of the upgrade of the Nimrod R1 aircraft how many aircraft are involved; when the work is due (a) to begin and (b) to be completed; what the life span of the upgraded aircraft will be; and if he will make a statement.

(188150)

65
Angus Robertson (Moray):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether a decision has been taken to retrofit the Vanguard Class Ballistic Missile Submarines with a Combat Management System based upon Microsoft Windows 2000; and if he will make a statement.

(188102)

66
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the establishment of super garrisons.

(187991)

67
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the sale of family accommodation and land at Colchester Garrison to Annington Homes included provision for Annington to share with the Government the proceeds of future sales to others; and if he will make a statement.

(187992)

68
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many units of family accommodation at Colchester Garrison were sold to Annington Homes.

(187993)

69
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average price per dwelling received was from the sale of family accommodation at Colchester Garrison to Annington Homes.

(187994)

70
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of HM Forces have been retired on medical grounds as a result of injuries sustained in Iraq.

(187995)

71
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of HM Forces were injured in Iraq (a) during the war and (b) subsequently; and in each case how many were returned to the UK for medical treatment.

(188136)

72
Richard Younger-Ross (Teignbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the Government monitors where permitted armament exports end up.

(188132)

Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister

73
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the band D council tax precept levied by the Greater London Authority (GLA) is; and how it has changed since the GLA's establishment.

(188290)

74
Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will take steps to coordinate policy, law and collection of statistics between the administrations in the common travel area for unauthorised caravanning and encampments.

(188236)

75
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what steps he is taking to allow the purchase of leasehold property, especially under right to buy, by Muslims on the same or a similar basis to freehold, who want to take advantage of the Budget provisions to allow purchase of property without the payment of interest and double stamp duty.

(188014)

76
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many local authority run care home beds there were in Surrey in each year since 1997.

(188169)

77
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the average price paid for each care home bed by the local authority in a non-local authority run home was in Surrey in each year since 1997.

(188170)

78
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what conclusions have resulted from the joint review with the Department of Health in the context of the Spending Review 2004 of the disabled facilities grant programme.

(188184)

79
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to abolish the means testing of the disabled facilities grant for the parents of disabled children in England.

(188185)

80
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining the key points on the agenda for each of the Council of Ministers' meetings at which his Department is represented in advance of each meeting.

(188212)

81
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which his Department is represented as soon as is practicable following that meeting (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by honourable Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting.

(188213)

82
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what opportunities there will be for parish and town councils in his 10-year vision for local government.

(188316)

83
Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will extend the consultation on planning aspects of the subdivision and sale of agricultural land to include woodlands and meadows.

(188080)

84
Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether he has commissioned reports on how customer relationship management technology could be adapted to support local authorities in their development of joined-up services in relation to business.

(188133)

85
Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on his Department's progress in ensuring that single business accounts are in place by the start of April 2006.

(188221)

86
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what impact the additional funding granted to his Department in the 2004 Spending Review will have on the provision of affordable housing (a) in the Tamworth parliamentary constituency and (b) in the West Midlands.

(188114)

87
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many households were living in temporary accommodation in the Tamworth constituency in each year since 1997; and how many of those households included dependent children.

(188125)

88
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will introduce additional measures to enable local authorities more easily (a) to prosecute owners of vehicles and (b) to remove vehicles which are placed for sale on the highway; and if he will make a statement.

(187982)

89
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what legislation is available to local authorities (a) to prosecute owners of vehicles and (b) to remove vehicles which are placed for sale on the highway; and if he will make a statement.

(187983)

90
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what advice he has given to local authorities on dealing with unauthorised sales carried out on roadside sites; and if he will make a statement.

(187984)

91
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the categories of commercial organisations which are permitted to place installations on the highway.

(187985)

92
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will require commercial organisations which are permitted to place installations on the highway to pay local authorities for such use; and if he will make a statement.

(187986)

93
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many planning appeals against the refusal of the siting of mobile telephone masts were made in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and of these how many were upheld in favour of the mobile telephone companies.

(187987)

94
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether local authorities are required to obtain the best value for land and buildings of which they dispose.

(187988)

95
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many buildings listed for their historic or architectural interest were demolished in each of the last three years for which figures are available (a) as a result of permission of the local planning authority, (b) on appeal to a government planning inspector and (c) without permission.

(187989)

96
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many owners of buildings listed for their historic or architectural interest were prosecuted in each of the last three years for which figures are available for demolishing the buildings without permission; and if he will make a statement.

(187990)

97
Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much expenditure his Department has allocated in each year since its establishment for public relations, marketing and publicity costs on e-government; and which external firms his Department has employed in relation to such activity.

(188271)

98
Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the electoral wards under which each Super Output Area in the Indices of Deprivation 2004 falls.

(188272)

99
Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much expenditure has been allocated to regeneration projects in the North East, broken down by parliamentary constituency, in each year since the establishment of his Department; and what the planned expenditure is in the next financial year.

(188293)

100
Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, by what date he will determine whether he will direct the Forest of Dean District Council, under section 44(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended), in relation to the adoption of their District Local Plan.

(188294)

101
Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when regulations allowing local authorities to tackle high hedges will come into effect.

(188295)

102
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what time limit he put on his policy that everyone should have access to decent housing; and what progress has been made in delivering that policy.

(187964)

103
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what he determines as constituting decent housing.

(187965)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills

104
N Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps he is taking to tackle bullying in schools.

(187710)

105
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to mark European Languages Day.

(188037)

106
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many maintained secondary schools did not offer study of a modern foreign language to (a) any and (b) all pupils at key stage 4 in the last period for which figures are available.

(188038)

107
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many language assistants are employed in maintained primary schools.

(188039)

108
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of the percentage of (a) children in maintained schools learning a modern foreign language at key stage 2 and (b) maintained primary schools teaching a modern foreign language at key stage 2.

(188040)

109
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when his Department will issue an invitation to tender for the operation of the voluntary recognition system for language skills.

(188041)

110
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when his Department will introduce the voluntary recognition system for language skills; and which languages will be covered.

(188042)

111
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what budget his Department has allocated for the voluntary recognition system for language skills for (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06 and (c) 2006-07.

(188043)

112
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the work of the National Director for Languages.

(188044)

113
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what budget was available to the National Director for Languages in 2003-04; and what budget will be available to that office for financial years (a) 2004-05 and (b) 2005-06.

(188045)

114
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether researchers from humanities disciplines focusing on public understanding of science and cultural studies of science will be supported by the funding increases announced in the paper Science and Innovation Investment Framework 2004-2014, published in July; and if he will make a statement.

(188079)

115
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the role of out-of-classroom education and field trips in school education.

(188166)

116
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the Government's strategy is for ensuring (a) equality of access and (b) increased access for all schools and their pupils to out-of-classroom learning.

(188167)

117
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the merits of including out-of-classroom learning in OFSTED school inspections.

(188168)

118
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining the key points on the agenda for each of the Council of Ministers' meetings at which his Department is represented in advance of each meeting.

(188214)

119
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which his Department is represented as soon as is practicable following that meeting (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by honourable Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting.

(188215)

120
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list the major initiatives his Department has undertaken since 1997 in relation to disabled people.

(188152)

121
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the suspension of adoption arrangements with Cambodia.

(188387)

122
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, in what circumstances foreign students would be eligible for Research Council grants to permit them to continue their studies.

(188403)

123
Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will propose changes to the education maintenance allowance regulations to allow pupils who by the time they are 15 years old have successfully completed their GCSEs to qualify for education maintenance allowances while continuing their A level education.

(188322)

124
N Mr Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the Answer given on 14th June, Official Report, column 771W, on Building Schools for the Future, what specific action his Department has taken to encourage local authorities and local learning and skills councils to consult each other in formulating their proposals and plans for priority capital funding.

(187037)

125
N Mr Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuat to the Answer given on 14th June, Official Report, column 771W, on Building Schools for the Future, what specific action his Department has taken in conjunction with the Learning and Skills Council to join up capital investment for schools, sixth-form colleges and further education.

(187038)

126
N Mr Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much funding was provided by each local Learning and Skills Council to school sixth forms in (a) 2002-03 and (b) 2003-04; and how many students each of these school sixth forms has on its roll.

(187073)

127
N Mr Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what proportion of provision in further education colleges, measured by (a) hours taught and (b) funding allocated, was graded 4 or 5 in Ofsted inspections during (i) 2003 and (ii) 2004 to date.

(187074)

128
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what funding has been allocated to the Tamworth constituency under the Sure Start scheme since its inception.

(188113)

129
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment the Department has made of citizenship lessons within the national curriculum since their introduction.

(188120)

130
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what action the Department is taking to improve staff retention within the pre-school education sector, with particular reference to (a) training and (b) career structure.

(188121)

131
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether the Department's guidance to schools on its anti-bullying strategy addresses identifying the individual needs of children who are being bullied.

(188122)

132
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what action the Department is taking to increase the number of people training to enter the secondary school sector as teachers.

(188123)

133
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what (a) assistance and (b) guidance the Department gives on teaching the citizenship curriculum in secondary schools.

(188124)

134
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether there is evidence from trends in academic performance that (a) pupils and (b) students from (i) white and (ii) other ethnic communities are increasing their level of performance.

(188291)

135
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps the Government is taking to prevent isolation and lack of commitment amongst students who are not achieving as much as their peers.

(188292)

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

136
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of the Deputy Prime Minister's plans to build new homes upon water prices.

(188288)

137
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on (a) the four ghost ships moored in Hartlepool and (b) proposals for a further nine former US navy ships to be dismantled in Hartlepool.

(188433)

138
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will place in the Library copies of all documents relating to discussions in Cabinet Committee meetings on the granting of powers to local authorities to charge householders for the collection, processing and disposal of unsorted household waste that has reached the public domain.

(188069)

139
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has assessed the use of technology for weight-based charging for waste collection and disposal in the Isle of Man; and if she will make a statement.

(188070)

140
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has held with companies offering technologies for differential and variable charging for waste collection and disposal; and if she will make a statement.

(188071)

141
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will carry out a lifecycle analysis of the environmental impact of typical (a) vegetarian and (b) non-vegetarian diets; and if she will make a statement.

(188081)

142
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of electricity used by buildings in her Department and its agencies came from renewable sources in each year from 1997.

(188159)

143
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much her Department and its agencies spent on water and sewerage services in each year from 1997.

(188160)

144
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what total floor space area of buildings was owned or leased by her Department and its agencies in each year from 1997.

(188161)

145
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the most significant sustainable development impacts are which she has identified in relation to the operation of her Department's estate.

(188162)

146
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a Written Ministerial Statement outlining the key points on the agenda for each of the Council of Ministers' meetings at which her Department is represented in advance of each meeting.

(188190)

147
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a Written Ministerial Statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which her Department is represented as soon as is practicable following that meeting of (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by honourable Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting.

(188191)

148
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what parts of her Department's estate will not be covered by the commitments set out in the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate.

(188255)

149
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps have been taken by her Department to review arrangements for public reporting of sustainable development impacts.

(188256)

150
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what arrangements her Department has in place to report publicly on key sustainable development impacts.

(188257)

151
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what changes there have been in (a) road transport vehicle carbon dioxide emissions and (b) single occupancy car commuting in her Department against the baseline year.

(188258)

152
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has joined the Watermark project.

(188259)

153
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what changes there have been in water consumption by her Department in each year from 1997.

(188260)

154
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the non-office sites within the Department's estates which have been identified as being likely to provide opportunities for significant water savings.

(188261)

155
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will propose Bolton Fell and Solway Moss peat bogs for Special Area of Conservation protection; and if she will make a statement.

(188440)

156
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list peat bog sites broken down by (a) area and (b) protected status.

(188441)

157
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the Government's strategy for protecting peat bogs.

(188442)

158
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what area of peat bogs has been lost to commercial peat extraction in each year since 1997.

(188443)

159
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the Government's policy on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species; and what steps the Government can take to influence the EU position on CITES.

(188117)

160
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what additional controls she is proposing to deal with trophy hunting, with specific reference to discussions at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

(188118)

161
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her policy is on the resumption of a legal ivory trade; and what representations she has made to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species on this issue.

(188119)

162
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to introduce greater control of intensively farmed ducks; and if she will make a statement.

(188307)

163
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on recent decisions of the European Commission relating to plans for commercial growing of 17 different varieties of GM maize, as submitted by Monsanto.

(188308)

164
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which EU member states have a co-existence regime in place; and if she will make a statement.

(188309)

165
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what help is available for the training of parish and town councillors and clerks; and what level of funding her Department provides to assist in such training.

(188314)

166
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what action the Government recommends against those guilty of illegal fly-tipping; and what discussions she has had with the Environment Agency on policy implementation.

(188406)

167
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many exotic animals have been imported into the UK in each of the last 10 years, broken down by Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species listed species.

(188146)

168
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of sows were recorded as giving birth in crates in each of the last 10 years.

(188147)

169
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department will oppose the proposed ban on the international trade of lion trophies and skins; and if she will make a statement.

(188060)

170
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she has received to request the European Union to give Protected Geographical Indicator (PGI) status to the Colchester oyster; what action she has taken to secure PGI status; and if she will make a statement.

(187972)

171
Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will place in the Library a copy of the European Commission's response to her submission to close the winter bass fishery in the English Channel and Western Approaches.

(188130)

172
Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will liaise with other Departments to ensure that their catering policies source sea bass from hand line fisheries.

(188137)

173
Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her Department's catering policy to source sea bass from hand line fisheries; and if she will make a statement.

(188138)

174
Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she proposes to take to persuade the European Commission of the need to close the sea bass fishery in order to reduce the by-catch of dolphins and other cetaceans.

(188139)

175
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assistance will be offered to farmers who have suffered crop loss and crop value loss owing to weather conditions during harvest this year; and if she will make a statement.

(187970)

176
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the key pollution indicators are within Castle Point constituency; and what the monitoring systems are for these indicators.

(188434)

177
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of the Department's redundant documentation, waste paper and card is recycled; and if she will make a statement on the Department's paper recycling policy.

(188439)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

178
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to publish annually the number of interceptions of communications he approves under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

(188052)

179
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the treatment of political prisoners in the Maldives.

(188340)

180
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the human rights situation in the Maldives.

(188341)

181
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the number of United Kingdom personnel working with Iraqi ministries (a) before 30th June and (b) since 30th June.

(188344)

182
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department is providing for (a) the establishment of systems of criminal and civil justice in Iraq and (b) the new Iraqi governments.

(188349)

183
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department is providing to the Iraqi Special Tribunal.

(188350)

184
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to bring forward legislation to introduce a regulatory regime for private military companies.

(188354)

185
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Afghan Transitional Administration on the timing of elections in Afghanistan.

(188355)

186
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of Islamic countries to encourage them to send troops to Iraq.

(188356)

187
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what advice his Department is providing to the Afghan Transitional Administration on voter registration.

(188359)

188
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will break down funding that has been pledged by (a) the United Kingdom and (b) other United Nations member states for the electoral process in Afghanistan by main category; and how much of that funding has been delivered.

(188360)

189
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress his Department is making in seeking to meet the targets of reducing poppy cultivation by 75 per cent. by 2003 and eradicating it completely by 2013.

(188361)

190
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to develop the NATO-Russia Council as a tool in the war against terrorism.

(188367)

191
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Iran about the Bushehr nuclear plant.

(188368)

192
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage (a) economic reform and (b) political liberation in Libya.

(188370)

193
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Israeli government regarding the detention of Ewa Jasiewicz; and if he will make a statement.

(188068)

194
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the assessment of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee in its report Foreign Policy aspects of the War Against Terrorism, published on 21st July, that Iraq has become a battleground for al Qaeda.

(188072)

195
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on the level of voter registration necessary for the October 2004 and April 2005 elections in Afghanistan to ensure a credible democratic mandate for the resulting President and government; what progress towards that level has to date been made; and if he will make a statement.

(188073)

196
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his assessment is of the efforts of the government of Saudi Arabia to track down and bring to justice suspected terrorists; and if he will make a statement.

(188074)

197
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining the key points on the agenda for each of the Council of Ministers' meetings at which his Department is represented in advance of each meeting.

(188186)

198
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which his Department is represented as soon as it is practicable following that meeting (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting.

(188188)

199
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on progress towards a referendum in Western Sahara.

(188410)

200
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the US Administration on Moroccan sovereignty in Western Sahara.

(188411)

201
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has discussed the Western Sahara with the Government of Spain; and what his policy is on the Joint Franco-Spanish Strategy in the territory.

(188412)

202
Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what stage the negotiations with the Rt Rev Dr Mouneer Anis of Egypt concerning the Anglican church property in Algiers have reached; and if he will make a statement.

(188324)

203
Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he will reply to the letter to him dated 2nd August from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Arshad Mahmood Rashad.

(188003)

204
Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the recent attempt to assassinate Sheikh Hasina, the parliamentary opposition leader in Bangladesh.

(188313)

205
Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12th February, Official Report, column 1656W, on Nicholas Baker, what progress has been made in the case of Mr Nicholas Baker; what discussions on the case the Department has had with the Japanese Government over the last four months; and what further steps have been taken.

(188337)

206
Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10th March, Official Report, column 1528W, on Iraq, whether the Government has received further clarification on the investigations by the Pentagon Inspector General into the awarding of contracts for the provision of mobile telecommunications in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

(188338)

207
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many Chinese students were refused (a) short stay summer visas and (b) higher education visas in 2004-05.

(187951)

208
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what preparations the Government is making for the forthcoming UK Presidency of the EU.

(188297)

209
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the main themes for the forthcoming UK Presidency of the EU will be.

(188298)

210
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether a logotype for the UK Presidency of the EU has been agreed.

(188299)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Health

211
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ask the Food Standards Agency to publish good practice guidelines for the use of the term, suitable for vegetarians, on food labels and menus.

(188055)

212
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he intends to take to prevent the inclusion in foods labelled as vegetarian of processing agents derived from animals.

(188056)

213
Mr Kevin Barron (Rother Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support his Department is providing to primary care trusts to ensure that a national minimum level of one full cycle of in vitro fertilisation is in place for those eligible by April 2005.

(188275)

214
Mr Kevin Barron (Rother Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what role strategic health authorities will play in ensuring the implementation of his decision to ensure that a national minimum level of one full cycle of in vitro fertilisation is in place for all those eligible by April 2005.

(188276)

215
Mr Kevin Barron (Rother Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the repercussions will be for those primary care trusts that fail to meet the target of ensuring that a national minimum level of one full cycle of in vitro fertilisation is in place for all those eligible by April 2005.

(188277)

216
Mr Kevin Barron (Rother Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how his Department will monitor the implementation of his decision to ensure that a national minimum level of one full cycle of in vitro fertilisation is in place for all those eligible by April 2005.

(188278)

217
Mr Kevin Barron (Rother Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what direction and assistance his Department will offer primary care trusts to ensure that the planned increase in National Health Service funding between 2003-04 and 2007-08 goes towards implementing in full the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's clinical guideline on the assessment and treatment of people with fertility problems.

(188279)

218
Mr Kevin Barron (Rother Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (a) has and (b) will have a role, as part of its new implementation programme, in examining capacity to ascertain whether it is sufficient to implement in full the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's clinical guideline on the assessment and treatment of people with fertility problems.

(188280)

219
Mr Kevin Barron (Rother Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department will undertake an assessment of existing national health service capacity to ascertain whether it is sufficient to implement in full the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's clinical guideline on the assessment and treatment of people with fertility problems.

(188281)

220
Mr Kevin Barron (Rother Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to assist primary care trusts to identify and overcome potential service blocks in order for them to implement in full the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's clinical guideline on the assessment and treatment of people with fertility problems.

(188282)

221
Mr Kevin Barron (Rother Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of potential blocks in the commissioning and delivery of infertility services in the United Kingdom to the implementation in full of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's clinical guideline on the assessment and treatment of people with fertility problems.

(188283)

222
Mr Kevin Barron (Rother Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of potential blocks in the current commissioning and delivery of infertility services in the UK that could affect the ability of primary care trusts to provide a national minimum level of one full cycle of in vitro fertilisation for all those eligible by April 2005.

(188284)

223
Mr Kevin Barron (Rother Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will provide a timeframe for full implementation by primary care trusts of the National Insitute for Clinical Excellence's clinical guideline on the assessment and treatment of people with fertility problems.

(188285)

224
Mr Kevin Barron (Rother Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support his Department is providing to primary care trusts to assist them to (a) plan for and (b) implement in full the recommendations made in the National Institute for Clinical Excellence's clinical guideline on the assessment and treatment of people with fertility problems.

(188286)

225
Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the running costs of (a) community health councils in the last year of operation and (b) the replacement systems have been to date.

(188237)

226
Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, who devised the community health councils' replacement systems.

(188238)

227
Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he expects to publish an assessment of the benefits of replacing community health councils.

(188239)

228
Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the budget of each intermediate body promoting patient and public health forums is.

(188240)

229
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether it is his policy that dentists from other European Economic Area countries should be required to undertake a vocational training year in the same way as UK dentists before being permitted to practise in the UK.

(188035)

230
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list those European Economic Area countries where practical experience gained using mannequins rather than live patients can satisfy the requirement for mandatory practical instruction for trainee dentists.

(188036)

231
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which previously published targets set for the NHS remain in place which are not listed in either the list of future targets or those to be achieved by March 2005 in the planning and priorities framework for 2005 to 2008.

(188158)

232
Mr Tony Colman (Putney):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will increase the numbers of consultants and nurses qualified to diagnose and treat myasthenia gravis.

(188270)

233
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to reduce the amount of (a) red meat and (b) white meat consumed; and if he will make a statement.

(188082)

234
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients were registered with a NHS dentist in each primary care trust of the Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority in each year since 1997.

(188173)

235
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total cost to the NHS of dental services was for each primary care trust in the Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority in each year since 1997.

(188174)

236
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was paid by NHS patients towards dental services in each primary care trust in the Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority in each year since 1997.

(188175)

237
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many full-time general practitioners were working for the NHS in each primary care trust in the Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority in each year since 1997.

(188176)

238
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioners have (a) been recruited into and (b) retired from working for the NHS in each primary care trust in the Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority in the last five years.

(188177)

239
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioners (a) will reach retirement age and (b) are expected to retire from working for the NHS in each primary care trust in the Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority over the next five years.

(188178)

240
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many bone fractures resulting from falls were treated by the NHS in the last period for which figures are available; how many of those suffering from such fractures were known to have osteoporosis; how many were discovered to have osteoporosis in post-fracture screening; and if he will make a statement.

(188180)

241
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many DEXA scanners are available in the NHS; what plans he has to increase the numbers of DEXA scanners; and if he will make a statement.

(188181)

242
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the National Screening Committee plans to review its advice on osteoporosis screening.

(188182)

243
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to introduce screening for osteoporosis by means of DEXA scan for those who have specified risk factors for osteoporosis; and if he will make a statement.

(188183)

244
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a Written Ministerial Statement outlining the key points on the agenda for each of the Council of Ministers' meetings at which his Department is represented in advance of each meeting.

(188196)

245
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a Written Ministerial Statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which his Department is represented as soon as is practicable following that meeting (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by honourable Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting.

(188197)

246
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the NHS spent on cancer treatment in each year from 2000; and what its planned level of expenditure for 2005 is.

(188382)

247
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the NHS spent on research into environmental and occupational exposures in relation to cancer in each of the last three years.

(188383)

248
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the NHS, working through its National Cancer Research Institute, has set up a strategic planning group to investigate research into exogenous causes of cancer.

(188384)

249
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many research programmes the NHS is undertaking into the exogenous causes of cancer.

(188385)

250
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average level of expenditure for each patient diagnosed as suffering from cancer was in the last year for which figures are available.

(188386)

251
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether forum support organisations within the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) will end in August 2005 prior to the winding up of the CPPIH.

(188388)

252
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to maintain the knowledge management system when the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health is wound up.

(188389)

253
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to reform the procedures for the selection and appointment of members to health forums.

(188390)

254
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans the Government has to expand preventative policies to combat cancer, with particular reference to reducing liability to environmental hazards by tighter regulations and better application of the precautionary principle.

(188392)

255
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what access there is to lymphoedema clinics in each primary care trust in the Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority area.

(188393)

256
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the planned timetable is for the abolition of arm's length bodies, with particular reference to the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health.

(188394)

257
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to continue support for individual health forums currently provided by forum support organisations.

(188395)

258
Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on the National Service Framework for tuberculosis.

(188106)

259
Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent on setting up and servicing the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health.

(188107)

260
Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many employees the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health has; and when their contracts will end.

(188108)

261
Dr Ian Gibson (Norwich North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent on offices for the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (a) in total and (b) broken down by region.

(188109)

262
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children in the Tamworth constituency benefit from the free fruit in schools scheme.

(188126)

263
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many old age pensioners in the Tamworth constituency have benefited from the introduction of free eye tests in each year since 1997.

(188127)

264
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what mechanism has been put in place to enable the smooth transfer of a general practitioner transferring from one primary care trust's performers' list to another.

(188000)

265
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether Criminal Record Bureau checks performed by one NHS organisation can be transferred for use by another.

(188001)

266
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 13th July, Official Report, column 1100W, on NHS and Primary Care Trusts (funding), under which part of the Code of Practice on Access to Official Information he declines to make available figures collected by strategic health authorities on the financial position of NHS trusts and primary care trusts.

(188047)

267
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the impact in the NHS of the working time directive on (a) the training of junior hospital doctors, (b) nurses and (c) accident and emergency departments in hospitals.

(187949)

268
N Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received from the parents of deceased children whose organs were retained without permission concerning the sensitivity of questions they have had to answer in pursuit of compensation.

(187080)

269
N Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the length of time that it has taken to compensate the relatives of those whose organs were retained without permission.

(187081)

270
N Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the new measures and procedures that have been introduced to stop the illegal removal of organs from deceased adults and children.

(187082)

271
Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS dental patients were registered in Torbay in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(188134)

272
Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS patients were registered with GPs in the Torbay Primary Care Trust area in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(188135)

273
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received regarding the funding of Essex Air Ambulance.

(187966)

274
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice he has given regarding the funding of air ambulances; and if he will make a statement.

(187967)

Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department

275
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the level of cannabis abuse since it was reclassified.

(188289)

276
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of, and how many, proposed interceptions of communications under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 submitted to him for approval by officials he rejected in the last year for which figures are available.

(188048)

277
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what procedure follows a situation where a communication is unlawfully intercepted but product from that interception provides prima facie evidence that a lawful interception might be justified.

(188049)

278
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications submitted by public authorities other than MI5, MI6 and GCHQ for authorisation for direct surveillance and the use of covert human intelligence sources were (a) approved and (b) rejected under sections 28 and 29 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 for each year since the inception of the Act.

(188050)

279
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the increase in the number of procedures involving animals compiled under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

(188098)

280
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to achieve his policy to reduce the number of animals involved in experimentations.

(188099)

281
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he last met (a) the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection and (b) the National Anti-Vivisection Society.

(188100)

282
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the (a) persons and (b) organisations (i) he, (ii) his Ministers and (iii) his officials have met in connection with animal experimentation since 1st January.

(188101)

283
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 1st July, Official Report, column 7WS, on the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, whether the publishing of anonymised information in relation to section 24 of the Animal Act 1986 (a) will include information on whether all possible alternative methods to animal experimentation were exhausted and (b) will be compulsory to all bodies undertaking animal experimentation; and whether bodies deemed to be in contravention of the Animals Act 1986 will have their licence removed immediately.

(188153)

284
Tony Baldry (Banbury):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will place in the Library, his Department's report on the impact on Peterborough of asylum seekers.

(187954)

285
Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will report progress in (a) developing criteria for English language tests for new entrants, (b) delivering English language tests and (c) exemption from tests of entrants from traditionally English-speaking countries.

(188232)

286
Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action he will take to encourage sharing on a confidential basis of health information relating to residents of secure training centres between private contractors responsible for their medical services and the National Health Service.

(188234)

287
Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action he is taking to improve the (a) accuracy, (b) quality and (c) legal integrity of warrants for detention of juveniles.

(188235)

288
Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many equal pay cases have been taken against the Prison Service in England and Wales in each year since 1997.

(187958)

289
Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much the Prison Service has spent on equal pay tribunal cases since 1997.

(187959)

290
Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many job evaluation exercises have been carried out by the Prison Service in respect of (a) administrative and (b) Prison Service staff since 1997; and what the outcome was.

(187960)

291
Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many equal pay cases against the Prison Service at employment tribunals have found (a) for and (b) against the Service since 1997; and what the financial implications of those decisions have been.

(187961)

292
Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been arrested for terrorist offences since 11th September 2001; and how many of them (a) have been charged, (b) have been released without charge, (c) have been bailed, (d) are still in custody, (e) were prosecuted in court for terrorist offences, (f) were convicted for terrorist offences and (g) were handed over to immigration officials; and in relation to those convicted of terrorist offences (i) with what offences they were charged and (ii) what sentences the court imposed.

(187962)

293
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much the Prison Service has spent since 1997 defending employment tribunal cases in respect of equal pay claims.

(188220)

294
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Prison Service personnel have taken to employment tribunal cases based on equal pay claims in each of the last five years; and what the cost to the Service of each claim has been.

(188222)

295
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Prison Service plans to review its job evaluation system in the light of recent employment tribunal cases.

(188223)

296
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Prison Service plans to appeal against employment tribunal decisions made during the last 12 months in respect of equal pay claims between administrative support and prison officer grades.

(188224)

297
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many racially-motivated violent crimes have (a) been recorded and (b) resulted in successful prosecutions in each year since 1997, broken down by police force.

(188065)

298
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the action being taken by the Government to address the use of peer-to-peer computer file sharing to obtain illegal film and images of violence and sexual abuse.

(188163)

299
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining the key points on the agenda for each of the Council of Ministers' meetings at which his Department is represented in advance of each meeting.

(188187)

300
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which his Department is represented as soon as is practicable following that meeting (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting.

(188189)

301
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many organisations which expressed an interest in drug rehabilitation work for the Prison Service have not tendered for the work.

(188400)

302
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to offer financial rewards to special constables.

(188424)

303
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will secure the removal of the special constable crest from the epaulettes of police uniforms in order to counter perceptions that special constables are inferior to those employed permanently.

(188425)

304
Jane Griffiths (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the impact of the proposed reduction in the number of fire safety officers on the operation of the Prison Service.

(187956)

305
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful criminal prosecutions were brought for crimes perpetrated in Tamworth constituency in each year since 1997; and how many criminal charges were pressed for crimes perpetrated in the Tamworth constituency in each year since 1997.

(188112)

306
Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he intends to set a government commencement date for those parts of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 which have not yet been brought into commencement, with special reference to section 112.

(187980)

307
Sir Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reply to the letter to him dated 26th July from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Farag Alkailani.

(188002)

308
Ms Sally Keeble (Northampton North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether criminal records bureau checks are carried out on all staff working in young offenders institutions, including those operated by the private sector.

(188312)

309
Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people smuggling operations were disrupted in the last year for which figures are available.

(187083)

310
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people from the Chechyna region of the Russian Federation were deported in the past 12 months; and to which destinations in the Russian Federation they were sent.

(187973)

311
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether all prisons comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in respect of (a) prisoners, (b) staff and (c) visitors; and if he will make a statement.

(187974)

312
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applicants accepted to join each police force are waiting to start their training course; what the longest period is that an applicant in each force has been waiting to start the training course; and if he will make a statement.

(187975)

313
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what provision is made in the training schedule for new police recruits for dealing with domestic violence; whether the schedule has been changed in terms of (a) time allocation and (b) content during the past two years; and if he will make a statement.

(187976)

314
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will halt the deportation to the Russian Federation of citizens from the Chechnya region until such time as their safety can be guaranteed; and if he will make a statement.

(187979)

315
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will issue guidance to (a) the police and (b) the Crown Prosecution Service on the appropriate time limit within which police officers should search premises, after a suspect has emerged, in relation to section 32 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.

(187969)

316
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the new GPS tracking of offenders scheme will (a) replace and (b) complement the treatment, supervision and surveillance scheme that is in place for offenders.

(188300)

Questions to the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission

317
Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow):To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what estimate the Commission has made of the cost to the House arising from the interruption of building work in preparation for the sitting of the House this September.

(187938)

318
Mr George Osborne (Tatton):To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the additional cost to the House is of providing for the September sitting; and what impact the September sitting has had on the (a) nature and (b) cost of contracts with external contractors.

(188128)

Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development

319
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of global infant mortality he estimates results from unsafe water and sanitation; and how this is taken into account in the design of the programmes funded by his Department in pursuit of the Millennium Development Goal to reduce the under-five mortality rate.

(188053)

320
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the impact on girls' school enrolment of increased access to sanitation; and how this is taken into account in the design of the programmes funded by his Department in pursuit of the Millennium Development Goal to eliminate gender disparity in education.

(188058)

321
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will list the items that his Department has reported to the police as lost or stolen from his Department's buildings or property in the United Kingdom and overseas since 1997.

(188319)

322
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the cost was of satellite and cable subscriptions in his Department's buildings in the UK and overseas in each year since 1997; and if he will list the premium channels to which his Department subscribes.

(188328)

323
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate he has made of the cost of fraud to his Department in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) UK locations and (b) overseas offices.

(188329)

324
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much his Department spent on replacing light bulbs in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement on energy efficiency in his Department's buildings in the UK and overseas.

(188330)

325
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many mobile phones owned by his Department have been reported lost or stolen since 1997.

(188331)

326
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much money his Department has spent on (a) opinion polling and (b) focus groups in each year since 1997.

(188332)

327
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the equivalent monetary cost of theft from his Department was in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) United Kingdom locations and (b) overseas offices.

(188333)

328
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions he has had with the International Labour Organisation about breaches of its standards by the Government of Burma.

(188339)

329
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on responsibility for the management of the Development Fund for Iraq.

(188343)

330
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department is taking to promote economic development in Basrah.

(188345)

331
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the current levels of (a) water and (b) electricity provision in Iraq are; and what the targets for improvement in the next 12 months are.

(188351)

332
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance his Department is providing to Pakistan for the reform of its education system.

(188364)

333
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department is taking (a) to encourage democratic reform and (b) to assist in institution-building in Pakistan.

(188365)

334
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding his Department has allocated to the Adam Smith Institute for work in relation to the reconstruction of Iraq; what the nature of the work is; and if he will make a statement.

(188428)

335
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining the key points on the agenda for each of the Council of Ministers' meetings at which his Department is represented in advance of each meeting.

(188208)

336
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which his Department is represented as soon as is practicable following that meeting (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by honourable Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting.

(188209)

337
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what action he is taking to assist the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation in its request for more international aid to help tackle the locust plague in West Africa.

(188103)

338
Ann McKechin (Glasgow Maryhill):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many contracts were let by his Department and agencies for which he is responsible to Halcrow Group Ltd for the financial years (a) 2003-04, (b) 2002-03, (c) 2001-02, (d) 2000-01 and (e) 1999-2000; what the value of each contract was; and what the nature of each contract was.

(188311)

339
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much (a) financial and (b) humanitarian assistance Russia has received from the UK in relation to the recent terrorist atrocities in Beslan.

(188296)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

340
Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his Answers of 7th September, references 185114 and 185115, on rail services, whether the totals for (a) infrastructure maintenance: cross-border line and (b) upgrading the cross-border line include money spent on maintaining and improving the Enterprise rail service between Belfast and Dublin.

(188273)

341
Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much public money from Northern Ireland departments has been spent on (a) maintaining and (b) improving the rail service between Belfast and Londonderry in each of the past five years.

(188274)

342
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a Written Ministerial Statement outlining the key points on the agenda for each of the Council of Ministers' meetings at which his Department is represented in advance of each meeting.

(188198)

343
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a Written Ministerial Statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which his Department is represented as soon as is practicable following that meeting (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by honourable Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting.

(188199)

344
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when the Draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan for 2015 will be published.

(187953)

345
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, for how many new residential dwellings planning permission was given in (a) Moira, (b) Aghalee, (c) Magheralin, (d) Dollingstown, (e) Donaghacloney, (f) Waringston, (g) Maghaberry and (h) Aghagallon in each of the last 15 years.

(187955)

346
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the population was of (a) Moira, (b) Aghalee, (c) Magheralin, (d) Dollingstown, (e) Donaghacloney, (f) Waringstown, (g) Maghaberry and (h) Aghagallon in (i) 1981, (ii) 1991 and (iii) 2001.

(187996)

347
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many traffic surveys have been carried out in Moira since 1994; and if he will make a statement.

(187997)

348
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment has been made by the Department into the need for (a) a by-pass and (b) a further junction on the M1 to alleviate traffic congestion in and around Moira.

(187998)

349
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment has been made of the need for more car parking spaces in Moira.

(187999)

350
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many payments due to farmers in Northern Ireland by 30th June have not yet been paid, broken down by category of farm payment; and what the total value of such outstanding claims for payment is.

(188244)

351
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what his target date is for paying to farmers in Northern Ireland all payments due to them by 30th June.

(188245)

352
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on his policy to combat bovine tuberculosis in Northern Ireland.

(188247)

353
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many staff days have been lost as a result of industrial action in each department, agency and non-departmental public body in Northern Ireland since the start of the current industrial action by civil servants.

(188248)

354
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the action that he has taken since the beginning of the parliamentary summer recess to bring an end to industrial action by civil servants in Northern Ireland.

(188249)

355
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the impact of industrial action by civil servants in Northern Ireland on (a) members of the public and (b) businesses.

(188250)

356
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many ambulances have been involved in road traffic accidents in the last two years in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

(188371)

357
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many road traffic accidents involving Mercedes Sprinter style ambulances there were in the last two years in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

(188372)

358
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many of the total ambulance accidents in the last two years in Northern Ireland were attributed to (a) driver error and (b) mechanical failure; and if he will make a statement.

(188373)

359
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many road traffic accidents involving Mercedes Sprinter ambulances in the last two years in Northern Ireland were attributed to (a) driver error and (b) mechanical failure; and if he will make a statement.

(188374)

Questions to the Prime Minister

360
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Prime Minister, whether he sanctioned the visits of any members of his Government to (a) the Democrat and (b) the Republican conventions in the United States.

(188110)

361
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Prime Minister, whether he received any gifts from Prime Minister Berlusconi while he was a guest of the Italian Prime Minister during summer 2004.

(188111)

362
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Prime Minister, what meetings he has had with the (a) proprietors and (b) editors of national newspapers in the last 12 months; who instigated each meeting; and what subjects were discussed in each meeting.

(188179)

363
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Prime Minister, what procedures are in place for the removal of an honour from an individual convicted of a serious crime in this country or abroad.

(188409)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland

364
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will make a Written Ministerial Statement outlining the key points on the agenda for each of the Council of Ministers' meetings at which his Department is represented in advance of each meeting.

(188194)

365
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will make a Written Ministerial Statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which his Department is represented as soon as is practicable following that meeting (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by honourable Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting.

(188195)

366
Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when he last met the First Minister to discuss business competitiveness in Scotland.

(187934)

367
Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what plans he has to visit the Black Watch Museum in Perth.

(187935)

368
Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many staff in his Department are on secondment from the Scottish Executive.

(187936)

369
Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has received the final report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland.

(187937)

Questions to the Solicitor General

370
N Mr David Kidney (Stafford):To ask the Solicitor General, what recent assessment she has made of the conviction rate achieved by the Serious Fraud Office.

(187726)

371
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Solicitor General, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of pre-trial reviews in the magistrates courts.

(187946)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

372
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the court action being taken by the European Commission in respect of access arrangements for nuclear inspections at Sellafield, with particular reference to pond B30.

(188054)

373
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the (a) membership, (b) start date and (c) purpose of the Pharmaceutical Industry Competitiveness Task Force; and how much has been allocated to this body by her Department.

(188059)

374
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had relating to the termination of fuel reprocessing at Sellafield, with particular reference to (a) the timescale and (b) the cost to public funds.

(188061)

375
Mr Harold Best (Leeds North West):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps her Department will take (a) to encourage further investment in the UK solar PV manufacturing industry and (b) to safeguard jobs in this sector when the first phase of the solar PV major demonstration programme ends.

(188225)

376
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what definition of the terms (a) public sector and (b) business research and development used in the paper Science and Innovation Investment Framework 2004-2014, published in July, with particular reference to table 1.1 of that paper.

(188075)

377
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will estimate the proportion of the United Kingdom total science spending which is fully independent of commercial interests; and what trends the Government has identified relating to past and future variations in this proportion of science spending in the UK.

(188076)

378
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what proportion of public investment in research and development went to projects for which all or part of the results are kept from publication on grounds of commercial confidentiality in the latest period for which figures are available; and what trends the Government has identified relating to past and future variations in this proportion of public investment in research and development in the UK.

(188077)

379
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what qualitative analysis was undertaken in the preparation of the paper Science and Innovation Investment Framework 2004-2014, published in July, to determine the likely consequences of the proposed investment strategy on the types of research projects undertaken in the United Kingdom.

(188078)

380
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many householders have taken advantage of the Clear Skies renewable energy grants scheme since the scheme started operating; and how much has been awarded in grants.

(188171)

381
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on future plans for the Clear Skies renewable energy grants scheme.

(188172)

382
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining the key points on the agenda for each of the Council of Ministers' meetings at which her Department is represented in advance of each meeting.

(188204)

383
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which her Department is represented as soon as is practicable following that meeting (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by honourable Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting.

(188205)

384
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what powers she has to instruct BT to meet its obligations to customers who have a medical priority in the event of breakdown or disruption due to planned maintenance.

(188391)

385
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the level of Government grant to each research council was in each of the last three years.

(188401)

386
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what proposals there are to increase funding for the Economic and Social Research Council.

(188402)

387
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the timescale for the consultation on the renewables obligation.

(188419)

388
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the calculation of the effectiveness of renewable obligations will include the operation of renewable obligation certificates.

(188420)

389
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will publish the advice that Bectel has given to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, including its major report into the future of the nuclear industry.

(188421)

390
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had with the British Nuclear Group/BNFL over the future of the Berkeley site.

(188422)

391
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what contingency plans she has put in place in the event of there being insufficient engineering staff to run the remaining Magnox reactor sites.

(188423)

392
Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what statistics the Government collates on (a) incidences and (b) the cost to British business of cybersquatting on British companies and individuals.

(187952)

393
Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the Government's policy towards the practice of cybersquatting; and what steps the Government is taking to reduce cybersquatting.

(187957)

394
Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has had of increases imposed by Centrica gas suppliers on prices to domestic customers; what action she is taking to ensure greater diversity in generating electricity with greater use of coal; and if she will make a statement.

(188097)

395
Sir Michael Spicer (West Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when the honourable Member for West Worcestershire will receive a reply to his letters to the Minister for Employment Relations, Competition and Consumers, of 17th June.

(188012)

396
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many respondents there were to the Fairness For All White Paper; and if she will make a statement on the content of the responses.

(187940)

397
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to take the proposals contained in the Fairness For All White Paper forward following the consultation period; and on what timetable.

(187941)

398
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to meet stakeholder organisations for further discussions on the Fairness For All White Paper.

(187942)

399
Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to introduce legislation against age discrimination in the work place following the judgment in the case of Rutherford and Bentley v. Towncircle Ltd; and if she will make a statement.

(188254)

400
Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will introduce legislation on the accurate labelling of tissue products; and what recent representations she has received from the Association of Makers of Soft Tissue Papers on the labelling of tissue products.

(188104)

401
Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the cost to public service provider purchasing departments of inaccurate labelling of tissue products in the last year for which figures are available.

(188105)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport

402
Andrew Bennett (Denton & Reddish):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, why the new signalling system promised for Stockport station is not yet operational.

(188226)

403
Andrew Bennett (Denton & Reddish):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, why engineers have been brought from India to fix the old signalling system at Stockport station.

(188227)

404
Andrew Bennett (Denton & Reddish):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the new signalling system at Stockport station will be operational.

(188228)

405
Andrew Bennett (Denton & Reddish):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, why the crossover points between Heaton Chapel station and Stockport station have been removed.

(188229)

406
Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the date of completion of the A3 safety measures at Thursley.

(188241)

407
Virginia Bottomley (South West Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects to receive the Inspector's report following the public inquiry on the A3 Hindhead tunnel proposal.

(188242)

408
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of projected passenger numbers at Manchester Airport in his deliberations on the proposed phase three Metrolink extension.

(188015)

409
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has had from Manchester Airport following his decision regarding phase three of the Manchester Metrolink extension.

(188016)

410
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the alternative available public transport links to Manchester Airport in the absence of the Metrolink extension.

(188017)

411
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the impact of the Metrolink phase three extension on future journey times between Manchester Airport and the city centre.

(188018)

412
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the economic benefits to Manchester Airport of the Metrolink phase three extension.

(188019)

413
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the contribution of an extension of the Metrolink to Manchester Airport to an integrated transport strategy for South Manchester.

(188020)

414
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the contribution of an extension of the role of Metrolink in the economic competitiveness of Greater Manchester (a) in its present form and (b) with the completion of the phase three extension.

(188021)

415
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the cost-to-benefit ratio of the phase three extension to the Greater Manchester Metrolink.

(188022)

416
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the benefits to the local economy of the phase three extension to the Manchester Metrolink.

(188023)

417
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of (a) the contribution of the Manchester Metrolink to the process of creating a shift from car usage to public transport and (b) the likely impact of the phase three extension on that process.

(188024)

418
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has instructed officials to undertake a fundamental review of public transport options in Greater Manchester.

(188025)

419
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of whether alternative public transport options have the capacity to meet passenger demand in the absence of the phase three Manchester Metrolink extension taking place.

(188026)

420
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funds he is making available to keep the Oldham and Rochdale line open for local railway services in the absence of the phase three Metrolink extension; and what funds he is making available for the cost of upgrading the infrastructure.

(188027)

421
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guarantees he has offered regarding the funding of essential costs of track and systems renewals on the existing Manchester Metrolink.

(188028)

422
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the projected traffic levels on (a) the M56, (b) the M60, (c) the M62 and (d) all major routes within the area of the proposed phase three extension of the Manchester Metrolink over the next (i) five, (ii) 10 and (iii) 20 years if the Metrolink extension (A) is and (B) is not put in place.

(188029)

423
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of (a) the additional road space needed in the Manchester area in the absence of the Metrolink extension and (b) the cost of providing that additional road space.

(188030)

424
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the cost to benefit ratios of all the transport schemes which he has approved in principle within the last three years, including those agreed for implementation by Transport for London.

(188031)

425
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance he sought from Greater Manchester Police before reaching a decision over the phase three extension to the Manchester Metrolink.

(188032)

426
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consultations he has undertaken with Greater Manchester Health Authority regarding the role of Metrolink in (a) improving access to healthcare and (b) reducing traffic congestion on hospital sites.

(188033)

427
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for air quality along the proposed routes of the Metrolink phase three extension (a) of building and (b) of not building the extension.

(188034)

428
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many ships were inspected at UK ports in July and August to assess whether they met International Ship and Port Facility Security Code standards.

(188430)

429
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many ships entering UK ports failed to meet the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code in July and August; and how many of these ships were (a) denied entry, (b) expelled from port and (c) detained.

(188431)

430
Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney & Shetland):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations the Government has made to United States authorities regarding the decision to abolish the crew list visa scheme.

(188432)

431
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a Written Ministerial Statement outlining the key points on the agenda for each of the Council of Ministers' meetings at which his Department is represented in advance of each meeting.

(188192)

432
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a Written Ministerial Statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which his Department is represented as soon as is practicable following that meeting (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by honourable Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting.

(188193)

433
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what powers (a) he has and (b) are vested in local authorities to prevent motorised vehicles from blocking cycleways including those on the highway; and what plans he has to ensure that cycleways are not blocked by motorised vehicles.

(188379)

434
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether provision of cycleways was part of the safer city project in Gloucester.

(188380)

435
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) dogs, (b) cats, (c) badgers, (d) deer, (e) foxes, (f) hedgehogs, (g) rabbits and (h) squirrels killed as a result of road traffic accidents in the last year for which figures are available; and how many of each were recorded.

(188381)

436
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many fatalities there were of (a) motor cycle riders and (b) pillion passengers in each of the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by police authority area.

(188396)

437
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the main motor cyclist associations on accident prevention.

(188397)

438
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with interested parties on banning the carriage of child pillion passengers on motorcycles.

(188398)

439
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has carried out an investigation into the number of quad bike accidents reported affecting British residents whilst on holiday abroad; and if he will list the resorts which have had the worst accident record in 2004.

(188399)

440
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the advice offered to rail companies on the facility for cyclists to take their bicycles on the train.

(188417)

441
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many train companies place restrictions on cyclists taking bicycles on trains.

(188418)

442
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, who is responsible for auditing safety camera partnerships; and to which bodies the partnerships are answerable.

(188336)

443
Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the accident rate per number of vehicles on the M40 between junctions 3 and 6 in the last year for which figures are available; and what the average accident rate for motorways was in the same period.

(188051)

444
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many ambulances have been involved in road traffic accidents in the last two years in England; and if he will make a statement.

(188375)

445
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many road traffic accidents involving Mercedes Sprinter style ambulances there were in the last two years in England; and if he will make a statement.

(188376)

446
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many of the total ambulance accidents in the last two years in England were attributed to (a) driver error and (b) mechanical failure; and if he will make a statement.

(188377)

447
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many road traffic accidents involving Mercedes Sprinter ambulances in the last two years in England were attributed to (a) driver error and (b) mechanical failure; and if he will make a statement.

(188378)

448
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received regarding the High Court ruling on a judicial review of airports in Britain; and what impact this will have on the Cliffe site in the Thames Estuary.

(187968)

449
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent research he has conducted on the number of passengers on the C2C LTS route who do not get a seat; and if he will make a statement.

(188435)

450
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to ensure that a refund is given to passengers with season tickets when standing reaches a predetermined level; and if he will make a statement.

(188436)

451
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has had on the recent Rail Passenger's Committee Eastern England research findings on the number of passengers who do not get a seat on the C2C LTS route.

(188437)

452
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with C2C on the redeployment of four 4-Coach Class 357 trains; and if he will make a statement.

(188438)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales

453
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining the key points on the agenda for each of the Council of Ministers' meetings at which his Department is represented in advance of each meeting.

(188216)

454
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which his Department is represented as soon as is practicable following that meeting (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by honourable Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting.

(188217)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

455
John Barrett (Edinburgh West):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have been in receipt of attendance allowance in the (a) Edinburgh Central, (b) Edinburgh North & Leith, (c) Edinburgh West, (d) Edinburgh Pentlands, (e) Edinburgh South and (f) Edinburgh East & Musselburgh parliamentary constituencies in each year since 1997.

(187947)

456
Mr Harold Best (Leeds North West):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has set a timetable for the transfer of existing child support agency customers to the new system.

(188427)

457
Mr Harold Best (Leeds North West):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when existing Child Support Agency claimants will be transferred to the new system for calculating child maintenance; and if he will make a statement.

(188444)

458
Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what formal obligations are imposed on statutory appointees for state benefits to act in the best interests of those entitled to them; and what sanctions are taken against those who fail to meet those obligations.

(188230)

459
Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have (a) nominated agents to collect state benefits on their behalf and (b) made formal appointments for third parties to receive and handle the administration of benefits on their behalf on account of their lack of mental capacity.

(188231)

460
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training is provided to staff of his Department to enable them to give sufficient advice to those who are bereaved on what benefits are available to them.

(188268)

461
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining the key points on the agenda for each of the Council of Ministers' meetings at which his Department is represented in advance of each meeting.

(188202)

462
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will provide a Written Ministerial Statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which his Department is represented as soon as is practicable following that meeting (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by honourable Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting.

(188203)

463
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list the major initiatives since 1997 that the Government has taken to (a) advance the cause of disabled people and (b) highlight disability,especially with regard to overcoming discrimination.

(188327)

464
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many appeals against non-allowance of the bereaved parents allowance there have been in each of the last three years; and how many were successful.

(188404)

465
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to change the operation of the bereaved parents allowance.

(188405)

466
Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the back to work bonus of £1,000 is payable to unemployed people starting up their own business.

(188323)

467
Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of compensation he expects the Pension Protection Fund to provide to pensioners losing all or part of their occupational pensions when the scheme comes into existence.

(188326)

468
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the change in the number of errors reported under the new Child Support scheme.

(187943)

469
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what targets his Department has set for the number of errors reported in Child Support Agency cases next year.

(187944)

470
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures his Department is taking to ensure that the number of Child Support Agency cases containing errors is reduced.

(187945)

471
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects to assess all Child Support Agency cases under the new criteria.

(187963)

472
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the operation of the Child Support Agency's computer systems.

(187971)

473
N David Taylor (North West Leicestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance is available for assisting employees suffering from (a) stress and (b) depression from the human resources department of his Department.

(187165)

474
N Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of local authorities have produced a written take-up strategy of a sufficient standard to satisfy his Department's performance standard on take-up of housing and council tax benefits; and which local authorities have failed to meet this standard.

(187163)

475
N Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households containing a person aged 60 years or over were in receipt of council tax benefit in each of the last 12 months.

(187164)

476
Richard Younger-Ross (Teignbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people suffered late payment of pensions in each of the last 12 (a) weeks and (b) months; what procedures are in place to resolve such delays; and what the average length of time taken to resolve these problems is.

(188116)

Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

477
Denzil Davies (Llanelli):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his latest estimate is of the ratio of workers to pensioners in the (a) United Kingdom, (b) each region of England, (c) Scotland and (d) Wales.

[Transferred] (188129)

Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister

478
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many ballots there have been to set up (a) parish and (b) town councils in each of the last three years; and what the result was in each case.

[Transferred] (188310)

479
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what advice (a) the Department and (b) the Environment Agency gives to local authorities on how to deal with illegal fly-posting.

[Transferred] (188407)

480
Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 1st September, Official Report, column 742-4W, from the Deputy Prime Minister, which Government department has responsibility for overseeing the expenditure of the regional observatories.

[Transferred] (188269)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills

481
N Helen Jones (Warrington North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what guidance he has issued on the role of school governors in ensuring the provision of healthy school meals.

[Question Unstarred] (187709)

482
N Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the eligibility criteria for specialist school status.

[Question Unstarred] (187703)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

483
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on progress of the inquiry into allegations of corruption in the Oil-for-Food Programme.

[Transferred] (188346)

Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department

484
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what air kerma rate has been used to assess radiation doses associated with the use of the Rapiscan Secure 1000 apparatus.

[Transferred] (188057)

485
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what regulations govern the activities of vehicle clamping companies; what recent correspondence he has received regarding such activities; and what action he plans to take to restrict those activities.

[Transferred] (187950)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

486
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she has made of the current and projected use of peer-to-peer file sharing home computer technologies with reference to the type of files exchanged and the volume of material exchanged.

[Transferred] (188155)

487
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will provide an impact assessment of the growth of use of peer-to-peer file sharing home computer technologies for affected commercial sectors.

[Transferred] (188156)

488
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on her Department's strategy for the future public use of peer-to-peer file sharing home computer technologies.

[Transferred] (188157)

489
Richard Younger-Ross (Teignbridge):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps are being taken to block the practice by some armaments manufacturers and exporters of exporting components of particular weapons to particular states where they can then be assembled and so avoid Government refusal to export particular weapons.

[Transferred] (188131)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport

490
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will estimate the cost of funding an independent audit of every speed camera.

[Transferred] (188154)

© Parliamentary copyright 2004
Revised 9 September 2004