Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2003 - 04
Publications on the internet
The Questions Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 15 November 2004

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

Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Monday 15 November 2004
(the 'Questions Book')

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 15 November 2004

This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Monday 15 November of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

For other Written Questions for answer on Monday 15 November of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Monday 15 November see Part 2 of this paper.

Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office

1
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to her Answer of 3rd November, Official Report, columns 268-9W, on Departmental Responsibilities, what estimate has been made of the sum from within her Department's budget to be used to meet the cost of appointing a separate Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

(198006)

2
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment she has made of access to e-government services for people living in disadvantaged areas of the UK.

(198756)

Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

3
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues regarding levels of central Government administration.

(198799)

4
N Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the total amount of duty on tobacco products evaded and avoided since 2000, broken down by (a) revenue lost through cross-border shopping and (b) revenue lost through smuggling and fraud.

(196979)

5
N Mr Keith Bradley (Manchester, Withington):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families in Manchester, Withington have received child tax credits.

(197884)

6
Chris Bryant (Rhondda):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in each ward of the Rhondda are (a) employed and (b) unemployed.

(198299)

7
Chris Bryant (Rhondda):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in each ward of the Rhondda claim (a) pension credit and (b) working tax credit.

(198300)

8
Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many children between the ages of (i) birth and four years and (ii) five and seven years live in (a) the constituency of Weston-Super-Mare and (b) North Somerset Local Education Authority.

(198089)

9
Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many new jobs have been created in the London Borough of Wandsworth since 1997.

(198189)

10
Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the level of unemployment in the London Borough of Wandsworth has been in each year since 1997.

(198190)

11
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the latest figures for the number of redundancies in the West Midlands.

(197468)

12
Denzil Davies (Llanelli):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his estimate is of the number of (a) full-time and (b) part-time employees in the United Kingdom in each of the last five available years.

(198170)

13
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many pensioners are paying income tax at (a) the basic rate and (b) the higher rate; and if he will make a statement.

(198166)

14
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much tax would be raised by introducing a new 50 per cent. tax band for those with incomes over £100,000 per annum; and if he will make a statement.

(198168)

15
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which countries have had 100 per cent. of debt to the UK written off.

(198408)

16
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many jobs have been created in the Stroud constituency since (a) 1997 and (b) 2001.

(198499)

17
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the Government's attitude towards sustainable reporting; and what encouragement he has given to the promotion of corporate social responsibility with particular reference to sustainable reporting.

(198741)

18
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people living abroad at the last General Election were eligible to vote in the Election; and how many of these voted.

(198641)

19
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people between the ages of 18 and 24 years in the United Kingdom are expected to be eligible to vote at the next General Election.

(198642)

20
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the unemployment rate in Newcastle-under-Lyme was in each year since 1997.

(198533)

21
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the peak year was for the unemployment rate in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1979; and how many people were unemployed there in that year.

(198534)

22
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families are receiving child tax credits in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

(198535)

23
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, by how much the rated child benefit has increased since 1997.

(198539)

24
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many businesses in Newcastle-under-Lyme have benefited from research and development tax credits.

(198625)

25
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many businesses in Newcastle-under-Lyme have benefited from lower rates of corporation tax.

(198628)

26
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families he estimates will benefit from the Child Trust Fund in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) the country as a whole when it is introduced.

(198709)

27
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many pensioners in Newcastle-under-Lyme have benefited from the 10 per cent. rate of income tax since its introduction.

(198711)

28
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimates he has made of (a) changes in the level of average earnings of full-time employees in Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) the proportion of national average earnings which these levels represented in each year since 1997.

(198712)

29
Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how long the period was, on average, between a claimant submitting a completed tax credit application form and their (a) being advised of the outcome of their claim and (b) receiving their first payment, in the latest period for which figures are available.

(198085)

30
Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total expenditure on advertising by his Department was in 2003-04.

(198194)

31
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Inland Revenue's policy is on fuel charges for company cars; and what plans it has to reconsider levels.

(198842)

32
N Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the rate of economic growth in (a) Hampshire and (b) the area covered by Portsmouth, Southampton, Fareham, Gosport, Havant and Eastleigh local authorities for the most recent period for which data is available.

(198048)

33
N Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the relationship between increase in housing stock and economic growth.

(198051)

34
N Mr John Horam (Orpington):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many Green Ministers his Department has had since 1997.

(197673)

35
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the United Kingdom's national debt was (a) in total and (b) per capita in (i) 1996 and (ii) 2003.

(198392)

36
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much was spent on interest payments for the national debt in (a) 1996 and (b) 2003 (i) in total amount and (ii) per capita.

(198393)

37
Mr David Kidney (Stafford):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the discharge by the Financial Services Authority of its statutory objective of promoting financial literacy.

(198183)

38
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much tax has been collected since 1997 from taxation of dividends from UK pension fund holdings.

(198339)

39
Mr David Marshall (Glasgow Shettleston):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the value is of the largest small overpayment of tax credit which the Inland Revenue has written off.

(198672)

40
N Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick & Lauderdale):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects the review by the Office of National Statistics and Eurostat of NUTS 2 statistical areas to (a) begin and (b) be completed.

(198043)

41
Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick & Lauderdale):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of full-time workers in (a) Scotland, (b) each of the unitary local authority areas in Scotland and (c) the United Kingdom have gross hourly earnings (i) including and (ii) excluding overtime below (A) £7.44, (B) £5.59 and (C) £4.50, broken down by (1) male, (2) female and (3) all workers.

(198284)

42
Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick & Lauderdale):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the distribution of earnings is for those earning (a) under the point below which 10 per cent. of earners fall and (b) the point above which 10 per cent. of earners exceed in (i) Scotland and (ii) each of the unitary local authority areas in Scotland, broken down by (A) male, (B) female and (C) all workers.

(198285)

43
Mr Michael Moore (Tweeddale, Ettrick & Lauderdale):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) average and (b) median (i) weekly and (ii) hourly gross earnings (A) including and (B) excluding overtime is of (1) Managers and Senior, (2) Professional, (3) Associate Professional and Technical, (4) Administrative and Secretarial, (5) Skilled Trades, (6) Personal Service, (7) Sales and Customer Service, (8) Process, Plant and Machine Operatives and (9) Elementary occupational groups, broken down by (x) male, (y) female and (z) all workers.

(198286)

44
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) deaths and (b) serious injuries occurred in the UK as a result of incorrect servicing and repair of motor vehicles in each of the last 30 years.

(198816)

45
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of the population of (a) Hemsworth constituency, (b) the Yorkshire and Humber area and (c) England have no bank account.

(198735)

46
Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the opportunities for those remaining in education until the age of 18 years and then pursuing a four year higher education course to accrue a national insurance record sufficient to receive the full basic state pension at retirement.

(198698)

47
Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of those aged between 18 and 21 years in higher education made sufficient national insurance contributions in 2003-04 to be credited with a qualifying year.

(198699)

48
N David Winnick (Walsall North):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how long the Director of the Tax Credit Office in Preston has been in his post.

(197881)

49
N David Winnick (Walsall North):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9th November, Official Report, columns 655-6W, on correspondence, what percentage of replies to honourable Members from the tax credit office in Preston in the 12 months prior to 1st April went out within 15 working days.

(197882)

50
N David Winnick (Walsall North):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many Inland Revenue officials are employed in the Tax Credit Office in Preston; and if he will list the names of (a) the director, (b) the deputy director and (c) the four next most senior officials in the office.

(197936)

51
N David Winnick (Walsall North):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9th November, Official Report, columns 655-6W, on correspondence, for what reasons it would not be practical for the Director of the Tax Credit Office to reply personally to honourable Members writing on behalf of constituents.

(197937)

Questions to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

52
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will make a statement on the liability of High Sheriffs in the case of improper enforcement of compulsory purchase orders.

(198135)

53
N Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East):To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will list his public engagements individually for the week beginning 8th November.

(198005)

Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs

54
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of conditional fees in personal injury cases on (a) the setting-up of specialist personal injury solicitors firms to pursue claims and (b) the willingness of claims-handling businesses to pursue claims; and if he will make a statement.

(198410)

55
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the evidential basis is for his statement on 10th November that there is a compensation culture in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

(198411)

56
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) the Law Society, (b) the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, (c) the Bar, (d) the Association of British Insurers and (e) others over the pursuit of unmeritorious personal injury claims; and if he will make a statement.

(198412)

57
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the evidential basis was for his statement on 10th November that (a) personal injury solicitors and (b) claims-handling businesses are improperly pursuing personal injury cases lacking in merit; and if he will make a statement.

(198413)

58
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what consideration he has given to regulating advertising for personal injury cases by (a) claims-handling businesses and (b) solicitors; and if he will make a statement.

(198414)

59
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what consideration he has given to regulating claims-handling businesses, in relation to personal injury claims; and if he will make a statement.

(198415)

60
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what steps he proposes to take to inform the public on the correct legal principles behind personal injury claims; and if he will make a statement.

(198416)

61
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what discussions are taking place to safeguard the future of the magistrates' court in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

(198609)

62
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what the consequences are of breaching Section 125 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000; and what measures are in place to prevent such a breach.

(198163)

63
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, who is responsible for the enforcement of section 125 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.

(198164)

64
Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will seek to amend section 8 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 to allow parallel juries to facilitate research into the reasons behind jury verdicts.

(198378)

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

65
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many pensioners in Newcastle-under-Lyme receive a free television licence.

(198686)

66
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what projects have benefited from (a) the New Opportunities Fund, (b) the Community Fund and (c) other National Lottery funding sources in Newcastle-under-Lyme in each year since 1997; and how much each project received.

(198688)

67
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to improve the reception of digital television signals in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

(198689)

68
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what (a) direction and (b) advice she has given to (i) libraries and (ii) the British Library, about the treatment of Sri Guru Granth Sahab ji.

(198850)

69
Mr Parmjit Singh Gill (Leicester South):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much Heritage Lottery funding has been awarded on average to each unitary authority in England in each year since 1997.

(198665)

70
Mr John Grogan (Selby):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much money has been granted by the Football Foundation in total under the Football Stadia Improvement Fund; how much each grant was worth; and what the name of the recipient was in each case.

(198785)

71
Kate Hoey (Vauxhall):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether a regulatory impact assessment was carried out on the voluntary sports clubs sector in respect of the increased charges from the Licensing Act 2003.

(198310)

72
Kate Hoey (Vauxhall):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 28th October, Official Report, column 1307W, on sports councils, what the annual Exchequer grants to the national governing bodies of sport were in each year from 1974 to 1996.

(198332)

73
Kate Hoey (Vauxhall):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the annual Sports Lottery has distributed in grants since 1994.

(198334)

74
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to redefine the criteria for classification of violent video games.

(198624)

75
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans English Heritage have to retain the post of chief archaeologist; and if she will make a statement.

(198846)

76
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many professional archaeologists are employed (a) directly in her Department and (b) in agencies for which her Department is responsible.

(198847)

77
Mr David Marshall (Glasgow Shettleston):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make a statement on the contribution of the National Lottery to reducing poverty in deprived areas of the UK.

(198671)

78
Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many households are in receipt of a free television licence in the Wansbeck constituency.

(198694)

79
John Robertson (Glasgow Anniesland):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions her Department has had with Ofcom on the needs of the blind and the visually impaired.

(198251)

80
John Robertson (Glasgow Anniesland):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make it her policy to ensure that Ofcom consults widely with the visually impaired.

(198252)

81
Mr Chris Smith (Islington South & Finsbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 8th November, Official Report, column 513W, on the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), if she will issue general guidelines to the HLF to permit the trustees to support projects relating to the heritage of the UK but located overseas.

(198337)

82
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether (a) her Department and (b) agencies responsible to her Department have conducted a recent analysis of the socio-economic groups which are more likely to pay for their television licence by direct debit.

(198749)

83
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the number of people in (a) Hemsworth constituency and (b) the UK who pay for their television licence in a single instalment.

(198750)

84
Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will investigate the BBC's acquisition of national radio rights to Premier League and FA Cup football matches to be broadcast on Five Live Sports Extra; whether this is in breach of the conditions laid down by the Secretary of State for the operation of the station; and whether the BBC requested that these rights be excluded from the packages of the rights that they acquired.

(198390)

85
Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon & East Chelmsford):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she has received about the changes in responsibility for audiovisual services within the European Commission; and if she will make a statement.

(198394)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence

86
Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what contingency plans were drawn up by his Department (a) unilaterally and (b) in conjunction with other countries for the evacuation of British nationals and others from Equatorial Guinea immediately prior to the attempted coup earlier this year.

(198218)

87
Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which United Kingdom forces were within (a) 500 miles and (b) 1,000 miles of Equatorial Guinea (i) before and (ii) during the attempted coup earlier this year.

(198220)

88
Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when officials in his Department were first informed of the attempted coup plot in Equatorial Guinea.

(198221)

89
N Sir Menzies Campbell (North East Fife):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the estimated monthly cost to the UK of military operations in Iraq was in the last month for which figures are available; and what the estimated cost to the UK of military operations in Iraq over (a) the next three months and (b) the next six months is.

(197264)

90
N Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many servicemen have been killed in parachute accidents in each of the last two years; and when the last such incident was.

(198090)

91
Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress the Government is making towards meeting its obligation under the Ottawa Treaty to clear landmines from the Falkland Islands by 2009.

(198803)

92
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on UK troops liability to the Ottawa Treaty on landmines when acting (a) alone and (b) in association with US forces, with specific reference to Iraq.

(198703)

93
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) contracted price and (b) in-service date was originally agreed with BAe Systems for the building of the Mount Bay and Cardigan Bay vessels at Govan; what the latest forecasts are; what the reasons for the changes are; and if he will make a statement.

(198804)

94
N Norman Lamb (North Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the results of his Department's investigation into the cause of the sonic boom heard in North Norfolk on 8th November.

(197947)

95
Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many non-UK Commonwealth citizens practice as dentists in the (a) army, (b) RAF and (c) Royal Navy.

(198376)

96
Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what penalties apply to companies awarded contracts to supply combat wear to his Department where the specifications are not met.

(198380)

97
Mr Alan Reid (Argyll & Bute):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list his Department's sites that were investigated as part of Project Isolus but were rejected as unsuitable; and what the reasons for their rejection were in each case.

(198498)

98
Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussion there has been with the Chilean Government about the sale of HMS Norfolk, Marlborough and Grafton.

(198559)

99
N Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which Warrior-equipped battalions will be deploying on operations in the next three months; and to where.

(197885)

100
N Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what postings the 1st Battalion the King's Regiment will receive in the next 12 months.

(197886)

101
N Mr Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, to what duties 1 Black Watch will be returning in the UK.

(197887)

102
N Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford & Southend East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British soldiers have been (a) killed and (b) injured in Iraq since the beginning of the conflict; and how many of these injuries were caused (i) by friendly fire, (ii) in accidents and (iii) in combat.

(198095)

Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister

103
N Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he expects local authorities to begin to accept applications relating to high hedges.

(196963)

104
Mrs Patsy Calton (Cheadle):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretaries of State for (a) Health and (b) Environment, Food and Rural Affairs about the development of contaminated land.

(198607)

105
Mr William Cash (Stone):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many homes have been transferred in large scale voluntary transfers by local authorities since 1st May 1997.

(198465)

106
Mr William Cash (Stone):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many homes are in the ownership of local authorities.

(198466)

107
Mr William Cash (Stone):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on large scale voluntary transfer of housing in Staffordshire.

(198467)

108
Mr William Cash (Stone):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many local authorities are planning to ballot their tenants on possible large scale voluntary housing transfer.

(198468)

109
Mr William Cash (Stone):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many local authorities have completed a large scale voluntary transfer since 1st May 1997.

(198469)

110
N Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what measures are in place to assist key workers to obtain affordable housing in Gloucester; and what discussions he has had with (a) local authorities and (b) housing associations in Gloucestershire on this.

(198257)

111
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what remedies are available to residents when building developments interfere with the quality of television reception.

(198690)

112
Mr Parmjit Singh Gill (Leicester South):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many people are on the housing list waiting to be rehoused in Leicester.

(198639)

113
Mr John Grogan (Selby):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether he plans to amend section 87 of the Public Health Act 1936 in order to make it mandatory for local authorities to provide public conveniences.

(198787)

114
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to publish a revised version of Planning Policy Guidance 3; and if he will make a statement.

(198809)

115
N Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how each local education authority performed in (a) 2002-03 and (b) 2003-04 against best value performance indicators 159 (a) to (d), as defined in 2002-03.

(196993)

116
N Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what guidance has been issued to local authorities about assumptions for the rate of growth of house building above the level set out in Regional Planning Guidance 9.

(198049)

117
N Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what discussions his Department has had with local authorities in South East England about the infrastructure funds that will be available if house building targets exceed those set out in Regional Planning Guidance 9.

(198050)

118
N Mr John Horam (Orpington):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many Green Ministers his Office and its predecessors have had since 1997.

(197672)

119
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the grants made to each of the regional chambers in the financial year 2003-04 by non-governmental organisations funded from public funds.

(198155)

120
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the functions are of the Regional Co-ordination Unit; what guidelines have been issued governing its acitivities; and to whom it reports.

(198156)

121
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the functions are of the English Regions Network; what guidance has been issued governing its activities; and to whom it reports.

(198157)

122
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what reports have been made by regional chambers to his Department (a) directly and (b) through the Government Offices for the Regions accounting for the expenditure of central government funding.

(198158)

123
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will place in the Library a copy of the most recent guidance issued to regional chambers on the expenditure of central Government funds.

(198159)

124
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the (a) powers, (b) functions and (c) responsibilities are of each of the regional chambers; and which organisations held those powers, functions and responsibilities prior to the creation of regional chambers.

(198160)

125
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what representations the Government has received concerning the conduct of the referendum in the North East.

(198165)

126
N Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the consequences will be for the staffing of his Department of the rejection of proposals for an elected regional assembly in the North East.

(198215)

127
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 26th October, Official Report, columns 1112-13W, on regional assemblies, what estimate he has made of the total cost of (a) the free mailing and (b) the free television broadcasts.

(198270)

128
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the press release of 5th November on regional government, what plans he has to strengthen (a) the regional chamber and (b) the Government Office in the North East.

(198271)

129
Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, when he will announce his conclusions on his Consultation Paper of July 2003 on a Proposed Change to Planning Policy Guidance Note 3, Housing.

(198493)

130
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much has been spent on promoting the Decent Homes Standard.

(198340)

131
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the independent companies appointed to conduct consultations into achieving the Government's Decent Homes Standard; and how much they are being paid.

(198341)

132
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what steps he is taking to achieve compliance with the Decent Homes Standard.

(198342)

133
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many professional archaeologists are employed in his Department.

(198848)

134
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on his planning policy for mobile phone masts.

(198644)

135
Mr Tony McWalter (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to expand the keyworker scheme; and if he will include in the scheme essential personnel such as mental health support workers.

(198851)

136
Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will ensure that a community hospital is provided in Leighton Buzzard and Linslade as part of the infrastructure supplied under the Sustainable Communities Plan.

(198201)

137
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if his Department will introduce new building regulations obliging each new development to include solar electricity.

(198229)

138
Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many traveller caravans were on (a) authorised and (b) unauthorised sites in each local authority in England in each year since 1997.

(198180)

139
Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, which regions have established regional housing boards.

(198482)

140
Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how regional housing boards are funded; and what their estimated budgets are in the forthcoming financial year.

(198483)

141
Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the relationship between regional housing boards and regional chambers.

(198484)

142
Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the procedure for regional planning in the event of a regional chamber being dissolved.

(198485)

143
Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what role regional chambers (a) have and (b) will have in relation to fire and rescue services.

(198486)

144
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on the number of children living in overcrowded housing in the UK.

(198755)

145
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the effects of the provision of utilities by means of prepaid meters on communities at risk of social exclusion; and if he will make a statement.

(198757)

146
Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the cost will be of the South East England Regional Assembly sending a questionnaire to households to gauge their views on house building.

(198338)

147
N Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what the proposed timetable is for the building of the Rushenden Link Road on the Isle of Sheppey.

(197728)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills

148
N Mr David Chaytor (Bury North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what his policy is on the use of pre-11-plus tests by the parents' associations of wholly selective state secondary schools; how many such parents' associations have held such tests following the introduction of co-ordinated admissions procedures for secondary schools; and if he will make a statement.

(195109)

149
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students have been admitted to university to read medicine on courses which lead to registration as doctors with (a) less than three Bs at A level and (b) less than three Cs at A level as a result of widening participation schemes in each of the last five years.

(198255)

150
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many schools are taking part in widening participation schemes for entry to university to read medicine.

(198256)

151
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of the cost of programmes for widening participation in the study of medicine at university.

(198400)

152
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which universities (a) offer and (b) plan to offer extended medical degree programmes or their equivalent for students seeking to study medicine with a view to registration as a doctor under the Government's widening participation schemes.

(198401)

153
Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students have been admitted to universities this year to read medicine under widening participation schemes; and what estimate he has made of the number of students who will be admitted in each of the next five years.

(198402)

154
Mr John Cummings (Easington):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many entrants to higher education there were from educational establishments in the Easington constituency in each of the last seven years.

(198130)

155
Mr John Cummings (Easington):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the level of public funding per pupil in the Easington constituency was in the last seven years.

(198131)

156
Mr John Cummings (Easington):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average class size of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in the Easington constituency was in each of the last five years.

(198132)

157
N Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what representations he has received on funding reduction in Entry to Employment courses and training opportunities.

(197938)

158
N Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list by Learning and Skills Council area the budgets allocated to fund Entry to Employment in (a) 2003-04 and (b) 2004-05.

(197939)

159
N Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, which Learning and Skills Councils are commissioning European Social Fund bids to replace Entry to Employment shortfalls in England.

(197940)

160
N Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what arrangements are being put in place to assist the Young Mums To Be programme following reductions in Entry to Employment funding; in what form this assistance is being given; and for how long it will be given in this form.

(197941)

161
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to assess alternatives to eligibility to free school meals as the trigger point to other benefits, with particular reference to free transport.

(198548)

162
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to improve take-up of free school meals, with specific reference to rural areas; and what measures he plans to take to reduce the stigma attached to take-up of free school meals.

(198549)

163
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the cost per pupil of education in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools was in the latest year for which figures are available.

(198839)

164
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the surplus or deficit was of each school in Newcastle-under-Lyme at the end of the financial year 2003-04.

(198667)

165
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what changes there have been in (a) GCSE and (b) A level results achieved by students in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198668)

166
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on changes to the level of funding for (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in (i) Staffordshire and (ii) Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198669)

167
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much has been spent on improving (a) science and (b) sports facilities in schools in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198673)

168
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much has been invested in improving school buildings in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Newcastle-under-Lyme in each year since 1997.

(198674)

169
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what measures have been taken to improve basic literacy and numeracy for (a) children and (b) adults in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198675)

170
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps have been taken to reduce class sizes in (a) infant and (b) junior schools in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198676)

171
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how the total funding for schools has changed in (a) Staffordshire and (b) Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198678)

172
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how the average pay of teachers has changed in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198679)

173
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how the number of (a) teachers and (b) teaching assistants has changed in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198680)

174
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many extra (a) nursery teachers, (b) nursery nurses and (c) nursery assistants have been employed in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198681)

175
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many families have benefited from Sure Start in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

(198682)

176
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many free nursery or pre-reception class places have been created for (a) five, (b) four and (c) three year olds in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198683)

177
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much has been invested in Sure Start in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

(198684)

178
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many free part-time nursery places have been created in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997; and at which locations.

(198685)

179
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the disparity in pay between teachers in schools and further education colleges.

(198718)

180
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps the Government is taking to increase the pay of teachers in further education.

(198719)

181
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what changes there have been to the level of funding for further education in (a) North Staffordshire and (b) Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198720)

182
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much expenditure is planned for investment in the new further education college in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

(198721)

183
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what changes there have been to the number of (a) 16 to 18 year olds and (b) adults taking vocational qualifications in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198722)

184
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of the number of students who have received the education maintenance allowance in Stoke-on-Trent.

(198723)

185
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of the effect of the education maintenance allowance upon post-16 staying-on rates in Stoke-on-Trent.

(198724)

186
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of the number of students who have benefited from the introduction of the Newcastle Achievement Scheme in further education in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

(198725)

187
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate he has made of changes to staying-on rates following the introduction of the Newcastle Achievement Scheme in further education in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

(198726)

188
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps have been taken to improve training and skills in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997; and if he will list the relevant initiatives.

(198727)

189
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what changes have taken place to the funding of Staffordshire Learning and Skills Council since its establishment.

(198728)

190
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what changes have taken place to (a) the funding of and (b) the numbers of students attending (i) Keele University and (ii) Staffordshire University since 1997.

(198729)

191
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what changes have taken place to (a) the total numbers and (b) the percentage rate of students from Newcastle-under-Lyme entering higher education since 1997.

(198730)

192
Mr Parmjit Singh Gill (Leicester South):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children in (a) Leicester South and (b) each unitary authority in England claim free school meals; and what estimate he has made of those eligible to claim free school meals in each case.

(198657)

193
Mr Parmjit Singh Gill (Leicester South):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many pupils have been expelled from (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Leicester in each year since 1997.

(198658)

194
Mr Parmjit Singh Gill (Leicester South):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many teaching staff have taken early retirement in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each unitary authority in each year since 1997; and what the average figures for a local education authority in England were in each year.

(198660)

195
Mr Parmjit Singh Gill (Leicester South):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the level of funding per pupil in further education was in (a) Leicester South, (b) the Unitary Authority of Leicester City and (c) England in each year since 1997.

(198666)

196
Mr John Grogan (Selby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many students in the Selby constituency are receiving the education maintenance allowance.

(198783)

197
Mr John Grogan (Selby):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what funding per head for secondary school pupils in the Selby constituency (a) was in 1997 and (b) is in 2004.

(198790)

198
N Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the take-up rate of free school meals.

(196994)

199
N Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of excluded children, broken down by key stage, have (a) received education in pupil referral units and (b) had one-to-one home tuition in each of the last five years.

(196995)

200
N Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, for what reasons data on pupil attendance is not published for pupil referral units.

(196996)

201
N Mr Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when he plans to issue the guidance on the establishment of new school sixth forms proposed in the Five Year Plan; what account this guidance will take of the effect of the establishment of new school sixth forms on (a) further eduation colleges and (b) sixth form colleges in the area; and if he will make a statement.

(197316)

202
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many staff skilled in mediation are employed by CAFCASS.

(198345)

203
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on future funding of Sure Start.

(198346)

204
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what arrangements are proposed for ringfencing funding of Sure Start programmes through local authorities.

(198347)

205
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of (a) GCSE and (b) sixth form students have continued to higher education in (i) West Derbyshire, (ii) the East Midlands of England and (iii) England in each year since 1990.

(198362)

206
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many young people in (a) West Derbyshire and (b) the East Midlands have entered (i) an advanced modern apprenticeship and (ii) a foundation modern apprenticeship since the schemes' inception.

(198363)

207
Mr Tony McWalter (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what progress has been made by the Modern Apprenticeships Task Force in encouraging businesses to participate in the Modern Apprenticeship scheme.

(198852)

208
Mr Tony McWalter (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what proportion of places on the Modern Apprenticeship scheme are in electrical engineering.

(198853)

209
Mr Tony McWalter (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many young people aged 16 to 25 years have successfully completed a modern apprenticeship in Hertfordshire within the last five years; and what the figures are in Lancashire.

(198854)

210
Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children in the Wansbeck constituency registered with Sure Start in each of the last three years.

(198692)

211
N Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, who has responsibility for providing the (a) funding and (b) management of diplomas and higher education courses for prisoners.

(198041)

212
Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what recent assessment he has made of the participation of Muslim women in the labour market.

(198379)

213
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to introduce nationally-recognised qualifications for the UK motor vehicle industry.

(198810)

214
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the average amount of training delivered per technician given by the motor manufacturing industry was in England in 2003-04; and which motor vehicle manufacturers provided levels of training (a) above and (b) below the average.

(198811)

215
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what plans he has to publicise best practice in the motor vehicle maintenance trade in the UK.

(198812)

216
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will introduce ongoing effective technician competence assessment in the UK motor industry.

(198813)

217
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what financial assistance is available to the UK motor vehicle maintenance industry to improve standards of training and competence.

(198814)

218
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what assessment he has made of the robustness of methods for assessing technical competence in the UK motor vehicle maintenance industry.

(198815)

219
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what recent discussions he has held with the Chancellor on improving financial literacy in areas of economic deprivation; and if he will make a statement.

(198748)

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

220
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations she has received regarding the measurement of waste disposal by landfill by volume rather than weight.

(198795)

221
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department will be taking to assist local authorities deliver efficiency gains in waste services.

(198796)

222
Mr David Cameron (Witney):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking in accordance with the Water Act 1999 to ensure that metered customers of water companies have the choice of remaining on a metered bill or changing to a rateable value bill; and if she will make a statement.

(198268)

223
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on progress in consultation on the draft Animal Welfare Bill.

(198407)

224
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Government's emissions target level is, in terms of the National Allocation Plan for EU emissions trading; and what plans she has to change the target.

(198479)

225
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has put in place to permit waste disposal authorities which will be introducing new private finance initiative waste management contracts to suspend any fines prior to the full introduction of the contract under the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme.

(198480)

226
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effects on levels of (a) carbon dioxide and (b) other greenhouse gases achieved through use of an organic system of agriculture and of a biogas plant to recycle animal manures.

(198746)

227
Mr Michael Foster (Worcester):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to the Worcester constituency, the effect of changes to departmental policies since 1997, on the Worcester constituency.

(198382)

228
Mr Parmjit Singh Gill (Leicester South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of (a) domestic refuse, (b) commercial refuse and (c) industrial refuse was recycled in (i) Leicester and (ii) England in the last year for which figures are available.

(198662)

229
N Mr John Horam (Orpington):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many Green Ministers her Department and its predecessors has had since 1997.

(197676)

230
Mr David Kidney (Stafford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will ensure that conditions are attached to future stewardship schemes to secure land management practices that reduce the risk of flooding.

(198182)

231
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many professional archaeologists are employed in her Department.

(198849)

232
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on how the European Emissions Trading Scheme will apply to (a) aviation and (b) shipping.

[R] (198470)

233
N Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on how the European Emissions Trading Scheme will apply to non-EU companies operating in the UK.

(198471)

234
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what definitions her Department uses of (a) incinerators, (b) thermal treatment plant, (c) combined heat and power and (d) energy from waste.

(198737)

235
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dairy farms there were in 1997 in West Derbyshire; how many of them have closed since; and how many there were on the latest date for which figures are available.

(198372)

236
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has entered into with supermarkets and co-operatives regarding the farm-gate price of liquid milk; and what the responses of those companies have been.

(198373)

237
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many cattle were slaughtered because of bovine tuberculosis in each year since 1997 in (a) West Derbyshire and (b) Derbyshire.

(198417)

238
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many confirmed cases of bovine tuberculosis in cattle there have been in the last five years; and what the geographical spread of the disease has been.

(198418)

239
N Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what further plans she has to advise farmers and land managers on how to adjust to the Mid-Term Review of the Common Agricultural Policy.

(197502)

240
N Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has for the future of the Farm Business Advisory Service.

(197503)

241
N Mr James Paice (South East Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on what date a government minister was first informed of the existence of the video of Burnside Farm taken by Northumberland Trading Standards on 24th February 2001.

(198004)

242
N Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on police duties in respect of fly tipping.

(197743)

243
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the suitability of private finance initiatives as a funding option for waste management facilities and services in the UK.

(198230)

244
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to establish a taskforce to help local authorities which may use private finance initiatives to develop waste management infrastructure and facilities.

(198231)

245
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research her Department is conducting into (a) differential and (b) variable rate charging schemes for waste management.

(198281)

246
Alan Simpson (Nottingham South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with HM Treasury on (a) the case for a windfall tax on excessive profits made by oil and gas producers and (b) the use of revenues from such a tax to fund a domestic energy efficiency programme; and if she will make a statement.

(198503)

247
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what legislation is in force to protect raptor bird populations; and whether she has plans to amend the legislation.

(198377)

248
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what effect the existing legislation to protect raptor birds has had on their population in the UK.

(198388)

249
Mr Richard Spring (West Suffolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the size of the peregrine falcon population in the UK (a) at present, (b) 10 years ago, (c) 20 years ago and (d) 30 years.

(198389)

250
N Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what account she plans to take of the inspector's recommendation for specific safeguards for verderers when she publishes her circular on the New Forest National Park; and whether this circular will be published before the park authority begins work.

(197815)

251
N Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she will make a decision about how the benefit of common rights will be allocated when calculating single farm payments to commoners; what further consultation she plans with (a) verderers and (b) commoners; and if she will make a statement.

(197816)

252
N Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she will publish a circular specific to the New Forest National Park in accordance with the recommendations of the inspector's report; whether the guidance in the circular will inform the process by which appointments are made to the park authority; and if she will make a statement.

(197817)

253
N Mr Simon Thomas (Ceredigion):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has held with community councils in Wales on the proposals to extend the scope of on-the-spot fines.

(197751)

254
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people in (a) Hemsworth constituency and (b) England use water meters.

(198747)

255
N Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the Department's publications, copies of which have been mailed unsolicited in the most recent 12 months for which information is available; and how many copies of each publication were printed.

(197723)

256
N Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many copies of Rural Standards Review 2004 were printed; what the cost was of the (a) printing and (b) preparation, including design and writing of the Review; how many copies were distributed (i) unsolicited and (ii) otherwise; at what cost in each case; and how many earlier editions of the Review have been produced.

(197724)

257
Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what policy directions on procurement of legal and sustainably sourced timber she has issued applying to (a) Lottery funded bodies and (b) private finance initiative contracts; and if she will make a statement.

(198222)

258
N Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what contracts the Department has let for managing genetic resources of cultivated plants.

(197725)

259
N Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the new management contract for Brogdale will be put out to an open tender.

(197726)

260
N Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the new contract for the management of the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale will be put out to tender.

(197727)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

261
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on reforming the UN with particular reference to processes for dealing with international terrorism.

(198739)

262
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the political situation in Georgia.

(198740)

263
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the new Iraqi constitution.

(198753)

264
Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what contingency plans were drawn up by his Department (a) unilaterally, (b) with other Government departments and (c) with other foreign countries, for the evacuation of British nationals and others from Equatorial Guinea immediately prior to the attempted coup earlier this year.

(198219)

265
Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 9th November, Official Report, column 631W, when his Department informed the authorities in Equatorial Guinea of the alleged coup plot.

(198227)

266
Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his Answer of 9th November, Official Report, column 631W, what information on the attempted coup plot was made available to his Department; and if he will make a statement.

(198228)

267
Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what criteria were applied for a state-owned enterprise's inclusion in Annex II of the Council Common Position on Burma 2004/730/CFSP and Annex IV of Council Regulation (EC) 798/2004, as inserted by Article 1(3) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1853/2004.

(198383)

268
Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reason Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise was excluded from Annex II of the Council Common Position on Burma 2004/730/CFSP and Annex IV of Council Regulation (EC) 798/2004, as inserted by Article 1(3) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1853/2004.

(198384)

269
Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether Article 8a of Council Regulation (EC) 798/2004, as inserted by Article 1 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1853/2004, will prevent persons resident in, or companies registered in, the EU from entering into joint venture partnerships with Burmese state-owned enterprises listed in Annex IV.

(198385)

270
Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether Article 8a of Council Regulation (EC) 798/2004 will apply to Burmese-registered subsidiary companies, wholly-owned or otherwise, of companies registered in the EU.

(198386)

271
Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what is meant by the phrase `the acquisition of a participation' in a Burmese state-owned enterprise within Article 8a(1)(b), of Council Regulation (EC) 798/2004.

(198387)

272
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the procedure is for resolution of disputes regarding EU association agreements; and what the role of the European Court of Justice is.

(198631)

273
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether it is his Department's policy that all applicant countries for EU membership should recognise all existing member states.

(198632)

274
Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the charge in pounds sterling is for a visitor's visa to the UK in (a) India, (b) Pakistan, (c) Sri Lanka and (d) Bangladesh; and if he will make a statement.

(198188)

275
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government's policy is towards the (a) scale of, (b) responsibility for and (c) recognition of the Armenian genocide.

(198403)

276
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether recognition of the Armenian genocide is one of the political criteria that Turkey will be required to meet before EU accession.

(198404)

277
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Indonesia on the future of West Papua, with particular reference to the role of the security forces within the area.

(198613)

278
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish the evidence received from the International Atomic Energy Authority that Iran has (a) breached nuclear safeguards obligations and (b) failed to meet suspension commitments; where these breaches and failures occurred; and what plans the International Atomic Energy Authority has to pursue the issue.

(198704)

279
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reasons student visas issued to overseas nationals coming to the UK do not cover the full length of their courses.

(198843)

280
N Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the agreement signed between residents at Camp Ashraf and the multi-national forces in Iraq rejecting participation in, or support for, terrorism; and whether signatories to it are still proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000.

(197504)

281
Mr John Grogan (Selby):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Iranian Government regarding the arrest of Ms Mahboobeh Abbasgholizadeh on 1st November.

(198779)

282
Mr John Grogan (Selby):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what financial arrangement exists with the United States with regard to its presence on (a) Diego Garcia and (b) other parts of the British Indian Ocean Territory; and when each arrangement is due to expire.

(198784)

283
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations on the need to ensure the Maldives Government general election campaign is conducted to internationally accepted standards; and if he will make a statement.

(198554)

284
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart about the imprisonment of Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche.

(198289)

285
N Mr John Horam (Orpington):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many Green Ministers his Department has had since 1997.

(197674)

286
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8th November, Official Report, column 520W, on Iraq, on the basis of what criteria the Government decided whether to share the intelligence on the claim that Iraq sought to procure uranium from Africa with the (a) Iraq Survey Group and (b) Butler Committee.

(198833)

287
Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of recent progress in delivering peace and political stability in Côte d'Ivoire.

(198777)

288
N Mr David Lidington (Aylesbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reasons his Department has not replied to the letter of 7th July to UK Visas from the honourable Member for Aylesbury about the case of Mr S.M., husband of Mrs S.K. of Aylesbury (reference numbers M1232921/3 and PO 4649/04); and when he expects to send a substantive reply.

(198083)

289
Mr George Osborne (Tatton):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has raised the case of Mr Fathi Eljahmi and his treatment by the Libyan Government with the Libyan Government.

(198154)

290
Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions have taken place between the Government and (a) France and (b) the UN, regarding hostilities within Ivory Coast between northern rebels and government forces.

(198254)

291
Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions have taken place between the Government and Botswana regarding the political situation in Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.

(198261)

292
Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance the Government has provided to the African Union troops in the Darfur region of Sudan, in terms of (a) funding, (b) equipment, (c) training and (d) transportation logistics.

(198263)

293
Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement regarding the progress of the Inter-governmental Authority on Development talks in Sudan.

(198264)

294
Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking in conjunction with the international community to foster political stability in Somalia.

(198265)

295
Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans Her the Government has to recognise the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as The Republic of Macedonia in international fora.

(198269)

296
Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions have taken place between the Government and West African countries regarding Islamic fundamentalism; and what assessment has been made of the number of Al Qaeda cells operating in the region.

(198273)

297
Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government has taken to assist Jamaica in fighting gun and drug culture, with particular reference to (a) funding and (b) counter narcotics and weapons expertise; and if he will make a statement.

(198274)

298
Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment has been made of the political situation in Western Sahara since June.

(198275)

299
N Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Prime Minister of Thailand concerning the release on bail of Somchai Visetsingha, who has admitted shooting Vanessa Arscott of Ashburton, Devon; and if he will make a statement.

(198171)

300
N Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many British citizens have been kidnapped in foreign countries in the past five years.

(198078)

301
N Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Colombia; and if he will make a statement.

(198079)

302
N Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many units of the Colombian military receive British training; and whether this training includes (a) education in respecting human rights and (b) training in humanitarian policing.

(198080)

303
N Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much military aid has been given to Colombia since 1994.

(198081)

304
N Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the current threat of nuclear accident worldwide; and if he will make a statement.

(198082)

305
Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is in respect of choice of legal base for EU measures; whether preference is given to bases requiring unanimity rather than qualified majority voting; and at what point in the decision-making process it is the policy of the UK to refer disputes over legal base and voting method to the European Court of Justice.

(198128)

306
N Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK Ambassador to Greece has been commissioned to write a report on the strengths and weaknesses of the Athens 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

(196959)

307
N Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans there are to publicise the London 2012 Olympic bid in (a) UK embassies, high commissions and consulate offices and (b) the offices of the British Council after 15th November.

(196960)

308
N Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what briefing papers have been made available to UK Ambassadors and High Commissioners about the London 2012 Olympic bid; and if he will place all such papers in the Library.

(196961)

309
N Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne & Sheppey):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether a specific member of the Diplomatic Service has been earmarked in each of the bidding cities for the 2012 Olympics to follow the progress of their bids.

(196962)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Health

310
Ms Candy Atherton (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has (a) to promote and (b) to develop hospital radio.

(198495)

311
N Mr John Baron (Billericay):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to encourage the use of direct payments among clients of social services departments.

(196978)

312
N Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what milestones have been set for delivering the planning framework target of maximum 18 week waits by 2008; and what changes have been made to data collection to support (a) the measurement of the target and (b) the monitoring of the milestones.

(197818)

313
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many ward housekeepers are in post, broken down by strategic health authority.

(198232)

314
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the income to be received by his Department from pre-payment certificates for prescription charges in real terms in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07, (c) 2007-08, (d) 2008-09 and (e) 2009-10.

(198233)

315
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the eligibility criteria are for obtaining a pre-payment certificate for prescription charges.

(198234)

316
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have been (a) killed and (b) injured in adverse incidents involving scanners in the NHS in (i) England and (ii) each strategic health authority in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(198239)

317
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many bed days related to diagnostic testing there were in the last year for which figures are available.

(198241)

318
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of (a) MRI scans and (b) CT scans were conducted as outpatient procedures in the latest period for which figures are available.

(198242)

319
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what tracking of hospital bed use is conducted by the Department to monitor appropriate use according to criteria on whether a hospital stay is required.

(198243)

320
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS dentists have gone private in (a) England, (b) each strategic health authority and (c) each primary care trust in each year since 1997; and if he will estimate their average length of service in the NHS before going private.

(198244)

321
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding his Department makes available to encourage dentists to join the NHS; and whether there are conditions attached to the funding to encourage dentists to remain within the NHS.

(198245)

322
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many reported violent incidents against NHS staff there were in (a) England, (b) each strategic health authority and (c) each primary care trust in each year since 1997.

(198246)

323
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether all staff not covered by Agenda for Change will receive training on infection control (a) during initial training or induction and (b) periodically during their career.

(198248)

324
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) men and (b) women are were charged for (i) sight tests and (ii) dental check-ups in the last year for which figures are available.

(198249)

325
Mr Paul Burstow (Sutton & Cheam):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many adverse incidents involving (a) MRI and (b) CT scanners there have been in (i) England and (ii) each strategic health authority in each year since 1997; and if he will estimate the costs of these incidents.

(198250)

326
Mr Liam Byrne (Birmingham, Hodge Hill):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will direct Birmingham and Solihull Solutions to accelerate its acquisition of the Leyland Club on Alum Rock Road for the development of a new health centre.

(198179)

327
Mrs Patsy Calton (Cheadle):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs about the development of contaminated land.

(198606)

328
Mr John Cummings (Easington):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many school nurses are employed in the Easington Primary Care Trust; and if he will make a statement.

(198133)

329
Mr John Cummings (Easington):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people are registered with the Easington Primary Care Trust to attend (a) pain clinics and (b) appointments with consultants for pain relief on a regular basis.

(198134)

330
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps have been taken to attract more doctors and nurses into the NHS since 1997.

(198562)

331
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how average pay for (a) nurses and (b) ancillary hospital workers has changed in North Staffordshire since 1997.

(198563)

332
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been invested in the new medical school at Keele University and the University Hospital of North Staffordshire.

(198564)

333
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government is taking to improve access to NHS dentistry in Newcastle-under Lyme.

(198565)

334
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the number of nurses employed in North Staffordshire has changed since 1997.

(198566)

335
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the number of (a) general practitioners and (b) dentists in Newcastle-under-Lyme has changed since 1997.

(198567)

336
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many senior citizens in North Staffordshire have received (a) free eye tests and (b) help towards glasses and contact lenses since 1997.

(198568)

337
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what additional investments have been made in accident and emergency services in North Staffordshire since 1997.

(198569)

338
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what changes there have been to NHS waiting list times for (a) inpatients, (b) outpatients and (c) accident and emergency cases in North Staffordshire since 1997.

(198570)

339
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his estimate is of the total cost of the planned (a) local hospital in Stoke North and (b) single site hospital in North Staffordshire.

(198571)

340
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the budget of Newcastle-under-Lyme Primary Care Trust has been in each year since its establishment.

(198572)

341
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the budget of (a) the University Hospital of North Staffordshire (formerly the North Staffordshire Hospital), (b) North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare and (c) the Staffordshire Ambulance service has been in each year since 1997.

(198573)

342
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been spent on the NHS in North Staffordshire in each year since 1997.

(198574)

343
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been allocated through the LIFT programme to improve primary care in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) North Staffordshire.

(198575)

344
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much has been invested in improving general practitioners' surgeries in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198594)

345
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to improve (a) intermediate care, (b) rehabilitation, (c) stroke services and (d) community care for the elderly in North Staffordshire.

(198595)

346
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have been allowed free long-term NHS care in North Staffordshire in each year since 1997.

(198596)

347
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps have been taken to improve efficiency in NHS procurement in North Staffordshire.

(198597)

348
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps have been taken to improve joint working between the NHS and Social Services in North Staffordshire in respect of care for the elderly.

(198598)

349
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to improve funding for the Edward Myers Centre to help drug rehabilitation services in North Staffordshire.

(198702)

350
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent estimate he has made of the cost of providing free personal care for the elderly.

(198743)

351
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimates he has received on (a) the total cost of providing free personal care for the elderly in Scotland and (b) the number of elderly people receiving free personal care in Scotland.

(198744)

352
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people aged over 65 years in England and Wales are receiving a pension; and what estimate he has made of the cost of providing them with free personal care.

(198745)

353
Mr Parmjit Singh Gill (Leicester South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dentists' surgeries there are in Leicester South constituency.

(198638)

354
Mr Parmjit Singh Gill (Leicester South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioners there were per head of population in (a) Leicester South, (b) Leicester West Primary Care Trust area, (c) Leicester East Primary Care Trust area and (d) England on the latest date for which figures are available.

(198661)

355
Mr Parmjit Singh Gill (Leicester South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many general practitioner surgeries there are in the Leicester South constituency.

(198664)

356
Mr John Grogan (Selby):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many pensioners in the Selby constituency have had free eye tests since they were introduced.

(198788)

357
Mr Dai Havard (Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether it is his policy to maximise the use of new medical technologies in hospitals in tackling MRSA.

(198494)

358
Mr Dai Havard (Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether hospitals are encouraged to discharge patients for treatment in the community as soon as clinically possible as part of the programme to reduce the number of cases of MRSA in hospitals; and what guidance he has given to primary care teams on funding the treatment of patients once they leave hospital.

(198496)

359
Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding has been provided in (a) Chorley, (b) the North West and (c) England for mental health services in financial year 2004-05.

(198216)

360
Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people suffering from psychiatric illness are employed in the NHS.

(198217)

361
Mr Kevin Hughes (Doncaster North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department has spent on research into (a) Alzheimer's disease, (b) Parkinson's disease, (c) Huntingdon's disease, (d) multiple sclerosis and (e) motor neurone disease in the last three years.

(198224)

362
Mr Kevin Hughes (Doncaster North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent research his Department has commissioned on degenerative neurological disorders.

(198225)

363
Mr Kevin Hughes (Doncaster North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of people who are suffering from (a) Alzheimer's disease, (b) Parkinson's disease, (c) Huntingdon's disease, (d) multiple sclerosis and (e) motor neurone disease.

(198226)

364
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the health effects of circumcision of male infants.

(198754)

365
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the consistency across NHS Trusts in methods of monitoring MRSA bloodstream infections under the mandatory surveillance system; and what steps he is taking to ensure consistency.

(198181)

366
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many emergency readmissions to NHS hospitals there were in each quarter since January 2003.

(198481)

367
N Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of methicillin sensitive staphylococcus aureus have been reported by each hospital trust since 2001.

(197942)

368
N Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which hospitals screen patients for (a) MRSA and (b) MSSA on admission to (i) orthopaedic wards, (ii) critical care units and (iii) children's wards.

(197943)

369
N Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what drugs are approved for use against methicillin sensitive staphylococcus aureus in hospitals; and if he will make a statement on their effectiveness.

(197944)

370
N Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what different monitoring systems are used by hospitals to ensure sterilisation of beds between patients.

(197945)

371
N Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what central guidance is used by hospitals for reporting hospital-acquired infections which manifest themselves after patients have left hospital.

(197946)

372
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, who will appoint the new advocates proposed in the draft Mental Health Bill; and what the relationship will be between the advocates and the legal representatives envisaged in the draft Bill.

(198343)

373
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the future of the vocational rehabilitation work site and garden site at Goodmayes Hospital in Ilford.

(198344)

374
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his latest estimate is of the number of people in the UK infected with hepatitis C; what assessment he has made of the origin of infection for most hepatitis C sufferers; and how many people are receiving treatment for hepatitis C.

(198431)

375
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance he has been issued on possible effects of Tetra mast signals on the operation of pacemakers.

(198538)

376
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many nursing posts in the NHS are funded by pharmaceutical companies, broken down by trust.

(198626)

377
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on hospitals employing nurses and doctors funded for wholly or in part by pharmaceutical companies.

(198627)

378
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average journey time is for patients to the nearest (a) general practitioner surgery, (b) dentist and (c) accident and emergency unit in West Derbyshire.

(198364)

379
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) residential care home and (b) nursing home places were available in West Derbyshire in each year since 1997, broken down into places available at (i) local authority-run homes, (ii) independent private homes and (iii) homes run by independent charities and other not-for-profit organisations.

(198365)

380
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the average waiting time for a first consultant appointment in West Derbyshire in each year since 1997.

(198367)

381
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the clinical areas where the NHS in West Derbyshire has longer (a) waiting lists and (b) waiting times than the national average.

(198368)

382
Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS nurses qualified in each year since 2002; and how many nurses specialising in paediatrics there were in each year since 2002.

(198184)

383
Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) consultants and (b) paediatric consultants there were in the NHS in each year since 2002.

(198185)

384
N Mr Gary Streeter (South West Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people are employed in the delivery of mental health services in Plymouth.

(198094)

385
N Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, in what circumstances the provision of cardiac rehabilitation is a mandatory requirement for NHS trusts; and if he will make a statement.

(196879)

Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department

386
Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the London local authorities which are supporting asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement.

(198186)

387
Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to protect children from paedophiles operating on the internet.

(198191)

388
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the activities of Hizb at Tahrir.

(198409)

389
Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in what areas his Department conducted opinion polling in each of the last three years.

(198462)

390
Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to make available in the Library, the results of the opinion polling carried out by his Department in the last three years.

(198463)

391
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action members of the public who see drivers using mobile phones whilst driving should take.

(198500)

392
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will set up a free phone number that members of the public can ring in to give the car registration numbers of those drivers who break the law on using mobile phones whilst driving.

(198501)

393
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action the appropriate authorities should take when a member of the public makes a complaint against a driver who was using a mobile phone whilst driving.

(198502)

394
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers there were in (a) Staffordshire and (b) Newcastle-under-Lyme in (i) 1997 and (ii) at the latest available date.

(198584)

395
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) community support officers and (b) street wardens have been introduced in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

(198585)

396
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what change there has been in the funding of Staffordshire Police since 1997.

(198586)

397
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps are being taken to increase the numbers of special constables assisting the police.

(198587)

398
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps have been taken to tackle anti-social behaviour in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198588)

399
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government has taken to (a) punish and (b) rehabilitate persistent offenders in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198589)

400
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government has taken to promote stronger and safer communities in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198590)

401
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much has been spent on tackling drugs misuse in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198591)

402
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

(198592)

403
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps have been taken to reduce football hooliganism since 1997.

(198608)

404
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what schemes exist to provide financial assistance for the extension of closed circuit television in town centres.

(198610)

405
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of drink spiking detection or prevention devices; and if he will make a statement.

(198550)

406
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the percentage of drug assisted sex attacks that go unreported.

(198551)

407
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the prevalence of (a) drink spiking and (b) drug rape following drink spiking.

(198552)

408
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to fund a campaign in the run up to the Christmas party season to alert women to the dangers of leaving drinks unattended.

(198555)

409
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which police forces are using the early evidence kits for detection of drugs that may have been used to assist a rape.

(198556)

410
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria were used to allow advertisements in Prison Catering by HM Prison Service; what revenue was raised from advertising; and what the total cost was of the publication.

(198593)

411
Mr John Grogan (Selby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what percentage of hospital admissions in the accident and emergency departments surveyed in the summer alcohol enforcement campaign were connected with excessive alcohol consumption.

(198781)

412
Mr John Grogan (Selby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers have been employed in the North Yorkshire Police Authority area in each year since 1997.

(198791)

413
Mr John Grogan (Selby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many exclusion orders from licenced premises have been granted in England in each of the last 10 years.

(198792)

414
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the evidential basis was for point one of the Home Office response to twelve questions raised by Dan Lyons, uncaged campaigns, about Imutran Xenotransplantation research licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

(198553)

415
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether lethal endpoints were expected in (a) project licence authorities and (b) other communications between the Home Office, the Animal Procedures Committee and Imutran in relation to Imutran xenotransplantation procedures with a moderate severity limit.

(198557)

416
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 4th October, Official Report, column 1895W, on animal experimentation, on what date the Animal Procedures Committee was informed that Imutran primates on moderate procedures had been found dead; and what form the communication took.

(198558)

417
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what infringement action has been taken under section 6(6) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 against, (a) named day-to-day care persons and (b) named veterinary surgeons employed by Huntingdon Life Sciences, in respect of failures to make arrangements for the care or destruction of primates in Imutran xenotransplantation procedures where breaches of the moderate severity limit occurred as identified at paragraph 5.14 of the Chief Inspector's compliance review.

(198560)

418
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many recorded offences were committed, in each of the last five years, in which knives were used.

(198807)

419
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he plans to (a) increase the penalties for carrying knives in public and (b) bring forward proposals for revising the sentencing guidelines to magistrates and judges in such cases; and if he will make a statement.

(198808)

420
N Mr John Horam (Orpington):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Green Ministers his Department has had since 1997.

(197675)

421
Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what research he has evaluated on the possible effects of Tetra mast signals on (a) breathalysers, (b) speed cameras, (c) lawnmowers, (d) computers and (e) pacemakers.

(198630)

422
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on the number of anti-social behaviour orders issued in the Vale of York in each of the last three years.

(198647)

423
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners are held in HMP Sudbury; and how many of these are serving a life sentence.

(198349)

424
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners at HMP Sudbury absconded during (a) 2003 and (b) 2002; and how many in each case had been convicted of (i) murder, (ii) grievious bodily harm and (iii) sexual offences.

(198350)

425
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many open prisons there are in the United Kingdom; and how many prisoners have absconded from open prisons in the last year.

(198351)

426
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average cost of recapturing prisoners who absconded (a) from HMP Sudbury and (b) from Her Majesty's prisons was during (i) 2003 and (ii) 2002.

(198352)

427
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many crimes were committed per head of population in West Derbyshire police force areas in the last five years for which figures are available.

(198369)

428
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many crimes were committed by juvenile offenders in (a) West Derbyshire and (b) the East Midlands in each of the last two quarters for which figures are available; and how many cautions were issued.

(198370)

429
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many deaths have been caused by (a) dangerous driving, (b) driving under the influence of illegal drugs and (c) driving under the influence of alcohol in (i) West Derbyshire and (ii) the East Midlands in each year since 2001.

(198371)

430
N Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many nationals of the new EU accession states have been convicted of crimes in magistrates' courts in England and Wales since May.

(198092)

431
N Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 8th November, Official Report, columns 469-70W, on travel documents (prosecutions) how many of those convicted were sentenced to terms of imprisonment; for what periods; how many of those convicted were fined; what the amount of such fines were; and what proportion have been paid.

(198093)

432
N Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects to reach a decision in relation to case Reference Number H1128792.

(198206)

433
N Mr Andrew Mitchell (Sutton Coldfield):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the evidence of the Minister for Crime Reduction, Policing, Community Safety and Counter-Terrorism to the Home Affairs Select Committee of 26th October, if he will list the items of police paperwork which have been reduced since 1997.

(197464)

434
N Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to extend the use of the internet in prisons for learning and training programmes.

(198039)

435
N Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to change the pay differential for prisoners who (a) work and (b) take part in education or training.

(198040)

436
N Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many offenders were moved during part of their NVQ course in 2003-04; and how many of those were able to continue their courses in their next prison.

(198042)

437
Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford & Stortford):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received concerning the funding settlement for Hertfordshire police authority for 2005-06.

(198088)

438
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were prosecuted for driving cars whilst uninsured in each police authority area.

(198834)

439
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of uninsured drivers in each of the last 10 years.

(198841)

440
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what percentage of drivers involved in fatal traffic accidents were (a) uninsured and (b) were driving a car that did not have a valid MOT.

(198845)

441
N Mr Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to change the grant regime to local authorities for funding unaccompanied asylum seeking children; and if he will make a statement.

(198174)

442
Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of inmates of each (a) prison and (b) young offenders institution are detained within 50 miles of their homes, broken down by category of prisoners; and what the average (i) stay of inmates and (ii) length of time served by prison officers in each establishment is.

(198200)

443
Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many hours per week on average (a) basic skills training and (b) purposeful activity are undertaken per inmate at each (i) prison and (ii) young offenders institution; and what his targets are for each establishment.

(198277)

444
Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will place in the Library an organogram showing the (a) relationship and (b) lines of responsibility in relation to education and training between prisons and young offender establishments, the Adult Learning Inspectorate, the Offender's Basic Skills Learning Unit, Ofsted, education providers and contractors, learning and skills councils, and prison training and skills officers and governors and (i) national and (ii) area offices of HM Prison Service.

(198801)

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

445
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether value for money studies are planned in respect of computer workstation procurement for the use of staff of the House.

(198829)

446
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will make an estimate of the potential savings of relocating staff in the Finance and Administration Department outside London.

(198831)

447
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether an assessment has been made of the potential for hot desking in the Clerks' Department.

(198832)

448
Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what plans there are to relocate staff in the Finance and Administration Department outside London.

(198700)

449
Peter Bottomley (Worthing West):To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many staff in the Department of the Clerk of the House were directly recruited from the private sector.

(198701)

450
Mr Eric Forth (Bromley & Chislehurst):To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many staff were employed on the latest date for which figures are available in (a) the Department of the Clerk of the House, (b) the Department of the Serjeant at Arms, (c) the Department of the Library, (d) the Department of Finance and Administration, (e) the Department of the Official Report, (f) the Refreshment Department, (g) Office of the Speaker and (h) other offices.

(198198)

451
Mr Douglas Hogg (Sleaford & North Hykeham):To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many staff in the Department of Finance and Administration work from home.

(198396)

452
Mr Douglas Hogg (Sleaford & North Hykeham):To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many staff in the Department of the Serjeant at Arms work from home.

(198397)

453
Mr Douglas Hogg (Sleaford & North Hykeham):To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what cost benefit analysis has been carried out on the use of computer workstations by staff in the Library of the House.

(198398)

454
Mr Robert Key (Salisbury):To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what cost-benefit analysis has been carried out on the use of computer workstations by staff in the Finance and Administration Department.

(198492)

455
Mr Stephen Pound (Ealing North):To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many staff were employed in the Clerk's Department in (a) 1974, (b) 2000 and (c) at the latest date for which figures are available.

(198732)

456
Mr Stephen Pound (Ealing North):To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many computer workstations for staff there were in the Finance and Administration Department in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

(198830)

Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development

457
Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding has been made available to help countries that are affected by landmines to meet their mine clearance obligations under the Ottawa Treaty.

(198802)

458
Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of shortages identified by the United Nations of artemisinin-based combination therapy used in the treatment of malaria.

(198776)

459
Mr Martyn Jones (Clwyd South):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Côte d'Ivoire.

(198778)

460
Mr Mark Simmonds (Boston & Skegness):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions have taken place with UK charities regarding the future of second-hand clothing exports to Africa; and what assessment has been made of the impact of this trade on clothing manufacture in Africa.

(198262)

Questions to the Leader of the House

461
N Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Leader of the House, if he will bring forward proposals for parliamentary questions which have not been answered by the end of a parliamentary session are carried over to the next session; and if he will make a statement.

(198173)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

462
Mr Roy Beggs (East Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the underspend for the Department of Education was for the year 2003-04; and whether there is a projected underspend for the same Department for 2004-05.

(198738)

463
Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to amend the procedures for recording the numbers of those waiting for MRI scans in Northern Ireland.

(198633)

464
Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the (a) salary levels, (b) expenses and (c) pension entitlements are in 2004 for the chief executives of each (i) health and social services trust and (ii) education and library board in Northern Ireland.

(198634)

465
Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 2nd November, Official Report, column 243W, how much of the house sales proceeds were returned to (a) the Exchequer and (b) the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

(198635)

466
Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what quantity of illegal drugs has been seized during 2004 in Northern Ireland, broken down by police region; and what the approximate street value was.

(198636)

467
Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many deaths have been caused by fire in Northern Ireland in 2004; and in how many instances (a) no smoke alarm being fitted and (b) a faulty or non-working smoke alarm was a contributory factor.

(198637)

468
Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to lift the cap on university places in Northern Ireland.

(198504)

469
Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many students ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland are taking courses (a) at Northern Ireland universities and (b) at universities outside Northern Ireland.

(198505)

470
Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to lift the moratorium on the provision of additional (a) nursery units and (b) nursery schools in Northern Ireland.

(198506)

471
Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to increase the number of full-time pre-school places at (a) nursery units and (b) nursery schools in Northern Ireland.

(198507)

472
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what measures are being taken to address the overspend within the South Eastern Education and Library Board.

(198276)

473
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when the West Tyrone Area Plan will be published.

(198282)

474
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what percentage of education and library board buses do not have seat belts fitted, broken down by board.

(198283)

475
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will ensure that the restructured Sure Start project in Belfast will incorporate the best practice of the Home-start model of using volunteers to support families.

(198287)

476
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will ensure that a multi-agency approach in service delivery is central to the proposed new Sure Start model.

(198288)

477
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what research his Department has undertaken into the cost involved in removing the bar on disabled people over the age of 65 years claiming disability living allowance.

(198291)

478
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) MOT tests and (b) driving tests were (i) cancelled and (ii) rescheduled as a result of strike action by civil servants in Northern Ireland; how many of these tests have been cancelled or rescheduled since the resolution of the pay dispute; and what steps he is taking to return these services to their pre-strike levels.

(198292)

479
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many prisoners set free under the Belfast Agreement early release schemes are in (a) full-time and (b) part-time employment.

(198293)

480
N Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to remove the requirement for retired prison officers to carry a firearms certificate and replace it with an authorisation card.

(198294)

481
N Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many retired police officers in Northern Ireland have been issued with a firearms authorisation card.

(198295)

482
N Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many retired police officers in Northern Ireland have been issued with a firearms certificate.

(198296)

483
N Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, for what reason (a) retired prison officers are required to carry a firearms certificate and (b) retired police officers carry an authorisation card.

(198297)

484
N Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many primary schools in each education and library board area in Northern Ireland have been identified as having classrooms and other public areas containing asbestos; and what steps he is taking to ensure it is removed.

(198298)

485
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress has been made by the Northern Ireland Office towards completion of protocols governing restorative justice schemes; and if he will make a statement.

(198489)

486
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will list the membership of the Harbour Commission; and what consultation process was followed prior to the recent appointments.

(198490)

487
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether anti-social behaviour orders are available to tackle anti-social behaviour (a) within school buildings and (b) on school property in Northern Ireland.

(198491)

488
Mr John Hume (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will ensure that the families of the children whose deaths are the subject of Mr John O'Hara QC's independent inquiry have access to independent legal representation; and what the (a) terms of reference and (b) scope of the inquiry are.

(198497)

489
Mr John Hume (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much was spent per capita on Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland in the last year for which figures are available.

(198546)

490
Mr John Hume (Foyle):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the procedures are for (a) notification and (b) investigation of deaths in hospital which may have resulted from medical treatment; and at what stage the Chief Medical Officer should be informed.

(198612)

491
N Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on acute services provision at Tyrone County Hospital.

(198272)

492
N Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps are being taken by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety with (a) other Government departments and (b) NHS trusts in Northern Ireland to develop an information-sharing database between professional agencies on children who are at risk or in need; and what plans he has to bring forward legislation paralleling the provisions in the Children Bill [Lords] to facilitate information sharing.

(197624)

493
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will assess the merits of instituting a MRSA helpline in the Province.

(198096)

494
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what advice his Department provides to nasal carriers of MRSA regarding participation in activities which involve contact with other members of the community.

(198097)

495
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what intensive rehabilitation facilities are available in the Province for patients following neurosurgery.

(198098)

496
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what account of regional service provision is taken in the Capitation Review of the Province's health spending.

(198099)

497
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much was spent on (a) haemophilia and (b) haematology drugs in the Province in each of the last five years; and what the expected spending is over the next 12 months.

(198137)

498
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate he has made of the proportion of the Province's population who are nasal carriers of MRSA; and what assessment has been made of the potential spread of MRSA from those who are nasal carriers.

(198138)

499
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety spending in the last year on (a) EU programmes and (b) special initiatives.

(198140)

500
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much has been spent on ambulance services in the Province in each of the last five years.

(198141)

501
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much was spent on family health services in the Province in the last year for which figures are available.

(198142)

502
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much has been spent on fire services in each of the last five years in the Province.

(198143)

503
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many community care packages have been provided in the Province in each of the last 10 years.

(198144)

504
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what change in the number of community care packages required in the Province he expects in the next decade.

(198145)

505
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 2nd November, Official Report, column 239W, on GP prescribing, whether Mediboxes have been available in Northern Ireland through the NHS.

(198146)

506
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the effects on morale of general practitioners in the Province of the implementation of the new General Medical Services contract.

(198147)

507
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps are being taken to improve diagnosis of allergies by general practitioners in the Province.

(198148)

508
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps have been taken to improve hospital allergy services in the Province.

(198149)

509
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much was spent on chemotherapy drugs in the Province in each of the last five years; and what the proposed spending is in the next 12 months.

(198150)

510
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will include family health services funding in the Capitation Review of health spending in the Province.

(198151)

511
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on neurosurgery provision for children in the Province.

(198152)

512
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on nursing provision in schools for children with special needs in the Province.

(198153)

513
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will estimate the costs resulting from the implementation of the European Working Time Directive on the working hours of (a) junior doctors, (b) senior doctors and (c) other health service personnel.

(198649)

514
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to establish a new NHS walk-in centre in the Province.

(198650)

515
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what criteria are used to select couples for ICSI and other sub-fertility treatments in the Province; and whether the fact that a couple already have a child excludes them from such treatment.

(198651)

516
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many patients are awaiting (a) initial outpatient assessment and (b) treatment for sub-fertility in the Province.

(198652)

517
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on recent changes in waiting lists for those seeking sub-fertility treatment in the Province.

(198653)

518
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will estimate the average waiting time from GP referral through to initial hospital assessment for those seeking sub-fertility treatment in the Province in the last year.

(198654)

519
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many couples in the Province have received publicly-funded treatments for sub-fertility in the Province each year since December 2001; and what proportion of these procedures have proved successful.

(198655)

520
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he expects to announce proposals for the further development of fertility services in the Province.

(198656)

521
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 3rd November, Official Report, column 337W, on medical schools, how many students commenced medical school at Queen's University this year; and what plans there are to change the entry number in future years.

(198835)

522
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans there are to (a) maintain and (b) develop facilities for in-service nursing education in the Eastern Health Board area; and if he will estimate the expected time frame involved.

(198836)

523
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what information he collects regarding the number of people each year in the Province whose death is partly or wholly attributable to passive smoking.

(198837)

524
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the overall area of (a) apple orchards and (b) other fruit-growing land was in the Province (i) in 1974, (ii) in 1984, (iii) in 1994 and (iv) on the latest date for which figures are available.

(198838)

525
N The Reverend Martin Smyth (Belfast South):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the cost was of Enterprise Northern Ireland's Strategic Development Programme carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers (a) in total and (b) broken down by local enterprise agency involved in the exercise.

(198195)

Questions to the Prime Minister

526
Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Prime Minister, what changes he plans to make to the Honours system.

(198335)

527
Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Answer of 3rd November, Official Report, column 250W, whether he has a timescale for completing the implementation of the Butler recommendations.

(198348)

528
Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Prime Minister, when he expects Saddam Hussein to be brought to trial; and if he will make a statement.

(198375)

529
Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Oral Answer to the honourable Member for South West Bedfordshire of 20th October, Official Report, column 888, if he will meet a group of members of the Youth Parliament to discuss the youth service.

(198199)

530
Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Prime Minister, what his policy is on making corrections in the Official Report of Parliamentary Answers which turn out to be inaccurate.

(198677)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland

531
Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the latest date would be by which the orders implementing the Boundary Commission for Scotland's report on Parliamentary Boundaries in Scotland would have to take effect in order for an election in May 2005 to be contested on the new parliamentary constituencies.

(198336)

532
Mr Peter Duncan (Galloway & Upper Nithsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what advice he has received from local authorities in Scotland about the period of time they would require prior to a general election in order for them to make the necessary arrangements for that election to be contested on the constituency boundaries recommended by the Boundary Commission for Scotland.

(198381)

Questions to the honourable Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission

533
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the honourable Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, how much money the Electoral Commission is spending on encouraging (a) young people and (b) people who are living abroad to vote.

(198640)

534
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the honourable Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what complaints the Electoral Commission have received concerning the conduct of the regional referendum.

(198161)

535
Mr Bernard Jenkin (North Essex):To ask the honourable Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, when the Electoral Commission intends to report on the conduct of the referendum in the North East.

(198162)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

536
Mr Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the representation from manufacturing industry is on (a) the Health and Safety Commission and (b) the Better Regulation Task Force.

(198196)

537
Mr Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the carbon dioxide emission levels were (a) in the UK and (b) in other EU Member States at the latest date for which figures are available.

(198197)

538
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much her Department has spent on advertising posts in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003.

(198733)

539
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much her Department has spent on the recent adverts for the post of Chairman of the Office of Fair Trading.

(198734)

540
N Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many applications for cover from MW Kellogg the Export Credits Guarantee Department has considered since October 2003.

(198044)

541
N Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will list the guarantees issued to subsidiaries of Halliburton by the Export Credits Guarantee Department since 1st January 2003; and on what dates they were issued.

(198045)

542
N Malcolm Bruce (Gordon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many applications for cover from Kellogg, Brown and Root the Export Credits Guarantee Department has considered since October 2003.

(198046)

543
Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when Advantage West Midlands was first informed of the possibility that they might no longer be able to account for assets on a portfolio basis but should value and account for assets on an individual basis.

(198303)

544
Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which projects and investments undertaken by Advantage West Midlands, including sale and leaseback, involving property and land (a) have incurred losses and (b) are projected to incur losses; and what the extent of those losses is.

(198304)

545
Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether the projects and investments undertaken by Advantage West Midlands meet European state aid requirements.

(198305)

546
Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much Advantage West Midlands will make available for revenue funding on new projects in (a) 2004-05 and (b) 2005-06 in (i) regeneration zones and (ii) elsewhere in the region.

(198306)

547
Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether Advantage West Midlands is expected to meet key performance targets on (a) learning opportunities created, (b) jobs created and safeguarded, (c) new business created and attracted and (d) other areas in (i) 2004-05 and (ii) 2005-06.

(198307)

548
Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, to which projects Advantage West Midlands has issued letters imposing claw-back requirements so that funding may be withheld or withdrawn even if schemes reach output performance targets.

(198308)

549
Ross Cranston (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the (a) target time is and (b) average time actually achieved in 2003-04 was for Advantage West Midlands approving new projects (i) in general, (ii) as regional cluster projects, (iii) as regeneration zone projects, (iv) as technology corridor projects and (v) as single regeneration budget projects.

(198309)

550
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the standard of Royal Mail deliveries in Hendon.

(198736)

551
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has held with her counterparts in the (a) French, (b) Russian and (c) Chinese governments about the proposal to site a nuclear fusion reactor in the South of France; and what assessment she has made of the opportunities that such a proposal would afford to the British nuclear industry.

(198731)

552
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps the Government has taken to help small businesses in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198540)

553
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many new businesses have (a) started up in and (b) relocated to Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198541)

554
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many businesses have benefited from Regional Selective Assistance in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198542)

555
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much Regional Selective Assistance has been invested in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198543)

556
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much Newcastle-under-Lyme has received by way of European Objective 2 funding since 1997; and which projects have benefited there from such funding.

(198544)

557
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps the Government is taking to improve manufacturing productivity.

(198545)

558
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many former miners, their widows or families in Newcastle-under-Lyme have (a) made claims for and (b) been paid compensation in respect of (i) chronic bronchitis and emphysema, (ii) vibration white finger and (iii) pneumoconiosis; and how much has been paid out so far.

(198583)

559
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps the Government is taking to improve the (a) employment rights and (b) holiday pay entitlements of agency workers.

(198611)

560
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many workers in Newcastle-under-Lyme she estimates to have benefited from the minimum wage.

(198629)

561
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will take steps to ensure that the UK adopts the proposed EU Directive on Temporary Agency Workers.

(198691)

562
Mr Parmjit Singh Gill (Leicester South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much of the Government's Post Office Modernisation Fund has been spent in Leicester since the fund was initiated; and how much has been spent (a) to keep post offices open and (b) to encourage closure.

(198659)

563
Mr Parmjit Singh Gill (Leicester South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many post offices have closed in Leicester in each year since 1979.

(198663)

564
Mr John Grogan (Selby):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to review the offshore licensing regime for gas producers operating on the UK continental shelf with a view to bringing them within the regulatory remit of Ofgem.

(198780)

565
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, whether she plans to assist Bombardier Aerospace with their evaluation into the feasibility of the CSeries commerical aircraft programme; and if she will make a statement.

(198805)

566
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what research she has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the (i) direct and (ii) indirect benefits to the UK economy of the Bombardier Aerospace CSeries going into production.

(198806)

567
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many employment tribunal cases there were in (a) West Derbyshire, (b) the East Midlands and (c) the UK in each year since 1997.

(198353)

568
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the average amount of an employment tribunal cost award was in (a) West Derbyshire, (b) the East Midlands and (c) the UK in each year since 1997.

(198354)

569
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the average award for compensation in employment tribunal cases has been in (a) West Derbyshire, (b) the East Midlands and (c) the UK in each year since 1997.

(198355)

570
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many employment tribunal cost awards have been made against (a) respondents and (b) applicants in (i) West Derbyshire, (ii) the East Midlands and (iii) the UK in each year since 1997.

(198356)

571
Mr Stephen O'Brien (Eddisbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measurable progress her Department has made towards meeting its Public Service Agreement target (a) to raise the rate of UK productivity growth over the economic cycle, (b) to improve UK competitiveness and (c) to narrow the productivity gap with the US, France and Germany.

(198509)

572
Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford & Stortford):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what representations her Department has received about the (a) supply levels and (b) pricing of lard in the UK commercial and consumer markets.

(198087)

573
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many motor vehicle technicians (a) died and (b) suffered serious injury in their place of work in each of the last 30 years.

(198817)

574
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much motor manufacturers invested in technical training for the UK motor vehicle industry in 2003.

(198818)

575
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the effectiveness o the Council for Registered Gas Installers scheme on safety and competence in the gas installation industry; and if she will seek to encourage the adoption of a parallel scheme in the UK motor vehicle maintenance industry.

(198819)

576
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what requirements are in place to ensure that those maintaining and servicing cars are registered, appropriately qualified and competent.

(198840)

577
Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many people per 10,000 population (a) died and (b) suffered serious injury as a result of faulty installation of gas appliances (i) in each of the 10 years prior to the introduction of the CORGI scheme and (ii) in each year since the introduction of the scheme.

(198844)

578
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much solar power the UK generated in the last period for which figures are available.

(198278)

579
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what targets there have been for the installation of solar power in domestic properties in the last 10 years.

(198279)

580
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what target has been set for the installation of solar panels.

(198280)

581
Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will (a) list and (b) place copies in the Library of each paper on nuclear power officials of her Department prepared as part of the contribution to the Energy White Paper 2003.

(198648)

582
Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when the European Commission Regulation 2002/99 (Euratom) on the application of safeguards to mixed civil and military nuclear facilities comes into force; what assessment she has made of cost implications of the regulation; and what the likely changes in safeguards visits to United Kingdom nuclear installations will arise from application of this regulation.

(198687)

583
N Mr Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what measures she intends to take to protect the public from the unwanted installation of premium rate dialler programmes on computers connected to the internet; and if she will make a statement.

(197934)

584
N Mr Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many complaints she has received in the last three years about the operation of the regulatory bodies for premium rate telephone companies; and if she will make a statement.

(198175)

585
N Mr Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what information she has received of the number of complaints received over the last three years by the regulatory bodies for premium rate telephone calls.

(198176)

586
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she expects the Fundamental Review of Gas Safety Regime, Proposals for Change to be published; and what the original publication date was.

(198223)

587
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what additional measures she plans to take to make gas usage safer.

(198235)

588
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she last discussed gas safety with the Health and Safety Executive.

(198237)

589
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had with manufacturers of gas safety equipment in the past five years.

(198253)

590
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she has made of the number of people in (a) Hemsworth constituency and (b) England who pay for their utility bills on prepaid meters; and if she will make a statement.

(198751)

591
Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the implications of the Ghislenghien gas explosion for security of gas supplies in the UK.

(198258)

592
Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of (a) the differences between the MHP and MHEG digital standards and (b) the implications of one being preferred for use in the UK.

(198260)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport

593
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on the future of the Thameslink 2000 project.

(198136)

594
Mr John Grogan (Selby):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what requirements on franchisees to communicate information on delays to trains to passengers waiting at unstaffed train stations are planned.

(198782)

595
Mr John Grogan (Selby):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much public subsidy was provided to the operator of the Trans Pennine Express franchise in each year since it was originally granted; and what the (a) punctuality and (b) reliability figures were for the operator of the Trans Pennine Express franchise in each of these years.

(198786)

596
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has for the relocation of the Air Accident Investigation Branch from Farnborough; and if he will make a statement.

(198775)

597
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make a statement on his proposals for rural railways in North Yorkshire.

(198645)

598
Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many new passenger rail services were introduced in each of the last seven years.

(198695)

599
N Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to require Chinese visitors to the UK to have British driving licences before being allowed to drive in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

(198086)

600
Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many fatal road accidents in each year between 2000 and 2004 involved drivers that were foreign visitors, broken down by nationality of driver concerned.

(198561)

601
Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether on the completion of the Dunstable and Houghton Regis northern bypass, the extension of the A505 to the M1, there will be a ban on the use of the A5 through Dunstable by lorries not having business in the town.

(198202)

602
Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects to institute a ban in Leighton Buzzard and Linslade on lorries not having business in the town.

(198203)

603
Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the latest estimated cost is of the Translink guided busway for Luton, Dunstable, Houghton Regis and the surrounding area.

(198204)

604
Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the transport projects in the last 10 years in which a single local authority has compulsorily purchased land outside its own boundaries.

(198205)

605
Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on how many occasions in the last 10 years a local authority has been granted power compulsory to purchase land outside its own boundaries.

(198508)

606
N Mr Graham Stringer (Manchester, Blackley):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list meetings he has held with (a) officials and (b) members of (i) passenger transport authorities and (ii) passenger transport executives since 1st March.

(197935)

Questions to the Minister for Women

607
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Minister for Women, what action she is taking to increase female employment in social care.

(198752)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

608
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the impact of the indexation of pension credit on (a) the level of savings by low income individuals and (b) incentives to save.

(198797)

609
Mr David Amess (Southend West):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many women are not claiming the pension credit to which they are entitled.

(198798)

610
N Mr Keith Bradley (Manchester, Withington):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many lone parents in Manchester, Withington have gained work through the New Deal programme.

(197883)

611
Chris Bryant (Rhondda):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in each ward of the Rhondda claim (a) disability living allowance and (b) winter fuel payments.

(198301)

612
Chris Bryant (Rhondda):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in each ward of the Rhondda are (a) entitled to free television licences and (b) have claimed free television licences.

(198302)

613
Tom Cox (Tooting):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people over retirement age who live in the London Borough of Wandsworth who are not claiming the benefits to which they are entitled.

(198187)

614
Mr John Cummings (Easington):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people of pensionable age have received the winter fuel allowance in the Easington constituency since its introduction.

(198129)

615
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are claiming a working age benefit in Coventry.

(197465)

616
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what strategy he has put in place to tackle child poverty.

(197466)

617
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what strategy his Department uses to re-introduce offenders into the workforce.

(197467)

618
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Royal Mail, following the introduction of the new daily delivery time target, on ensuring that pensioners who are reliant on carers to cash their cheques on particular days receive their pension cheques in time for the carer to visit the post office to claim the money; and if he will make a statement.

(198139)

619
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners are in receipt of (a) housing benefit and (b) council tax benefit; what the total cost of the benefit is; and if he will make a statement.

(198167)

620
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many UK pensioners in receipt of basic state pensions are resident overseas, in (a) Commonwealth countries, (b) in EU countries and (c) elsewhere; and if he will make a statement.

(198169)

621
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what percentage of pensioners retire on incomes higher than the average weekly wage in the last period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(198172)

622
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners in receipt of (a) old age pensions and (b) pension credit are from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, (i) in total and (ii) broken down by ethnic group; and if he will make a statement.

(198177)

623
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost is of issuing a single pension cheque to a pensioner, in replacement of the order book; what the unit cost would be if cheques were issued in batches of four; and if he will make a statement.

(198178)

624
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what he estimates the cost would be of raising the basic state pension to £105.45 per week; what the annual cost is of the pension guarantee credit at the current rate; what the cost would be of the pension guarantee credit if the maximum basic state pension were raised to £105.45 per week; and if he will make a statement.

(198207)

625
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners in Hendon have (a) converted to direct payment, (b) opted for direct payment on the first award of their pension, (c) opted for a Post Office Card Account and (d) have not converted to direct payments and (i) remain in receipt of pensions from their current order books and (ii) have started to receive pensions by cheque payments; of (c) how many have yet to have a Post Office Card Account opened; and if he will make a statement.

(198395)

626
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how quickly a visit from a pension service visiting officer will be made in the event of a pension cheque not arriving to its intended recipient on time and severe hardship ensuing.

(198399)

627
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pension service outreach visits have been made to (a) pensioner groups and (b) individual pensioners in Hendon; and if he will make a statement.

(198405)

628
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which pension service local clusters have been withdrawn; and what alternative arrangements are in place.

(198406)

629
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners have benefited from the winter fuel payment in Newcastle-under-Lyme in each year since it was introduced.

(198536)

630
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are being paid the jobseeker's allowance in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

(198537)

631
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government has taken to improve health and safety at work in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198547)

632
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many incapacity benefit claimants there are in Newcastle-under-Lyme, broken down by (a) local authority ward and (b) sex.

(198576)

633
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Newcastle-under-Lyme have benefited from (a) New Deal for Lone Parents and (b) the New Deal for Partners.

(198577)

634
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures have been introduced to improve the working rights and conditions of disabled people in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198578)

635
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are being paid disability living allowance in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

(198579)

636
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Newcastle-under-Lyme have benefited from the New Deal since 1997.

(198580)

637
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners in Newcastle-under-Lyme will be eligible for the winter fuel allowance in 2004-05.

(198599)

638
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners over 70 years have received the £100 payment for help with the council tax in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

(198601)

639
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners have received cold weather payments in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

(198602)

640
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners receive assistance from the Warm Front Scheme in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

(198603)

641
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners have received the attendance allowance in Newcastle-under-Lyme in each year since 1997.

(198604)

642
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners have received free TV licences in Newcastle-under-Lyme in each year since they were introduced.

(198605)

643
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have received the (a) carer's allowance and (b) invalidity allowance since 1997.

(198643)

644
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have received the (a) carers' allowance and (b) invalids allowance in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

(198705)

645
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many children (a) are defined as living below the poverty line and (b) have moved above the poverty line in each year in (i) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (ii) England since 1997.

(198706)

646
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many mothers in Newcastle-under-Lyme have received the Sure Start maternity grant in each year since its introduction.

(198707)

647
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have been through (a) the New Deal for the over-50s, (b) New Deal for Partners, (c) New Deal for Disabled People, (d) New Deal for Lone Parents, (e) New Deal 25 plus and (f) New Deal for Young People (18 to 24) in each year in Newcastle-under-Lyme since their introduction; and how many have then obtained permanent employment.

(198708)

648
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will reform rules for housing and council tax benefit to exclude receipts of pension credit in the calculation of entitlement to these benefits; and what estimate he has made of the cost of such reform.

(198710)

649
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to develop the carer's allowance.

(198713)

650
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the costs of increasing the carer's allowance to the level of the minimum wage per hour spent caring.

(198714)

651
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost of administering the carer's allowance was in each of the last three years.

(198715)

652
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners entitled to the carer's allowance have benefited from the abolition of the upper age limit.

(198716)

653
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support is given to enable carers to take respite leave.

(198717)

654
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants were receiving the carer's premium in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) the UK on the latest date for which figures are available.

(198742)

655
Mr John Grogan (Selby):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have gained work through the New Deal for Lone Parents in (a) Selby constituency and (b) North Yorkshire.

(198789)

656
Mr John Grogan (Selby):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to extend the range of qualifying benefits for third party deductions schemes; and if he will make a statement.

(198793)

657
Mr John Grogan (Selby):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received concerning the modernisation of the third party deductions schemes; and if he will make a statement.

(198794)

658
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what research his Department has undertaken into the cost involved in removing the bar on disabled people over the age of 65 years from claiming disability living allowance.

(198290)

659
Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost of providing free television licences to pensioner households was in 2003-04.

(198391)

660
Sir Archy Kirkwood (Roxburgh & Berwickshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) men and (b) women in (i) the Scottish Borders, (ii) Scotland and (iii) the UK are entitled to the full basic state pension.

(198192)

661
Sir Archy Kirkwood (Roxburgh & Berwickshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average amount of (a) basic state pension and (b) SERPS received by (i) men and (ii) women in (A) the Scottish Borders, (B) Scotland and (C) the UK was in the last period for which figures are available.

(198193)

662
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners in West Derbyshire (a) are receiving pension credit, (b) are entitled to pension credit but not yet claiming it, (c) are receiving pension savings credit, (d) are entitled to pension savings credit but not yet claiming it, (e) received free eye tests in the last year for which figures are available, (f) received free TV licences in the last year for which figures are available and (g) will be entitled to winter fuel payment (i) at the standard rate and (ii) at the higher rate for older pensioners in 2003-04; and if he will make a statement.

(198360)

663
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners he estimates have yet to apply through the pension credit scheme in (a) West Derbyshire, (b) the East Midlands and (c) the UK and what efforts are being made to simplify the pension credit process to make it easier for pensioners to claim their entitlement.

(198361)

664
Mr Tony McWalter (Hemel Hempstead):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made, with regard to the three schemes for phasing out means testing for pensions set out in the recent White Paper on pensions, of (a) the inflationary effects of each of the schemes, (b) the total cost of each of the measures in each scheme, (c) the administrative savings to be achieved under each scheme and (d) the number of pensioners who would be affected adversely under each scheme (i) ignoring income erosion caused by inflation and (ii) after factoring in erosion caused by inflation.

(198800)

665
Mr David Marshall (Glasgow Shettleston):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress the Department has made in tackling pensioner poverty since 1997.

(198670)

666
Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people received the winter fuel allowance in the Wansbeck constituency in the last year for which figures are available.

(198693)

667
Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in the Wansbeck constituency (a) are entitled to and (b) claim pension credit.

(198696)

668
Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on how the eligibility requirements for council tax benefit differ from those for housing benefit.

(198487)

669
Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the estimated expenditure on council tax benefit in England (a) was in 2003-04 and (b) will be in 2004-05 across (i) all council tax benefit recipients and (ii) pensioner recipients.

(198488)

670
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was spent by the Health and Safety Executive in the past seven years on improvements to gas safety.

(198236)

671
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what strategic changes are occurring in the Health and Safety Executive; and if he will make a statement.

(198238)

672
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many fatalities arising from gas explosions are estimated to have occurred in each year since 2000.

(198240)

673
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when it was decided that a fundamental review of the gas safety regime was necessary.

(198266)

674
Jon Trickett (Hemsworth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many gas explosions are estimated to have occurred in the home in (a) 2000, (b) 2001, (c) 2002 and (d) 2003.

(198267)

675
Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment the Health and Safety Executive has made of implications of the Ghislenghien gas explosion for the safety of gas transmission and distribution systems in the UK.

(198259)

676
N Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with what frequency pensioners who receive a pension through a weekly order book at post offices and switch to direct payment will receive their payments; and whether they will be paid in arrears.

(198047)

677
Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that cancer patients are offered specialist benefits advice at diagnosis; and if he will make a statement.

(198208)

678
Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cancer sufferers who have subsequently died from their illness did not receive (a) disability living allowance and (b) attendance allowance in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(198209)

679
Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cancer sufferers without terminal diagnosis are not receiving (a) disability living allowance and (b) attendance allowance.

(198210)

680
Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the (a) operation and (b) take-up of the special rules gateway governing eligibility for higher rates of (i) disability living allowance and (ii) attendance allowance for patients with terminal illness.

(198211)

681
Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to publicise the entitlement link between (a) disability living allowance and (b) attendance allowance and (i) carer's allowance and (ii) income support.

(198212)

682
Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his Department's policy (a) to waive the three to six month qualifying period for cancer patients claiming disability living allowance and attendance allowance and (b) to permit hospital in-patients to keep their (i) disability living allowance and (ii) attendance allowance for 52 weeks.

(198213)

683
Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will revoke the 28-day linking rule for (a) disability living allowance and (b) attendance allowance claimants who are hospitalised; and if he will change the definition of terminal illness from six to 12 months.

(198214)

Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

684
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what changes have taken place in the numbers of people classified as long-term unemployed in Newcastle-under-Lyme since 1997.

[Transferred] (198581)

685
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many unemployed people there have been in Newcastle-under-Lyme in each year since 1997.

[Transferred] (198582)

686
Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families are benefiting from the working tax credit in Newcastle-under-Lyme; and how many families benefited from the working families tax credit.

[Transferred] (198600)

687
Kate Hoey (Vauxhall):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the annual tax revenue to the Treasury from the National Lottery has been in each year since 1994.

[Transferred] (198333)

688
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people aged 65 years or over died of influenza in (a) West Derbyshire, (b) the East Midlands and (c) the UK in each year since 1997.

[Transferred] (198366)

689
Keith Vaz (Leicester East):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the breakdown is by sector of the change in numbers of jobs in the United Kingdom since the UK adopted the European Social Chapter.

[Transferred] (198855)

Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister

690
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make a statement on e-delivery of government services in rural North Yorkshire.

[Transferred] (198646)

691
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of the impact of the New Deal for Communities in (a) West Derbyshire and (b) the East Midlands on (i) reducing crime, (ii) creating jobs and (iii) raising standards in education since 1998.

[Transferred] (198357)

692
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to (a) continue and (b) develop New Deal for Communities schemes in (i) West Derbyshire and (ii) the East Midlands.

[Transferred] (198358)

693
Mr Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the (a) schemes and (b) funding made available to West Derbyshire since 1998 under the New Deal for Communities.

[Transferred] (198359)

694
Mr Gordon Prentice (Pendle):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many cases of electoral fraud are being investigated arising from the North East Regional Assembly referendum.

[Transferred] (198374)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

695
Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will extend the scope of National Insurance credits for those in training for further employment to (a) those remaining in education aged 16 to 18 years and (b) those in higher education.

[Transferred] (198697)

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Revised 15 November 2004